After watching tonights show:
willis: that show, different strokes, all those kids on that show, had and have major problems, and its interesitng that the girls from fol didn't have any problems. and mrs garret was on each show. its just interesting that that different strokes had such problems, and they were trying to relate the two shows.....hmmmm

Well, the thing is the kids from Diff'rent Strokes in real life all had family problems and trouble adjusting to life after the spotlight was stripped from them. Todd Bridges had a unsupportive father and was molested as a child, leading to his drug problems and criminal behavior.Gary Coleman had to deal with the financial robbery that his adoptive parents bestowed on him and the pressure that was put on him at such a young age. And Dana Plato had to deal with a teenage pregnancy and being fired from the show for not living up to her wholesome image. So the difference between them and the Facts of Life were that the FOL girls were able to deal and adjust to "real life" and their family situations were not so screwed up.

[This message has been edited by netsetter (edited 01-13-2001).]

Yes, the Facts of Life girls had it good considering show biz.

well, I think part of it is that the FOL cast were a little older when the show went off. By the time, all except for Kim Fields were already in the early/mid 20's. Dana Plato was fired from DS at age 19 (although they did let her make occasional visits the final season in 85-86) and Todd Bridges (20) and Gary Coleman (18) were a bit younger when the show went off. So they had to adjust to being hasbeens by the time they were 21 years old. While the cast from Facts were adults and settled down more after the show left the airwaves.

I've heard interviews where Lisa Welchel has been asked that question, and she says it's because the FOL girls all came from very supportive families.