Kari Michaelsen (of "Gimme a Break!") shares NBC secrets - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

'80sSitcoms · 06-12-2020, 11:53 PM

WOW.

So I discovered that Kari Michaelsen (eldest daughter Katie on GAB!) has been doing some recent Facebook live videos, including sharing about her career with fans and answering fan questions, and oh man, she is totally "the Julie Pie" of the GAB cast! She LOVES to talk and share memories from her career and her time on GAB. She shares lots of backstage info! She's so down to earth and inspirational too. She seems like such a lovely person. I would love to have lunch with her! And I would LOVE if our FOL girls would do these kinds of vids!! 🙏

Here are the links to her Facebook vids. And I was quite surprised when she talked about auditioning for---you guessed it---FOL! She auditioned for JO! Here we were led to believe for years that Fred Silverman saw Nancy McKeon in a Hallmark commercial crying with her daddy over a card, he saw her, said "I want that girl on this show", got her, and history was made.

Not at ALL like that according to Kari. Kari says she and Nancy BOTH auditioned for the role of Jo through all 4 levels of auditions right up to the end, actually shooting the screen test, wow! So Nancy never got the part until competing screen tests were shot and then they decided on Nancy after apparently asking Charlotte what she thought of Nancy and I guess, now, Kari, and Charlotte sent Kari packing off to Glenlawn, California with her new suburban TV family (Kari then talks about what good friends she and Nancy became!). So much for any theories of "no competition for Nancy", "They just picked her from a commercial"!

She also mentions our FOL girls when she discusses her own weight issues on GAB, which actually culminated in a severe eating disorder. Thankfully she was able to overcome that.

She even gets a question from a HARD CORE viewer on the level of how some of us here are with our FOL! She's asked if the blue turquoise dress she wore in season 3 episode 3, "Katie's Commitment", is the same blue turquoise dress she wore in her guest appearance on "Hart to Hart"!

And Kari was blown away by that fan's attention to detail!

Show shows a few clips from episodes, but she doesn't have the technology for doing this down, and that's very cute, lol.

She even discusses working with Whitney Houston on GAB---Whitney Houston! I totally forgot she was on there!

She discusses Helen "Emily" Hunt as well!

And by the way, her name is NOT Kari like "CARE-ee", but Kari like "CAHR-ee!" WOW!

Kari Facebook video discussing career and viewer Q&A

Kari Facebook video discussing more career and more viewer Q&A, including FOL audition (that's at the countdown "-34:34" mark)

Katie playing the famous season 3 blackface episode "Baby in the Family" and discussing racism

-

Lorimar Television · 06-13-2020, 12:03 AM

Thats amazing! I think she was definitely better as Katie the ditzy sister, but she did shoplift in the pilot like Jo

'80sSitcoms · 06-13-2020, 12:05 AM

Haha, true, she started out with that "wrong crowd" like Jo!

And it's interesting when she talks about how Katie wasn't ditzy until the change of producers in season 3, whereas before she had been smart and rebellious.

RetroGuy2000 · 06-13-2020, 12:57 AM

So Kari was the other mystery girl auditioning for Foxy/Jo! Wow!

Thanks '80s! *watches videos*

'80sSitcoms · 06-13-2020, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

So Kari was the other mystery girl auditioning for Foxy/Jo! Wow!

Oo, I helped solve a mystery! Yay!

(I thought there was talk around here somewhere of another girl auditioning, but couldn't remember for sure)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Thanks '80s! *watches videos*

You're welcome! You will REALLY enjoy them!

RetroGuy2000 · 06-13-2020, 01:16 AM

I am already!

FOL-FAN-ITA · 06-13-2020, 03:50 AM

Thanks for sharing this, Eighty! Interesting she auditioned for Jo

'80sSitcoms · 06-13-2020, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I am already!

"Did I lie??"

'80sSitcoms · 06-13-2020, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Thanks for sharing this, Eighty! Interesting she auditioned for Jo

My pleasure mio amico!

Yes, that is very interesting!

80s Dude · 06-14-2020, 08:23 AM

I just don't think she would be able to pull off the Jo character very well. She just doesn't have that convincing tough look.

'80sSitcoms · 06-14-2020, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

I just don't think she would be able to pull off the Jo character very well. She just doesn't have that convincing tough look.

Neither does Julie Ann Haddock, which is why I never take my Cindy seriously when she "threatens" Blair in "Rough Housing". It's so laughable to think she's a "match" for Blair, lol.

80s Dude · 06-14-2020, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Neither does Julie Ann Haddock, which is why I never take my Cindy seriously when she "threatens" Blair in "Rough Housing". It's so laughable to think she's a "match" for Blair, lol.

Which was why they soon switched from Cindy to Sue Ann to be foil to Blair.

valentina warner · 06-14-2020, 05:48 PM

Don't jump to conclusions about [B]Kari [/BMichaelsen: APPEARANCES, remember???
(or do i have to bring you guys MRS G to refresh your memory!!!!)

Lorimar Television · 06-14-2020, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Which was why they soon switched from Cindy to Sue Ann to be foil to Blair.

Which technically they already switched in TGS from Nancy to Blair.

valentina warner · 06-14-2020, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Which technically they already switched in TGS from Nancy to Blair.

You're absolutely right, Lorsie: i always thought BLAIR made the headlines on the 'pilot' TGS (not NANCY like everybody says)

06-12-2020, 11:53 PM	#1
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	Kari Michaelsen (of "Gimme a Break!") shares NBC secrets WOW. So I discovered that Kari Michaelsen (eldest daughter Katie on GAB!) has been doing some recent Facebook live videos, including sharing about her career with fans and answering fan questions, and oh man, she is totally "the Julie Pie" of the GAB cast! She LOVES to talk and share memories from her career and her time on GAB. She shares lots of backstage info! She's so down to earth and inspirational too. She seems like such a lovely person. I would love to have lunch with her! And I would LOVE if our FOL girls would do these kinds of vids!! 🙏 Here are the links to her Facebook vids. And I was quite surprised when she talked about auditioning for---you guessed it---FOL! She auditioned for JO! Here we were led to believe for years that Fred Silverman saw Nancy McKeon in a Hallmark commercial crying with her daddy over a card, he saw her, said "I want that girl on this show", got her, and history was made. Not at ALL like that according to Kari. Kari says she and Nancy BOTH auditioned for the role of Jo through all 4 levels of auditions right up to the end, actually shooting the screen test, wow! So Nancy never got the part until competing screen tests were shot and then they decided on Nancy after apparently asking Charlotte what she thought of Nancy and I guess, now, Kari, and Charlotte sent Kari packing off to Glenlawn, California with her new suburban TV family (Kari then talks about what good friends she and Nancy became!). So much for any theories of "no competition for Nancy", "They just picked her from a commercial"! She also mentions our FOL girls when she discusses her own weight issues on GAB, which actually culminated in a severe eating disorder. Thankfully she was able to overcome that. She even gets a question from a HARD CORE viewer on the level of how some of us here are with our FOL! She's asked if the blue turquoise dress she wore in season 3 episode 3, "Katie's Commitment", is the same blue turquoise dress she wore in her guest appearance on "Hart to Hart"! And Kari was blown away by that fan's attention to detail! Show shows a few clips from episodes, but she doesn't have the technology for doing this down, and that's very cute, lol. She even discusses working with Whitney Houston on GAB---Whitney Houston! I totally forgot she was on there! She discusses Helen "Emily" Hunt as well! And by the way, her name is NOT Kari like "CARE-ee", but Kari like "CAHR-ee!" WOW! Kari Facebook video discussing career and viewer Q&A Kari Facebook video discussing more career and more viewer Q&A, including FOL audition (that's at the countdown "-34:34" mark) Katie playing the famous season 3 blackface episode "Baby in the Family" and discussing racism - Attached Images
	__________________ "The Facts of Life" - re-imagined episode guide with all 8 girls in all 9 seasons Last edited by '80sSitcoms; 06-13-2020 at 01:00 AM.

06-13-2020, 12:03 AM	#2
Lorimar Television Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 06, 2007 Posts: 7,034	Thats amazing! I think she was definitely better as Katie the ditzy sister, but she did shoplift in the pilot like Jo
	__________________ Some of my favorite theme songs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-e...89CsiJpV_irnNw

06-13-2020, 12:57 AM	#4
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	So Kari was the other mystery girl auditioning for Foxy/Jo! Wow! Thanks '80s! watches videos
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

06-13-2020, 03:50 AM	#7
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	Thanks for sharing this, Eighty! Interesting she auditioned for Jo
	__________________ The Facts Of Life Italian Fan

06-13-2020, 12:05 AM	#3
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	Haha, true, she started out with that "wrong crowd" like Jo! And it's interesting when she talks about how Katie wasn't ditzy until the change of producers in season 3, whereas before she had been smart and rebellious.

06-13-2020, 01:16 AM	#6
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	I am already!

06-14-2020, 08:23 AM	#10
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,820	I just don't think she would be able to pull off the Jo character very well. She just doesn't have that convincing tough look.

06-14-2020, 05:48 PM	#13
valentina warner Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2020 Location: The Uk Posts: 3,154	Don't jump to conclusions about [B]Kari [/BMichaelsen: APPEARANCES, remember??? (or do i have to bring you guys MRS G to refresh your memory!!!!)