Does anyone find it odd that Lisa Whelchel DIDN'T opt out of this episode? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Impressions · 09-26-2009, 10:13 PM

We all know Lisa Whelchel refused to appear in "First Time" because of her Christian belief against premartital sex, when Natalie and Snake first did it, but Lisa chose to remain in "My Boyfriend's Back" where Tootie wanted to have premarital sex. I mean, Lisa Whelchel's character talked about it openly on that episode, and acted like it was a natural thing to do in college. Was anyone surprised by this? I thought it was interesting.

ZeldaGilroy · 09-26-2009, 10:27 PM

I've wondered about this often myself. Honestly, I am very disturbed by the episode My Boyfriend's Back. Tootie was willing and ready to have sex with her boyfriend and if he hadn't dumped her she would have done it. I don't really feel like the episode dealt very well with the subject matter, not to mention the character was only 15 years old. The First Time is a much better episode to deal with the subject and Nat and Snake were both adults at the time.

While I respect Lisa's right not to be in The First Time, I do think My Boyfriend's Back was much more controversial. Maybe because Tootie does not end up having sex she felt okay with doing the episode. I guess she had to do what was right for her, even if others don't understand it completely.

Jude The Obscure · 09-26-2009, 11:23 PM

The First Time was supposed to have been about Blair losing her virginity (which some people debate, because her character in the pilot and the first season was definitely....well you know!). She refused to play that part, so she chose to stay out of the show and the writers reworked it as a plot for Natalie.

televisionweb · 09-28-2009, 11:17 PM

She also appeared in the episode "Ready or Not" where Tootie contemplates sex with her boyfriend Rudy. I don't think she minded appearing in episodes that dealt with the other characters, as long as it wasn't her character. I heard her say one time that she didn't want some girl, who may have been contemplating it thinking that just because Blair did it she should.

garretta · 09-29-2009, 08:40 PM

Part of it almost certainly was that Lisa knew the show was ending and there would be no backlash from the producers for not appearing in "The First Time." Even if the show had gone on and the producers had held it against her, she simply would have left to get married, so it didn't matter. The other episodes were earlier, and Lisa would have hurt her career (which she was still interested in then) terribly if she'd refused to appear in a particular show, no matter how offensive she found the subject matter. Plus, as someone above me said, the other stories didn't involve Blair directly at any point.

70s show watcher · 09-29-2009, 11:18 PM

i thought it was odd too

Smartboy · 09-30-2009, 11:40 PM

Because this thread did a pretty good job of stimulating conversation, I have decided to see what happens if I bring it to the top of the page.

JoPol_wannabe · 10-02-2009, 12:50 AM

Lisa said in her book the facts of life and other things my father taught me that when she was younger she was more naive and didn't put her Christianity into account with her career and she did more controversial episodes. Then when she got older she put her Christianity first and realized that she would be hurting her Christianity by portraying her character as someone who does sinful acts.

Smartboy · 10-02-2009, 01:12 AM

I am very glad to see that this page is finally getting some action! As you can see, I have worked very hard to stimulate some conversation yesterday and today. In any event, I own the same book that the last poster has written about and I have read it from cover to cover. I thought that it was a very interesting read! On top of this, I think that this poster has raised some very interesting points!

Nighthawk76 · 10-02-2009, 05:24 PM

I think this thread raises some interesting questions. My personal opinion as to why Lisa appeared in "My Boyfriend's Back" and not "The First Time" is because Tootie actually did not sleep with her boyfriend in "My Boyfriend's Back" where as Natalie really did have sex with Snake in "The First Time".

ThomasE · 11-08-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smartboy

I am very glad to see that this page is finally getting some action! As you can see, I have worked very hard to stimulate some conversation yesterday and today. In any event, I own the same book that the last poster has written about and I have read it from cover to cover. I thought that it was a very interesting read! On top of this, I think that this poster has raised some very interesting points!

Back in 2000, this page was the most active out of all pages. Believe me. I was there!

catlover79 · 11-08-2009, 09:23 PM

I wonder how Lisa felt about the "Best Sister" episode. That's the one where Eve Plumb played her sister who was going to be a nun. Lisa never mentioned that episode in her book, but mentioned asking to be written out of the Natalie/Snake episode.

Smartboy · 11-09-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I wonder how Lisa felt about the "Best Sister" episode. That's the one where Eve Plumb played her sister who was going to be a nun. Lisa never mentioned that episode in her book, but mentioned asking to be written out of the Natalie/Snake episode.

That is a very interesting observation!

MDCSWildcats86 · 12-23-2009, 09:36 AM

I remember the episode having a "viewer discretion advised" warning a la the earliest episodes of Soap, but that's about it.

80s Dude · 04-25-2020, 08:22 PM

And Lisa also did the Cliff Stripper episode and was OK with Blair being sort on the loose side in Season 1.

09-26-2009, 10:13 PM	#1
Impressions She died the way she lived Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 4,640	Does anyone find it odd that Lisa Whelchel DIDN'T opt out of this episode? We all know Lisa Whelchel refused to appear in "First Time" because of her Christian belief against premartital sex, when Natalie and Snake first did it, but Lisa chose to remain in "My Boyfriend's Back" where Tootie wanted to have premarital sex. I mean, Lisa Whelchel's character talked about it openly on that episode, and acted like it was a natural thing to do in college. Was anyone surprised by this? I thought it was interesting.

11-08-2009, 09:23 PM	#12
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	I wonder how Lisa felt about the "Best Sister" episode. That's the one where Eve Plumb played her sister who was going to be a nun. Lisa never mentioned that episode in her book, but mentioned asking to be written out of the Natalie/Snake episode.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

09-26-2009, 10:27 PM	#2
ZeldaGilroy Dobie and Zelda Forever!!! Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 14, 2000 Location: I don't know...I'm probably lost! Posts: 4,144	I've wondered about this often myself. Honestly, I am very disturbed by the episode My Boyfriend's Back. Tootie was willing and ready to have sex with her boyfriend and if he hadn't dumped her she would have done it. I don't really feel like the episode dealt very well with the subject matter, not to mention the character was only 15 years old. The First Time is a much better episode to deal with the subject and Nat and Snake were both adults at the time. While I respect Lisa's right not to be in The First Time, I do think My Boyfriend's Back was much more controversial. Maybe because Tootie does not end up having sex she felt okay with doing the episode. I guess she had to do what was right for her, even if others don't understand it completely.

09-26-2009, 11:23 PM	#3
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	The First Time was supposed to have been about Blair losing her virginity (which some people debate, because her character in the pilot and the first season was definitely....well you know!). She refused to play that part, so she chose to stay out of the show and the writers reworked it as a plot for Natalie.

09-28-2009, 11:17 PM	#4
televisionweb Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 07, 2008 Location: Vegas Posts: 75	She also appeared in the episode "Ready or Not" where Tootie contemplates sex with her boyfriend Rudy. I don't think she minded appearing in episodes that dealt with the other characters, as long as it wasn't her character. I heard her say one time that she didn't want some girl, who may have been contemplating it thinking that just because Blair did it she should.

09-29-2009, 08:40 PM	#5
garretta Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 18, 2008 Location: Imperial, PA Posts: 42	Part of it almost certainly was that Lisa knew the show was ending and there would be no backlash from the producers for not appearing in "The First Time." Even if the show had gone on and the producers had held it against her, she simply would have left to get married, so it didn't matter. The other episodes were earlier, and Lisa would have hurt her career (which she was still interested in then) terribly if she'd refused to appear in a particular show, no matter how offensive she found the subject matter. Plus, as someone above me said, the other stories didn't involve Blair directly at any point.

09-29-2009, 11:18 PM	#6
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	i thought it was odd too

09-30-2009, 11:40 PM	#7
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	Because this thread did a pretty good job of stimulating conversation, I have decided to see what happens if I bring it to the top of the page.

10-02-2009, 12:50 AM	#8
JoPol_wannabe Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 11, 2001 Location: Nebraska Posts: 3,036	Lisa said in her book the facts of life and other things my father taught me that when she was younger she was more naive and didn't put her Christianity into account with her career and she did more controversial episodes. Then when she got older she put her Christianity first and realized that she would be hurting her Christianity by portraying her character as someone who does sinful acts.

10-02-2009, 01:12 AM	#9
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	I am very glad to see that this page is finally getting some action! As you can see, I have worked very hard to stimulate some conversation yesterday and today. In any event, I own the same book that the last poster has written about and I have read it from cover to cover. I thought that it was a very interesting read! On top of this, I think that this poster has raised some very interesting points!

10-02-2009, 05:24 PM	#10
Nighthawk76 Rachel Berry Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 28, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 23,254	I think this thread raises some interesting questions. My personal opinion as to why Lisa appeared in "My Boyfriend's Back" and not "The First Time" is because Tootie actually did not sleep with her boyfriend in "My Boyfriend's Back" where as Natalie really did have sex with Snake in "The First Time".

12-23-2009, 09:36 AM	#14
MDCSWildcats86 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 10, 2006 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 46	I remember the episode having a "viewer discretion advised" warning a la the earliest episodes of Soap, but that's about it.

04-25-2020, 08:22 PM	#15
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,811	And Lisa also did the Cliff Stripper episode and was OK with Blair being sort on the loose side in Season 1.