Cloris Leachman Reveals Her Bad Experience At 'The Facts Of Life' Reunion - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-19-2011, 02:28 PM

Windy City Times: How was your recent Facts of Life reunion for the TV Land Awards?

Cloris Leachman: I can't tell you the truth because it is so disgusting. There was such a rude moment that I don't know what to do about it.

Windy City Times: What happened?

Cloris Leachman: Charlotte Rae's nose was running and she said she was so nervous. I was standing right next to her. She's about two feet shorter than I am and not even five feet tall right now. Anyway, I looked down and I saw this one drop of clear mucous hanging from her nose. So I reached over and wiped it off. Her face was terrible and she hissed, "Don't be pushy!" I wanted to say, "**** you, you bitch!" I mean, what the hell?

Windy City Times: That's weird.

Cloris Leachman: I wouldn't put my finger on anyone else's nose, would you?

Windy City Times: No!

Cloris Leachman: I hardly would call that being pushy and what the ****? She was the one saying, "Oh my God! Somebody do something, hurry!" No one had a Kleenex and you are not going to use your costume, so then what?

Windy City Times: I talked to Geri Jewell recently and she was a sweetheart.

Cloris Leachman: She was in the first year or two of Facts of Life, right?

Windy City Times: Yes, she wasn't on your season.

Cloris Leachman: She is very darling. I liked her that night.

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/g....php?AID=31841

Dr. Thong · 05-19-2011, 04:10 PM

Nose wiping aside, I felt that Cloris Leachman didn't belong at the reunion. I know she's a name actress, but she was an add-on character who came to the show when it was past it's prime.

Just my two cents.

raya · 05-19-2011, 11:11 PM

Cloris is super close with Mindy, which maybe is why she agreed to come. Though to be fair, that story is weird. Who wipes somebody else's nose with their hand?

70s show watcher · 05-20-2011, 06:03 AM

what a weird story but it may inspire some new internet threads about wich celebs nose would you most like to wipe

RWCTV · 05-20-2011, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

Nose wiping aside, I felt that Cloris Leachman didn't belong at the reunion. I know she's a name actress, but she was an add-on character who came to the show when it was past it's prime.

Just my two cents.

You know it's weird you say that. On the final episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show, during the curtain call, both Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman were included as part of the cast even though they both left the show and had their spinoffs at the time. Weird.

jayman75 · 05-20-2011, 09:47 AM

I'd say this is probably another reason for a sarcasm font. I highly doubt that Cloris Leachman meant any harm to her long-time friend. The writer didn't do any "writing" in this interview - it's just verbatim comments.

I've read it, commented, and moved on... I would suggest the same for this post.

McGillicuddy · 05-20-2011, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWCTV

You know it's weird you say that. On the final episode of the Mary Tyler Moore show, during the curtain call, both Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman were included as part of the cast even though they both left the show and had their spinoffs at the time. Weird.

No, that's no comparision at all. Valerie and Cloris were known for their roles as Rhoda and Phyllis, they belonged there! They were celebrating the end of the whole series, not the end of season 7. And Cloris belonged at all the MTM reunions. But with the FOL reunion, it was most meaningful to have the core cast of Charlotte and "the girls", including Geri. As much as I love CL, it didn't make sense for her to be at this reunion, imo.

I also think she might have been better off not sharing this "bad experience"!

uke:

catlover79 · 05-20-2011, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markway895

I also think she might have been better off not sharing this "bad experience"!

uke:

Exactly!! Too much information!!

Dr. Thong · 05-21-2011, 12:30 AM

I would have been fine with Felice Schacter being there, but only because I thought she was cute back in the day. And hell, Molly Ringwald was an original cast member -- who went on to much bigger things -- so I would not have had problems with them being there.

RWCTV · 05-21-2011, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markway895

No, that's no comparision at all. Valerie and Cloris were known for their roles as Rhoda and Phyllis, they belonged there! They were celebrating the end of the whole series, not the end of season 7. And Cloris belonged at all the MTM reunions. But with the FOL reunion, it was most meaningful to have the core cast of Charlotte and "the girls", including Geri. As much as I love CL, it didn't make sense for her to be at this reunion, imo.

I also think she might have been better off not sharing this "bad experience"!

uke:

So you think having Cloris Leachman there was as "unfitting" as Danielle Brisebois being included in an "All in the Family" reunion?

Retro4Life · 05-21-2011, 11:22 AM

You can't pick and choose who "belongs" at a cast reunion, really. I think if an actor is a regular at any point in the series, they should at least have the right to show up. Otherwise, it's just a popularity contest, and that's completely subjective. Let's say you worked for some kind of company that was active for ten years but you only worked there for the last two. If the company had some kind of reunion or picnic and you weren't invited, wouldn't you feel hurt and insulted? I know I would.

Mr. Television · 05-21-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

You can't pick and choose who "belongs" at a cast reunion, really. I think if an actor is a regular at any point in the series, they should at least have the right to show up. Otherwise, it's just a popularity contest, and that's completely subjective. Let's say you worked for some kind of company that was active for ten years but you only worked there for the last two. If the company had some kind of reunion or picnic and you weren't invited, wouldn't you feel hurt and insulted? I know I would.

Yea I agree and Cloris deserved to be there. I think her first season with the show was a lot better than Charlotte's last year with the show anyway. I would have actually liked to hear Cloris speak more than she did at the ceremony.

As for what she said about Charlotte, that should have been kept between them. We don't need to know everything.

raya · 05-22-2011, 01:49 AM

I have no problem with Cloris being at the reunion. She spent more than one season on FOL and played a pretty central character and I agree with the sentiment that any cast member who wanted to attend should have been allowed. It was my impression that Cloris had a good time doing FOL and I know I've at least heard Mindy, Nancy & Lisa express what a great time they had during those later seasons.

That said, I did feel sort of bad for Cloris in the various interviews because it's obvious that most interviewers generally focus on those early Eastland years as the focus of their nostalgia. So Cloris wound up sort of being the odd person out in interviews/clips. I'm trying to remember if they even showed a clip with Beverly Ann in it at the awards--though I would imagine they had to have, right?

kadeliah · 05-22-2011, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raya

I'm trying to remember if they even showed a clip with Beverly Ann in it at the awards--though I would imagine they had to have, right?

No, they did not

retrofan05 · 05-22-2011, 04:32 PM

That is so gross! Why would you even share that?!?

05-19-2011, 02:28 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Cloris Leachman Reveals Her Bad Experience At 'The Facts Of Life' Reunion Windy City Times: How was your recent Facts of Life reunion for the TV Land Awards? Cloris Leachman: I can't tell you the truth because it is so disgusting. There was such a rude moment that I don't know what to do about it. Windy City Times: What happened? Cloris Leachman: Charlotte Rae's nose was running and she said she was so nervous. I was standing right next to her. She's about two feet shorter than I am and not even five feet tall right now. Anyway, I looked down and I saw this one drop of clear mucous hanging from her nose. So I reached over and wiped it off. Her face was terrible and she hissed, "Don't be pushy!" I wanted to say, "** you, you bitch!" I mean, what the hell? Windy City Times: That's weird. Cloris Leachman: I wouldn't put my finger on anyone else's nose, would you? Windy City Times: No! Cloris Leachman: I hardly would call that being pushy and what the **? She was the one saying, "Oh my God! Somebody do something, hurry!" No one had a Kleenex and you are not going to use your costume, so then what? Windy City Times: I talked to Geri Jewell recently and she was a sweetheart. Cloris Leachman: She was in the first year or two of Facts of Life, right? Windy City Times: Yes, she wasn't on your season. Cloris Leachman: She is very darling. I liked her that night. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/g....php?AID=31841
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

05-19-2011, 04:10 PM	#2
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	Nose wiping aside, I felt that Cloris Leachman didn't belong at the reunion. I know she's a name actress, but she was an add-on character who came to the show when it was past it's prime. Just my two cents.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

05-20-2011, 09:47 AM	#6
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	I'd say this is probably another reason for a sarcasm font. I highly doubt that Cloris Leachman meant any harm to her long-time friend. The writer didn't do any "writing" in this interview - it's just verbatim comments. I've read it, commented, and moved on... I would suggest the same for this post.
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

05-21-2011, 11:22 AM	#11
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	You can't pick and choose who "belongs" at a cast reunion, really. I think if an actor is a regular at any point in the series, they should at least have the right to show up. Otherwise, it's just a popularity contest, and that's completely subjective. Let's say you worked for some kind of company that was active for ten years but you only worked there for the last two. If the company had some kind of reunion or picnic and you weren't invited, wouldn't you feel hurt and insulted? I know I would.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

05-19-2011, 11:11 PM	#3
raya Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 09, 2006 Posts: 369	Cloris is super close with Mindy, which maybe is why she agreed to come. Though to be fair, that story is weird. Who wipes somebody else's nose with their hand?

05-20-2011, 06:03 AM	#4
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	what a weird story but it may inspire some new internet threads about wich celebs nose would you most like to wipe

05-21-2011, 12:30 AM	#9
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	I would have been fine with Felice Schacter being there, but only because I thought she was cute back in the day. And hell, Molly Ringwald was an original cast member -- who went on to much bigger things -- so I would not have had problems with them being there.

05-22-2011, 01:49 AM	#13
raya Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 09, 2006 Posts: 369	I have no problem with Cloris being at the reunion. She spent more than one season on FOL and played a pretty central character and I agree with the sentiment that any cast member who wanted to attend should have been allowed. It was my impression that Cloris had a good time doing FOL and I know I've at least heard Mindy, Nancy & Lisa express what a great time they had during those later seasons. That said, I did feel sort of bad for Cloris in the various interviews because it's obvious that most interviewers generally focus on those early Eastland years as the focus of their nostalgia. So Cloris wound up sort of being the odd person out in interviews/clips. I'm trying to remember if they even showed a clip with Beverly Ann in it at the awards--though I would imagine they had to have, right?

05-22-2011, 04:32 PM	#15
retrofan05 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 25, 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,111	That is so gross! Why would you even share that?!?