Facts of Life fans were disappointed when the plans for a reboot fell apart. It didn’t collapse just because of the loss of important cast members or a studio pulling out. There was a lot of drama attached to the reboot’s failure. And it had a lot to do with Mindy Cohn and Lisa Whelchel.
After the plans failed, Mindy Cohn revealed that a cast member’s greed derailed the reboot of the classic sitcom. While she refused to reveal who the greedy cast member is, she dropped clues all around that pointed to Lisa Whelchel, the 61-year-old actress who played Blair Warner. Whelchel is finally speaking out one year after her former Facts of Life co-star Cohn made those indirect accusations.
Mindy Cohn reveals that a certain cast member was a “greedy b—-”
Cohn had told SiriusXM’s Jeff Lewis Live that the reboot’s collapse involved more than just bad luck. Without naming anyone, she claimed a cast member went behind the group’s back to negotiate a solo spinoff, describing the person as a “greedy b—-.” Fans pointed to social media clues like birthday messages posted for other castmates but not for Whelchel as evidence. Still, Cohn never confirmed the name.
In contrast, in a recent interview, Whelchel explained that the cast had been working on a revival for years and were close to making it happen. Unfortunately, external events and personal losses caused the plans to fall apart. However, Whelchel didn’t point fingers at anyone.
Lisa Whelchel said they were all disappointed
According to her, everyone involved had been eager to reunite. She told Closer Weekly that they had been trying to find a way to work together in some capacity for probably the last 10 years, so when it looked like it was going to happen, they were all really excited. The reboot plans came to life after the 2021 ABC special Live in Front of a Studio Audience, which featured Jennifer Aniston stepping into Whelchel’s role. Following the success of the special, producer Norman Lear approached the cast about a potential revival.
Contracts were signed, Zoom meetings were held, and a writer was brought on board. But when the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes hit, followed by the deaths of Lear and original cast member Charlotte Rae, momentum dropped. “We were all quite disappointed,” Whelchel said. Cohn, meanwhile, appears to have made peace with the outcome, stating, “No one wants to see us now… It should stay where it is.”