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The NBC sitcom The Facts of Life was just revived for the latest installment of Jimmy Kimmel’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience. The NBC sitcom set in an all-girls boarding school ran from 1979 to 1988 and focused on four main characters – Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Jo (Nancy McKeon), Natalie (Mindy Cohn), and Tootie (Kim Fields). One cast member was notably absent from the recent ABC special and Whelchel shared what kept her away from their reunion.

Actors Lisa Whelchel (L) and Nancy McKeon (R) attend the 2014 PaleyFest Fall TV preview of 'The Facts Of Life' 35th anniversary reunion at The Paley Center for Media
Lisa Whelchel and Nancy McKeon of ‘The Facts Of Life’ | Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

Lisa Whelchel opened the segment with the iconic ‘Facts of Life’ theme song

Live in Front of a Studio Audience recreated the “Kids Can Be Cruel” episode from The Facts of Life. Friends alum Jennifer Aniston took on the role of Blair, Gabrielle Union portrayed Tootie, Allison Tolman played Natalie, and Kathryn Hahn portrayed Jo. Ann Dowd appeared as matriarch Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae). Fans got a special treat when Whelchel kicked off the episode singing the legendary theme song decked out in her Eastland school uniform.

“I had a wonderful time last night,” Whelchel later told Extra. “It was so much fun… It was a little bit scary. I haven’t sung in decades.”

Referring to some of the song’s iconic lyrics, Whelchel experienced some technical difficulties during her performance but just stayed the course.

“My little in-ear monitors weren’t working, so I was freaking out in the middle of the song,” The Facts of Life alum said. “But at some point you’ve got to go, you take the good, you take the bad, that’s not a bad thing to remember.”

Nancy McKeon was unable to appear in ‘Live in Front of a Studio Audience’

Fields and Cohn joined Whelchel on stage, yet McKeon was nowhere to be found. Whelchel explained why her friend and former co-star was missing.

“We missed Nancy McKeon,” Whelchel remarked. “It was sad not to have the four of us together, but it’s always fun… Nancy was home and they just recently moved and her kids just got into school, so it was difficult for her to make the trip out.”

Sharing that the four Facts of Life stars keep in touch through a “sisters thread”, Whelchel was asked if McKeon is similar to her character Jo.

“She is as much like Jo as I am like Blair, which is very little!” Whelchel commented.

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Lisa Whelchel was ‘fangirling’ over the ‘Live in Front of a Studio Audience’ cast

Whelchel praised Aniston’s take on Blair and felt flattered that such an established actor was chosen to reprise the role.

“Are you kidding?” she raved. “Jen Aniston would not have had to say one word and I would have been honored that she played the part, but she just killed it – she was amazing.”

Live in Front of a Studio Audience also performed an episode of the 80s show Diff’rent Strokes. A-listers Kevin Hart, Damon Wayans, and John Lithgow played the Drummonds and Boyz II Men nailed the opening theme song. Whelchel was blown away by the star power recruited for the ABC special.

“I showed up fangirling about everybody,” she admitted. “I didn’t expect that this was the show they grew up with. It went both ways, and that was a nice surprise.”

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