Geri Jewell, who played Cousin Geri on NBC’s The Facts of Life, and became the first actor with a disability to appear regularly on a sitcom, has never been shy about her cerebral palsy, a condition she was born with. But new in her book I’m Walking As Straight As I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond is her big reveal: she’s a lesbian. Get it?! “As Straight As I Can“?! It’s a double entendre that book publishers seem to love because it makes readers think twice when seeing the title on a bookshelf. But in this case I sort of love it, because the first joke Jewell delivered on Facts literally had to do with walking straight: “Don’t worry, I’m not drunk. I have cerebral palsy. When I’m drunk I was perfectly straight.” That’s actually funny, all these years later.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Wow! I’m actually surprised by this. I think this goes a long way in showing the world all queers aren’t just white, wealthy urban dwelling men.
Gary B.
When I first saw this story, I thought, oh cool, one of the girls from Facts of Life came out! Then I looked at her picture. Didn’t recognize her. So I looked at pictures of her from when she was on the show. Again, nothing. I have no idea who the fuck this person is.
Joe
She was also in one of the BEST shows ever produced “Deadwood”. She constantly stood up to Al Swaerengen and I loved her for it.
chpinnlr
@Joe: She was great on deadwood! Shame it was cancelled way too soon!
divkid
well, mel brooks it wasn’t but its heart was in the right place.
on a disability tip, this may come of as ignorant or stoopid or some combination of both, does anybody know if there are any blind from birth gays, and if so how would that even work, would the attraction be a vioce thing? pheromones?…
my brain hurts.
Queer Supremacist - I've Taken The Bad More Times Than You Can Count
@Gary B.: She played Blair’s cousin Geri, a comedienne with CP.
If one of the girls was “family” I would have bet money it was Nancy McKeon. Then again I’m not a betting man.