Survivor fans...found something interesting

[Jennasis]

Anyone who watched this last season of Survivor likely recalls Jonathan Penner's big tirade at final tribal against Lisa Whelchel where he "outed" her as being a former child star and how she had surreptitiously withheld that info from the tribe...methinks the pot was a' callin' the kettle black (just a little bit anyway).

Well, we have been watching old episodes of the tv show Arrested Development on Netflix streaming...and guess who was on one of the episodes? JONATHAN PENNER! Playing a detective. He had a speaking role and was in several scenes. So I headed over to the good 'ol IMDB and found that he himself has a very long (if not as illustrious) television career of his own from 1989-2008). Including appearances on Seinfeld, CSI, The Nanny and Melrose Place and even was nominated for an Oscar for best Short film (that he had done with his wife, director Stacy Title).

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0672103/?ref_=sr_1

Fascinating. At least to me!

 

[Octoberbride03]

Seriously

HELLO!!! Facts of Life was on for how many years? Its not like her looks have changed all that much. I could pick her out on the street as Blair Warner. Its not that hard. It was a pretty popular show back in the day.

 

[phorsenuf]

Anyone who watched this last season of Survivor likely recalls Jonathan Penner's big tirade at final tribal against Lisa Whelchel where he "outed" her as being a former child star and how she had surreptitiously withheld that info from the tribe...methinks the pot was a' callin' the kettle black (just a little bit anyway).

Well, we have been watching old episodes of the tv show Arrested Development on Netflix streaming...and guess who was on one of the episodes? JONATHAN PENNER! Playing a detective. He had a speaking role and was in several scenes. So I headed over to the good 'ol IMDB and found that he himself has a very long (if not as illustrious) television career of his own from 1989-2008). Including appearances on Seinfeld, CSI, The Nanny and Melrose Place and even was nominated for an Oscar for best Short film (that he had done with his wife, director Stacy Title).

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0672103/?ref_=sr_1

Fascinating. At least to me!

I knew about that. Couldn't understand why he would go on the way he did considering. Like Lisa said, does everyone know what you did when you were younger?

 

[Jennasis]

Seriously

HELLO!!! Facts of Life was on for how many years? Its not like her looks have changed all that much. I could pick her out on the street as Blair Warner. Its not that hard. It was a pretty popular show back in the day.

The FoL was on from 1979-1988 (and then in reruns). I think the other contestants were, for the most part far too young to be part of the FoL generation (unlike myself haha). Most of them had no clue who she was. I'm sure they aren't watching the reruns of the show either on TVlnad or Nick at Night. A couple of the older players knew it was her.

My point was that he made this huge deal about her keeping the fact that she was a former child star a secret while he had a long history of television and film work himself that he kept a secret.

 

[OhMari]

He seemed to think she had lots of money, but didn't she say her parents made bad investments and she really didn't have any money. Her parents probably spent the money she earned. Gary Coleman's parents took all his money. 25 years ago, there were probably no laws out that protected the childhood actor or actress.

 

[hidmickey:myantidrug]

I would bet that the tribe members knew about penner's acting/writing past and current situation. They didn't say either way this season, but in the past, he did not hide this from tribe members.

 

[redlight]

I am surprised that many of the people there did not know who Lisa was. She's aged very gracefully, and looks so similar to how she did in Facts of Life.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Seriously

HELLO!!! Facts of Life was on for how many years? Its not like her looks have changed all that much. I could pick her out on the street as Blair Warner. Its not that hard. It was a pretty popular show back in the day.

Not surprised I love the show and I am only 27

 

[Squirlz]

I don't know why anybody watches this stuff, but the fact is they are all actors. There may not be a script per se but when the lights come on, they are all acting. There is no "reality" whatsoever.

 

[Bonnie40]

Really? Didn't know that.....

 

[Octoberbride03]

I don't know why anybody watches this stuff, but the fact is they are all actors. There may not be a script per se but when the lights come on, they are all acting. There is no "reality" whatsoever.

I don't know why anybody watches it either. I loved FOL, but I wasn't turning it on just for her. I turned it on once the first or second season it was on and they got into tribes and then they all had to make a camp fire. Then they all started arguing over how to do it, or who's gonna do it. Whatever I think I'll pass. I'll take my Amazing Race any day over that.

 

[laurajetter]

Wow, I had no idea! I wonder why it's never been mentioned or brought up before this point (or maybe I just missed it). Interesting indeed...

 

[zurgswife]

I am surprised that many of the people there did not know who Lisa was. She's aged very gracefully, and looks so similar to how she did in Facts of Life.

I agree I was surprised that at the start like only one or two recognized who she was.....she looks very similar to her younger self.

 

[Laurabearz]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[RachaelA]

Seriously

HELLO!!! Facts of Life was on for how many years? Its not like her looks have changed all that much. I could pick her out on the street as Blair Warner. Its not that hard. It was a pretty popular show back in the day.

A lot of the contestants were in the 20s. I'm 27. I have never seen FOL nor did I even know who this woman was before I watched this episode of Survivor.

I thought Penner looked familiar the first time he was on. I didn't realize he had had a bunch of smaller roles on TV shows.