The life of a teenage sitcom celebrity: 20 years later

Whatever happened to "The Facts of Life" star, Lisa Whelchel? Almost three decades ago, Whelchel worked her way into the hearts of Americans nationwide with her snooty, snobby, but always loveable character, Blair Warner.

On Saturday, a crowd of about 325 northwestern Ohio women gathered to find out what the once teenage celebrity was doing now. The Reaching Women One-Day Conference, which originated in Bluffton, celebrated its 30th anniversary by hosting the former sitcom star at the Winebrenner Center auditorium in Findlay.

The slim, 45-year-old actress was born in Littlefield, Texas. She began her acting career with "The New Mickey Mouse Club" as a Mouseketeer from 1977-1978. Then beginning in 1979 at age 16, she gained fame as an original cast member of the NBC series "The Facts of Life," in which she starred for nine years as a wealthy student from Eastland Academy who later attended Langley College.

After the series ended in March 1988, just months later, Whelchel married a minister, Steve Cauble. According to her Web site, www.lisawhelchel.com, she said her "current role as a wife and mother [of three children] is her greatest and most challenging role yet."

Whelchel's still impeccable comedic timing had the ladies in attendance roaring with laughter when she shared the humorous story of how she became engaged to the pastor whom she had asked to pray with her for the right spouse. Her husband of 20 years was then and continues to be on staff at the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, Calif. The couple have three teenagers named Tucker, Haven, and Clancy.

She has long been vocal about her dedicated Christian faith. Therefore, in addition to being a mom, and home-schooling her children, she also began to write books and travel speaking.

In some ways, Whelchel seems to have experienced a life exempt from the ongoing tragedy that often follows many teenage celebrities. Yet she is transparent about the struggles in her own childhood and early in her marriage.

"I'm so grateful, that he [God] gave Steve to me. ... Years two through seven, I really didn't feel that way. It's the only time I can remember being hopeless," she said. "There was a lot of conflict ... we had three kids in diapers. I lost all the money I made on "The Facts of Life," and living on Steve's pastor's salary" was difficult for Whelchel, who became used to a more prosperous lifestyle as a TV star. Although, she said, she had not grown up in a wealthy or even in a church-going home.

Trying to find some answers for her marriage, she says "I had bought all the books, had gone to all the conferences, all I could do was pray, "Lord, change him."

Instead, she sensed that she needed to do two things to help her marriage.

First, she began to notice what her husband "was doing right and to affirm him for that," rather than concentrating on the negative issues. This behavior "began to really heal him," she said.

Second, because she was used to being in control, she went on a 40-day fast of not making decisions, but allowing her husband to be in charge. Through this, "he realized he could make a mistake and I would still love him."

Whelchel also talked about a very painful time during her teenage years.

"There was a season or two during the beginning where Blair gained a lot of weight. I'm going to blame it on Blair," she said jokingly. "The producers were not happy about this. ... They had hired me to play a character that was conceited about her looks. They made it clear to me that I better either lose the weight or lose the job."

The pressure to lose weight became incredible for the teen actress.

"The producers even hired a nutritionist, a trainer, and a hypnotist. I wanted to say save your money, I really like food," she said humorously. "It really got hard when they started to bring a scale into the rehearsal hall."

The slender blonde's answer to her weight issues came in spiritual form, too.

"That emptiness ... we all try to fill it with different things, but for me, I tried to fill it with food."

Her message, "The Real Facts of Life" caused her audience both moments of hilarious laughter and cascading tears. Twenty years later, Lisa Whelchel appears to be a real woman with an ordinary life, who has an extraordinary heart for others.

Christina Ryan Claypool is a freelance journalist and inspirational speaker. Contact her at Christina@christinaryanclaypool.com.