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Jo Polniaczek

Birthdate

1965

Birthplace

New York City

Family

Rose Polniaczek (mother) Charlie Polniaczek (father), Rick Bonner (husband) Jaime Bonner (daughter)

Appearance

attractive, thin, athletic

Personality

tough, sarcastic, cynical

Relationships

Eddie Brennan

Fate

Became a police detective Joanna "Jo" Polniaczek was a fictional character on "The Facts of Life." She appeared at the start of Season Two and was played by actress Nancy McKeon through the rest of the series and two movies.

Contents

• 1 Bio
  • 1.1 Early Life and Family
  • 1.2 Eastland Academy
  • 1.3 Personality
  • 1.4 Langley College and Career
  • 1.5 Post-Series
• 2 Relationships
  • 2.1 Friendships
    • 2.1.1 Blair Warner
    • 2.1.2 Natalie Green
    • 2.1.3 Tootie Ramsey
  • 2.2 Romantic
    • 2.2.1 Eddie Brennan
    • 2.2.2 Flyman
    • 2.2.3 Sam Hall
    • 2.2.4 Rick Bonner
• 3 Trivia
• 4 Gallery

Bio[]

Early Life and Family[]

Joanna "Jo" Marie Polniaczek was a Polish-American and native of the Bronx in New York City. Her father, Charlie, served time in jail, and her mother, Rose, raised her primarily as a single parent. Jo was an only child, but had several cousins, including her cousin Terry, whom she visited in season two. In "The Interview Show," she told a story about how, as a child, she once fell out of a window and landed on a mattress that a neighbor was throwing out. She often described difficult childhood situations and a tough upbringing.

Eastland Academy[]

She began attending Eastland Academy in her sophomore year of high school. She used to date Eddie Brennan, but after they got in trouble for unrevealed activity, and after Jo joined a street gang known as "The Young Diablos", her mother sent her to Eastland to get her out of the city. Arriving at Eastland Academy on her motorcycle, she at first clashed with her assigned roommate, Blair Warner, considering her stuck-up and over-privileged. Likewise, Blair found Jo classless and masculine in her attire. However, her relationship with Blair became close as time went on (Jo would even refer to Blair as her best friend by the last season), although the two still argued, traded wisecracks, and made fun of each other from time to time.

On her first day at Eastland, Jo convinced Blair to go to the Chugalug Bar to get some beers, requiring them to steal the school van and use fake IDs to enter the bar. Blair's friends, Tootie Ramsey and Natalie Green, tagged along out of curiosity. Getting caught by a local officer, the illegality was worsened by the theft of the school van which ended up wrecked. In lieu of expulsion, the four girls were forced to work in the Eastland cafeteria to pay off the repair cost of the van and placed on house probation, forced to live in a room adjoining Mrs. Garrett's for a year. When the punishment subsequently expired, all four of the girls found other living arrangements, but they became responsible for cleaning and painting their former room. By this time, the close quarters had began to take a toll on their friendships and they got into a fight while painting. Their friendship began to rekindle as the fight became more fun than adversarial, which severely ruined the hardwood floor, requiring expensive repairs. Once again close friends, the girls decided to stay together and continue to work in the kitchen to pay off the bill for the wasted paint and damaged floor.

In 1981, Eddie showed up at Eastland and convinced Jo to marry him. They planned to elope to West Virginia, where the marriage age was lower, but Mrs. Garrett and Blair tracked her down at a nearby motel to remind her she was still on probation and express concern about her decision. By that point, Jo had already begun to change her mind when she realized just how difficult teenage marriage could be. She returned to Peekskill without Eddie, but he visited again later and they discovered themselves moving in different directions. By this point, keeping their long distance relationship going was proving to be very difficult, and they decided to see other people for the time being. When Jo saw Eddie again in 1984, Eddie returned as an officer in the Marines and married to a girl in Italy.

In addition to Blair, Jo developed a friendship with her English teacher, Gail Gallagher, due to their similar backgrounds. Gail inspired Jo to think about becoming a teacher herself, but Jo became very disillusioned to hear Gail was leaving Eastland because of an illness. Jo felt aimless afterward, but Mrs. Garrett again counseled her and helped her come to terms with Gail.

Personality[]

Jo was known for having a tough attitude and street smarts, but was sensitive and protective of her friends. She was introduced as highly intelligent. She scored slightly higher than Blair on the Eastland entrance exam, despite her rough upbringing. Mrs. Garrett told this to Blair and asked Blair to be her friend and help her "get her life together." Over the years, Blair and Jo's attitudes toward each other wavered. They worsened when Blair's boyfriend, Harrison, asked Jo to a country club dance that Blair wanted to attend. However, when Blair found out that Harrison tried to assault Jo, she nearly attacked him, with Jo holding her back. A subsequent conversation between Jo and Blair made them suddenly realize that although they have different backgrounds they can still have the same problems. This was a moment that shifted their perspectives on each other and furthered their friendship. In another instance, Jo and Blair returned to New York City to see friends from their former neighborhoods. At the end of the trip, they realized that they have each changed, while their friends have stayed the same.

Jo was sometimes stubborn and prideful, especially when it came to money and her perceptions of rich people. When Jo learned that she would lose her scholarship due to budget cuts, she discovered that the only scholarship she qualified for was offered by Blair's family. Due to her belief that Blair would hold it over her for the rest of her life (as well as her general discomfort in asking for help), she refused to apply. Blair was at first unconcerned, but Natalie explained that Jo would not be returning the following year due to the cost of attending the school, making Blair realize the seriousness of Jo's situation. Blair secretly sent in the application for Jo and she got the scholarship.

Angry because Blair went behind her back, Jo expected to be in Blair's debt, only to have Blair explain that the sole reason for her doing it was because she didn't want Jo to leave. She said she expected nothing in return except for the cost of the postage for sending it in. She also emphatically stated that regardless of how badly they antagonized each other, she could admit they were friends, regardless of whether Jo could admit it. Jo admitted they were, marking the first time they expressed it outright.

She sometimes got into verbal spars with girls who didn't think she was "feminine enough" and boys (including some of her boyfriends) were threatened by her personality, as well as her mechanical aptitude, which she displayed by getting a job at a local garage. She had exceptional mechanical aptitude, often fixing things at Eastland and for the other girls.

At one point, Jo was placed in charge of the garage. When a guy working with her was intimidated, she took Blair’s advice and pretended to be unable to fix a motorcycle in order to win his interests. When Blair saw this, she told Jo that it wasn't right seeing her pretending like she didn't know how to fix motorcycles. Jo responded by being true to who she is, telling the guy that she does actually know what is wrong with the bike. While her mechanical aptitude continued across the seasons, her gruff image softened considerably as the show progressed.

Over time, Jo became more amiable and friendly. Her relationship with Blair became more traditional, too, and she even began to refer to Blair as her best friend. Although the two still argued, traded wisecracks, and made fun of each other from time to time, they stayed close, becoming more like dueling sisters. In a season six episode, when asked to describe their friendship, Jo asked, "Have you ever seen roller derby?"

At one point, she used a computer to analyze their friendship, later rejecting the results when the machine suggested ending the friendship. Jo and Blair shared many emotionally charged moments throughout the series, showcasing the intensity and complexity of their relationship. In season nine, after Blair was in a car accident, she vulnerably shared her fears only with Jo, who had gone into her hospital room after hours in order to see that she was okay.

In several episodes, such as when Jo considered leaving Eastland, when she decided not to get married as a teenager, and in Paris, she openly cried in front of Blair. In the season four episode "Magnificent Obsession," Jo stayed up all night with Blair in an attempt to keep her from calling an emotionally abusive boyfriend.

Langley College and Career[]

Jo graduated from Eastland as valedictorian of her class in 1983 and went on to attended Langley College with Blair, soon losing her access to the college dorms due to the expense. She snuck into Blair's dorm for awhile, staying with her, despite Blair offering to give her money. Jo was never comfortable accepting money or even applying for financial assistance. The dean eventually found out that she'd been trying to stay in the dorms despite not paying for them and placed her on probation. She ended up going to live with Mrs. Garrett, Natalie, and Tootie (Blair eventually joined them, too), while working at Edna's Edibles, which later became Over Our Heads.

She graduated from Langley with a degree in education, having completed student teaching and initially considering becoming a teacher. She graduated with honors and was asked to be the speaker on graduation day. When the college wasn’t happy with the honest speech she’d plan to give, Blair was asked to step in and give a speech, instead. Blair ultimately gave Jo’s speech instead of her own.

While at Langley, Jo was involved in student government, being a member of the Board of Regents, and took a radio course that had her working at the campus radio station. She also took a Shakespeare course with Blair. At one point, she tried ballroom dancing at Natalie's dance studio job. After Langley, she began working for a local community center, expressing interest in becoming a social worker. When the series ends, she is still working at the community center, now owned by Blair. Jo had asked Blair to donate money to keep the facility open for the clients in need.

In the reunion movie, set in 2001, she was said to have become a police detective. On the show, she met and dated Rick Bonner, a concert musician, whom she married; Blair was her maid of honor. Together, they had a daughter, Jamie.

Post-Series[]

In 2001, when the girls reunited with Mrs. Garrett, Jo was unable to attend the reunion with them because she suddenly had to leave for Los Angeles in order to escort a material witness to testify in a major trial. Rick and Jamie met up with the girls in her absence. Jamie referred to Blair as “Aunt Blair.”

Relationships[]

Friendships[]

Blair Warner[]

Jo's primary counterpart on the show was Blair, and their friendship was defined by complexity. At first, they were presented as polar opposites: Blair, the privileged socialite, and Jo, tough and street-smart. From Jo’s first day at Eastland, their sharp exchanges and constant arguments became a hallmark of their dynamic. Yet beneath the bickering, they quickly proved to be protective and loyal toward one another. Both regularly stood up for the other, forming a deep bond that only grew stronger as the series progressed.

Not long after the girls met and after they were briefly in jail, Jo defended Blair against a cell mate who tried to take her watch, threatening the cell mate. Even as they continued trading sarcastic remarks, their relationship grew increasingly close. In the ninth-season episode “Down and Out in Malibu: Part 1,” Jo introduced Blair as her best friend and later asked her to be her maid of honor.

Their friendship was marked by several emotionally charged turning points. In “New York, New York,” a visit to the city revealed that Jo and Blair had changed each other so much that they no longer fit in with their old circles. In “Best Sister Part 1” and “Best Sister Part 2,” Blair’s former stepsister Meg arrived to announce she was becoming a nun. When Meg inadvertently inspired Jo to consider the same path, Blair - angry at religion and worried Jo was making a mistake - lashed out at Jo, and Jo hit her in response. The conflict ended with Jo apologizing and promising never to strike her again.

Another key moment came in season four’s “Magnificent Obsession,” when Jo stayed up all night with Blair to stop her from calling an emotionally abusive boyfriend. In the season-nine episode “Less Than Perfect,” Blair was in a car accident, and Jo was the first person by her side, because she had snuck into her room after visiting hours were over to see that she was okay. In the waiting room, she told Blair’s boyfriend, Casey, that they cared about Blair “because she’s Blair, and there’s nobody else like her.”

Blair helped Jo lower her defense walls and become less hostile. When Jo’s Eastland scholarship was threatened by budget cuts, Blair secretly submitted her family’s scholarship application on Jo’s behalf, even though Jo had refused the money out of fear of being indebted to her. Blair explained she did it because she didn’t want Jo to leave, insisting that people owe creditors, not friends. This exchange ended with the two of them openly acknowledging their friendship for the first time.

Throughout the series, Blair often tried to help Jo financially, offering loans or a plane ticket home for Christmas. Jo usually refused, but when she was mugged while living in California for a job opportunity, she called Blair for help; Blair immediately flew out to deliver the money in person. Later, in season nine, Blair even bought the community center where Jo worked to keep it from closing.

When Jo’s social work supervisor attempted to jump from a ledge and Blair misinterpreted the situation as Jo being the one in danger, she rushed to the window and pleaded with her to hold on, telling her, “A lot of people love you, Jo, and I’m one of them.” She later tried to play down her panic through humor.

Their conflicts often reinforced how much they meant to each other. In “The Rich Aren’t Different,” Jo borrowed Blair’s watch without asking and broke it, dismissing the damage because Blair owned many others. Blair was hurt by Jo’s refusal to admit fault and took her to small claims court to make a point. In court, Blair confessed that although she was used to people not taking her seriously, she cared when Jo did it: “You’re my friend. You’re supposed to know there’s more to me than that.” Jo apologized, assured her she did know, and Blair dropped the case, with the two leaving arm-in-arm for coffee.

Earlier in the series, when Jo attempted to get married to Eddie as a teenager, Blair came up with multiple ideas to stop her.

At one point, after a misunderstanding, Jo used a computer to analyze her relationship with Blair. When the computer told her to end the friendship, she rejected the result.

Throughout the series, Blair and Jo consistently supported each other through family crises as well, especially when Blair’s father faced indictment and when Jo faked an injury in the hopes of getting her parents back together.

Blair was also always trying to encourage Jo to pursue a career that matched her talents and which could give her a comfortable life. While she respected the profession, she didn't want Jo to become a teacher. She wanted her to work for a corporation where she could make a lot of money. Blair also disagreed with Jo's relationship with Eddie and was protective of Jo when Eddie visited again years after they were almost married. When it turned out that Eddie had received his high school diploma and was doing well, Blair changed her attitude about him. Similarly, Jo was protective of Blair when the two found out that Blair's boyfriend, Cliff, was secretly working at a strip club. Jo disagreed with Blair's decision to forgive him.

Natalie Green[]

Jo and Natalie shared a sisterly friendship. Jo attended Natalie's father's funeral, along with Blair and Tootie, and supported Natalie during her grief. She also comforted Natalie when she panicked after being in a car with Tootie's brother, who was driving while intoxicated. Aside from serious moments, they also frequently joked around. While Tootie and Natalie were more often paired together as best friends in their group of four, as Jo was with Blair, the two still shared a typical friendship, with all of its ups and downs.

In "Advanced Placement," when Natalie began taking college classes at Langley, Jo and Blair were both bothered by her suddenly superior behavior, particularly when she shared their high school secrets with a group of students: "Jo wanted to become a nun, Blair said it was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard, and Jo decked her!"

Tootie Ramsey[]

Jo and Tootie also shared a sisterly friendship, with Jo and Blair usually seeming like the big sisters, and Tootie and Natalie as the younger sisters. Jo, along with Blair and Natalie, helped teach Tootie how to drive. In the beginning, such as when they wanted to drink alcohol in the dorm rooms, Jo and the other girls saw Tootie as more of a child than a peer. As Tootie grew older, this was less of a problem.

Romantic[]

Eddie Brennan[]

Eddie was Jo's first love. While at Eastland, she nearly married Eddie, but was stopped by Blair and Mrs. Garrett. When Eddie returned years later, Jo was devastated to find out that he was married to someone else and had kept it a secret from her.

Flyman[]

Jo met Flyman during a spring break vacation with the girls. She reunited with him during a trip to Atlantic City, but the relationship didn't continue.

Sam Hall[]

Sam Hall was Jo's photography professor at Langley. He was a widow with a seven-year-old child. While dating Jo, he placed her in a parenting role for his son, Robby, which Jo treasured, but which also kept Jo from being able to have fun with her friends. For instance, when the girls planned to see the comedian Gallagher perform, Sam was surprised, because he thought Jo would be attending Robby's party and didn't expect her to have plans. In another incident, Jo was babysitting Robby and waiting for Sam to arrive, so that she and Blair could go see Gloria Steinem speak at Langley. Jo was on the programming committee. She ended up unable to attend, sending Blair to go alone, because Sam was unable to pick up Robby. Jo finally broke off the relationship after a conversation with Blair in which she realized that she wasn't ready to have a family at nineteen-years-old.

Rick Bonner[]

Jo met Rick while working at the community center. She married him not long after dating him. He was a traveling musician and liked to joke around. At first, Jo's father did not like Rick and wanted the two of them to break up, but he eventually came around to him. Jo had a daughter with Rick, named Jamie.

Trivia[]

• In the uncut version of "Less Than Perfect" that was released on the DVD sets, Jo is shown having a conversation with Casey, Blair's boyfriend, while waiting in the hospital waiting room. Casey asks Jo why they care so much about Blair, despite her vanity and shallowness. Jo tells Casey, "Because she's Blair, and there's nobody else like her."
• "Polniaczek" (Polaczek) is a Polish-Jewish surname which originates from immigrants who arrived from Europe. These Ashkenazi Jews migrated from small towns or "shtetels" of Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Romania or Ukraine, leaving behind most of their Jewish relatives. After two or three generations, those Jewish families lost track of their relatives, having been saved from the war and emigrated to other countries like the United States, England or Australia.
• Jo's plot line in the movie about escorting a material witness to testify in a major trial was meant to mirror Nancy McKeon's role in "The Division,” which she was filming at the time of the 2001 reunion movie. In the movie, Natalie says that she hasn’t seen Jo “in a lifetime,” a reference to the Lifetime network the show was on at the time.

Gallery[]

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