# Did any sitcom characters other than Maude ever have an abortion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454 "2010-03-05T18:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/41 "2010-03-09T21:39:05Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Apparently Maude is the only character whose abortion has been a major “before and after” plot point (i.e. not just referred to in retrospect) other than for surreal sitcoms. Once again, the thread has several times mentioned Jo Jo on **Buffalo Bill** by several people. Not surreal, and two entire episodes discussed the issue as Jo Jo agonized about it. She eventually decided to have the abortion. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/42 "2010-03-09T22:04:41Z")
\*Buffalo Bill \* was hardly a major show. Of course you’re right, but if you’re going by a show most people never heard of, on a network (NBC) who’s ratings were worse then than now. Again that wasn’t what was asked and you’re right but still it’s easy to be daring when it costs you nothing. To give a character on a show like _Buffalo Bill_, which would be cancelled anyway in a few episodes, that no one would ever see and can best be viewed as a desperate attempt to gain any ratings or notoriety. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/43 "2010-03-09T22:22:50Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > \*Buffalo Bill \* was hardly a major show. It depends on what you consider “major”, since it did receive two consecutive Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Series (along with a host of other major nods, though no wins). In fact, the “Jo-Jo’s Problem” episode received a nomination for best writing and directing of a comedy series, and Joanna Cassidy got an Emmy nod that year as well. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/44 "2010-03-10T01:35:39Z")
Probably not what you are after since it is not a US show, but there was a British sitcom that ran from 1989 to 1998 called [Birds of a Feather](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birds_of_a_Feather). The Sharon character had an abortion. ---
**Author:** ![andiepandie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@andiepandie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andiepandie)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/45 "2010-03-10T17:13:55Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > That plot line is from the original Degrassi High from back in the 80’s. You should check it out. For some reason the Catholic TV station back home aired it, completely, dubbed in Spanish. That part of the series was no exception. I watched it as a kid. > > As part of that plot, one of the protestors was also the punk/goth vegetarian pro-animal rights chick who was BFF with the punk single teenage mom. She went so far as to pin “baby killer” or something like that in the twin’s locker door. Finally the punk teenage mom (her friend) told punky alternative chick that while she chose to have her kid and raise her, that isn’t the only option and she should stop being so self-righteous and mean to the twin. > > I thought (as a kid) that it was weird someone with such otherwise left-leaning politics would be such an ardent pro-life, but whatever. Her self-righteousness flaw, though, had been pointed out earlier, in another plot (involving animal rights). Whoa, I don’t know if you noticed the post right above yours, **KarlGrenze** , but it looks like we were sharing a brain that day, right down to our misunderstanding of the original post by **Justin\_Bailey**! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/46 "2010-03-10T19:17:35Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > … (Earlier, when Scarlett learned she was pregnant with Bonnie- her third child [and she’d always hated being pregnant] she told Rhett she was going to abort and her became almost violent, having once seen a woman die from a botched version of the procedure.)… Third child? I haven’t read the book; did they write a couple of older kids out of the movie? Not a sitcom, but on Saint Elsewhere, Dr. Westphal’s daughter had an affair with one of the interns, and wound up having an abortion. As the family was Catholic, this was pretty horrifying for Westphal. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454/47 "2010-03-10T19:26:32Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Third child? I haven’t read the book; did they write a couple of older kids out of the movie? > . Yup, in the book she has one child from Charles, one from Frank, and then Bonnie & the miscarried baby from Rhett. They’re basically wallpaper in the book anyway though, since it’s from her perspective and she doesn’t really like either of them very much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-sitcom-characters-other-than-maude-ever-have-an-abortion/531454.md?page=2)