EPISODE SUMMARY: From the Facts of Life to Living Her Best Midlife
WELCOME TO SEASON 2 OF HOT FLASHES & COOL TOPICS! We wanted to start this season off with a bang, and what better guest to do that with than Mindy Cohn! Mindy Cohn is a Hollywood actress, who has portrayed some of television’s most iconic roles. From Natalie Green from “The Facts of Life” to Velma Dinkley in the famous cartoon “Scooby Doo”, Mindy has given life to beloved characters that all generations of TV watchers can enjoy. Along with acting, Mindy also has her own podcast called “Mondays with Mindy”, where she interviews colleagues and those in the entertainment industry to discuss a wide array of creative topics. As a midlife woman herself, Mindy shares in the emotional and physical struggles that come with aging and gave us insight into her own experience with aging. In part one of our interview with Mindy Cohn, we discussed how Mindy got discovered, her relationship with reality television, growing up without social media, and the media’s continual lack of addressing the issues of midlife women.
Mindy Cohn:
Mindy Cohn is a Hollywood actress who began her career in the 1980’s as Natalie Green on the Facts of Life. Ms. Cohn, along with Kim Fields, Nancy Mckeon and Lisa Whelchel spent 9 years growing up in front of the camera on this long running sitcom. After the show ended, Mindy continued acting and was the voice of Velma Dinkley for Scooby Doo from 2002 until 2015.
Mindy also had a very personal battle with breast cancer in 2012 and she shares with us that she worked very hard to keep this journey private. She did not want to be a poster child but wanted to speak on her terms. She also talks a little about her personal life, her desire to meet her future husband and her love of travel and family. She looks forward to a future of Broadway and becoming a New Yorker for the next chapter of life.
Mindy Cohn has a zest for life and a positive energy that she shares with close friends and those she loves. It was a joy to talk with her about her life, her career and her future plans.
Mindy continues her acting career in movies like: A Cinderella Christmas, Hollywood Dirt, You Light Up My Christmas, A Nice Girl Like You, and Consequences.
IMBD lists her acting credits as follows:
A Nice Girl Like You
Pricilla Blum 2019You Light Up My Christmas (TV Movie)
Rose 2019Kill Cat Oakland (Short)
Barb 2018Egg Day (Short)
Nurse Hayden 2017Hollywood Dirt
Thelma 2016A Cinderella Christmas (TV Movie)
Zelda 2015Lego Dimensions (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2015Scooby-Doo! And Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2015You’re Killing Me
Karen 2015Scooby-Doo! and the Beach Beastie (Video short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2015Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2014FreakMe (TV Movie)
April 2014Bones (TV Series)
Valentina- The Puzzler in the Pit (2014) … Valentina 2014Operation Marriage (Short)
Kathy 2014Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2014The Middle (TV Series)
Kimberly- The Wonderful World of Hecks (2014) … Kimberly 2014Scooby-Doo! Ghastly Goals (Video short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2014Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2013Holiday Road Trip (TV Movie)
Artie 2013Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace (Video short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2013Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Scarecrow (Video short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2013Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2010-2013Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (TV Series)
Velma Dinkley- Through the Curtain (2013) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Come Undone (2013) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Gates of Gloom (2013) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Dark Night of the Hunters (2013) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Nightmare in Red (2013) … Velma Dinkley (voice)Show all 52 episodes 2012Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2012Scooby-Doo: 13 Spooky Tales – Holiday Chills and Thrills (Video short)
Velma Dinkley 2012Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays (Video short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2012Big Top Scooby-Doo! (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2012The Secret Life of the American Teenager (TV Series)
Dylan’s Mom- Girlfriends (2012) … Dylan’s Mom- Holy Rollers (2012) … Dylan’s Mom- Shotgun (2012) … Dylan’s Mom- The Splits (2012) … Dylan’s Mom- Suddenly Last Summer (2012) … Dylan’s MomShow all 8 episodes 2012Scooby-Doo! Laff-A-Lympics: Spooky Games (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2012Scooby-Doo! Spooky Games (Video short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2012Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2012Scooby-Doo! and the Safari Creatures (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2011Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2011Scooby Doo & the Robots
Velma Dinkley 2011Hot in Cleveland (TV Series)
Cassie- Love Thy Neighbor (2011) … Cassie 2011Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Series)
Velma / Ticket Girl- Bat-Mite Presents: Batman’s Strangest Cases! (2011) … Velma / Ticket Girl (voice) 2010Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2010Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Swamp (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2010Violet Tendencies
Violet 2010Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2009Scooby Doo! First Frights (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2009Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2008Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2006-2008Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! (TV Series)
Velma Dinkley / Velma- Uncle Albert Alert (2008) … Velma Dinkley- Zoinks the Wonderdog (2008) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Scooby-Dudes (2008) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Don’t Get a Big Head (2008) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Runaway Robi (2008) … Velma Dinkley (voice)Show all 23 episodes 2007Chill Out, Scooby-Doo! (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2007Sex and Death 101
Trixie 2007Scooby Doo!: Frights Camera Mystery! (Video Game)
Velma (voice) 2006Family Guy (TV Series)
Natalie Green- Prick Up Your Ears (2006) … Natalie Green (voice) 2006Scooby-Doo: Who’s Watching Who (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2006Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2002-2006What’s New, Scooby-Doo? (TV Series)
Velma Dinkley / Velma Dinkley (Intro / Theme Intro) / …- E-Scream (2006) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Reef Grief! (2005) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Gold Paw (2005) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Gentleman, Start Your Monsters (2005) … Velma Dinkley (voice)- Block-Long Hong Kong Terror (2005) … Velma Dinkley (voice)Show all 42 episodes 2005The Adventures of Tango McNorton: Licensed Hero (TV Short)
Lunch Lady 2005Scooby-Doo! Unmasked (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2005Scooby-Doo in Where’s My Mummy? (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2005The Third Wish
Bridgette 2005Aloha, Scooby-Doo! (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2005Hula Hullabaloola (Video short)
Velma Dinkley 2004Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster (Video)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2004The Help (TV Series)
Maggie, the Cook- Searching for Grandpa Eddie (2004) … Maggie, the Cook- Doghouse (2004) … Maggie, the Cook- Ollie Shares (2004) … Maggie, the Cook- Pahtay (2004) … Maggie, the Cook- Maggie Chicken (2004) … Maggie, the CookShow all 7 episodes 2004Scooby-Doo! Mystery Mayhem (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2003/ISwing
Martha 2003Scooby Doo: The Scary Stone Dragon (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2003Kim Possible (TV Series)
Ms. Whisp- Naked Genius (2003) … Ms. Whisp (voice) 2003Dexter’s Laboratory (TV Series)
Librarian- Voice Over/Blonde Leading the Blonde/Comic Stripper (2003) … Librarian (voice) 2003One on One (TV Series)
Ms. Sorel- Daddy, I Don’t Need an Edumacation (2003) … Ms. Sorel 2002Under the Gun
Gale 2002A Scooby-Doo! Christmas (TV Short)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2002Scooby-Doo!: The Glowing Bug Man (Video Game)
Velma Dinkley (voice) 2000-2001The Kids from Room 402 (TV Series)
Nancy Francis- A Very Nancy Christmas (2001) … Nancy Francis (voice)- Believe It or Not (2001) … Nancy Francis (voice)- For Whom the Bell Tolls (2001) … Nancy Francis (voice)- The Slam Book (2001) … Nancy Francis (voice)- It Takes Your Breath Away (2001) … Nancy Francis (voice)Show all 35 episodes 2001The Wonderful World of Disney (TV Series)
Natalie Green- The Facts of Life Reunion (2001) … Natalie Green 2001Virtually Casey (TV Movie)
Joanne Collins 2000Alone with a Stranger
Toni 1999The Chimp Channel (TV Series)
Candy Yuponce (voice) 1999Suddenly Susan (TV Series)
Cindy- Revenge of the Gophers (1999) … Cindy 1993-1994The Second Half (TV Series)
Maureen Tucker- Ten (1994) … Maureen Tucker- One Flu Over a Nest of Cuckoos (1994) … Maureen Tucker- High Nooner (1994) … Maureen Tucker- Far and Awry (1994) … Maureen Tucker- The Gym (1993) … Maureen TuckerShow all 13 episodes 1991Dream On (TV Series)
Marie- Toby or Not Toby (1991) … Marie 1979-1988The Facts of Life (TV Series)
Natalie Green / Frenchie- The Beginning of the Beginning (1988) … Natalie Green- The Beginning of the End (1988) … Natalie Green- Big Apple Blues (1988) … Natalie Green- On the Edge (1988) … Natalie Green- Present Imperfect (1988) … Natalie GreenShow all 202 episodes 1988Charles in Charge (TV Series)
Bunny Lembeck- Bottle Baby (1988) … Bunny Lembeck 1987-198821 Jump Street (TV Series)
Rosa Banducci / Sal’s Wife- Chapel of Love (1988) … Rosa Banducci- Christmas in Saigon (1987) … Sal’s Wife 1987The Facts of Life Down Under (TV Movie)
Natalie Green 1986The Boy Who Could Fly
Geneva 1985Double Trouble (TV Series)
Janie Blakemore- Funny Girl (1985) … Janie Blakemore 1983Friday Night (TV Series)
– Episode dated 30 September 1983 (1983) 1982The Facts of Life Goes to Paris (TV Movie)
Natalie Green 1982Table Settings (TV Movie)
1980-1981Diff’rent Strokes (TV Series)
Natalie Green- The Older Man (1981) … Natalie Green- The Slumber Party (1980) … Natalie Green
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Introduction
- [0:46] Guest Introduction
- [7:01] Start of Interview
- [8:20] Mindy’s Podcast
- [12:33] Learning to Care Less in Midlife
- [16:00] Mindy’s Journey to Getting Discovered
- [18:03] Mindy and Bravo
- [20:46] Mindy’s Experience with Reality TV
- [23:30] Growing Up Without Social Media
- [26:38] The Industry Then V.S. Now
- [30:40] The Industry During the Pandemic
- [34:15] The Media’s Lack of Addressing Midlife Women
- [38:26] Changing the Narrative About Midlife
- [45:50] Closing Thoughts
- [48:31] Outro
Useful Resources:
Mindy’s IMDb I [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0169934/]
Mindy’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/mindycohn/?hl=en]
Mindy’s Twitter I [https://twitter.com/mindycohn]
Mondays with Mindy I [https://www.mondayswithmindy.com/]
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