The Facts of Life (TV Series)

Front Page (1981)

Steven Anderson: Professor Gideon

Quotes 

• Jo Polniaczek : Look, I made a mistake. I missed some facts. Okay, some important facts. What do you want me to say? I didn't go far enough, or that I went too far? Go ahead, sue me for libel.

  Professor Gideon : Libel. I would have to prove you wrote that story with malicious intent.

  Jo Polniaczek : That wouldn't be too tough.

  Professor Gideon : Why?

  Jo Polniaczek : Because you ride me all the time. You criticize everything that I do, you know, no one likes to be told they're a dummy!

  Professor Gideon : Is that what you think I've been saying to you all these months?

  Jo Polniaczek : It's pretty obvious. You rip apart a story that I've been slaving over, and then you go ape when Blair reports on a hemline change!

  Professor Gideon : To Blair, Journalism is the hour between breakfast and English Lit! I know what it means to you. It's exciting to for a teacher to see real potential in students. I ask more from you so you'll ask more from yourself!

  Jo Polniaczek : Are you telling me that you like my stuff?

  Professor Gideon : Yeah. Yeah, I do. Why don't you tell me how we got on opposite sides of the fence?

  Jo Polniaczek : [chastised]  When somebody pushes me, I don't think why. I just push back.

• Jo Polniaczek : [realizing Mr. Gideon is leaving because of her article]  They fired you?

  Professor Gideon : No, they asked me to resign. For the good of the school. Funny, that's what they said when they hired me.

• Jo Polniaczek : I'll print the follow up story, and it'll explain everything.

  Professor Gideon : It'll change nothing.

  Jo Polniaczek : Well, if that's not enough we'll get a petition.

  Professor Gideon : [picking up a stapler]  Is this my stapler or the school's?

  Jo Polniaczek : We'll get a thousand signatures to sign it and we'll take it to the school board and demand that they keep...

  Professor Gideon : Look, Jo. This isn't something that you can fix. Okay?

  Jo Polniaczek : [guiltily]  It's my fault. I gotta do something.

  Professor Gideon : Then help me pack.