Betty White is still a ‘Golden Girl’ at age 88
Quick, what comes to mind when you think of actress Betty
White?
A.
”
The Golden Girls
”
B.
”
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
”
C.
”
Saturday Night Live
”
D. A TV commercial for Snickers.
An ever-increasing number of people are now answering
”
C
”
and
”
D.
”
That’s because Betty White, at age 88, has once again become a
hot commodity.
Betty White is still a ‘Golden Girl’ at age 88
Quick, what comes to mind when you think of actress Betty White?
A. “The Golden Girls” B. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” C. “Saturday Night Live” D. A TV commercial for Snickers.
An ever-increasing number of people are now answering “C” and “D.” That’s because Betty White, at age 88, has once again become a hot commodity.
White is an amazing lady by anybody’s standards. She’s one of the funniest actresses around, and she has probably been doing it longer than anyone else at present.
She regularly stole the show from Mary Tyler Moore with her portrayal of man-hungry Sue Ann Nivens back in the 1970s; on “The Golden Girls,” she was the naïve but beloved Rose Nylund.
White has continued to work, even though you’d think she’d want to take a break after 70 years in the business. But on she goes, making guest appearances on everything from “Ally McBeal” to the Comedy Central roast of William Shatner. She’s lent her voice to animated series like “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy,” appeared in numerous skits on late-night television, and even had a recurring role on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
She also makes us laugh in a series of small but unforgettable roles in the movies, most recently in “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock; she’ll next appear in the film “You Again” with Kristen Bell.
But White’s current splash in public perception is thanks to an ad that aired during the 2010 Super Bowl for Snickers, in which she gets tackled playing football. The commercial captured the attention of the nation – no joke – and several new generations discovered Betty White for the first time.
That led to a Facebook push to make her a host on “Saturday Night Live,” and the grassroots group ultimately succeeded in getting its way. White hosted SNL on May 8 (incidentally, making her the oldest person ever to host the show) and of course, she was a big hit, and SNL got its highest ratings since November 2008.
I won’t reveal too much about her SNL appearance if you haven’t seen it; chances are you have, or at least heard about some of the skits. She was, indeed, very funny.
If you haven’t seen the episode, it can be viewed at the NBC website. Incidentally, while you’re there, you can also buy a T-shirt that reads “Betty is my homegirl” (a mere $25) and play an online game called “Is Betty White Hotter Than …?
That’s a lot of Betty White, even for Betty White fans.
And you’d certainly think that all this hoopla would be enough Betty White for anyone in one year. But instead of satisfying the masses, it has only inflamed them. They want more Betty White.
Now there’s a movement afoot to crown her as the host of the next Academy Award ceremony.
I love Betty White, too, but geez people, cut an 88-year-old woman some slack.
It was obvious to me that White was worn out by the end of her SNL stint, and by next year’s Oscars, she’ll be 89. Even though she is in terrific shape for her age, it’s hard to see how she is going to be up to the challenge of hosting such a big show.
On top of that, she is starting a new role – on TV Land’s original series “Hot in Cleveland” – which premieres this June.
So, Betty White lovers, get a grip. She can’t possibly do everything that you want her to in one lifetime. She’s amazing, but not immortal. Octogenarians, even the lively ones, do get a tad tired at a certain point.
