It’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited about seeing someone host Saturday Night Live.
What started out as an Internet campaign swelled into a full-fledged hosting job for Betty White. I’ve always loved her. She’s immensely talented, devoted to the welfare of animals, fun and light-hearted and admits she’s scared to death about Saturday night’s show, despite having a career that most performers would envy. She hosted her own TV show long before I was born. She was a game show regular in the 50’s and 60’s, Sue-Ann Niven on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, one of the Golden Girls and more recently on Boston Legal. There hasn’t been an era of TV without an impact from Betty.
I remember an interview she gave a long time ago about the death of the love of her life, Alan Ludden. It was apparent that her heart was completely broken but she talked about him in such glowing terms, much like George Burns always did about Gracie Allen. She unknowingly gave me a quote that I always use when people remark on how I always have my hands in so many different things – writing, broadcasting etc. “You can’t hit a moving target!” She has played tough old broads in several films in recent years and been – arguably – the best thing about them. Catch her in the Sandra Bullock rom-com The Proposal and in 1999’s Lake Placid, as two prime examples. She turned down a role in As Good As It Gets because she objected to the way a dog was treated in the film.
Betty may be able to stay up that late on a Saturday but this junior will PVR it and watch it later! Meanwhile, here’s a taste of what makes Betty so wonderful. It’s highlights from her recent appearance on Ellen.