Betty White Having the Best Week (Heck, Month) Ever

By Gary Susman Posted Feb 12th 2010 11:01AM

It's no exaggeration to say that the most popular woman in America right now is Betty White.

The biggest TV audience of all time saw the 88-year-old get tackled in a Snickers ad during the Super Bowl, a commercial that was the viewers' favorite among all of Sunday's much-discussed ads, according to USA Today's Ad Meter. The octogenarian also became the queen of Facebook thanks to an online petition drive, nearly 200,000 fans strong, to convince the producers of 'Saturday Night Live' to let her host the comedy show. (Get full details on the Facebook campaign.)

In short, this has been the best week ever for the TV legend. In fact, it may even be her best month ever, if you extend the 'Golden Girl's' golden moment back to January 23, when she picked up a Life Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and gave a hilarious acceptance speech that brought down the house.

You could call it a comeback, except that White's never gone away. She's worked steadily throughout a seven-decade career that's earned her six Emmys and has included countless appearances in TV comedies, game shows and movies. Still, we have to ask: what's behind her current heat? Here are some theories:

► Everyone likes an old broad with a dirty mouth. There's no more reliable laugh-getter in comedy than a filthy-minded old lady. White's been happy to fill that bill for a long time. Her standard answer to the question "What would you still like to do in show business that you haven't done?" is "Robert Redford." The contrast between her sweet appearance and her sometimes shocking utterances is one that she's milked for laughs for decades, from her man-eating "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' to naive but still sexually active Rose Nylund on 'The Golden Girls' to last year's 'The Proposal,' where her dear old granny character got lots of laughs for feeling up Sandra Bullock.

► She loves animals. White's four decades of animal-welfare activism are well known. She's a longtime spokesperson for the Morris Animal Foundation and a veteran supporter of the Los Angeles Zoo. Not that she's humorless about her advocacy -- she spoofed her rep in 'Lake Placid,' where her character happily let hapless humans get eaten by a giant crocodile rather than let the carnivorous creature be captured or killed.

► She'll do anything for a laugh. Whether it's getting tackled in the mud in order to sell candy bars or playing beer pong with Jimmy Fallon on 'Late Night,' she's game -- literally: White was a regular on classic game shows like 'Match Game,' 'Pyramid' and 'Password,' which was hosted by her late husband, Allen Ludden. She played a bigot in 'Bringing Down the House,' a blackmailer on 'Boston Legal' and Betty Suarez (i.e. 'Ugly Betty') on the TV Land Awards. She's a frequent guest on 'The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,' where she's appeared as a Girl Scout, a cocaine-smuggling accountant and a prison guard. Ferguson knows he can call on her any time (the way David Letterman used to depend on Tony Randall) to fill a slack segment on his show with dependable laughs.

► She appeals to all ages. If you're a kid, you love Betty White because you know her her work on 'Glenn Martin, DDS.' If you're older, you love her for 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show,' 'Mama's Family' and 'The Golden Girls.' In fact, even if you're under 40, you know her from 'Golden Girls,' since the 1985-92 comedy is still airing in perpetual syndication in 49 countries.

► She has a tireless work ethic. Why is she so busy? Talking to George Lopez during a recent appearance on 'Lopez Tonight,' she explained, "I'm such a whore. I can't say no." Already this year, she's booked for a TV Land sitcom pilot called "Hot in Cleveland" and a movie comedy with Kristen Bell called 'You Again,' due in September. In her SAG Awards acceptance speech, White said, "You still can't get rid of me. I was only 88 last Sunday, so I've got lots more stuff to do."

About the only thing she hasn't ever done, besides Redford, is host 'SNL.' If hired, she'd be the oldest host in the show's history, though not the first octogenarian. Twice in 1977, the series had an 80-year-old host: 'Rosemary's Baby' star Ruth Gordon and Miskel Spillman, winner of 'SNL''s first and last 'Anyone Can Host' contest.

So far, there's been no comment from NBC on whether it's taking any note of the Facebook petition, nor from White on whether she's even interested. (Like she'd really say no. As she told Lopez...) Maybe her beer pong buddy Fallon can broker the deal, since his 'Late Night' boss is also 'SNL' honcho Lorne Michaels. So, keep your fingers crossed, Betty White fans. Which is to say, everybody.

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Betty White Snapshots

Yes folks, you're looking at a paparazzo-snapped photo of Betty White. The 88-year-old TV legend was spotted leaving a chocolate store on Feb. 9 in Los Angeles. Check out more pics Betty >>

BuzzFoto/BuzzFoto/FilmMagic.com

FilmMagic.com

Betty White Snapshots

Betty White leaves Madame Chocolat on February 09, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - February 9, 2010 Los Angeles, CA United States February 9, 2010 Photo by BuzzFoto/BuzzFoto/FilmMagic.com To license this image (59533455), contact FilmMagic.com

Betty White Snapshots

This image provided by Snickers shows part of a television ad featuring actress Betty White scheduled to air during the 2010 Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Snickers) NO SALES

Betty White Snapshots

Actress Betty White will appear in a Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl broadcast. (MCT)

Betty White Snapshots

Actress Betty White will appear in a Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl broadcast. (MCT)

Betty White Snapshots

Actress Betty White will appear in a Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl broadcast. (MCT)

Betty White Snapshots

Actress Betty White poses in the press room at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 23, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Press Room The Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles, CA United States January 23, 2010 Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com To license this image (17135508), contact WireImage.com

Betty White Snapshots

Actress Betty White arrive at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 23, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Arrivals The Shrine Auditorium Los Angeles, CA United States January 23, 2010 Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage.com To license this image (59392629), contact WireImage.com

Betty White Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 23: President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation JoBeth Williams and actress Betty White arrive at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 23, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JoBeth Williams;Betty White

Betty White Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 23: Actress Betty White arrives at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on January 23, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Betty White

Betty White Snapshots

Tags: betty white, betty white to host snl please, BettyWhite, saturday night live, super bowl, super bowl ads

Comments

(154)

Friday 12 February

By valeskas

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I wish they would make a sequel for " The Proposal ". She was so funny and is a wonderful mixture with Sandra Bullock.

By leroy

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

well..it seems kind of sad that everyone exploits a senile old lady
using crude language as funny..most of the time when a older person
acts this way you place them in a home so they dont embarrass
themselves..really sad that people find so much humor in this.UH UH UH

By Tracye

Leroy, Betty White is just plain funny. She was funny as a young woman and she is just as funny as a senior citizen. Lighten up. Geez!

Sunday 14 February

By Lakisha

LMAO ... the truth Leroy ... she looks like the old walking dead cracker ... LOL

Tuesday 16 February

By jamtmjms

Vote down Vote up Report this

Betty is just like a Tickle Me Plant . You never how how it will react when you Tickle It Google Tickle Me Plant

By Missi Kitti

Leroy your an Idiot!! Betty White has been the same person her whole career it has never been about her age or her being senile. Get a personality jack ass

Missi Kitty, Leroi is a very unhappy person and an idiot to boot.

By Lori

Couldn't agree more....Leroy is just mad cuz he wasn't first to post. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Betty White. She is one of the best.

I`m a idiot ?? you people are the simpletons that find humor in someone losing their minds due to old age..I guess watching some old senile person make a fool of themselves is funny.I guess society has really lowered their standards for humor..UH UH UH YEAHHH DOGGG

Saturday 13 February

By nova8uc

Yes, Leroy..you're an idiot. Betty White probably is far less senile than you are. Lakisha, you're a bigot! I defy anyone to tell me how is calling a caucasian person a cracker any different than someone calling a person of color the "n" word or why it is socially accepted.

By snowmassey

leroy is sarah palin in drag.
she is jealous another woman is more popular then her.

Monday 15 February

By Mark

Senile, my behind!! At 88, Betty White's mind is still sharp as a tack. As long as you feel good and love what you do, why stop?

By peggy

Betty White is the BEST!!

By EDEN

THIS LADY IS A CREDIT TO HER PROFESSION. A LESSON TO BE LEARNED.

By Graydonpow

I would MUCH rather see Betty White host SNL than some empty-headed flavor-of-the-moment who is trying to prove they have the acting chops! Betty has proven this over and over again! Lorne Michaels really needs to take heed! Then again, when has anyone at NBC made a GOOD decision recently?!?

By J9

Nasty, foul mouthed old bag should hang it up already...what an undignified last chapter to a life!

By Mike

You're confusing two things: her script and her life. She delivers her scripts brilliantly, always has.

By ProfessorEnglish

EXCUSE ME? Hope you get out of the mental institution soon. Bless your little heart!

Saturday 03 April

By MLS

I love Betty!!! She's Awesome. People shouldn't talk bad about her. She's so cute and hilarious. The woman wouldn't still be on TV and famous if people didn't love her.

By Paula

What's the matter...so many people saying positive things about Betty White , you had to throw out a negative.
Get the stick out and have a laugh.
This woman is not undignified.
You should be so popular and kindhearted as she is...

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