Betty White on Winning Entertainer of the Year Honors: 'It's Ridiculous'

By Jett Wells Posted Dec 20th 2010 12:29PM

Betty White Named AP Entertainer of the Year

Thanks to Betty White, age has nothing to do with being hilarious. After working in Hollywood for six decades, White is at the peak of her career at a spry 88-years old, and now she is getting the recognition she deserves. On Monday, Associated Press named White the Entertainer of the Year.

"It's ridiculous," White said in response to the award. "They haven't caught on to me, and I hope they never do."

Despite being the busiest cameo artist of 2010, making appearances for 'Community' and TV Land's 'Hot in Cleveland,' the final tally for the honor was a nail biter. White narrowly beat out FOX's mega-hit cast of 'Glee' by two votes out of total of 102 ballots.

The powering force behind White's climb to the top was when she hosted for 'SNL,' an opportunity she turned down three times before finally taking it on.

"I thought I was so Californian and it's so New York-oriented that I would be like a fish out of water," White said. "This time, my agent said, `No, you've got to do it.' ... But I was scared to death."

For what made one of the best hosting performances on 'SNL' in recent memory, garnering 12.1 million viewers, White explained she had never been more nervous.

"It was the insecurity, I think, that had me scared," she says, noting that she can't stand using cue cards, a necessity for a live show that's revised until minutes before broadcast. A tip to focus on the cue cards instead of her fellow actors helped, but she still had to adjust. "I thought, `How do you not look at Tina Fey when you're standing right next to her?'"

When people say this is White's comeback, she doesn't understand where everyone was before.

"It's been phenomenal, but everybody keeps congratulating me on my resurgence and my big comeback," White said. "I haven't been away, guys. I've been working steadily for the last 63 years."

Tags: AP Entertainer of the Year, betty white

Comments

(19)

Monday 20 December

By rlnyny

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Good for Ms. White!

By carl

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it,s time for shady pines.

By Barbara Loden

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You are a very tacky person. You will be there one day. Or not. LOL

By jim

I have always adored her, thru most of the decades that she has entertained us, she is 21 years older than me. She is also a dead ringer , dead ringer for my mother. Except for her being blonde and my mothers hair being auburn, you would never had been able to tell them apart. I am glad to see her getting all of the recognition that she is getting, what a lovely lady & I wish her the very best. What a lady to go at the pace she is going at at her age.

By SkyBlue

Betty White deserves all the accolades she receives -- and more. She's a terrific performer.

By Maggie

I would have chosen her over ANY one to get this title. The lady has been a joy to watch for all her years, in all her shows and mainly because she is ONE of a KIND. Never snobbish, hateful, but always LOVED!

By mw

Love Betty White, and love her new show Hot in Cleveland. She is funny and so much fun to watch.

By Nico Toscani

OMFG! I am SO sick of hearing about Betty White. How can an 89 year old be overexposed? She's been playing the same character for 40+ years now. Time to say goodbye.

By larry

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OMFG, your opinion does not matter Nico!

By mln815

Aw relax Nico. The only sameness about her characters is they're all fully.

By OhSnap

AGREED! She's not even funny. She's curses or says 'penis' and people laugh at it just because she's old. It's stupid.

By joan

You Nico are a fool. I wonder what you will be like or if anyone will like you when you are this living legends age?

I guess any old person saying dirty things is considered hilarious. People have NO taste whatsoever.

Hooray for Betty....she deserves every accolade and outshines the entire younger generation of actors around. Keep it up Betty.

Oops, I meant funny.

You are a very tacky person. You will be there one day or not. LOL

By Erica

She is so awesome. Congratulations, Betty!

By Joe

This is what a real national treasure looks and acts like. I've always thought she was great...from the Mary Tyler Moore show, Golden Girls, Hot in Cleveland, game shows and movies...and she deserves all the recognition she receives. A true inspiration.

By Geritol

Congrats Betty, but i think if this award is being bestowed on you, our entertainment industry has hit rock bottom, which it has.

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