2010: the Year of Betty White

I suddenly realized after watching '˜Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People" on December 9, 2010, that this had actually been the year for Betty White. As I sat listening to Barbara interview Betty and ask her if sex was still available to those past 88 years old, and saw the twinkle rise in Betty's eyes as she said, " I imagine if one gets lucky, they do!" '" my memory flew to another Betty White twinkle moment during 2010.

I was cruising Facebook and noticed someone had started to enlist "Saturday Night Live' to bring Betty White to "SNL" as host. I, hurriedly, voted '˜yes'. I watched the votes grow and before I could turn around I was watching Betty White telling the audience of '˜Saturday Night Live' that she didn't even know what Facebook was, but now that she did, she found it to be a colossal waste of time. The entire program that night was full of memorable segments, most notably Tina Fey's Census Bureau interview with an addled Betty about her '˜status'.

Betty White has been a staple of television life for a half century. I became aware of her in the eighties when Betty White played" Sue Ann Nivens", the slutty '˜Happy Homemaker' on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show".

Then for seven seasons '˜The Golden Girls' brought Betty White into homes every week as '˜Rose', the slightly goofy part of the foursome of middle-aged women bringing laughs to homes each week.
But, 2010 showed us all who Betty White is. She is a lifetime of memories for young and old.

Now, Betty White is sharing the spotlight with Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Wendie Malick in "Hot in Cleveland", -the laugh a minute sit-com that is a 21st century '˜Golden Girls'. This time Betty White plays a cranky and witty landlord to the three women from Hollywood who have decided to make Cleveland home.

And, she is as funny as she has always been. The other day I watched TV Guide's "Betty White: America's Golden Girl" and she was talking about her Snickers commercial on the Superbowl and how much exposure that had gotten her.

It was then that I knew that Betty White hasn't just survived for 63 years in show business because she is a consummate comedienne. She is also a shrewd business person, who has stated she keeps her show business career going so she can pay for her passion for animal rights.

And that has been a lucky break for us all.