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As you probably already know, Betty White will be hosting the May 8th episode of Saturday Night Live. An on-air promo has already been broadcast. Now, Ms. White is hosting in the wake of a surprising grassroots Internet movement to get Betty White, a 103-year-old woman, as the host of Saturday Night Live, a grassroots movement that has now apparently succeeded in its original goal, but had already greatly increased Betty White’s visibility and gotten her placement in a Super Bowl commercial, as well as a cameo on the relaunch of the new The Jay Leno Show. It is another triumph for new media in its attempt to wield the power of ordinary people to affect populist change.
OR IS IT?
When Betty White came up in conversation this weekend, as she does, a friend of mine asked: who is her publicist? This was the first time I had heard this question! This friend had been to the 2009 Emmy Awards (that’s right, I have a friend who went to the Emmy Awards one time. JEALOUS?) long before the Internet’s “grassroots” campaigning had begun, and she saw the paparazzi have a feeding frenzy over Betty White. Which you have to admit is odd, and at the time was even more odd because Betty White had not yet become the subject of so much unexpected fan support or been in a Snickers commercial or anything. Obviously, I am not claiming to have any inside information on this, but as I have mentioned in the past, the Betty White thing has always struck me as incredibly odd even by Internet standards. Like, what? Why her? Why now? But the idea that it could be the secret anti-populist manipulation of the Hollywood publicity machine seems entirely reasonable and believable as an explanation. It’s just an interesting question that my friend posed and that I am now posing.
Also, it is just fun to make up scandals and pretend like they are important!
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I’m betting it’s Gabe.
Betty White or her publicist? Gabe is known to love a good butterscotch now and again.
Good point, but, to clarify, no one has made more of a story of the non-story of the Betty White Story. I’m calling BWP on Gabe.
“MLIBWP” -Gabe
Her publicist is Topher Grace. That is what is up with him. LOL?
You certainly have a lot of fans!
Stop picking fights.
Hey! telling people what to do and what not to do is not your videogum meme: it belongs to steve winwood. STOP IT!
Who the hell said I picked a fight? Ben_Gif you don’t know me that well or my commenting style at all, is all I can think with the last few exchanges we’ve had. We definitely need to hug it out when we hit the chats at some point this week…
Gabe’s upset since Betty White wouldn’t go to prom with him in 1937
To be fair to Gabe, she IS a tease.
The Betty White/Estelle Getty shimmy just made my day.
it’s probably a puppy because it’s so hard to tell a puppy “no”
That explains Birdie, and Gabe’s scoop. All is right with the universe.
I had a dream last night that I was having a conversation with Gabe, and he said that Birdie had kidney stones! Am I on Videogum too much?
You most certainly do have an inside source, you talked to a guy who went to the Emmys once.
Also, I like Betty White because she wants to bang Robert Redford. I mean, who doesn’t right?
I have a picture of Robert Redford in my wallet. Just kidding…it’s hanging on the wall of my cubicle.
Charlie Daniels has his own theory about Betty White’s rise to fame:
The devil went to Miami, he was looking for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind ‘cos he was way behind: he was willin’ to make a deal.
When he came across this old broad actin’ in a theater and playin’ it hot.
And the devil jumped upon a palm tree stump and said: “Ma’am let me tell you what:
“I bet you didn’t know it, but I’m a theater actor too.
“And if you’d care to take a dare, I’ll make a bet with you.
“Now you play a fine Ophelia, ma’am, but give the devil his due:
“I bet a role on a show ’bout girls of gold gold, ‘cos I think I’m better than you.”
The lady said: “My name’s Betty and it might be a sin,
“But I’ll take your bet, your gonna regret, ‘cos I’m the best that’s ever been.”
I am more than willing to wait the 16 and a half years to marry you.
How long have you been eighteen months?
I’m lobbying congress for equal baby rights, so if we can get some legislation working, we may be in luck soon.
Your life is a living, breathing Disney screenplay. “Lil’ Lobbyists” hits theaters summer 2011.
Guys he’s not actually a baby. It’s just a picture of a baby.
Hey hey, we already have an Uncle Winwood to spoil everyone’s fun with facts and logic. It’s not your meme, et al.
I think what you meant to say was, “NNNNNNNNnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.”
OK, everyone, once more from the top.
A grassroots campaign amongst a niche Internet community to get a 103 year-old mainstream media visibility, you say?
Gabe, put on your best loafers, we’re gonna make you a star!
Hasn’t DS3M already been giving Gabe the Betty White treatment with that facebook group? (I am the best at wording sentences obviously.)
Well, it’s a decent start. But trust me, once we crack out the loafers, Gabe won’t be able to turn left without a late-night chat show haranguing him. Loafers are an integral part of this plan
What about boat shoes? They’re so much more comfortable, and they come in environmentally friendly canvas.
Loafers!
Fuckin’ Betty White’s seemingly-out-of-left-field-popularity-that-in-reality-has-probably-always-been simmering-just-beneath-the-surface-of-the-collective-pop-culture-obsessed-consciousness-and-is-just-now-coming-to-a-head-like-a-sexy-geriatric-volcano, how does that work?
Not amused with your Betty White hating.
That girl has sass! And is making me dizzy! Also, I wasn’t hating on Betty White. I love Betty White! If you added up all the hours I’ve spent in front of the television’s warm glow, laughing and crying along with Rose and friends, you would wonder “Why is that virile young man in the supposed prime of his life doing wasting his life away like that?” You would also see that I love Betty White!
Fuckin’ Betty White’s seemingly-out-of-left-field-popularity-that-in-reality-has-probably-always-been simmering-just-beneath-the-surface-of-the-collective-pop-culture-obsessed-consciousness-and-is-just-now-coming-to-a-head-like-a-sexy-geriatric-volcano, how does that work?
Yup. It’s definitely monday. I quit.
Gabe, I have been on board with nearly all of your celebrity takedowns, but can we lay off of Betty White? She is an old woman, for God’s sake, and she is actually unquestionably hilarious. Golden Girls is one of the funniest and best written shows in television history, and I say that as a most-likely straight man. I guess I am also surprised that she has “just now” become a thing, because I have been a major Betty White fan for decades. BUT let’s not look a gift Betty White in the dentures, right? Her SNL will be the best since Zach Galifinakis. Mark it down.
I concur, Betty’s fabulous. If the only way she can be superstar huge is in a semi-ironic way then that’s a shame, but it’s still a step towards something like accepting that people can be successful and pertinent as they age.
Also, I guess you are probably joking about the great publicist conspiracy, but you can track Betty White’s recent success to her appearances on various late night shows (she has been doing HILARIOUS guest spots on Craig Ferguson for the last couple of years) and feature role in that shitty but disturbingly popular Sandra Bullock movie (WHICH ONE?!).
The whole Draft Betty White to SNL thing started with an article by Ken Tucker at EW.com, where he complained about how SNL seems obsessed with booking young “it-person” hosts like January Jones (yikes), and they would be much more successful if they picked legitimately funny people from all walks of life. He suggested Betty White, and then it became a thing. Least that’s how I remember it.
Oh, and another thing, Betty White’s publicist is God.
I both agree with your love and knowledge of Betty White, and your Cass avatar. (and your Sandra Bullock zing)
I am not taking her down, Ass Dan. Betty White is entitled to all the success and happiness she can get. I just think the youth-based Internet campaign is odd, and I want answers. This guy knows what I’m talking about:
This picture has me believing that Betty White may not have a publicist. Who needs a publicist when your head is floating across the skyline!? Talk about exposure!
Do you have any evidence that the internet campaign is youth-based? I mean your grandma is all over facebook now, and since by your own admission you are ancient, that means that many generations of our forefathers have overcome the digital divide.
I don’t think that it is youth based, although youths do play a role. Golden Girls are syndicated and on all the time. If you are a student, stoned, drunk, or hungover, you have probably watched more than one episode in a row of Golden Girls. Additionally, I think many people my age (30ish) have memories of being young and being forced to watch the Golden Girls by Grandma while your parents were out on a Saturday night.
I have no idea, but it is certainly hilarious to think that maybe the entire Betty White internet campaign is actually run by grandmas. They don’t see the irony, they just think she’s a staaaar!
David Matthews started the Facebook page. Not sure if it came before or after the EW article. He was on Countdown a month ago. Here’s the transcript. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35874352/
Thanks for the response, G-Diddles (as you’re known). I guess the campaign is odd, but no odder than most of the internet phenomena that populate these pages. Forget it, Jake; it’s Betty White town.
Also, is it sad that I know Mulder’s birthday AND where he went to college?
I’ve actually been doing double-duty as Betty White’s publicist and Alicia Keys’ head blogger. It’s exhausting!
I cannot believe that anything Hollywood-related is anything other than a direct manifestation of the will of the People, and I am insulted that anyone would insinuate otherwise. For years, at every single party I’ve attended, on every street corner, in every crowded bar, I would hear two words, whispered with an ever-increasing urgency: “Betty. White.” Now that whisper is a roar. Can we deny it? Would you deny a tornado or a cleaver-wielding mascot? For shame.
this just in, inanimate rod to host SNL’s Season Premiere next year:
this guy knows why betty white’s popular
Betty White’s got 99 problems, and arthritis is one
ILLUMINATIGUM
teeheehee dirty.
I have to warn Gabe that what he is doing is stupid and he will probably wind up like Theo Van Gogh for writing this post. This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to him.
Why is commenting closed on the MIA post? Was there a picture of Muhammad that made it over there from the South Park thread?
Can we at least all agree that the Betty-White-is-funny orthodoxy is a bit weird — whether you agree or not? At this point I fear for Matt Stone and Trey Parker if they dare spoof the woman.
Geez, this meme’s so old it could vote.
This meme is so old Gabe came up with it on his Wang 2200 he bought with his pension money.
This meme is so old it actually knows what a Wang 2200 is.
For being so old, the Wang 2200 sounds bizarrely futuristic. (Futurotic?) (No, just futuristic.)
How is your Wang 2200, Gabe?
This meme is so old it stared off in Arpanet.
DING DING DING!
After a quick internet search to find out what Arpanet is, I declare this comment the winner!
This meme is so old it had to altavista arpanet
This meme is so old, it bought its copy of Fooblitzky at Babbage’s.
I’m basically peeing myself thinking of the cameo possibilities.
Oh my god. If anyone from the MTM cast appears, I’ll…I don’t know. I’ll do something. Do you think they could get Chloris Leachman to make a cameo?
Oh, hell yes! If those SNL writers think they can just trot out Rue McClanahan and call it a day, they’re out of their minds.
Oh. Ted Knight.
I don’t know who her publicist is, but I bet they’ve been saying “Cha-Ching!” a lot lately. His friends are starting to get annoyed. Seriously.
KA-ching is better
You’re entitled to your opinion, but Joanie Loves Cha-ching.
I for one never stopped loving Betty White. But she was in that hit 2009 Sandra Bullock movie. No, that other one.
Yeah, someone needs to call her publicist but SNL has been going downhilled lately.
She looks like she would smile at you in the supermarket, and if you were distracted and forgot to smile back you’d be really annoyed with yourself, hoping she wouldn’t be offended, you’d want to apologize but that would be weird.
Betty White was a topic on Family Guy many years ago. Considering the popularity of that show, I’m willing to bet that’s how the ball got rolling.
This is embarrassing. I..I believed the 103 years old thing. I was like *neck-snap* whaaaat? A hundred and frickin three? I wikipedia’d her. She’s not 103.
Still though, how can you tell any actor friend to quit and get a real job when stuff like this could happen? In their 80s.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#!/photo.php?pid=194142&id=100000573536832