I hold this truth to be self-evident: Betty White is a genuine comedy goddess. I should know -- I've worshiped this lady my entire life.
The first time that I had the honor of meeting Betty White I was working as a writer on The TV Land Awards a few years back when The Golden Girls was being honored. Having been raised on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, I was thrilled to be in the presence of this fantastic lady who as Sue Ann Niven taught me so much about raging female lust and perfect comedic timing -- still two of my favorite things . To actually write a few lines for Betty White was pure bliss. Betty White was -- and is -- the consummate professional, the sweetest and most adorable comedy machine.
Not too long after that, I got to work with Betty White again when she and Mary Tyler Moore herself appeared together on the Emmy Awards telecast. That was my middle school dream come true right in prime time. More recently, I was working on the latest TV Land Awards at which Betty appeared along with her co-stars in the upcoming TV Land sitcom Hot In Cleveland -- Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick. Again she was just a dream -- a very funny dream.
So I already assumed that Betty White would kill on Saturday Night Live, but even I was pleasantly surprised what a touch of class -- albeit a slightly off-color touch -- she brought to the proceedings. I watched the show the next morning with my wife and our two sons, and I loved seeing our boys fall for Betty just like I did a generation ago. "She's totally hilarious," the younger one said in a rather astute bit of comedy criticism. I loved everything White did on the show, and even that Jay-Z even wisely paid tribute to her at the end of "Young Forever." Hova is cool, but Betty is forever.
In one touch of brilliance from (I assume) the SNL writers, Betty even lightly bit the social media hand that brought her to host the show by mocking Facebook a little bit. Still, I feel so very grateful for the Facebook campaign that resulted in Betty White's triumph on Saturday Night Live, that this longtime Twitter kinda guy has finally decided to give Facebook a shot with a fan page created because, much like Betty, I have people who like me. Betty has many millions of people who like her. I have literally dozens. That is, of course, as it should be. And if Facebook was good enough for Betty White, then it's more than good enough for me.
Here then is one loving lifelong fan's playlist meant to celebrate a woman who at age 88 1/2 remains an inspiration and a hoot -- two more of my favorite things. These songs all go out to --as Hova nicely put it -- "the most incredible Betty White."
GOLDEN LADY - Stevie Wonder
SHE'S FUNNY THAT WAY - Sammy Davis, Jr.
FOREVER YOUNG - Bob Dylan
SUE ANN - Antonio Carlos Jobim
GIVE ME LOVE TO ROSE - Johnny Cash
ROSE'S TURN - Glee Cast
NOTHING ON YOU - B.o.B. (featuring Bruno Mars)
FAST, FIERCE & FUNNY - Cameo
CLASS ACT - James Hunter
FUNNY THE WAY IT IS - Dave Matthews Band
MAKE ME SMILE - Chicago
IT GIRL - Betty
LADY - Styx
YOUR SWEETNESS IS MY WEAKNESS - Barry White
GETTING BETTER - The Beatles
LAUGH OUT LOUD - Shelby Lynne
WONDERFUL WOMAN - The Smiths
ONLY AN OLDER WOMAN - Hugh Jackman
GOOD HEARTED WOMAN - Waylon Jennings with Willie Nelson
GODDESS IN THE DOORWAY - Mick Jagger
SHOT OF LAUGHTER - Sugar Ray
FUNNY GIRL - Barbra Streisand
SHE'S HER OWN WOMAN - Brad Paisley
WHEN YOU LOVE A WOMAN - Journey
MY FUNNY VALENTINE - Frank Sinatra
WHITE FLAG - Dido
OLDER GODS - Wu-Tang Clan
HAIN'T IT FUNNY - k.d. lang
YOUNG FOREVER - Jay-Z
As always, please add your own songs for Betty, dears.
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