# Betty White Hosts SNL **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718 "2010-05-08T02:54:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/21 "2010-05-09T01:55:07Z")
You make it sound like older people cannot be hip. They can! ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/22 "2010-05-09T02:00:22Z")
Betty White has always been something of a character. She was one of Johnny Carson’s favorite guests and he often used her in skits. And she’s always had an off-color sense of humor, too. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/23 "2010-05-09T02:12:18Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > You make it sound like older people cannot be hip. They can! As long as it’s not broken. Hey-o! ---
**Author:** ![Smokenmirrors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Smokenmirrors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smokenmirrors)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/24 "2010-05-09T02:26:08Z")
The dress rehearsal is over…Betty White did an incredible job! Going out on a limb here but I think she will go down as one of the very best guest hosts SNL has ever seen. One hour to the live show, everyone is totally stoked. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/25 "2010-05-09T02:27:02Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > She’s just hilarious. And has a surprisingly dirty sense of humor for a sweet old lady. There is also a sense of nostalgic awesomeness for those of us who grew up watching syndicated _Golden Girls_ reruns after school. I think this is a good deal of it. I’m in my late 20’s and I still have fond memories of watching Golden Girls when I was a kid. For some odd reason it seems like a lot of people around my age range have those same memories and it doesn’t hurt that the show was legitimately funny. Watching women old enough to be our grandmothers misbehaving has a certain humanizing quality. Also, for me personally, my own grandmother liked the show a lot and never missed an episode. To this day if I see it in syndication I’ll stop and watch it for awhile, it reminds me of lazy nights with popcorn and soda and there’s a certain nostalgia factor involved. My grandmother passed away in 1996 and I still miss her even now. I know others may see her as sacrificing her dignity, but the fact that she’s still working and striving to be relevant is kind of endearing. Life doesn’t need to end when your hair turns white. I haven’t watched SNL since Phil Hartman was on there but I’ll be checking this out at least. Even if it isn’t very funny, (which honestly I’m not expecting it to be), I’ll still applaud Betty White still performing. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/26 "2010-05-09T03:03:06Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I wasn’t going to say anything, but WTF, no one cares about my opinion anyway—Betty White strikes me as someone who is so desperate to keep herself relevant to the younger set she will say or do anything that is asked of her, no matter how vulgar, base, crude or shocking. There has been a lot of this going on in the last few years, (Abe Vigoda on Conan, Larry “Bud” Melman on Letterman); old stars are asked to do cameos in TV and films that make them look like dottering, yet hip old degenerates (Cloris Leachman is especially egregious) and are there solely to be laughed at, not laughed with. > > I understand it is hard to find work as an older actor in Hollywood, but I don’t recall Mary Tyler Moore having simulated anal sex with Jimmy Kimmel or Paul Newman doing a cameo featuring language that would make Andrew Dice Clay blush. > > I honestly believe that Betty White would pull down her pants and urinate and defecate on live TV if it was asked of her, in a pathetic attempt to stay with it… > > Retaining one’s dignity is something that may be better that trying to extend a flagging career by being a source of shock and cheap, vulgar gags—Betty White can’t need the money THAT badly. > > Just my two cents, YMMV, as always. Betty White actually reinvented herself (as Sue Ann on _Mary Tyler Moore_ more than 35 years ago. The fact that she’s still doing it suggests that it’s what she does, rather than “a pathetic attempt to stay with it.” ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/27 "2010-05-09T03:47:43Z")
My son is now officially squicked out. I love how Molly and Ana stay so straight faced during that. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/28 "2010-05-09T03:59:34Z")
I liked the Schweaty Balls…I mean muffin sketch. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/29 "2010-05-09T04:05:18Z")
Lord, this is better than I thought. Loved the “Lesbian” sketch. I think this is the first I’ve laughed during snl in over a year. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/30 "2010-05-09T04:07:44Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I liked the Schweaty Balls…I mean muffin sketch. and the season finale on the 15th will have Alec. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/31 "2010-05-09T04:15:41Z")
Well, they’re definitely taking the lazy “old lady says dirty things” route, but Betty’s having fun, so it’s working well enough. But I hope they come up with one or two sketches that don’t rely on that trope. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/32 "2010-05-09T04:15:46Z")
I’ll admit I’ve only heard JayZ with Alicia Keys singing that New York song… Does he really suck at everything else, or does he just suck tonight? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/33 "2010-05-09T04:17:27Z")
Was that Maya Rudolph standing in for Alicia Keys during the Jay-Z number? ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/34 "2010-05-09T04:18:55Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Was that Maya Rudolph standing in for Alicia Keys during the Jay-Z number? Whoever it was she was the best part of the act. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/35 "2010-05-09T04:20:29Z")
> [@The\_Shroud](#): > > Well, they’re definitely taking the lazy “old lady says dirty things” route, but Betty’s having fun, so it’s working well enough. But I hope they come up with one or two sketches that don’t rely on that trope. This is what I was thinking. I like Betty White, and I like SNL. But this has been Betty White saying muffin, lesbian and balls. I always liked MacGruber, so it’s fun to see that again. The Mexican talk show thing was a little funny, but kind of odd. I’ve never listened to Jay Z, and I don’t feel that I’ve missed too much. I was wondering why he got so much time. Is he going to get another slot, or did they just wrap up his two songs into one never ending lip sync medley? ---
**Author:** ![Smokenmirrors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Smokenmirrors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smokenmirrors)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/36 "2010-05-09T04:29:41Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > This is what I was thinking. I like Betty White, and I like SNL. But this has been Betty White saying muffin, lesbian and balls. I always liked MacGruber, so it’s fun to see that again. The Mexican talk show thing was a little funny, but kind of odd. > > I’ve never listened to Jay Z, and I don’t feel that I’ve missed too much. I was wondering why he got so much time. Is he going to get another slot, or did they just wrap up his two songs into one never ending lip sync medley? There was no lip syncing. The next song is “forever Young” dedicated to Betty ---
**Author:** ![Clothilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Clothilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothilde)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/37 "2010-05-09T04:38:24Z")
> [@Smokenmirrors](#): > > There was no lip syncing. The next song is “forever Young” dedicated to Betty I’m really enjoying this episode. Betty White is wonderful! **Smokenmirrors,** you seem to know a lot about what’s coming up. Do you work on the show? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/38 "2010-05-09T04:44:31Z")
> [@Smokenmirrors](#): > > There was no lip syncing. Looked like there was to me. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/39 "2010-05-09T04:50:21Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I wasn’t going to say anything, but WTF, no one cares about my opinion anyway—Betty White strikes me as someone who is so desperate to keep herself relevant to the younger set she will say or do anything that is asked of her, no matter how vulgar, base, crude or shocking. There has been a lot of this going on in the last few years, (Abe Vigoda on Conan, Larry “Bud” Melman on Letterman); old stars are asked to do cameos in TV and films that make them look like dottering, yet hip old degenerates (Cloris Leachman is especially egregious) and are there solely to be laughed at, not laughed with. > > I understand it is hard to find work as an older actor in Hollywood, but I don’t recall Mary Tyler Moore having simulated anal sex with Jimmy Kimmel or Paul Newman doing a cameo featuring language that would make Andrew Dice Clay blush. > > I honestly believe that Betty White would pull down her pants and urinate and defecate on live TV if it was asked of her, in a pathetic attempt to stay with it… > > Retaining one’s dignity is something that may be better that trying to extend a flagging career by being a source of shock and cheap, vulgar gags—Betty White can’t need the money THAT badly. > > Just my two cents, YMMV, as always. Flagging career. She is almost 89 and they asked her. She has been doing movie and Tv roles for 70 years. She is way beyond pretense and is just being her salty old self. I am sure she doesn’t need the money. She looks like she is having fun. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718/40 "2010-05-09T04:52:13Z")
I missed the firs half hour or so, but I’m rather nonplussed by this. My girlfriend, who still watches Golden Girls reruns (to my dismay) is liking it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betty-white-hosts-snl/538718.md?page=3)