I’m not sure there’s any trend toward exploiting old people for shock value; I think it works more like this:
- Showbiz people are *disgusting. Always have been. Especially comedians.
- When they’re on television, they have to make nice. A performer Betty White’s age had to make nice in movies, too.
- Many people, when they get old, quit giving a crap what people think.
- Put that all together in a time when you can say more on television than ever before, and it’s no surprise that Betty’s cutting loose. It’s no surprise that SNL wants her to, either, because (a) confounding expectations is funny, and (b) showbiz people are disgusting – especially comedians.
*No insult is intended by this; I’m disgusting, too.