According to White, she is “scared to death.” Of course, she has a mountain of fan support in this endeavour thanks to a Facebook campaign. And a Snickers bar.
The now infamous and worldwide Super Bowl commercial solidified the resurgence of her popularity. Betty’s as hot as ever.
And why not? She’s likeable, funny and very cute. But I have difficulty associating her with Mother’s Day. Grandma, maaaaay-be. Mom? Not so much.
Okay, yes, you generally need one in order to do the other. But to me, the younger White will forever be Sue Ann Nevins. And The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Sue Ann was devious and the “neighbourhood nymphomaniac,” not maternal.
Betty never had the iconic mom role.The next time she was in my living room on a regular basis she was Golden Girl Rose Nyland from St. Olaf; ditsy, naïve, and looking for love.
I couldn’t help compare my big Swedish grandmother who was smart as a whip, a skilled seamstress, could knit a bulletproof vest and never measured when she baked.
And unlike White, had grandma been presented with a male stripper on The Ellen Degeneres Show, she would have whipped out a measuring tape. And starting making pants and a shirt for the boy. Not asked to take him home.
But that’s the kind of gal White portrays. Feisty to the end, she’s fed a giant crocodile in Lake Placid and gone on an Easter egg hunt for Sandra Bullock’s boobs in The Proposal. Even her Snickers commercial was a little racy.
Yes, I’m pigeonholing grandmas everywhere. So sue me. I like my illusions and delusions. And I like Betty White. She’s the kind of gal I’d like to grow up to be one day.
According to one writer, she has “the cool factor,” always saying what’s on her mind. Don’t most seniors? Spend some time really talking to them and you’ll be surprised.
It’s how, at 17, I unwillingly got the story of my mother’s conception from grandma.
No, Betty has simply made it okay to get older. Instead of being packed away for retirement, she’s proving to younger generations that age doesn’t make you less interesting or entertaining.
But to have her as a grandma? I’d be scared to death. Or perhaps just scarred.
I am, however, curious to see what SNL and Betty have up their sleeves for this weekend. You can guarantee it will be neither June Cleaver nor Grandma Moses. Hopefully, it will honour moms – and grandmoms – everywhere. But I’d still like to see a batch of homemade cookies in the mix.
