When the Facebook campaign "Betty White to host SNL (please)" began in January 2010, I was quick to sign up. I have always loved Betty White!!! I can remember watching The Golden Girls in college with all of my friends including the jocks (it was the top watched show on campus confirmed by a campus poll my junior year) and thanks to TV Land I was able to catch episodes of Mary Tyler Moore as well. White was able to master the ditzy character who became the most lovable character on both shows. And as of late her return to television via Superbowl commercials, sitcom guest appearances and late night interviews has made her the Hollywood "IT" girl once again. And I am glad that the moment is finally being spent on a person with some real talent, career experience and professionalism. So on March 11, 2010 when it was announced that the Facebook campaign was a success and Betty would be hosting the Mother's Day SNL show I was elated and after watching the show last night and again this morning before writing this blog, I was far from disappointed.
White's appearance will go down in history for many reasons. In my opinion, it has been one of the best SNL shows to air in a very long time. At 88,White is the oldest host SNL has ever had and her appearance brought the highest ratings for SNL in a year and with musical guest, Jay Z, along for the ride SNL audiences young and old were treated to great comedy and music on the evening of May 8th. Not only did we get Betty White, but the greats of the female cast members returned as well including Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon and Rachel Dratch to round out the show but the great thing was that the skits were chosen specifically to make Betty shine and not be overshadowed by the SNL titans that were joining her.
White's opening monologue was hilarious as she mocked the very thing that got her on the show...Facebook. White admits that she hadn't even heard of the internet social network until this campaign came about and she sincerely thanked all who voted to have her on the show. But her comedic turn on comparing how youngsters in her day communicated as compared to our internet saturated society of today was extremely funny in that it was painstakingly true...loved the poking under the blanket on a hay ride bit.
The writers and cast were superb in picking skits that made Betty the star even with the old pros returning to include her in their most popular bits. MacGruber was absolutely amazing with Betty playing his grandmother. I couldn't stop laughing at The Manuel Ortiz Show which is one of my favorite skits anyway because the guests come in with that crazy latin dance and when Betty couldn't stop I thought I would just die. I LOVED the return of Delicious Dish with Gasteyer and Shannon who were amazing and though Alec Baldwin's "Schwetty Balls" bit will go down as the best Delicious Dish skit ever, I can safely say that Betty's "Muffin" bit is the definite runner up. The master of the digital short, Mr. Andy Samberg, created the heavy metal version of the Golden Girls theme song with Betty rocking out. Her appearance as Keenan Thompson's granny in the Scared Straight skit was classic as well (the wig alone was funny)...The Wizard of Ass!!! Also there are some dress rehearsal skits that didn't make the show that definitely should be checked out (http://www.hulu.com/), it was great to see that there was so much material to choose from the show was going to be good no matter what.
Other show highlights included the return of "REALLY!?!" with Seth and Amy which also included Tina Fey this time around as well. Jay Z dedicated his song Young Forever to Betty White which was perfect as Betty White has shown us all not to take life so damn serious. And finally in her closing remarks, Betty thanked the cast for being kind to "a very scared, but happy host". Well, I am here to say that she had no reason to be afraid because on Saturday, May 8, 2010 Betty White went down in history as one of Saturday Night Live's greatest hosts!!! BETTY IS MY HOMEGIRL!!! :-)
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