Muzings From The Edge

Read Time:3 Minute, 59 Second

I think it is time for the old Lazer to wander back to his old stomping grounds and stop rattling on about the shenanigans of idiotic politicos around the country. Ranting about their nefarious wheeling and dealing does no one any good at all. It is time to stroll back to the tree, sit on a branch, and take a look and some of the really important things in life. I was sitting out there recently and began to ponder on some things which had been kicking around in my head lately. Things that were of a more pleasant, less stressful nature, like, maybe WILF. Yep, that’s right. Even at my advanced age there are a few who I have idolized for many years and just can’t get them out of my mind. Now, I know some of you are saying, “what in the hell is WILF”, and a few others are knowingly saying to yourselves, “surely he is not going to discuss that on here.” Well, for the edification of both it is “Women I Loved Forever”. This excludes the obvious ones such as mothers, wives, girl friends, daughters, etc. It includes those women that I have admired from afar who have never known that I exist but have brought me various types and levels of pleasures for many years. Perhaps at the top of this list, for longevity reasons if nothing else, is Betty White.

Now I am quite sure most of you who have been alive for the any part of past sixty years and are sharp enough to read this know Betty White in one form or another. She has been around with her slightly dimwitted blonde routine since the days of the early game shows such as Password and Match Game. Most notably she was the man chaser Sue Ann Nivens, on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. It seemed that Betty had no boundaries for being able to bring a smile to my face whether being bright and perky or dumb and confused by the simplest of things. Even in roles which would have been ghoulish for some she was able to add a touch of humor to the eccentric characters she played. As the sweet little old Delores Bickerman she confessed to killing her husband and burying him under the porch just to protect the giant crocodiles in Lake Placid. Actually the crocodiles had eaten her husband and she was feeding her livestock to the crocodiles. As a guest on the TV show the Practice she played a ditsy Catherine Piper who killed a dinner guest with a frying pan over the head and thought it to be a perfectly normal thing to do. There was little doubt that anything with Betty White in it was going to have a humorist twist to it that would bring a chuckle or two from the audience. After her run on the Golden Girls where once again she was the dingy blonde Betty is showing no signs of slowing down. At 88 years old a Facebook campaign which 500,000+ people signed onto has gotten her a guest host slot on Saturday Night Live just before starting a new sit com this summer.

This may all  sound insignificant to some but Betty has been a mainstay of entertainment in my life.  She started her career about the time I started my life and has been on television and in the movies since I have been watching television or going to the movies. I have never viewed her as a sex goddess but in many ways she has been even more. I do not ever remember watching her when I did not feel better afterwards. Betty was more like the aunt you enjoyed going to visit because she was just a little bit nutsy in a fun kind of way. After leaving you laughed for days at the crazy things she had said and done. In this day of stars who come and go so quickly, or whose claim to fame seems to be how much negative press they can generate she is still a breath of fresh air just doing an interview. While most folks in Hollywood change spouses like they change shirts Betty White is still strongly connected to Allen Ludden who she was married to from 1963 until his death in 1981. Since that time there has been no mention of men in Betty’s life for, as she said in a recent interview on the Larry King Show, “I’m not over Allen yet.” That, my friends, is one helluva love affair. For however much longer you can still be up there on the screen Betty, I and many others, will be here to watch and enjoy your performance.

About Post Author

Bill Formby

Bill Formby, aka William A. Formby, PhD, aka Lazersedge is a former Marine and a former police officer. He is a retired University Educator who considers himself a moderate pragmatic progressive liberal, meaning that he thinks practically liberal, acts practically liberal, and he is not going to change in the near future. But, if he does he will be sure to let you know.
Happy
Happy
0 %
Sad
Sad
0 %
Excited
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
Angry
0 %
Surprise
Surprise
0 %
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of

14 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
14 years ago

I liked Betty on The Golden Girls (I liked Bea Arthur better, sorry). But I truly LOVED Betty on Boston Legal as Alan’s (James Spader) “friend” who was constantly in trouble for such things as larceny, theft, murder, etc. She was truly a hoot.

Reply to  Beekeeper's Apprentice
14 years ago

Bee, those were the roles where she seemed to shine the most. If you haven’t seen it you should see the movie “Lake Placid.”

14 years ago

Wasn’t Betty White Johnny Carson’s emergency guest, when someone canceled out on him, “quick call Betty.”

Reply to  Holte Ender
14 years ago

Holte I am much too young to remember Johnny Carson but you might be right 🙂

Reply to  Holte Ender
14 years ago

On don’t know about the emergency guest title but she did guest host on his show in the early days.

14 years ago

I’m so so sorry. The name ‘Betty’ will forever be associated with Frank Spencer. It would take a post to explain if you don’t no and indeed, some mother’s DO have ’em….

So. About your nearly necro/MILF fetish old bean?

Reply to  fourdinners
14 years ago

Old Beaner…I am 92 years old. I am entitled to lust after a young fox like Betty….

Admin
14 years ago

This is one tough but elegant lady. I have always loved her, especially on Mary Tyler Moore!

Reply to  Professor Mike
14 years ago

Very true Mike, Very true.

14 years ago

Don’t we all love Betty? !!!
She’s making a fortune these days… much of which goes towards the betterment of life for animals. That I admire just as much, if not a bit more, than her comedic talents extraordinare’. She and her neighbor in Carmel Cali, Doris Day, are animal activists who have made a major difference in animal issues. Couple of good ole broads… and I can say that, being one, well ole and broad. 🙂 Great post Truth!!

Reply to  Gwendolyn H. Barry
14 years ago

Gwen she has indeed been a great animal rights person. That is one thing that made her role in Lake Placid such a hoot.

Barbara
Reply to  Gwendolyn H. Barry
14 years ago

Hey Gwen, we are growing old gracefully! Betty is a perfect example of that. She is my role model! Don’t use age as an excuse to sit back and complain. As long as there is some life in you, you can make a difference.
Great post…….

14 years ago

Indeed, she has brought us to the brink of laughing our heads off…especially my Mother who just adores her and always have…this is a fitting post to a great woman.

Reply to  teeluck
14 years ago

Teeluck I can’t remember when I started watching her on TV. It just seems that she was always there.

Previous post WELCOME TO MADMIKESAMERICA
Next post TCB – “the great unfinished business of our society”
14
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x