Betty white refuses SNL's golden girls spoof - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Dorothyfan1997 · 08-04-2010, 01:20 AM

Read this on limelife
Betty White is best known for her role as Rose Nylund on the 1980's primetime series The Golden Girls, and it's a credit she takes seriously. There's a new report that SNL writers have suggested a Golden Girls skit for Betty White's May 8 hosting gig on the show, and Betty White says no way. Here's why.

According to a Web report, SNL proposed a spoof of The Golden Girls starring Betty White on the May 8 SNL live broadcast, but White vetoed the idea because SNL wanted to show the ladies smoking marijuana and doing other mischievous things.

Betty White said no way! "I turned down a spoof of The Golden Girls that they wanted to do several years ago," Betty White said, "with the girls smoking pot and all that. I said, 'I don't think so, thank you very much. We don't go that way with those girls.'"

Betty White admits that she's feeling pretty nervous about her SNL star appearance on May 8, but it's a Mother's Day special and so SNL alum like Molly Shannon, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will take the stage alongside White. She says, "I think maybe I'll take pity on the public and give them a break."

We so want to see that Golden Girls sketch...meanwhile, Betty White's The Proposal co-star Sandra Bullock is said to be fearing for her life -- here's why. Also check out our HUGE celeb

i thought that same thing YOU DONT GO THAT WAY WITH THE GIRLS

GO BETTY AKA ROSE

Marvo301 · 08-04-2010, 01:28 AM

I admire Betty for taking a stand to protect the integrity of the characters she and her late castmates created on the Golden Girls. In so doing she was honoring Estelle, Bea, and Rue and their legacies as well as her own. Good for you Betty!!

Dorothyfan1997 · 08-04-2010, 02:06 AM

GOTTA LOVE EM

TV Knowledge Fan · 08-04-2010, 02:17 AM

...because the parodies on TV shows the "SNL" writers came up with this past season were 'misses', more than 'hits'.

To give you a good example, there was a sketch, featuring Alec Baldwin, parodying a typical 'Turner Classic Movies' offering. Only problem was, the writer(s) obviously never SAW a 'TCM' movie. They began it by having 'Ben Mankewicz' [Bill Hader] obviously returning from a "commercial break", which that channel has NEVER done. And the real Ben Mankewicz would never say, "We're in the middle of the 1952 drama, 'Whistle If You Can'...", because there IS no "middle"; movies on 'TCM' are shown uninterrupted. I can understand if the sketch had to start with 'Ben' setting up the scene....but they could have done it as part of a mock retrospective of 'Preston Webb' [Baldwin] films, fading in as 'Ben' introduces a segment from 'Webb's' 1952 film, 'Whistle If You Can'. That would have been more believable...

...and then there was the way the "film" was presented. As you know, "SNL" is currently telecast in high definition, which means the image is somewhat "lettterboxed". But the scene from 'Whistle If You Can', presented in that framework, is inaccurate, because there were no "wide screen" movies actually released in 1952. If the "film" had been presented in a "full frame" effect, that would have been more believable...even if you lost the full "letterbox" image. If you're going to satirize a legitimate TV staple or program, you must present that parody as close to the genuine article as possible....

...and that's another thing: the "movie", as depicted here, could NEVER have been released in 1952...not with the "Hollywood Production Code"'s regulations against depictions of prostitution and "unacceptable" slang, as seen in 'Whistle If You Can'- no motion picture ever released during that period featured a line like "Give me a hand job, Gertrude!" in their scripts. That's what the twenty-something writer(s) didn't comprehend, know, or failed to grasp about Hollywood movies during that period. I can imagine the writer(s) watched 'TCM' a few times, said, "Hey, let's do a parody on one of their movies", and this unbelievable {and unfunny} sketch was the end result. A waste of time for everybody concerned, including myself. [Well, not exactly; I wouldn't have ranted about this if I'd liked it!]

Now you know why Betty was adamant about doing a "Golden Girls" parody the way the writers intended to...

Dorothyfan1997 · 08-04-2010, 03:01 AM

thnx

McGillicuddy · 08-08-2010, 12:12 AM

I was surprised there was not a Golden Girls schetch. But that makes sense if Betty didn't approve of it.

70s show watcher · 08-08-2010, 12:25 AM

i do have to say that snl cast member fred armisen does do a pretty good imation of bea

disdam · 08-23-2010, 09:37 PM

i have to admit i was disapointed there wasnt one, but sorta of glad in a way knowing what their writers come up with.

Dorothyfan1997 · 09-03-2010, 10:16 PM

by the way did any of the other girls host snl

ratherbwatchinGG · 10-29-2010, 07:52 PM

Bea hosted it back in 79 or 80. Too bad Betty didn't protest the theme re-do. That was dreadful. But the rest of the show was a hoot.

08-04-2010, 01:20 AM	#1
Dorothyfan1997 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 16, 2010 Location: a little town in arkansas Posts: 97	Betty white refuses SNL's golden girls spoof Read this on limelife Betty White is best known for her role as Rose Nylund on the 1980's primetime series The Golden Girls, and it's a credit she takes seriously. There's a new report that SNL writers have suggested a Golden Girls skit for Betty White's May 8 hosting gig on the show, and Betty White says no way. Here's why. According to a Web report, SNL proposed a spoof of The Golden Girls starring Betty White on the May 8 SNL live broadcast, but White vetoed the idea because SNL wanted to show the ladies smoking marijuana and doing other mischievous things. Betty White said no way! "I turned down a spoof of The Golden Girls that they wanted to do several years ago," Betty White said, "with the girls smoking pot and all that. I said, 'I don't think so, thank you very much. We don't go that way with those girls.'" Betty White admits that she's feeling pretty nervous about her SNL star appearance on May 8, but it's a Mother's Day special and so SNL alum like Molly Shannon, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will take the stage alongside White. She says, "I think maybe I'll take pity on the public and give them a break." We so want to see that Golden Girls sketch...meanwhile, Betty White's The Proposal co-star Sandra Bullock is said to be fearing for her life -- here's why. Also check out our HUGE celeb i thought that same thing YOU DONT GO THAT WAY WITH THE GIRLS GO BETTY AKA ROSE
	__________________ SICK OF CRYING TIRED OF TRYING ON THE OUTSIDE I MAY BE SMILING BUT INSIDE IM DYING

08-04-2010, 01:28 AM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	I admire Betty for taking a stand to protect the integrity of the characters she and her late castmates created on the Golden Girls. In so doing she was honoring Estelle, Bea, and Rue and their legacies as well as her own. Good for you Betty!!
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

08-04-2010, 02:17 AM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	I don't blame Betty for feeling that way... ...because the parodies on TV shows the "SNL" writers came up with this past season were 'misses', more than 'hits'. To give you a good example, there was a sketch, featuring Alec Baldwin, parodying a typical 'Turner Classic Movies' offering. Only problem was, the writer(s) obviously never SAW a 'TCM' movie. They began it by having 'Ben Mankewicz' [Bill Hader] obviously returning from a "commercial break", which that channel has NEVER done. And the real Ben Mankewicz would never say, "We're in the middle of the 1952 drama, 'Whistle If You Can'...", because there IS no "middle"; movies on 'TCM' are shown uninterrupted. I can understand if the sketch had to start with 'Ben' setting up the scene....but they could have done it as part of a mock retrospective of 'Preston Webb' [Baldwin] films, fading in as 'Ben' introduces a segment from 'Webb's' 1952 film, 'Whistle If You Can'. That would have been more believable... ...and then there was the way the "film" was presented. As you know, "SNL" is currently telecast in high definition, which means the image is somewhat "lettterboxed". But the scene from 'Whistle If You Can', presented in that framework, is inaccurate, because there were no "wide screen" movies actually released in 1952. If the "film" had been presented in a "full frame" effect, that would have been more believable...even if you lost the full "letterbox" image. If you're going to satirize a legitimate TV staple or program, you must present that parody as close to the genuine article as possible.... ...and that's another thing: the "movie", as depicted here, could NEVER have been released in 1952...not with the "Hollywood Production Code"'s regulations against depictions of prostitution and "unacceptable" slang, as seen in 'Whistle If You Can'- no motion picture ever released during that period featured a line like "Give me a hand job, Gertrude!" in their scripts. That's what the twenty-something writer(s) didn't comprehend, know, or failed to grasp about Hollywood movies during that period. I can imagine the writer(s) watched 'TCM' a few times, said, "Hey, let's do a parody on one of their movies", and this unbelievable {and unfunny} sketch was the end result. A waste of time for everybody concerned, including myself. [Well, not exactly; I wouldn't have ranted about this if I'd liked it!] Now you know why Betty was adamant about doing a "Golden Girls" parody the way the writers intended to...

10-29-2010, 07:52 PM	#10
ratherbwatchinGG Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 06, 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 97	Bea hosted it back in 79 or 80. Too bad Betty didn't protest the theme re-do. That was dreadful. But the rest of the show was a hoot.
	__________________ --------------------

08-04-2010, 02:06 AM	#3
Dorothyfan1997 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 16, 2010 Location: a little town in arkansas Posts: 97	GOTTA LOVE EM

08-04-2010, 03:01 AM	#5
Dorothyfan1997 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 16, 2010 Location: a little town in arkansas Posts: 97	thnx

08-08-2010, 12:12 AM	#6
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	I was surprised there was not a Golden Girls schetch. But that makes sense if Betty didn't approve of it.

08-08-2010, 12:25 AM	#7
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	i do have to say that snl cast member fred armisen does do a pretty good imation of bea

08-23-2010, 09:37 PM	#8
disdam Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 01, 2010 Posts: 16	i have to admit i was disapointed there wasnt one, but sorta of glad in a way knowing what their writers come up with.

09-03-2010, 10:16 PM	#9
Dorothyfan1997 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 16, 2010 Location: a little town in arkansas Posts: 97	by the way did any of the other girls host snl