Betty White to host Saturday Night Live
Golden Girl's fans touted her for gig through Facebook
Last Updated: Friday, March 12, 2010 | 11:50 AM ET
CBC News
Betty White will host Saturday Night Live on May 8. (Chris Pizzello/Associated Press)Veteran American actress Betty White will host Saturday Night Live on May 8.
Lorne Michaels, executive producer of the sketch comedy show, announced Thursday that White, 88, will take her motherly brand of humour to the popular late-night comedy program in a special Mother's Day episode.
"I can't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day weekend than with Betty White," he said in a statement.
The announcement followed a campaign by White's fans on Facebook urging the show to make her a host. The campaign attracted nearly 500,000 supporters.
Michaels told USA Today that the Facebook campaign — called "Betty White to Host SNL (Please?) — definitely played a part in getting White to host the show.
"It was the outpouring of affection from fans, and we feel the same way," he said.
Although White has no children of her own, Michaels said, "she's the mother of us all in comedy."
The May 8 show will mark the actress's first time as a host. But according to White, Saturday Night Live has been trying to nab her for a long time.
"Years ago, I turned it down three times," she told USA Today. "It's so New York, and I'm not New York at all. But my agent said he'd divorce me if I didn't do it, and I love my agent."
White is a six-time Emmy winner best known for her roles in Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In January, she was given a lifetime achievement award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The May 8 show will also reunite six former SNL cast members, most of whom happen to be moms: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch.
With files from The Associated PerssShare Tools
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