It’s been comforting in the days since Betty White’s death at the age of 99 to read the stories about the famed actress and rewatch some of our favorite moments. Fans and co-stars are remembering her acts of kindness on set, her passion for animal activism and the barriers she broke down for women in television. White’s ferocity and biting humor, of course, are also a big part of her legacy, and a funny clip of White and fellow comedic actress Joan Rivers roasting each other has gone viral.
Betty White, the trailblazing comedic actress with a Guinness World Record for her nine decades in the entertainment industry, died December 31, 2021, of natural causes. She was just 17 days shy of her 100th birthday. The hilarious video making the rounds shows a 1983 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in which Joan Rivers was the guest host. The women traded quick and witty insults as White showed off her “cover girl” status on Kennel Review magazine, warning Rivers:
If you dare say, ‘Who’s that other bitch on the cover?’ I will never speak to you again as long as I live. I am the one in the pink jacket.
Joan Rivers, who, among other things in her own decades-long career, famously roasted celebrities’ fashion until her death in 2014 on shows like Fashion Police, commented on Betty White’s outfit in The Tonight Show clip. White proved she could throw it back just as well.
I like to think that understated is a lot classier than all the stuff hanging out, oh it’s just ridiculous. The little tassels on everything. Can you get them all going in opposite directions?
Betty White was never afraid to give a little shock value either, and she brought the racy humor to the interview, after Joan Rivers commented that White would be funny on a date if she ever had one. The Golden Girls actress gave a self-deprecating peek into her personal life.
Listen, I don't find the G-spot hard to find at all, it's a cinch. I mean, any guy that touches me, I say, 'Oh gee.'
Betty White and Joan Rivers seemed to be having an absolute blast during the interview, and their infectious joy is undoubtedly part of what is making this video go viral all these years later. Through these great memories we can really remember two wonderful comedians doing what they loved. Check out the hysterical interview below:
It’s fitting that the viral interview has so much to do with Betty White’s love of dogs. The actress was a longtime Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association board member and was an activist for animal rights throughout her life. As a private funeral is being arranged for White, who didn’t want anyone to make a fuss over her when she died, her agent Jeff Witjas suggested that fans who want to honor White’s memory could support or make a donation to an animal charity.
Fans will also be able to celebrate the life of Betty White through the documentary special Betty White: A Celebration, which will feature celebrity friends including Carol Burnett, Robert Redford, Ryan Reynolds and more paying homage, as well as a special message from White herself, as she had filmed a thank you to fans ahead of her death. Betty White: A Celebration will premiere in multiple theaters nationwide under Fathom Events on January 17.
