Few Hollywood achieve the level of fame that Betty White earned during her time in the business. The late White, who passed away at 99 in 2022, was widely loved and came into contact with a number of other notable actors. One such person was Sally Struthers, the Emmy-winning actress famously known for playing Gloria Stivic on All in the Family. Struthers recently recalled her own encounter with White and not only did she say the experience wasn’t positive but she also claimed she was “fat-shamed” by White.
Sally Struthers, now 77, was recently a guest on Let's Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti. During the chat, the veteran actress discussed a myriad of topics, including her experiences in the business. While talking about her work with Bea Arthur, Struthers eventually discussed the fact that she used to live down the street from the house that was used for exterior shots on The Golden Girls. In the YouTube video, Gloria alum then turned her attention to Betty White and shared her assessment of the beloved star:
I have to say, now that she’s gone I want to talk about Betty White for just a moment, and I know everybody loves her. They loved her so much. They signed petitions to get her to guest host Saturday Night Live. I know all that. Yeah, I didn't have such a great experience with her … very passive aggressive woman.
From there, the 9 to 5 alum recalled an instance in which she visited the Mary Tyler Moore alum’s house for professional purposes. It was during that time that Betty White allegedly made a remark about her colleague’s weight in front of other people:
We went to her house once to work on a pilot for a new game show. … She asked her housekeeper to bring in a plate of whatever to us while we were all sitting and talking about what was working about the game show and what wasn’t. And then the plate was in the middle, and it was cookies, I think. So I reached for a cookie and she said in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, dear. You don't need a cookie.’ Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room, and I thought, ‘Gosh, that's not nice.’
It should be said that Betty White can’t defend herself or verify the claims made by Sally Struthers. Nevertheless, many of us can probably agree that, in general, criticizing someone over the body isn’t right. Much has been said about shaming of that kind, especially as it pertains to the entertainment industry. In 2024, Suite Life of Zack & Cody alum Kim Rhodes recalled being defended from a fat-shaming joke by then-child co-star Dylan Sprouse. Netflix also addressed fat-shaming backlash back in 2018 over the show Insatiable. All in all, many have expressed zero tolerance for such practices.
Like Getaway star, Betty White starred on some of the best sitcoms of all time. Her role as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show is still revered, though it’s arguably her role as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls that people know her for today. Interestingly enough, rumors have also swirled around White’s tenure on that show. It’s been alleged that she and co-star Bea Arthur feuded amid production. All in all, White’s life remains a topic of fascination.
Regardless of any criticism that may have been aimed at Sally Struthers, she remains a legend in her own right. The Norman Lear-developed All in the Family remains a pop culture staple and, aside from the other roles she’s played, Struthers continues to work today. She most recently co-starred on A Man on the Inside (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription). Struthers has accomplished a lot and, like any other star or general person, she’s certainly deserving of respect.
