It’s not uncommon for varying celebrities to share birthdays. Marvel stars Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo celebrate on the same day. Steve Harvey and Betty White also shared the same birthday, with White hitting milestones that Harvey had said he also hopes to hit in the years to come. That birthday, January 17, falls this week, the newly dapper Steve Harvey looked back at the big day he shared with the star, who died just shy of her 100th birthday.
Speaking on the Steve Harvey Morning Show in its 2022 return episode, Steve and the gang opened up about Betty White making it to 99 and Steve noted that the two shared the same birthday, with the Celebrity Family Feud host mentioning “she was just a few weeks away” from hitting the milestone century mark when the Golden Girls star passed away. In fact, she was just 17 days shy of her shared birthday when the news broke. While Harvey didn't get into his feelings beyond a general sad-about-her-passing vibe during the segment, this wasn't actually the first time Harvey has spoken out about sharing a birthday with Betty White.
Back in 2018, on Betty White’s 96th birthday, Steve Harvey opened up on Steve Harvey about their shared birthday on January 17th and how White always trends on that day while he doesn’t, though he also said she’s given him goals for his own aging future.
The other day I celebrated my birthday, man. Turned 61. I was feeling really good about that too, still am, you know. But I was on the Internet and I noticed that Betty White was trending. Because Betty White – I’ve known her for a long time – we have the exact same birthday. Mine wasn’t trending. Betty White’s birthday was trending, because Betty White turned 96 years old. Man, and she is still so sharp, man. Betty White interviews still sharp, man. I want to be 96 one day. My goal is 104, but I’m looking forward to 96. I really am, man.
White’s sharpness in interviews was noted by comedians and actors like Ryan Reynolds and her fans alike. Things could be worse for Harvey than getting outshined on his birthday every year, however. In fact, Steve Harvey seemed a bit in awe of White and mentioned at the time that there’s something about getting up toward 100 that’s really special. In fact, during the episode of his daytime talk show, he mentioned that White had actually been around longer than sliced bread and many, many other innovations.
She was born in 1922. In 1922. That means that Betty White is older than a lot of things. 1922, you’ve been here for a while, man. Betty White is older than sliced bread. No listen to me. Sliced bread came out in 1928. That was the first time they came out with sliced bread. Before that, if you wanted a sandwich, you just had to tear off the loaf. You’d just tear another end off, find the peanut butter and just mash it together. She older than sliced bread man. In 1923, they invented hearing aids. Betty White is older than hearing aids. Back then, when they said ‘Say what?’ they wasn’t trying to be cool; they really couldn’t hear you.
It’s worth noting Betty White lived through myriad wars and changes in the TV landscape, including the notable time she defied the network's expectations and put a Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, on TV. Oh, and she also survived through the early days of COVID-19 and quarantine. She saw a lot during her time on earth and many, many paid tribute after her passing.
There were plenty of ongoing plans to celebrate Betty White’s 100th prior to the announcement the actress and comedienne had died at 99 on December 31. She had a splashy magazine cover coming out. A TV special was planned and is still in the works, though now it will remember the star. And Harvey, for the first time in his soon-to-be 65 years, will celebrate a birthday without Betty White, though one would have to expect she’ll very much still be trending this year.
