My gay friend Jack has been obsessed with Betty White since high school. Honestly, he had Betty fever long before she made her sudden comeback at the ripe old age of 88.
It's hard to mark the exact moment when my love for this white-haired lady came into my life, but if I don't count all the times Jack made me watch "Golden Girls," it was probably when she played the eccentric grandmother in "The Proposal" (2009).
One little rain dance produced a surplus of results for the veteran actress.
After 60 years in the business, roles started pouring in, including a hilarious 2010 Super Bowl commercial for Snickers candy bars.
It wasn't long before her new, younger fan base emerged and Facebook groups popped up all over the Web campaigning for the 5-foot-4 inch lady to host "Saturday Night Live."
Cyber fans got their wish last May when White graced the stage of SNL Studio 8H and produced some of the funniest SNL skits I have seen in a while.
But the most amusing aspect of White's comeback would have to be that she never knew she left.
In a special appearance on "Oprah" she said, "The silly part about everything is that I didn't know I'd been away."
It seems everyone is going gaga over White, with her witty humor stealing the hearts of multiple generations. She continues to pop up everywhere from a new TV land show "Hot in Cleveland," to her own clothing line. In the height of award season, she has made a guest appearance in each.
To some, this might be Betty overload, but no one can deny that spunky old people are cute. And when they are funny, it is even better.
They encompass that knee-slapping humor that has nothing to do with being crude or rude like modern comedians. It is her dry, one-liner sense of comedic timing that makes her a funny icon.
This is why, not only has Betty been attending award shows, but she has been leaving with some recognition as well.
This past Sunday at the prime time Emmy awards Betty showed up in a bright water- color ensemble where she not only participated in the opening musical number, but left with the Emmy for best guest actress in a comedy series.
Her fifth Emmy win can be attributed to her recent popularity. Her comeback career really is one founded by our generation. Without our Facebook support, her SNL skit would never have been such a success.
Betty is a hilarious senior citizen, but she has been funny since the beginning of her career in the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." She didn't all of a sudden become funny again -- she just all of a sudden became a fad.
Certain people may think that Betty is a passing phase, but she represents a whole generation before ours where people didn't become famous for being arrested. She is honestly the manifestation of good, wholesome humor.
Thank you, Jack, for introducing me to the world of Betty White.
I wrote an entire column about her and I still won't be as fanatical as you.
Amanda Elser is a senior majoring in journalism and is the Collegian's Thursday columnist. Her e-mail address is ale5045@psu.edu.
