Why Betty White is so awesome

Video: Betty White up for a ‘little nudity’ on ‘SNL’?

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   >>> actress betty white is in the middle of a remarkable resurgence. this weekend, she'll showcase the golden wit that's dazzled us for decades when she hosts "saturday night live." we'll talk with her in a moment. first, more on her incredible career.

   >> betty?

   >> i'm in the shower, jay.

   >> oh, i'm sorry. i'll come back.

   >> no, it's okay, jay. i'm not shy.

   >> no, neither am i. could you hand me that loofah?

   >> she is hollywood 's oldest and newest "it" girl.

   >> let's see if we can find your boobs.

   >> she's the golden girl who can take a tackle.

   >> you're playing like betty white out there.

   >> that's not what your girlfriend says.

   >> multiple emmy awards and the reputation as one of the nicest women around.

   >> here is the sweetest of the sweet.

   >> as she enters his seventh decade of show business , there's still one thing she's never done.

   >> live from new york , it's saturday night.

   >> until now.

   >> i would like to thank everyone on the internet who got me to host "saturday night live." who knows, after this maybe i could host the academy awards . i said the academy awards . type, nerds.

   >> i'm sure it's going to happen. betty white , good morning to you.

   >> good morning. how are you?

   >> i'm doing great. you just arrived from l.a. yesterday with a stop in washington , d.c. for the white house correspondents ' dinner, where everybody wanted to meet you. and now you're going to host " snl ." how are you feeling these days?

   >> i'm feeling -- it's ridiculous, is what it is. i'm scared to death , if you must know.

   >> scared to death of " snl "?

   >> but it's going to be fun. well, yeah. it's -- i'm such a californian and it's so new york , i feel like a fish out of water , but it's going to be interesting. i'll just go with the flow.

   >> i know you've been asked to do that show three times before. you always said no. why this time did you say i'm going to take the plunge?

   >> it's my agents fault. i said would you thank them very much and said no, thank you? he said you have to do that or i'll divorce you. well, it's hard to get another agent, you know. no, it's going to be fun. i'm looking forward to it.

   >> i know you've agreed to do, obviously, any acting, singing, dancing, but no nudity. are you drawing the line ?

   >> very little nudity. just a little, you know, here and there.

   >> just a little?

   >> mostly here.

   >> and the musical guest is jay-z.

   >> yes, isn't that something?

   >> someone said this is the oddest pairing they've ever seen on " snl ."

   >> odd is sort of the name of the game these days.

   >> have you met him?

   >> no, i never have. tremendous. it's really going to bring an audience.

   >> what do you think is going on, betty, with this resurgence in your career? why do you think this is happening now?

   >> i don't think of it as a resurgence. i didn't know i had ever been away. i keep working, whatever is coming along. it's phenomenal. i love working, so there's no -- and people say have you ever thought about retiring? but i don't take the hint. i say no, i'll retire when they stop asking.

   >> i was reading your bio. what i didn't realize is born in chicago, moved to l.a. when you were 1 1/2. your dad with his a traveling salesman.

   >> yes.

   >> start of a lot of jokes.

   >> well, he was -- my mother and dad had a delicious sense of humor . and he would bring jokes home from the time, you know. and they never would explain them to me. if i didn't understand them, that was fine. if i did, as i grew up -- but he would say, honey, you can take that one to school, but i wouldn't take that one to school.

   >> so your sense of humor , it came basically from your dad then, do you think?

   >> oh, i think so. well, they were -- i know people get bored with it, but they were so positive. and it sure beats the alternative. it really does. it keeps -- no matter how bad things get, you don't sink to the basement. and it just keeps you looking a little on the bright side.

   >> these days, you split your interests between acting and animals. you've been involved with the morris animal foundation. why is that such a passion for yours?

   >> in the womb it started. my mother and dad were the same way. i love any creature with a leg on each corner. i just adore them. when they have more than four legs, i get -- but i'm getting better at it. but i used to -- spiders used to scare me to death. now i can actually take them outside.

   >> you can actually pick them up and -- you would never kill one then, i take it?

   >> i would never kill one, but i have jars that i coax them into and then take them outside, but never could do that before. but i'm getting better.

   >> what mao makes you laugh, betty? who makes you laugh?

   >> you make me laugh sometimes. not necessarily on this show, but you have a lovely sense of humor that makes me laugh.

   >> thank you. i wasn't fishing there, betty, but i'll take that. thank you.

   >> it's true. i love people who look on the -- as i say, i love to laugh. and, of course , carol burnett and tim conway . tim conway can do me in, almost as much as he can do harvey corman in.

   >> sandra bullock is another person who can make you laugh. very close with her making "the proposal."

   >> she is so wonderful, one of the most delightful human beings . she really is. she's not only lovely and gorgeous, but she just -- she's interesting. and i love her.

   >> given what's happened, she's had such an up and down year here between the award and then her husband and now her baby. do you know how she's doing? have you been able to speak with her?

   >> i think her business is her business. and i try never to comment on it, because it's -- what should be the happiest, highest time of her life isn't working out that way right now. so, all i can do is love her and wish her well.

   >> when you go back, you're going to star in "who the hot in cleveland." can you tell us about that show?

   >> i'm never going to do another series.

   >> we're running out of time .

   >> that's what i get for talking so much.

   >> they're giving me a signal, 15 seconds.

   >> jane leaves , wendy mallock.

   >> all ten episodes?

   >> this weekend, "saturday night live." back after your local news.

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