Happy birthday, Betty White!
January 17, 2017
At 95, Betty White has become something of an unintentional icon for women and gay rights activists in the US.
By all appearances, she is grandmotherly - well-mannered and timid. But when she opens her mouth, even in character, the stereotypes of what an elderly woman should be fall away.
Best known for her role as the not-so-bright Rose Nylund of St. Olaf, Minnesota in the long-running television series "Golden Girls," White has made a name for herself as a straight-talking actress who doesn't play by any unwritten rules. She broke new ground while hosting a daily variety show in Los Angeles beginning in 1949, was one of the first Emmy nominees for the category of best actress once the category was introduced in 1951 and later accompanied Liberace to events to support him as he kept his identity as a gay man secret.
White's work, both on-and-offscreen, has brought her many fans who will be pleased to wish her "Happy birthday!" on Tuesday.