As 2016 was wrapping up and we were realizing the extent of the carnage, a stupid meme was going around featuring Betty White saying “I’m still here!” I love Betty White and this felt too real to me, like don’t jinx her she’s a national treasure. There was even a GoFundMe that some guy started called “protect Betty White from 2016.” He raised $9,245 out of a $10,000 goal but it was really just a viral way to support his community theater in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Demetrios Hrysikos promised to “fly to where ever Betty White is and keep her safe till Jan 1 , 2017” although of course he didn’t do that and thankfully he didn’t need to. Betty White is still here, she celebrated her 95th(!) birthday yesterday, and she’s very grateful about that. She did an interview with Katie Couric letting us know that she’s doing fine in 2017, which should hopefully be a much better year despite all the scary signs to the contrary.

Celebrating her 95th Birthday – “95. I can’t believe it. Nope. No, seriously, I can’t. I keep thinking, Betty you’re 95 years old. I’m so blessed with good health and faculties and I’ve got memories and all that. You can’t really expect that at 95. I am the luckiest old broad on two feet.”

Her thoughts on a Golden Girls reboot and almost playing Blanche instead of Rose – “I’d want to do it. I’m sure at 95, I’m sure they’d want me…Yes, yes, but then all of a sudden Rose came up and I loved her because she was so innocent. Not the brightest nickel in the drawer, but she was fun to do.”

Her love of animals and her thoughts on the Ringling Bros. Circus closing – “All my life. All my life…I stay in show business, to pay for my animal business. It’s that simple…it’s just a soul consciousness. It’s been that way since, I think in the womb. They just fascinate me and I adore them. I love to touch them. I love to hold them. I love to see them. They just comfort me…Well I think it’s how animals are treated when they’re used. You have to weigh it on both sides. Because there are a lot of little kids that grow up knowing and loving animals because of the animals they see let’s say at the circus or the zoo, or whatever. Zoos I think are terribly important, because without zoos we would have lost so many species. We’ve already lost a lot. But, we would have lost so many more. But, zoos helping in understand internationally between countries. Where you’ve got these, you got to take care of them. We’ve got these, we’ll take care of these, but then let’s learn from each other.”

Her reaction to the GoFundMe campaign to save her from 2016 – “Oh, no. How would they perpetuate me by, with money? Oh, everybody takes such…they spoil me rotten, really, it’s terrible and I enjoy every minute of it and make the most of it.”

The state of the country right now and staying positive – “It’s very divided and we’re not in the best place that we’ve ever been, but I think that’s the time to buckle down and really work positively as much as you can. Instead of just saying, ‘this is terrible,’ ‘oh, he’s terrible.’ Just think all right, there is nothing I can do about that right now, but I can do the best in my little circle. So if I do that, maybe you’ll do your best and we’ll get through this.” Whether things feel toxic right now – “It does, it really does and so many people think negatively. It’s like, ‘oh, you know what I hate?’ ‘Oh, I hate this.’ Instead of all right, ‘I’ll get through this.’ ‘But you know what I love,’ then all of a sudden you’ll start lifting up a little bit, but if you start with, ‘you know what I hate’, you’re going to go right down the tubes. I know it sounds boring, but I’m a positive thinker. I am a cockeyed optimist. And that’s why I’ve stayed happy all of my life. You gotta get through it and you can’t change it. So let’s just one foot in front of other and get through it.”

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher – “Aw, that was tough, there were so close. You wonder how they…either one, could make it without the other. They were really close. You hate to see that, but then I’m such a cockeyed optimist again. You think, well, they’re still together. It’s tough, it really is tough, but they left behind positive memories.”

[From Yahoo! received via email]

I like how Betty was asked about a Golden Girls reboot and how she’s ok with it and just wants to be a part of it. She was so balanced in her response to the Ringling Brothers Circus closing. I would expect her to be like “good riddance” but she’s in show business and she recognizes the power of that medium to change people’s minds and instill in them a love of animals. I wonder if that’s how she was first introduced to some species as a child, through seeing circuses. Also this sentence is everything “I stay in show business, to pay for my animal business.” Betty supports so many animal welfare organizations, which she calls a “very expensive habit.” One of her major charities is the oldest seeing eye dog charity in the US, called The Seeing Eye. She gives her time and money to so many other charities including the American Humane Association, the Morris Animal Foundation and PAWs. Betty thank you for being you and we’re lucky to have you.

photos credit: Yahoo! News and Getty Images