Saturday Night Live paid tribute to late actress Betty White (The Proposal, Golden Girls) by re–airing the episode she hosted in 2010, according to The Hollywood Reporter. White, who died in her sleep on Thursday into the early hours of Friday at the age of 99, won an Emmy for Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for this episode of SNL.
Rest in Peace, Betty White ❤️
Watch Betty’s episode of SNL tonight on NBC. pic.twitter.com/7W5CjxiKvG
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) January 1, 2022
The episode featured White in different comedic sketches, including one as the grandmother of a prisoner, who was brought in to scare bullies straight. The prisoner was played by Kenan Thompson (Kenan).
Lorne Micheals (30 Rock), the executive producer of SNL, previously said that he’d requested for White to host an episode three times and was turned down repeatedly. It wasn’t until a Facebook campaign went viral that she agreed to host the episode. While this 2010 episode was White’s first and only time hosting Saturday Night Live, she did return for the show’s 40th anniversary special in 2015.
While she was most well-known for her role as Rose Nylund in the comedy The Golden Girls, White has been featured in more than 40 movies and TV shows. White’s colleagues and friends have been sharing their favorite stories with her to pay tribute to the iconic actress, whose career spanned more than 60 years.
RIP Betty White, the only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party. A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end.
— Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers) December 31, 2021
Actor @thelesliejordan joins @andersoncooper and @Andy Cohen to share how the late Betty White “knocked the bejesus” out of him while filming for the series “Boston Legal.” #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/XS6CJ8LMWr
— CNN (@CNN) January 1, 2022