We
live in a remarkable media age. We have hundreds of channels on our TV
and unlimited content on the internet. Our radio comes from satellites
and we can watch entire movies on our phones. All of this incredible
technology means that we, as a race, can burn through a joke with
relentless, almost Teutonic efficiency.
The latest thing to burn out under
the white hot gaze of a million media gazes? Betty White.
Anybody
remember back when Lake Placid came out and White was the
unexpected comedic highlight of the piece? Now White is nearly
omnipresent, and her rebounded popularity climaxed with a fan petition
getting her to host Saturday Night Live. But after that it was overkill;
last week I got a press release about a Betty White pin-up calendar.
In
the aftermath of her fatal overexposure, Warner Bros has suddenly taken
an interest in White. The project: a remake of Oh God!, the George Burns religious
comedy. And while I’m utterly sick of Betty White, she’s actually kind
of a great choice for the role.
Deadline, who is reporting this, says
that there’s no script and that nobody has contacted White yet;
producer Jerry Weintraub, who has been trying to get the film remade for
some time, is just pitching this concept to WB (he’s pitching Paul Rudd
in the hapless John Denver role. If Dinner For Schmucks, where
Rudd plays a similar role, makes money I could see the studio going for
that. Whether Rudd would is another matter). This could go nowhere, but
it’s worth noting because I guarantee this isn’t the only pitch with
Betty White’s name attached.
Let’s hope none of those projects
come to pass. Betty White, it was fun, but we’ve had enough. You’re old
and you swear – we get it.
23 comments
She was the least memorable thing about Lake Placid, I thought Oliver Platt was much funnier.
That Snickers commercial was cute, though. "You play like Betty White!"
Yeah that's her schtick, but I think that's a kind of narrow way of appraising her. The thing that makes Betty White good (and this sounds pretty trite) is that she's just really good at telling jokes. It's a skill and even though so much of her stuff falls under the same umbrella, she's just really good at it. Saying "she's old and she swears" just seems like you're valuing pretense of content over delivery of content.
To each there own and all, but the woman is not popular just because she's "old and swears." She's a very talented comedic actress and also an advocate for animal rights. She's a living legend and she's still got it. I mean come on she has another movie coming out in which she co-stars with Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver and is in a hit series.
Devin, I love you, but you're speaking for yourself on this one. I think we should get as much Betty White as we can before she goes the way of the other Golden Girls.
Agreed with #4. I'm a fan of Betty White, she has excellent comedic timing and I would make sweet, sweet love to her all night long.
See the movie? Fuck, I'll join the religion.
This must be one of those overkill issues that's really only a problem for people who are directly and constantly linked in to PR and marketing folks like Devin is. Sure, I got sick of people talking ABOUT Betty White, but in terms of her actual output as a performer, White hasn't oversaturated the market by a longshot. And White's talents go far, far beyond "being old and swearing." She's got crackerjack timing and delivery.
Shut your mouth, a Paul Rudd, Betty White vehicle, is what the world needs now.
Dear God, Devin, you sound like Alex Billington railing against some actress who "existed before 1989" (or whatever date you used in your article back then). Any job that Betty White gets means that it can't be filled by some much younger hacktastic actress. I say give her a role on everything possible…like…Alfred's love interest in Batman 3!
this movie will be fantastic, if it gets made. Betty White is not oversaturating the market……..fucking VAMPIRES ARE!!!!!
Jeez, Devin. You certainly are carving a niche for yourself as the ANDY ROONEY of the geek circuit. What we actually need are less of these pointless hate rants. Leave it for the talkbackers, dude.
You know you want that pin-up calendar.
Fewer jobs for Megan Fox is alright by me.
I'm guessing Betty turned down Devin's request for a date…
I liked the part on SNL where she talked about being old. Over and over and over. And then she said bad words and talked about drugs. Old people don't do that. Crazy!
I'm only familiar with the SNL episode, which DID mostly focus on Betty White being old and swearing and making "muffin" jokes. I agree with Devin here, I think. Agism sucks.
I'll join the chorus and say that Devin's pretty much alone on this one. Being a contrarian isn't so cool when you're wrong.
She isn't like Seth Rogen was a year or two ago.
I agree, we need to clear a wider path for real talent like Justin Bieber.
The problem is not too much Betty White. The problem is never too much Betty White. The problem is people over the age of eleven who still watch SNL. Stop encouraging those unfunny assholes.
Seth Rogen just smokes weed and curses, he should stop making movies.
James Cameron just makes action movies every time, he should stop directing.
Guillermo Del Toro should also stop making movies…hey, you like fantasy, we get it. Make a cop thriller or beat it, dude.
Hey guys, this is easy!
Just read she's going to be on an episode of Community next season as well
Look everyone, Devin hates someone that's popular. Shocking.
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