On every episode we choose a celebrity who died between 1 and 10 years ago. We then go through a series of structured categories. We start by rating the first line of their NYT obituary on a scale of 1–10. We then look at their life stats, we speculate on their inner lives, and we ultimately answer the question "Would I want that life?" Each category helps weigh the desirability of a given life. Our approach is that of an empathetic biography. Our dead celebrities cross many categories of fame, including film, TV, sports, music, politics, literature, and more. Our goal is to make serious topics fun.
http://famousandgravy.com
Golden Rose
During World War II she drove a truck delivering soap, toothpaste and candy to soldiers. She began her career in radio by saying one word - “Parkay” - on a popular comedy show. In the early 1960s she was best known as a busy freelance guest with game shows as her specialty. She had a longstanding interest in animal welfare. Her television career spanned seven decades and she holds the “Guinness World Record” as the longest ever for a female entertainer. One of her best known roles was as Rose on the television hit The Golden Girls. Today’s dead celebrity is Betty White.
This episode originally published on May 17th, 2023.
Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss and includes a guest appearance from Jennifer Keishin Armstrong. Sign up for our newsletter at famousandgravy.com for news and updates on the show. Also, enjoy our mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 47 “Proud Mary” (Mary Tyler Moore) and Episode 11 “Stiletto Comic” (Joan Rivers).
Transcript of this episode
New York Times Obituary for Betty White
Famous & Gravy official website
Famous & Gravy on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s website
Betty White’s Opening Monologue on SNL in 2010
Tina Fey and Betty White ‘census’ skit on SNL
Betty White Snickers Super Bowl Commercial
Forest Service makes actress Betty White honorary ranger
When Women Invented Television, book by Jennifer K Armstrong
HPB.com
Dead or Alive Quiz Game
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