Betty White Revealed How She’s Spending Her 99th Birthday in Quarantine
Happy birthday, Betty White! The Hollywood icon and Golden Girls star turns 99 today, and fans are celebrating her long and illustrious life in the spotlight. White herself also has some big celebrations planned — all COVID-safe, of course.
Betty White doesn’t look down on aging
There are so few Hollywood celebrities that live through their 90s, let alone make it to 100. White has remained a beloved figure in pop culture for eight decades. Aging in the spotlight is often looked down upon, but White has always kept a positive attitude when it comes to the inevitability of growing old.
In her 2011 book If You Ask Me, White said that as long as you’re in good health, getting older should be something to be happy about.
“If one is lucky enough to be blessed with good health, growing older shouldn’t be something to complain about,” White wrote. “It’s not a surprise, we knew it was coming — make the most of it. So you may not be as fast on your feet, and the image in your mirror may be a little disappointing, but if you are still functioning and not in pain, gratitude should be the name of the game.”
Betty White brags about her age
Most people feel depressed about getting older, but White embraces her birthday each year. She said there can even be benefits to aging, such as always getting a seat and being treated with care. She also believes that at some point, people start bragging about their age rather than feel ashamed of it.
“Somewhere along the line there is a breaking point, where you go from not discussing how old you are to bragging about it,” White admitted. “I have never lied about my age, but these days I seem to work it into the conversation at the drop of a hat. Please stop me before I get to the point of, ‘Hi, I’m Betty White — I’m 89 years old!’”
“There’s nothing to brag about,” she continued. “I didn’t accomplish that age; it sneaked up on me.”
Betty White is celebrating her 99th birthday in quarantine
As someone who is in an extremely high-risk age group for COVID-19 infection, White is taking all the necessary precautions and celebrating her 99th birthday safely, so she can ring in her 100th year next year surrounded my friends and family.
White spoke to Entertainment Weekly and revealed how she plans on spending her day. “You probably didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway,” she said. “What am I doing for my birthday? Running a mile each morning has been curtailed by COVID, so I am working on getting The Pet Set re-released, and feeding the two ducks who come to visit me every day.”
First released in 1971, Betty White’s Pet Set featured appearances by celebrities and their pets, from cats and dogs to more exotic animals including elephants, seals, tigers ,and zebras. The weekly series invited guests such as Carol Burnett, Doris Day, Mary Tyler Moore, and many others.
Betty White’s love of animals has kept her busy in quarantine
White is known for her love of animals, and having to stay at home has given her free time to bond with them.
“Betty has [a] beautiful backyard with a number of wild animals visiting,” a rep for White told TODAY in May 2020. “Two ducks always come by to say hello. They waddle up to her glass door and look in.”
The rep added that White is taking COVID-19 and social distancing very seriously, saying that “no one permitted in [her home] except those who must.”
