Newly-ubiquitous Golden Girls veteran Betty White won the fifth Emmy of her career on Saturday for hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live, beating out 2009’s winner, Tina Fey. White, 88, claimed the award for guest actress in a comedy series during the “creative arts” portion of the Primetime Emmy Awards, where more than 70
awards, mostly in technical categories, were handed out. The 26 high-profile categories will be announced during a live broadcast on August 29.
White was not at the event, but it is possible she would have thanked Facebook for the award. Members of the social networking site launched a campaign to persuade Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels to hire her as guest host of the comedy show. After much reluctance, White acceded to Michael’s’ entreaties and hosted the Mother’s Day-eve episode on May 8.
She previously won an Emmy, also in the same category, for playing herself in an episode of The John Larroquette Show in 1996, as well as two for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and a single statuette for Golden Girls. White has enjoyed a remarkable career resurrection, kick-started in 2009 by her role as a sprightly grandmother in the Sandra Bullock comedy The Proposal. A popular Super Bowl commercial and a lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild followed. Just three weeks ago, White thrilled youngsters at the Teen Choice Awards by boogieing with Bullock.
—Reuters