NEWSBetty White's Agent Says Hosting 'Saturday Night Live' Was One Of The Most 'Incredible Experiences,' & 'One Of The Greatest Weeks That Betty Had'
Betty White's agent reflected on her iconic stint hosting Saturday Night Live shortly after her passing.
As previously reported by OK!, the Golden Girls alum passed away on Friday, December 31, only weeks before her 100th birthday. She is said to have died of natural causes.
While White was known for her many iconic roles through the years, her SNL hosting stint in 2010 certainly left a mark. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the episode — which featured Jay-Z as a musical guest — will air again over the weekend to pay tribute to the late star. The episode was so well-received that White even won an Emmy for best guest actress in a comedy series.
After being asked to do the show several times, White's agent, Jeff Witjas, finally convinced her to accept the gig, People reported.
"It was one of the most incredible experiences — it truly, truly was," he told the publication. "Betty didn't really want to go to New York to do it, but I said to her, 'You have to do it.' I mean, how could she not? And she trusted me."
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Remembering how the Annie's Point star was an "absolute pro" on set, Witjas reportedly recalled: "It was hilarious watching her in rehearsals go from one clothing change to another, because you have to do it within minutes, you can't take your time. But she loved it. She got into it, she embraced it, and they were great to her."
"She stayed for a good long time because she really enjoyed her experience," Witjas revealed. "We were up til maybe two, three o'clock that morning. It's a memory Betty and I would talk about a lot after."
According to the outlet, Witjas reflected on a moment in a dressing room after a rehearsal where White, who was 88 at the time, "looked at me in a way I've never seen her look at me — just a look that said, 'Never again.'"
"She didn't explain it, but I kind of thought I knew what she meant," he explained. "I said, 'Okay,' and a minute after that, she went back to Betty White and never discussed it again. And she went on for the rest of the rehearsals and the rest of the week and had a fabulous time."
"It was one of the greatest weeks that Betty had, and that I had with her," he continued, per the outlet. "You couldn't really top what she did. When we were flying home on that Sunday on the plane together, she said to me, 'Thank you. It was fabulous.' And as a friend and an agent, that was the best thing she could have said."
