Whether you were a longtime fan of Betty White from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" or "The Golden Girls", or have just come to appreciate the six-time Emmy winner, there's no denying the respect she has earned in Hollywood. At 98 years old, Betty White has embodied unique and multi-dimensional female characters in a career that didn't benefit from the same types of equality conversations that are taking place today. White had to be tough-as-nails to withstand the industry in the 1970s and 1980s when her career took off. So how does White stay feeling so young?
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On January 17, Betty White turned 98 years old and in honor of that milestone birthday, she gave a delightful interview with Parade magazine. The star shared a few surprising details of her favored career as one of America's great comedic actresses. From the interview, it seems that there are few things to contribute to White's long and healthy life. Here are three secrets we learned.
1. Positivity, positivity, positivity
Speaking candidly with Parade, White said that her tip for living happily and healthily well into her 90s is simple, "Enjoy life. Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, 'Hey, that was great!' It's not hard to find great stuff if you look."
2. Vodka and hot dogs forever
We've known that White has long been a fan of vodka since her appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman proved she can still take vodka shots with the best of them.
As she told Parade, she "loves vodka and hot dogs, 'probably in that order.'" White is our kindred spirit.
3. Surround yourself with the things you love.
With the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, White served over four decades as a trustee and as a board member. Her work was so influential, her birthday is even an unofficial holiday at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. To see photos of White working with the animals, head on over to the LA Zoo website.
She also doesn't plan to stop working anytime soon. As she told Parade, "I just love to work, so I'll keep working until they stop asking." It seems that America just can't get enough of Betty White, our perennial Golden Girl with a fierce love of vodka and hot dogs.
This article was originally published on Jan 17, 2019.
