Betty White talks 'Hot in Cleveland' during 'Daily Show' visit with Jon Stewart

 

TV LandWendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Betty White star in TV Land's first original scripted comedy, "Hot in Cleveland, which premieres Wednesday night.

Jon Stewart opened Monday night's edition of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" talking about political unknown Alvin Greene's mystery win in South Carolina's Democratic Senate primary last week. Then he introduced TV legend Betty White, star of TV Land's first original scripted series, "Hot in Cleveland."

"I came here to plug the new show 'Hot in Cleveland,' " White told Stewart. "But after hearing your opening, I'm going to run for politics."

She was joking, of course, but the way this year has been going for White, she'd probably win the race for any office. The "Daily Show" audience certainly sounded like a political rally, serenading the six-time Emmy winner with the chant of "Betty! Betty! Betty!"
In January, riding the acclaim for her work in Sandra Bullock's "The Proposal," White won the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In February, she won big laughs for her Super Bowl Snickers commercial. In May, she hosted NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and guest starred on the season finale of ABC's "The Middle." And she has been busy on the talk-show circuit, chatting with the likes of Craig Ferguson, Oprah Winfrey, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, George Lopez, Larry King and Bonnie Hunt.
"Hot in Cleveland" premiere at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Sitcom veterans Valerie Bertinelli ("One Day at a Time"), Wendie Malick ("Just Shoot Me") and Jane Leeves ("Frasier") play best friends who move from Los Angeles to Cleveland. White, 88, portrays Elka, the cantankerous caretaker of the house they're renting.
Stewart mischievously told White he was worried about her because sudden fame has hit so many starlets who can't handle overnight success. He feigned concern about White having a Britney moment.

TV LandBetty White, 88, plays cantankerous caretaker Elka on "Hot in Cleveland."

"No, I'm fine," White responded, fixing Stewart with a chillingly intense gaze. "I'm absolutely fine."
Then it was back to plugging "Hot in Cleveland" and praising her co-stars.
"All such pros and such great gals," White said. "We premiere on Wednesday, so Thursday is going to be a very big day, because you never know until the public gets a hold of it."
White won two of her Emmys for playing "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Another was for playing Rose on "The Golden Girls." She received the invitation to host "Saturday Night Live" after a grassroots Facebook campaign called "Betty White to Host SNL (Please)" attracted about 500,000 members.
"There is now a Facebook campaign to see get her appointed to the Supreme Court," Stewart told his audience.