Betty White allegedly criticized Sally Struthers' weight, according to 'All in the Family' star Sally Struthers.
Betty White was described as a "very passive-aggressive woman" by Struthers.
"Betty White's experience with Sally Struthers on "All in the Family" was "not nice," according to Struthers."
In a recent podcast episode of "Let's Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti," the 77-year-old actress recounted her experiences working on the popular American sitcom. The conversation then shifted to discussing Bea Arthur and later, White.
The actress is going to speak up about her negative experience with the TV legend "now that White is gone."
"Struthers stated on the podcast that everyone adores her and they were extremely fond of her. He mentioned that they even signed petitions to have her host 'Saturday Night Live'. However, he shared that he did not have a positive experience with her."
She described White as a "passive-aggressive woman" during their meeting at her home to discuss the pilot of a new game show they were working on.
As they worked, Struthers remembered White requesting a plate of snacks for everyone to enjoy while analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the game show.
"Struthers said, "I reached for a cookie, and she said in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, dear. You don't need a cookie.’ Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room. And I thought, ‘Gosh, that's not nice.’""
Earlier in the podcast, Struthers remembered a moment she shared with "All in the Family" creator Norman Lear after he told her she wasn't the funniest person who auditioned to play Gloria Stivic on the sitcom.
Lear explained to her that when choosing the actress to play Gloria, he and the producers believed it would be better for the show's longevity if the character was portrayed as a "mama's girl" or "daddy's little girl" type.
"Lear believed that Archie was too harsh for American audiences due to his bigotry and social slurs. To make him more relatable, they thought of giving him a soft spot for his daughter, who could be his daddy's little girl. As a result, they hired me because, like Carroll O'Connor, I have blue eyes and a fat face."
"So I reached for a cookie, and she said in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you dear. You don't need a cookie.’ Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room. And I thought, ‘Gosh, that's not nice.’" — Sally Struthers
Gloria was portrayed by Struthers for nine seasons on CBS from 1971 to 1979, earning her two Emmy Awards.
Despite struggling to get along with White, the "Gilmore Girls" actress was close friends with "Golden Girls" star Bea Arthur. The two would frequently bump into each other while shopping in Brentwood, and Arthur would often trash everyone they knew.
When Arthur appeared on "All in the Family" as Maude, the cousin of Edith Bunker, he made everyone laugh during rehearsals with his "filthy" behavior and use of expletives.
""Bea Arthur's performance as Maude impressed Lear and other network executives so much, they thought, 'We should give her her own show,'" Struthers shared."
""Because of 'Maude,' that's how she got 'Golden Girls,'" Struthers said, referencing Arthur's hit show that ran on CBS for six seasons."
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