Betty White Is Probably Really Mad She Didn’t Make It to 100 – ‘She Was Such a Finisher,’ Marie Osmond Says

Betty White‘s close friend Marie Osmond said White looked forward to her 100th birthday celebration and really wanted to reach the milestone birthday.

Friends and fans also looked forward to White’s 100th birthday in January. But White died on New Year’s Eve at age 99. Osmond said the televised celebration had already been recorded and she was included in the festivities. Osmond also reflected on White’s humor and someone she called her friend for decades.

Betty White made heaven a happier place

Osmond said heaven is a happier place with White in it. “We all had this thing taped for her 100th,” she said on the Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast.

“All I know is heaven is a lot happier with her there, but I think there’s a little thing inside her that she was really mad she didn’t make it to 100. Well, ’cause she was such a finisher, she really was.” 

Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration still aired in theaters for one night only, via The New York Post. Producers Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein shared that the show must go on. “We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone. Betty always said she was the ‘luckiest broad on two feet’ to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long,” they shared in a statement.

And added, We will go forward with our plans to show the film on Jan. 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life — and experience what made her such a national treasure.”

Marie Osmond loved working with Betty White

Osmond and White worked together on ABC’s short-lived one-season comedy Maybe This Time. White played Osmond’s mother. “Love, love that show,” she said. “She was so disappointed. And so as I. [But] the creator of it had some things going on and just kind of lost touch towards the end. And both Betty and I felt it was best to just, you know, move on from it.”

“But she is such a funny lady,” she continued. “Oh my gosh. I don’t remember a time in my life that I didn’t work with her in some capacity. She was like a second mom to me. And she was just so funny.”

“I remember it’s funny, I was thinking the other night, I remember after one of the shows I went to her and I said, Betty, I wish we would have shot it one more time. Just, we needed one more take.”

“And she goes, ‘Why? You would’ve screwed it up then too!'” Osmond laughed. “She was just always so funny.”

She shared another funny moment

Osmond had many stories about White. This one was reflected White’s signature humor. “One night I went to her, I was choking. I said, ‘Can I have some of your water?’ We were on break on stage. She took her glass and she goes like this, ‘Oh honey, she don’t want my water [implying it was vodka].'”

“[White] was, was exactly what you would think she is. She was just funny and on 24/7  and yet, so tender and loving and kind. but smart and tough. You know what I mean?” she added.