Betty White: a tribute to a best friend forever
Betty White didn’t just log an unprecedented 80-year career in the entertainment industry. She took on an entrepreneurial role behind the camera while delighting audiences worldwide in front of it. She proved time and again that one never gets too old to reinvent herself or take on new challenges. In fact, her drive to do something new and defy industry standards ended up being her fountain of youth.
In 2013, for Lucire, we had the good fortune of witnessing Betty shine in her element during a preview of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s Beastly Ball fundraiser. She was equally adept at using her prominence and platform to give back to causes that mattered to her. This mindset makes her forever a role model to all entrepreneurs and small business owners in all fields to lead their charge with grace and style.
Noah and his passengers on the Ark should be so lucky! White Betty White and NCIS star Pauley Perrette are providing the celebrity sparkle for this year’s Beastly Ball fundraiser, June 15, 2013, supporting the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, favourite Los Angeles celebrity comfort food venues will be providing delectables inspired by the soon to open LA Zoo’s Rainforest of the Americas.
As a peacock shouted out his approving praises, the resplendent White wasn’t to be outshined. She started with a roll call of the restaurants and bakeries who were on board to feed the humans, including Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs, Taix French Restaurant (LA’s oldest French restaurant), El Cholo, Celestino Ristorante (the “baby” of Drago culinary dynasty member Calogero Drago), Canele, El Coyote, Glorious Gourmet & Garnish Café, Jersey Mike’s and Yummy Cupcakes (operating since 2004, years before Sex and the City made cupcakes chic again). From there, White—a supporter of the modern LA Zoo since its inception—stressed the importance of the Los Angeles Zoo for residents and visitors of all ages.
‘Over 40 years ago, I became involved with the Los Angeles Zoo because I was appalled that a city like Los Angeles had such a poor zoo up in the hills,’ she recalled. ‘Several of us got involved [with the improvement of the zoo] and worked together over the years. We always promised ourselves and the zoo, “Some day we will build a chimpanzee exhibit, some day we will build a gorilla exhibit, some day we will build a pachyderm exhibit.” Years ago, the Rainforest Exhibit was something that was way, way beyond [our reach]. Now were up to that, thanks to so many people involved with this cause.’
Reporters on scene had an actual taste of what the attendees, paying US$1,000 a ticket and up, would experience at the ball which is decidedly not black tie. In addition to iconic LA comfort food, in a Brazilian rainforest-themed setting, they would interact with various animals and see first-hand how Ms White’s leadership with other GLAZA members paid off over four decades.
With one of the owners of Pink’s Hot Dogs.
