Every December I can't help but peruse the Calendar Kiosk at the mall to see what celebrities and shows have cemented themselves into Pop Culture history via these freshly-printed monthly records for the upcoming New Year.
The staples are always there: Elvis, Marilyn, Lucy, etc. as well as the current crop of media sensations: Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Twilight, Glee, etc.
What a delight this year to see America's Sweetheart, Betty White awarded her own 2011 Calendar. Technically, this isn't Betty's first calendar appearance because about 20 years back there were "Golden Girls" calendars available for a few years when the series was at the height of its popularity. But this is the first calendar that's ALL Betty, ALL the time! (or as the cover proudly proclaims: "12 Months of Betty at Her Best!").
The high-quality pages contain the following images of the unsinkable octagerarian:
January: A great colorized early '50s pose of Betty in a sleeveless striped top wearing pearls and smiling.
February: A 1990s pic of Betty lounging in silver dress (from an Entertainment Weekly photo shoot), being waited on hand-and-foot by a trio of hunks in black-and-gold '50s-style swim trunks. (From the same photo session as the cover but a different pic).
March: A recent pic of Betty in a yellow blouse listening to a boom-box and giving a peace sign with her fingers.
April: A large B&W pic of Betty as Sue-Ann Nivens putting the moves on a disinterested Lou Grant.
May: Betty and Molly Shannon in a pic from the hilarious SNL "Muffin" talk show sketch from May 2010.
June: A large B&W pic of Allen Ludden kissing Betty's cheek on their wedding day in 1963.
The centrespread features a nice collage of color and B&W Betty pics from the early '50s to the present.
July: A large B&W pic of Betty and Johnny Carson as Tarzan and Jane. Betty's wearing a leopard-print jungle dress.
August: Color pic of Betty dressed as a chicken from the "Golden Girls" episode where they put on the "Henny Penny" play.
September: B&W pic of Betty playing the piano with a poodle, circa 1958.
October: Betty and Will Forte in a SNL parody of "The Lawrence Welk Show" from May 2010.
November: A gorgeous color 1950s pic of Betty in a red plaid cowboy shirt relaxing against a big haystack.
December: Betty on the "Today Show" with Elmo of Sesame Street, from 2010.
Each month also has a small blurb with fun facts about Betty and the proceeds will go to one of Betty's animal charities.
Cute, campy and great fun for the year to come. Get it!
