Hollywood legend Betty White sadly passed away at the age of 99 - just 17 days from turning 100 - and fans can’t help but notice the perfect comedic timing of her passing as her People magazine cover, published three days before her death, was prematurely headlined: “Betty White Turns 100!”
The iconic actor who had a career spanning eight decades reportedly passed away at her home just before 9:30am on Friday, December 31.
In one of her last magazine covers, and published three days before her death People interviewed White as she approached this milestone, as the actor described being “so lucky to be in such good health.”
The Golden Girls star then joked about how she remained in good shape thanks to her diet: “I try to avoid anything green. I think it’s working.”
“I’m so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age. It’s amazing,” she added.
Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Sharing the interview with her 1.6m followers on Twitter four days before her death, she tweeted: “My 100th birthday… I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me! The new issue of @people is available on newsstands nationwide tomorrow.”
Since the news of the White’s death was confirmed, fans of the actor couldn’t help but note the “perfect comedic timing” - a skill White was famed for, of her talking about becoming a centenarian and People making it their cover headline - only for her to pass away just days later.
Perfect comic timing right to the end. #RIPBettyWhite pic.twitter.com/v5AiV3hZ50
— Alison B (@akbea) December 31, 2021
Didn’t realize these actually went out. Perfect comedic timing until the end. pic.twitter.com/FeyG4UGytQ
— Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) December 31, 2021
Betty White always had the best comic timing. RIP Queen. pic.twitter.com/m0WwWMGxZR
— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) December 31, 2021
When you think about it, Betty White doing a big cover story with People Magazine about turning 100 and then dying the day after the issue was released is the most Betty White way to go out. Perfect comedic timing to the very end ❤️
— Revna (@pandoraspockz) December 31, 2021
Betty White was amazing and funny and a total babe.
— DAVE CHILD (@mrdavechild) January 1, 2022
She would of been 100 in 17 days. She lived so long and left right when people would start saying “she went too soon” again. Perfect timing.
You gotta admit, having an entire magazine devoted to your 100th birthday hit the racks and then dying before that birthday is excellent comic timing
— John Leavitt 🌹 (@LeavittAlone) December 31, 2021
Also in her People, interview White described how former co-star from the 2009 rom-comThe Proposal, Ryan Reynold had a “thing” for her.
“I’ve heard Ryan can’t get over his thing for me,” she joked.
On December 30th - two days before her death - Reynolds tweeted in response: “ “I’m absolutely sick of the media exploiting past relationships just to drive clicks.”
After news of White’s death broke, Reynolds paid tribute to the Golden Girls star: “The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret.”
The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret. pic.twitter.com/uevwerjobS
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 31, 2021
Elsewhere, a documentary commemorating White’s 100th birthday titled: “Betty White: 100 Years Young - A Birthday Celebration,” where the actor was supposed to film her fans at her 100th birthday party mingling with fans, will still be released as planned, Deadline reported.