Betty White was trending bright and early on Tuesday morning, and the whole internet was in a panic. The 99-year-old actress is healthy and well, and it appears the discussion of her name began because someone noted her 100th birthday is approaching. Still, it led to some interesting conversations about how to handle trending topics.
White is one of the most universally beloved performers in the U.S. today, and her advanced age often has fans fearful for her. Seeing her name on the trending topics list is enough to make some people assume the worst, as they did on Tuesday morning. Thankfully, there is nothing to worry about today โ White is fine, and her name seemed to be trending just because her 100th birthday is in January of 2022. It may also have started thanks to reports like this one from CNN about a contest by Insurer Choice Mutual to win $1,000 by binging White’s movies.
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Regardless, Tuesday’s Twitter tantrum was not the first time a trending topic has been misinterpreted, and some users said they are tired of being played. They called on Twitter to change its procedure for presenting a headline to let them know what it’s really about.
Others took Tuesday as a chance to highlight some of White’s greatest accomplishments โ a pastime that never seems to get old. Here’s a look at what people had to say about Betty White on Tuesday morning.
Scared
For those who were afraid for White, there were some apt GIFs and memes featuring the actress to express their feelings.
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White’s name has trended on Twitter so many times that it is listed as a “topic” all its own. Some fans thought that White should take this as a compliment, while others thought it was a sign of the website’s dysfunction.
Editorial
Users went so far as to ask Twitter to change its policy on trending topics to denote whether White is healthy or not in cases like these. Later in the morning, Twitter did add an editorial note to the trending topic to say that White was alright.
New CEO
Since this trend came hot on the heels of Jack Dorsey’s announcement that he is stepping down as Twitter’s CEO, many users said that this was their first big request of the new executive. Whoever it turns out to be, they hoped they would implement a new Betty White policy.
Protection
Finding out that White is so close to centenarian status made some fans uneasy. They wanted assurance that the actress had protection and safeguards in place.
Highlights
Among the many highlights of her career shared on Tuesday, the most popular seemed to be her outspoken defense of Black tap dancer Arthur Duncan in the 1950s. White refused to capitulate to racist TV programming policies.
Surprise
Some commenters were actually surprised to learn of White’s age. They knew she was an elderly woman but not that she was nearing a century of life.
Thanksgiving
Finally, coming off of a weekend of Thanksgiving celebrations, many people recalled White hosting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1964.
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