Betty White is 'SNL's' golden girl

When Betty White began her career, the idea of Facebook would have been like something out of a science-fiction novel . . . not something that would land her a big job.

Through popular demand by her fans who use the social-networking website, the Emmy-winning veteran of "The Golden Girls" returns to NBC's Saturday schedule, this time as host of "Saturday Night Live."

The Mother's Day weekend airing will be a big show: The musical guest is Jay-Z, and White, 88, says "SNL" alumni including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Molly Shannon are expected to return.

"I couldn't believe this!" White says of the grass-roots movement to get her on the program. "It just came out of leftfield. I told my agent to thank ['SNL'] very much and tell them I appreciated it, but, 'No, thank you.' And he said, 'You've got to do this. If you don't, I'll divorce you.' So now I'm doing it, and I am absolutely panic-stricken."

White says she actually turned down an "SNL" hosting gig three years ago. "It's so New York, and I'm not that at all," she says. "I felt like I might be a fish out of water, but here I am. I love the show, and I get a lot of laughs out of it, but doing it is a whole other number." Also renowned as sweetly sarcastic "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," White says "SNL" is giving her "veto power" over any material that may not be to her liking. She intends to remain respectful to the projects and roles that brought her fame, should those be suggested for spoofing.

"I haven't seen word one," she claims. "I haven't even talked to anybody there, except that I had one nice conversation with [executive producer] Lorne Michaels. Beyond that, I haven't a clue, and I'm just going to bite the bullet. It could end my career!"

As for what prompted the push for her to do "SNL," White traces it back to the popularity of the Snickers ad she did for February's Super Bowl telecast. (Eating one of the candy bars "transformed" her into a young man ready to play football.)

After scoring big as a co-star of last summer's Sandra Bullock movie "The Proposal," then returning to the CBS soap "The Bold and the Beautiful" - along with receiving lifetime achievement awards from the Television Critics Association, the Screen Actors Guild and American Women in Radio and Television - White is launching another busy chapter with her "SNL" stint. She also guest-stars as a school librarian in the May 19 season finale of ABC's "The Middle," then starts another sitcom.

TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" premieres June 16, with White playing the "sassy" overseer of the Ohio home of three newly arrived West Coast women - played by Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves ("Frasier") and Wendie Malick ("Just Shoot Me!").

"I did the pilot with the proviso that it was just a guest shot," White explains, "with no obligation to do anything more afterward. I wasn't really interested in doing a series because of the time involved. Well, the chemistry between those three girls is just wonderful. They're not only all so nice, they spark one another, and it's just lovely to see. They got picked up for 10 episodes, and the producers came back to me . . . and I'm so roundheeled, here I am, doing all 10."