It’s officially official, for realz:
88-year-old TV icon Betty White will become SNL’s all-time oldest host on May 8, Lorne Michaels has confirmed to USA Today.
White is being billed as the solo host—she’ll be given carte blanche to perform in as much of the show as she wants—but Michaels has assembled a dream team of former female cast members to back her up.
Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Molly Shannon will reunite as second-string guest stars for the Mother’s Day episode. (All but Dratch and White are mothers.)
The announcement spells victory for a Facebook campaign that began in January, quickly becoming an Internet and media sensation. The group Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! currently has 489,535 fans—or about 200,000 more than SNL’s own Facebook page.
“[Betty White] is the mother of us all in comedy,” Michaels says, “so it will be a celebration of Betty White.”
It will also be a celebration of huge Nielsen ratings. This is one not to miss.
Video proof that Betty White still brings the funny, after the jump…