At age 96, Betty White is still as hilarious and bubbly as the day she first arrived in Hollywood nearly 80 years ago! Tonight, the beloved Hollywood icon will be honored in a TV tribute special titled Betty White: First Lady of Television and, in a recent exclusive interview with Closer Weekly, filmmaker Steven J. Boettcher revealed Betty’s adorable reaction to the film. 

The special — which was shot over 10 years and tells the story of Betty’s remarkable career — is set to air on PBS tonight, Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 8 p.m. EST, but The Golden Girls star actually saw the film for the first time at her 96th birthday party back in January. 

“It was at her party with 400 of her closest friends. When it was over, she asked, ‘Does it have too much Betty White?’ It was so cute!” Boettcher told Closer. 

Though Betty has been acting since she was in her early 20s, the star has said she takes nothing for granted and is very humbled by her success. “I got an award for everything: inhaling, exhaling,” she once joked of her many accolades. “I’ve been so spoiled rotten. I’m the luckiest old broad on two feet. Truly! I’ve always been working at something.”

While filming Betty White: First Lady of Television over the span of a decade, co-director Boettcher got an up close and personal look at Betty’s life and career. “We spent a great deal of time with her [on this project] and she never said a bad word about anyone. Through her career, every cast and crew member loved working with her. She’d remember every one of their names, their kids, and most importantly, the names of their pets!” 

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So, what’s next for Betty as she nears 100 years old? “She told me, ‘I’m going to be in the saddle forever,'” Boettcher told Closer. “She loves working; she loves the challenge. She’s someone that we’re all better off for that she’s lived this long.”

Be sure to watch Betty White: First Lady of Television on PBS tonight, Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 8 p.m. EST! 

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