Gilmore Girls actress Sally Struthers recalls Betty White publicly fat-shamed her in the past

Sally Struthers, best known for her role as Babette on Gilmore Girls and Gloria Stivic in All in the Family, recently opened up about an interaction she had with late actress Betty White.

Speaking on the January 13 episode of Let's Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti, the Emmy-winning actress shared that White, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 99, publicly fat-shamed her during a professional meeting.

Struthers recounted an incident that occurred when she visited White's house to work on a pilot for a new game show. White had asked her housekeeper to bring out food, which turned out to be cookies. Struthers explained that as she reached for one, White said in front of others in the room, "Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you, dear, you don't need a cookie."

"That totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room," Struthers recalled. "And I thought, 'Gosh, that’s not nice.'"

Sally Struthers acknowledged White’s celebrated career and widespread admiration but insisted that she did not have a good experience working with her.

"I know everybody loves her. They loved her so much," she said. "They signed petitions to get her to guest host Saturday Night Live. I know all that. I didn't have such a great experience with her."

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Sally Struthers reflects on Bea Arthur's kindness

While recounting her challenging memory of Betty White, Sally Struthers shared a contrasting, fond memory of another Golden Girls star, Bea Arthur. Arthur had guest-starred on All in the Family as Maude, Edith Bunker’s cousin, during its second season before launching her spin-off series, Maude.

Describing Arthur as a "force of nature," Struthers reminisced about the actress's humor and candid personality. She shared how Arthur would add colorful, expletive-laden lines to shock producers during run-throughs, which often brought levity to the set. Struthers also recalled running into Arthur at grocery stores, where they would laugh and gossip about mutual acquaintances.

"She would trash everyone we ever knew," Struthers said with affection. "I loved how filthy she was."

Arthur passed away in 2009 at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy as one of television’s most iconic stars.

Sally Struthers has enjoyed a long and varied career in Hollywood since her breakthrough role in All in the Family in the 1970s, which earned her two Emmy Awards. Beyond her role as Gloria Stivic, Struthers has appeared in films like Five Easy Pieces and The Getaway, as well as popular TV shows including Gilmore Girls, Still Standing, and the animated series TaleSpin.

More recently, Struthers starred in the Netflix comedy series A Man on the Inside, portraying Virginia, a flirty nursing home resident who provides comic relief. The series is loosely inspired by the 2020 documentary The Mole Agent.

In addition to her acting career, Sally Struthers has been an active philanthropist, serving as a spokesperson for the Christian Children’s Fund and International Correspondence Schools. She has frequently emphasized the importance of compassion and community support.