Bob Saget's Poignant Tribute To Betty White Has New Significance
After the news broke that Bob Saget died in a Florida hotel room, fans were devastated. According to News 4 Jax, many fans, especially those who grew up watching Saget as Danny Tanner on "Full House," viewed him as "America's dad."
Saget's wholesome, hands-on parenting on "Full House" spoke to children of the '80s and '90s who loved watching him as a single father of three young girls. Even though he was only their father on screen, the actresses who played his daughters felt a close bond with him.
When news of his death broke, Candace Bure, who played his daughter DJ Tanner, tweeted (via the New York Post): "I don't know what to say. I have no words. Bob was one of the best humans beings I've ever known in my life. I loved him so much."
After the death of Betty White, whom many fans called "America's grandma," fans were shattered to have lost their favorite on-screen father figure, too.
What makes these two losses even harder to digest is the fact that, just before his own death, Saget penned a heartfelt message in honor of the late White.
Bob Sage's heartfelt message is heartbreaking now
After Betty White's death, Bob Saget took to Instagram to write a heartfelt tribute to the "Golden Girls" actress, per The Sun. "This amazing woman was exactly who you wanted her to be... Razor-sharp wit, smart, kind, hilarious, sincere, and so full of love."
At the end of the tribute, he wrote a message that is now tragic, given he would soon die himself (via Access). "She always said the love of her life was her husband, Allen Ludden, who she lost in 1981. Well, if things work out by Betty's design — in the afterlife, they are reunited."
Saget added: "I don't know what happens when we die, but if Betty says you get to be with the love of your life, then I happily defer to Betty on this. My deepest condolences to her family and friends."
The comedian also shared some sweet — and quite funny — stories about White as well as his admiration of her.
The comedian had admired Betty White since he was a teen
It's comforting to think that Bob Saget and Betty White — two beloved performers who entertained generations of audiences on the small screen and who passed within a little over a week of each other — are enjoying a comedic afterlife as "America's dad" and "America's grandma."
Before Saget's shocking death, he shared via social media that his admiration of White went back to his teenage years when he was in awe of her comedic timing and professionalism as "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."
"From the first time I snuck into 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' at 15 years old and watched her hit everything she said out of the park, to decades later, getting to hang out with her on several occasions, I had a small peek into what a remarkable talent and human being Betty was," Saget wrote on Instagram.
Years later, he would get the chance to find out exactly how funny she was when he had also made it in showbiz.
Bob Saget's and Betty White's humor will live on
Bob Saget had a dream-come-true experience when he got to travel with Betty White, a woman he had admired since his youth, when they both were on an ABC promotional tour and flew on the same plane.
He shared his memory of that trip after White's death, and it illustrated the love they both had for laughter as well as their similar senses of humor.
"We were on an ABC jet once for a junket and I was sitting across from her, both of us sipping Bloody Marys," Saget recalled on Instagram.
"We had been laughing for hours — I looked into her eyes and faux romantically said, 'How 'bout it, Betty, you and me in the bathroom? Mile High Club?' She answered me before I had a chance to finish the invite — 'Of course, Bob, you go in there first and I'll meet you as soon as I finish my drink.' And then of course she went right to sipping from her straw. I waited in that bathroom for over two hours. (That would be the joke on a joke part, in case you take things literally.)"
America and the world lost two great shining stars as 2021 ended and 2022 began. Thankfully, their years of comedic work will live on forever, making us all laugh for years to come thanks to the magic of the medium they both loved so much: television.