The Truth About Betty White And Bob Barker's Strained Relationship
Lifestyle News
By SHANA ABORN
Bob Barker was known as a host and for his passion for animal rights, something he shared with Betty White. However, the two were at odds with each other.
The tension between them was created over a (literally) huge animal issue — a disagreement over an elephant that estranged them for the remainder of their lives.
Per NBC’s "Today," in 2009, the Los Angeles Zoo was expanding the living space for an Asian elephant, Billy. Barker protested the project, while White supported it.
She told Smithsonian Magazine, "So many people have a closed mind on zoos. They think no animal should be in captivity." She said zoos help animals and their dwindling population.
The controversy over Billy drove a wedge between Barker and White. He fought to have Billy transferred to a sanctuary, while she argued the zoo was giving him appropriate care.
White allegedly offered him an olive branch in the form of a birthday gift and note, but Barker was unmoved. The two never reconciled before their deaths.