PRAISING MARION...

As the Buzz over her appearance as host of "Saturday Night Live" rises to its crescendo, Marion "Betty" White says she's "scared to death".

The 88 year-old comedic actor and former television host; this Saturday will become the oldest person to host NBC's iconic late night "live" gag fest. I am happy to note having been among the first to gather courage to sign the FaceBook campaign: "Betty White to Host SNL (Please)" which launched after her "Snickers" commercial co-staring Abe Vigoda aged 89 (Det.Fish on Barney Miller) became a hit and a leading highlight of the 2010 Superbowl football game.

Saturday Night Live producers relented, announcing on March 11th, that Ms White would host the program this Saturday. But, it took some doing. Of the FaceBook campaign, She's been recently quoted: "I couldn't believe it. At first I thought they were putting me on. I told my agent please say thank-you, I appreciate it, but no thank-you." At last count (a few minutes ago) there were 507,587 signatures on that FaceBook page.

Betty White says she's been "blown-away" by all the attention. Along with Rue McLanahan, the two are the only surviving members of the cast of "The Golden Girls" which aired from 1985 to 1992, and is a mainstay in re-runs on several cable television channels the world over. Previously she'd played Sue Ann Niven on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show."

I expect there will be a boost in ratings this weekend for Lorne Micheal's SNL, which wraps its 35th season on May 15th. (Youngster Alec Baldwin, aged 52, will host that one.) As for Betty White and the rest of us who've seen more of the 20th Century then we will ever see of the 21st...I just hope we can stay awake long enough to watch.