Sally Struthers Says She Was ‘Fat-Shamed’ by Betty White, Calls Her a ‘Very Passive-Aggressive Woman’

Mar. 15, 2025

Sally Struthers in 2016 (left); Betty White in 2011 (right).Photo:Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Bob Riha, Jr./Getty

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Bob Riha, Jr./Getty

Sally Struthers is opening up about some negative memories ofBetty White.On the Jan. 13 episode ofLet’s Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti, the 77-year-old actress spoke about some of her past interactions with White, who died in 2021 at 99 years old.TheAll in the Familystar told the hosts that the house used for the exterior of theGolden Girlshouse was “up the street” from where she lived in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. Then, she said that “now that she’s gone,” she wanted to talk about White.“I know everybody loves her. They loved her so much,” Struthers said. “They signed petitionsto get her to guest hostSaturday Night Live. I know all that. I didn’t have such a great experience with her.” She called her a “very passive-aggressive woman.”Sally Struthers in 2018.Maury Phillips/GettyTheGilmore Girlsactress said that once, she went to White’s house to work on a pilot for a new game show. White asked her housekeeper to bring them something to eat.“Then the plate was set in the middle and it was cookies, I think,” Struthers said. “So I reached for a cookie and she said in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you dear, you don’t need a cookie.’ ”The hosts were shocked. “Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room,” Struthers said. “And I thought, ‘Gosh, that’s not nice.’ ”Struthers had much more positive memories of anotherGolden Girlsstar, however:Bea Arthur. Arthur guest-starred onAll in the Familyduring the show’s second season as Maude, the cousin of Jean Stapleton’s Edith Bunker.The cast of ‘All in the Family.’ From left: Rob Reiner, Jean Stapleton, Carroll O’Connor and Sally Struthers.CBS/Getty“Bea Arthur comes in and she’s a force of nature,” Struthers told the hosts of the star,who died in 2009 at age 86. She remembered that before filming an episode, the cast would do a run-through for the producers and people from the network. “Sometimes they’d look up. But you couldn’t count on them for a lot of laughs ‘cause they were too busy making sure we said the words that were on the page.”But Arthur was “filthier than a drunken sailor” and “put all sorts of expletives in her lines to shock these men,” the actress shared. Arthur ended up starring as Maude in an eponymousAll in the Familyspin-off before joiningGolden Girls.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Struthers also told the hosts that she would often run into Arthur at the grocery store and end up laughing with her in the aisles. “She would trash everyone we ever knew," the actress remembered. “I loved how filthy she was.“Struthers, who won two Emmys forAll in the Family, most recently starred inA Man on the Insidewith Ted Danson. She also starred as Babette onGilmore Girlsand has worked widely as a voice actress on series includingDinosaursandTaleSpin,in addition to a recent theatrical production ofAn Old-Fashioned Family Murder.

Sally Struthers is opening up about some negative memories ofBetty White.

On the Jan. 13 episode ofLet’s Talk About That! With Larry Saperstein and Jacob Bellotti, the 77-year-old actress spoke about some of her past interactions with White, who died in 2021 at 99 years old.

TheAll in the Familystar told the hosts that the house used for the exterior of theGolden Girlshouse was “up the street” from where she lived in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. Then, she said that “now that she’s gone,” she wanted to talk about White.

“I know everybody loves her. They loved her so much,” Struthers said. “They signed petitionsto get her to guest hostSaturday Night Live. I know all that. I didn’t have such a great experience with her.” She called her a “very passive-aggressive woman.”

Sally Struthers in 2018.Maury Phillips/Getty

Maury Phillips/Getty

TheGilmore Girlsactress said that once, she went to White’s house to work on a pilot for a new game show. White asked her housekeeper to bring them something to eat.

“Then the plate was set in the middle and it was cookies, I think,” Struthers said. “So I reached for a cookie and she said in front of everyone, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you dear, you don’t need a cookie.’ ”

The hosts were shocked. “Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room,” Struthers said. “And I thought, ‘Gosh, that’s not nice.’ ”

Struthers had much more positive memories of anotherGolden Girlsstar, however:Bea Arthur. Arthur guest-starred onAll in the Familyduring the show’s second season as Maude, the cousin of Jean Stapleton’s Edith Bunker.

The cast of ‘All in the Family.’ From left: Rob Reiner, Jean Stapleton, Carroll O’Connor and Sally Struthers.CBS/Getty

CBS/Getty

“Bea Arthur comes in and she’s a force of nature,” Struthers told the hosts of the star,who died in 2009 at age 86. She remembered that before filming an episode, the cast would do a run-through for the producers and people from the network. “Sometimes they’d look up. But you couldn’t count on them for a lot of laughs ‘cause they were too busy making sure we said the words that were on the page.”

But Arthur was “filthier than a drunken sailor” and “put all sorts of expletives in her lines to shock these men,” the actress shared. Arthur ended up starring as Maude in an eponymousAll in the Familyspin-off before joiningGolden Girls.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Struthers also told the hosts that she would often run into Arthur at the grocery store and end up laughing with her in the aisles. “She would trash everyone we ever knew,” the actress remembered. “I loved how filthy she was."

Struthers, who won two Emmys forAll in the Family, most recently starred inA Man on the Insidewith Ted Danson. She also starred as Babette onGilmore Girlsand has worked widely as a voice actress on series includingDinosaursandTaleSpin,in addition to a recent theatrical production ofAn Old-Fashioned Family Murder.

source: people.com