Norman Lear, 97, Wishes Betty White a Happy 98th Birthday Full of ‘Love and Affection and Respect’

Now that Betty White will soon be turning 98, plenty of notable faces have been sending her kind words — especially actor Norman Lear, who had a beautiful message for the iconic star.

“If we knew each other we’d be good friends, I’m confident of it. But life hasn’t brought us together very much,” Norman, 97, exclusively told Closer Weekly while at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour 2020 for Pop’s One Day at a Time. “I wish her 98 years of love and affection and respect and all the things she’s earned all her life.” Sweet!

The All in the Family alum has had quite the amazing career, just like Betty. And while he’s a year younger than his counterpart, he is already looking forward to turning triple digits. “I’m focusing on 97 and I am honing in on a hundred,” the TV legend told Closer exclusively at the 2019 Britannia Awards in Beverly Hills on October 25. “I want to see your smile when you’re talking to me at a hundred.” Along the way, Norman has reeled in plenty of wisdom.

“I’ve learned two little words we don’t pay enough attention to. Those are ‘over’ and ‘next,'” Norman explained. “When something is over, it’s over and we’re on to the next. If there was a hammock in the middle of those two words, that would be the best definition I know of living in the moment. So, I’m grateful for this moment together and we’re going to the next.”

As for the Golden Girls alum, we’re sure she’s just as happy to be turning another year older — just like she did in 2019. “Betty is just very thankful for her life, for all the TV shows she’s been a part of, for the friends that she’s made, and that she can rightly feel she’s made a difference in the world through her charitable work,” a close friend told Closer at the time. “You never get the sense that Betty would change a thing.”

Always great to know two legends are still doing great!

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