Watch Betty White's Off Their Rockers
- TV-14
- 2012
- 4 Seasons
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7.1 (1,267)
Betty White's Off Their Rockers is a hidden camera reality show that premiered on NBC in 2012. The show stars Betty White, who is the executive producer, and a team of senior citizens who pull pranks on younger people. Michael Yama, Richard Reicheg, Lou Beatty Jr., Lou Cutell, and Christopher McDaniel are the other senior citizens who are featured in the show. The show is based on the British series called "Benidorm Bastards," which was also broadcast in six other countries before it was adapted for American audiences. Betty White's Off Their Rockers is hosted by White herself, who introduces each segment and provides witty commentary throughout the show. In each episode, the senior citizens, who are all over the age of 65, are hidden cameras and set up pranks on unsuspecting younger people. The pranks are designed to emphasize the fact that seniors are not as helpless or frail as society often portrays them to be. The pranks are diverse and cover a wide range of scenarios from getting tattooed to participating in a dating show. One particular prank involved a senior citizen sitting on a bench in a park with a sign that read âfeeling lonely, need a hug.â When unsuspecting younger people offer to hug him, he grabs them and clings to them tightly while his fellow senior citizens watch and laugh from a distance. Other pranks, such as seniors pretending to be roller derby athletes and offering young people dance lessons, all share a similar theme of seniors pushing past societal expectations and having fun. The show highlights the importance of not discounting the abilities and energy of seniors. The humor of the show stems from the irony of having senior citizens perform outrageous pranks and antics. The show also encourages seniors to live life to the fullest and not take themselves too seriously. Betty White's Off Their Rockers was praised for being funny, but also for promoting social awareness. It broke down ageist stereotypes by highlighting seniors performing incredibly funny and daring stunts. The show was particularly successful because of the natural comedic talent of Betty White and the other senior citizens featured on the show. One of the most popular segments on the show was called âAsk a Granny," where a group of senior citizens would provide comedic answers to questions submitted by young people. The segment was popular because it highlighted the wisdom that comes with age, as well as the humor that can be found in older people. Another segment that received acclaim was called âThe Golden Oldie Awards," which parodied the Academy Awards. Betty White would present awards to seniors who had accomplished amazing feats, like a 90-year-old who still teaches tap dancing, a 95-year-old who serves as a volunteer firefighter, or an 85-year-old who still teaches yoga. The show also featured guest appearances by famous celebrities like Rob Schneider, who played the role of a drug dealer in one particular segment. Schneiderâs guest appearance was particularly noteworthy because he helped attract a younger audience to the show. Other celebrity guest stars included Ed Asner and Florence Henderson. Despite receiving critical acclaim and a loyal fan base, Betty White's Off Their Rockers was canceled by NBC after two seasons. However, the show was later picked up by Lifetime for a third season, which aired in 2014. The final season of the show aired on the Lifetime network in 2017. Betty White's Off Their Rockers was a refreshing, entertaining show that took a unique approach to exploring senior citizen culture. The show challenged stereotypes by portraying seniors as capable, active, and hilarious. Betty White's Off Their Rockers was a great reminder that humor, vitality, and playfulness donât have to fade away with age.
