134: Rose Nylund vs. the Stigma of AIDS
“72 Hours” (February 17, 1990)
We figured the only proper way to start this season would be to say goodbye to Betty White — and a great way to do that would be to discuss a Golden Girls episode where Rose takes an HIV test. Not only does it showcase a wider range of Betty’s acting chops, but it’s also a great kickoff to a new sort of episode we’ll be covering on GEE in the future: very special episodes about HIV and AIDS. Even if there are no LGBT characters in this episode, the subject matter hit home for the community — and the fact that so many AIDS/HIV episodes revolved around the heterosexual experience of the disease is itself very telling.
Goodbye, Betty. You will be missed.
Read NPR’s piece “What The Golden Girls Taught Us About AIDS”
“Why Was HIV/AIDS Never Discussed on Will & Grace?”
The episode of Date With the Angels we discuss is “Brown Derby” — worthwhile watching for diehard Betty White completionists
The pilot to the Alfred Molina series Ladies Man, with a stacked female cast that included Betty, is also on YouTube
Listen to our previous AIDS episode, “Julia Sugarbaker Plans a Gay Funeral”
Listen to our previous Golden Girls episodes:
Episode artwork designed by Ian O’Phelan.