Old Ladies Are Awesome: Cloris Leachman Vs. Betty White

Yesterday, Fox announced that it had picked up two more episodes this season of Raising Hope, along with an additional two episodes of New Girl and The Mindy Project, bringing all three seasons up to 24 episodes. Unfortunately, Ben and Kate’s episode total remains at 19, which makes it the most likely to be replaced at mid-season by Goodwin Games. The pick up for Raising Hope is great news for a show that — like Suburgatory on ABC — is quietly successful, warm-hearted, well written, and funny, but that doesn’t get much attention. Raising Hope, however, is consistently good, and much of that success can be attributed to Cloris Leachman, who has had a hell of a season so far.

The thing about Leachman, however, is that she’s been living under the shadow of Betty White for years now. I don’t know what was in the water over on The Mary Tyler Moore show in the 1970s, but it’s remarkable that two women from that show have managed to survive — and thrive — well into their senior years (not to mention Mary Moore Moore herself, who is 78). Leachman is 86 years old, and the only reason she doesn’t get as much attention for being a working 86 year old in a weekly sitcom is Betty White, who is 90 and also still working, on both Hot in Cleveland and that reality show, Betty White’s Off Her Rocker (please don’t let that be her last credit).

Nobody should have to choose between Betty White and Cloris Leachman, of course, because they’re both spectacular grannies. But Leachman at least deserves to be appreciated in the same breath as Betty White, so consider this a Betty and Cloris appreciation post. Here’s a few pictorial reasons why both ladies kick endless amounts of ass.