September 21, 2024

Betty White Jokes About Her 99th Birthday: ‘I Can Stay Up as Late as I Want’

Betty White #BettyWhite

Betty White smiling for the camera: Kelsey McNeal/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Betty White © Provided by People Kelsey McNeal/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Betty White

For Betty White, turning 99 means no one can tell her when it’s bedtime.

“Since I am turning 99, I can stay up as late as I want without asking permission,” the award-winning actress and comedian, who turns 99 on Sunday, told The Associated Press.

To celebrate her big day, White plans to feed a pair of ducks that regularly visit her Los Angeles home. Later on, she’ll enjoy a hot dog and French fries from her longtime friend and agent, Jeff Witjas, who will also come handy with a bouquet of roses, the AP reported.

Betty White smiling for the camera © Kelsey McNeal/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Betty White

RELATED: Betty White Preps for 99th Birthday and Says a ‘Sense of Humor’ Keeps Her Forever Young

a person in a striped shirt and smiling at the camera: Getty Betty White © Provided by People Getty Betty White

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, ahead of her birthday, White shared tips on how she manages to always stay positive and find the bright side of life.

“I don’t like the other side,” said White. “The positive side is a lot more fun.”

For more on Betty White, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.

With a career that has spanned over eight decades and counting, including roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls, as well as countless talk show and game show appearances, White has become an example of how to live well and live long.

“I am blessed with good health,” she said, “so turning 99 is no different than turning 98.”

Betty White et al. sitting at a park: Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank Betty White in The Golden Girls © Provided by People Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank Betty White in The Golden Girls

RELATED: Betty White, 98, ‘Doing Very Well’ amid Coronavirus Pandemic: ‘We Always Have Laughs,’ Rep Says

White also told PEOPLE that while her birthday will be low-key this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, she is looking forward to “visiting with close friends and bringing food to my animal friends” once normal life resumes.

And as the beloved icon nears the century mark, she shares the one thing that keeps her going: “a sense of humor.”

“Don’t take yourself too seriously,” she said. “You can lie to others — not that I would — but you cannot lie to yourself.”

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