Gillian Brockell, The Washington Post ; ‘Live with it’: Betty White defied racist demands in 1954
"White made a career playing sweet characters with hidden — and hilarious — grit, and that quality goes all the way back to her first televised variety show, where, as the host and producer, she defied racist demands to get rid of Duncan because he was Black.
Her response?
“Live with it."...
“And all through the South, there was this whole ruckus,” White remembered in the doc. “They were going to take our show off the air if we didn’t get rid of Arthur, because he was Black.”
“People in the South resented me being on the show, and they wanted me thrown out,” Duncan agreed. “But there was never a question at all.”
“I said, ‘I’m sorry, but, you know, he stays,’ ” she said. “‘Live with it.’ ”"
