Rue McClanahan, the Emmy-winning actress best known as “Blanche” on the TV series The Golden Girls of the 1980s, died June 3. She was 76.

The show was a favorite of mine back then and remains so to this day. I catch reruns whenever I can (despite objections from my boyfriend).

The four women on that show were strong, talented and funny. Estelle Getty (a.k.a. “Sophia”) died first, then Bea Arthur (a.k.a. “Dorothy”) and now Rue McClanahan.

The last girl standing is Betty White (a.k.a. “Rose”) and she’s back in vogue, recently hosting Saturday Night Live after a grassroots campaign on Facebook to draft her as a host.

One of the many things I loved and still love about the show is how it wasn’t afraid to handle the social issues of its day, including sex, condoms and HIV.

In this YouTube video, Rose is waiting for the results of an HIV test with her friends. It starts with Blanche giving Rose some advice:


Rue McClanahan, rest in peace.