Rated: PG (Discussion of divorce and sexual situations)
Set: October 15th, 1977, between filming of 1093 and 1094
It surprised Betty White when her friend Brett Somers was sitting alone in the back of the employee lounge area where their lunch was held. Or maybe it shouldn’t have, given the comment that contestant Denise said to her. Betty was seething herself, although she was professional enough not to show it on the air. How could that contestant be so rude? Bringing up Brett’s ex-husband Jack Klugman running around with some blonde at the Hollywood Race Track was tacky, short-sighted, and just plain mean.
What an introduction! Betty grumped to herself as she filled a plate with food in the Green Room. Denise probably thought she was tossing out some juicy little tidbit a girlfriend told her to pass on. She may not have realized how contentious and difficult Brett and Jack’s separation had been, or how hard it was on Brett…but that didn’t mean she should have said it in the first place.
It didn’t escape her that the only person who matched Denise was TV talk show hostess Sarah Purcell, who didn’t know Brett well. In fact, Denise’s first answer to the question about what hot object the barber had used on a customer had been rather good. Her second answer was terrible, though. Betty normally wasn’t a fan of sitting in the sixth seat, but in this case, she was glad to send Denise on her way.
Betty managed to manipulate the heavy tray through the lines of people in the lounge area waiting to fill their plates with beef stroganoff and chicken a la king. “Penny for your thoughts?” She said jauntily to Brett as she sat down next to her. “The chicken a la king looks excellent. I thought the beef was a bit on the gloppy side.”
“Huh? Oh.” Brett barely looked up from pushing her food around on her plate. “Hi, Betty. What brings you here?”
“You.” Betty slid into the chair next to her. “Are you alright? Everyone heard what that lady said onstage…”
Her friend’s depressed countenance darkened instantly. “What that damn ass does is his own business. If he wants to run after blondes, what do I care? I obviously don’t mean anything to him anymore.”
“Brett.” Betty put her hand on her friend’s, her face heavy with concern. “She may not have meant any harm, but she did hurt you. You and Jack were married for eighteen years, Brett. That’s a long time to be together. Now, I haven’t known you that whole time, but I do know you’re more sensitive than you want to admit.”
“I thought,” Brett muttered softly to her chicken, “that we loved each other. That he loved me. At least, until the last couple of years. After we moved to California and I had Adam, he sort of seemed to settle down. Once we got here, though, we just…all we ever did was argue. I thought I was happy taking care of the boys, but I guess I was really bored.”
“Brett, don’t blame yourself.” Betty didn’t like the haunted look in her friend’s dark eyes. “Jack’s got a healthy appetite for just about everything, including sex. He did suggest you for this show, after all. He wanted you to get out.”
She pushed her chicken a la king around. “I needed to get out, and I knew darn well what he was saying about me on this show.”
“You’re doing a lot better, though.” Betty picked up the salt and added it to her bland chicken. “All jokes aside, I think you’ve done great on the show. You’ve won some people money, haven’t you? And you have a regular job, which is more than Jack can say right now. He’s just doing those Quincy movies for NBC. I’ve heard that they might be picked up for a full series, but it’s not a sure thing.”
Brett took a long swig from her glass of vodka. “And I wouldn’t give up this for the world. Helping these people win money and tossing out jokes with you and Charles keeps me sane. My boys are getting older. Dave will be in college next year. They don’t need me like they used to. These people still need me. And you, and Charles, and even Dickie…Richard.”
Betty put a hand on her shoulder. “I know how you feel. My first marriage didn’t work out. We were young, and he wanted a traditional little wife. At least Jack understood that you wanted to work. He encouraged you. He’s the one who got you this job.”
“And that’s one of the only things I’m grateful for nowadays.” Brett sighed. “If Jack hadn’t suggested me for this job, I don’t know what I would have done. Gone crazy, probably. He thought I was just getting out of the house. I don’t think he expected me to make a career out of it.” She managed a few spoonfuls of chicken. “Where’s Allen? I’m surprised he’s not watching the show.”
“He’s filming Liar’s Club at Metromedia Studios.” She grinned. “I was going to meet him for cocktails after filming. How’d you like to come with us? You could bring Charles or Nipsey.”
“Nipsey told me earlier he has to get to Lake Tahoe for a show.” Brett smirked. “I know for a fact that Charles is between boyfriends at the moment. Bet he’d love to get out and do something. I’ll ask him before shooting starts.” She smiled and put an arm on her friend’s shoulder. “Thanks, Betty. I guess I needed an ear to bend.”
“Anytime. My ear is always open.” She took both their plates. “I think we’d better get back to the studio. Ira will have an aneurysm if we’re late.”
“He’s had enough lately.” Brett left her glass in a bin and grabbed a bottle of club soda and a cup. “I don’t think Dickie’s forgiven him for the School Riot incident. What was Ira thinking? If he matched Ed and me, he should have matched all of us. If Charles and I hadn’t come up with the 'victims' bit on the stairs, the audience might have started scaling the walls.”
Betty made a face and took her own club soda. “I’m glad I missed that. Patti Deustch told me about that. She was terrified to even hold up her answer, poor woman. Considering Ira’s never been especially consistent with the rules, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s not the last time he and Richard clash over them.”
“I just hope they don’t cause any more trouble. I don’t think I can handle another riot.” Brett put an arm around Betty. “Come on. Let’s go help these people win some money.”
Betty nodded…but noticed that the smile didn’t quite reach Brett’s eyes. “Yeah. Maybe we’ll even find Charles a man.”
“Oh honey,” Brett smirked, “I think it’s years too late for that.”
Betty chuckled as they headed off. She was glad to see her friend smiling again. Brett deserves better, she thought. And she does have better. She has us.
