Kiersten Mikelas to remember Betty White with fans at Golden-Con
Thu. March 9, 2023 10:48 AM by Ross Forman
kiersten mikelas with betty white
photo credit // provided
Golden-Con, ‘Golden Girls’ fan convention, March 31-April 2 in Chicago
Golden-Con has landed a golden guest.
Yep, the second-annual fan convention celebrating everything Golden Girls-related booked Kiersten Mikelas, who was Betty White’s executive assistant and friend for the final 10 years of White’s life, to appear and speak on both Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, GoPride.com has learned exclusively.
Golden-Con: Thank You For Being A Fan runs March 30 – April 2 at the Sheraton Grand Riverwalk in downtown Chicago.
“It’s unlikely we’ll ever find anyone for Golden-Con who was closer to Betty White than Kiersten Mikelas,” said event co-producer Brendan Balof. “We’re fans of ‘The Golden Girls’ and the actresses who portrayed them. Since they’re not here to tell their stories from the Golden-Con stage, we look to the people who were close to them and loved them to do that, like Rue McClanahan’s sister, Melinda McClanahan; or Bea Arthur’s longtime assistant, Dan Watt; or Estelle Getty’s longtime assistant and friend, Richard Weaver.
“Kiersten gives us a direct connection to our beloved Betty White.”
During planning for last year’s inaugural Golden-Con, the three event organizers – Brendan Balof, Bradley Balof and Zack Hudson – saw the documentary “Betty White: A Celebration," which was re-released to movie theatres shortly after Betty White’s death. “We saw Betty White joking around with Kiersten and Kiersten helping Betty White memorize lines on TV sets and generally caring for Betty White. From that moment, Kiersten was on the top of our list of folks we really wanted to bring in for Golden-Con,” said Bradley Balof.
Hudson said he made some half-hearted attempts at reaching Mikelas and Betty White’s agent for the 2022 Golden-Con because “it (would) mean so much to us and the fans,” Hudson said. Nothing materialized.
Then, a Boston-area fan, Todd Weeks, reached out urging Golden-Con to book Mikelas. And he ultimately shared a contact email for Mikelas, further hoping Golden-Con would book Mikelas. Weeks reported he communicates with her through social media.
Organizers in early-March finally landed Mikelas.
“We really owe it all to Todd,” Hudson said. “Golden-Con was created by fans in service to fans. Todd wins the Golden-Con Fan of the Year Award, as far as I’m concerned.
“Kiersten Mikelas’ mission (is now) preserving and uplifting Betty White’s unique legacy of achievement, philanthropy and comedy. She’ll take the Golden-Con stage to share memories and details of her work-life and close relationship with Betty White, who Mikelas says was ‘exactly everything you think she would have been.’”
For tickets and more information visit: thankyouforbeingafan.com
Yep, the second-annual fan convention celebrating everything Golden Girls-related booked Kiersten Mikelas, who was Betty White’s executive assistant and friend for the final 10 years of White’s life, to appear and speak on both Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, GoPride.com has learned exclusively.
Golden-Con: Thank You For Being A Fan runs March 30 – April 2 at the Sheraton Grand Riverwalk in downtown Chicago.
“It’s unlikely we’ll ever find anyone for Golden-Con who was closer to Betty White than Kiersten Mikelas,” said event co-producer Brendan Balof. “We’re fans of ‘The Golden Girls’ and the actresses who portrayed them. Since they’re not here to tell their stories from the Golden-Con stage, we look to the people who were close to them and loved them to do that, like Rue McClanahan’s sister, Melinda McClanahan; or Bea Arthur’s longtime assistant, Dan Watt; or Estelle Getty’s longtime assistant and friend, Richard Weaver.
“Kiersten gives us a direct connection to our beloved Betty White.”
During planning for last year’s inaugural Golden-Con, the three event organizers – Brendan Balof, Bradley Balof and Zack Hudson – saw the documentary “Betty White: A Celebration," which was re-released to movie theatres shortly after Betty White’s death. “We saw Betty White joking around with Kiersten and Kiersten helping Betty White memorize lines on TV sets and generally caring for Betty White. From that moment, Kiersten was on the top of our list of folks we really wanted to bring in for Golden-Con,” said Bradley Balof.
Hudson said he made some half-hearted attempts at reaching Mikelas and Betty White’s agent for the 2022 Golden-Con because “it (would) mean so much to us and the fans,” Hudson said. Nothing materialized.
Then, a Boston-area fan, Todd Weeks, reached out urging Golden-Con to book Mikelas. And he ultimately shared a contact email for Mikelas, further hoping Golden-Con would book Mikelas. Weeks reported he communicates with her through social media.
Organizers in early-March finally landed Mikelas.
“We really owe it all to Todd,” Hudson said. “Golden-Con was created by fans in service to fans. Todd wins the Golden-Con Fan of the Year Award, as far as I’m concerned.
“Kiersten Mikelas’ mission (is now) preserving and uplifting Betty White’s unique legacy of achievement, philanthropy and comedy. She’ll take the Golden-Con stage to share memories and details of her work-life and close relationship with Betty White, who Mikelas says was ‘exactly everything you think she would have been.’”
For tickets and more information visit: thankyouforbeingafan.com