The passing of Ed Asner this past weekend sent the internet reeling about the loss of yet another iconic legend in the world of classic television. Within hours, Betty White was trending, sending fans into a frenzy about the status of her heath. Don't worry, she's fine, and due to turn 100 years old in January. For Audacy's Kevin Klein & Ally Johnson, this was an opportunity to change the course of the future as we know it.
So guys... should we clone Betty White? It's possible, and actually somewhat affordable.
"Anytime someone legendary dies, immediately it's like hold on, we MUST save Betty White," Kevin Klein said as he greeted Melain Rodriguez, client services manager of Viagen Pets, a cloning facility catered mainly to people looking to replicate their fur babies. Ally Johnson posed the question "and we were wondering, can we start the process with you with cloning Betty White? Because we really shouldn't live in a world without [her] and maybe by the time she dies we can have a new one ready to go."
Click here to hear the full conversation on KROQ with Viagen Pets about cloning Betty White.
Rodriguez didn't shoot down the idea. Sure, there would be legal hoops to go through, but, "the technology is there. It's a similar technique for each different species, so in theory could a human be cloned? Maybe!" She then explained exactly what we'd need and it didn't seem... too impossible. "You'd need an egg, and you need a cell. In theory you'd need a skin biopsy from Betty White."
Has human cloning been done before? Technically not, and the process is controversial. But as Klein pointed out, between the advancements in technology and the unanimous support of the people "she would be the perfect person to be the first human clone on the planet." When asked how much it would cost, Rodriguez had an answer on the ready. "Ten million dollars." Totally doable.
So there you have it. Ten million dollars is a small price to pay to never live in a world without Betty White. Rodriguez also pointed out that when cloned, Betty White would start as a baby. Anyone looking to adopt a real life golden girl?
Voice your support for the cloning of Betty White by reaching out to @strykerandklein. If this thing has legs, a GoFundMe campaign is just around the corner.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram