New York, November 22, 2005 – We’ve told you before how cultured New Yorkers are, regularly packing readings and signings by today’s leading authors, artists and thinkers. But even we were surprised at the crowd that turned out to get Betty White, Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan to sign the newly released DVD of season 3 of The Golden Girls, their iconic 1980s sitcom.

The lines in the Barnes & Noble bookstore in (where else?) Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood wound through the entire store and out the other end. Security was forced to lock the doors, so unlucky throngs of fans gathered on the sidewalks. Cheers, whistles and applause broke out as the ladies made their way through the crowd, arriving about 30 minutes late.

As things got underway, we all waited breathlessly when Betty White announced, “Now I’m going to do something really shocking”. Then, she put on her glasses.

At first we thought Bea Arthur was overcome with emotion at the outpouring of love, when she rummaged in her purse, pulled out a tissue, and put it to her face, but it seems she just had to blow her nose.

And you thought culture was dead.