Betty White, Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan better known and loved as the Golden Girls are getting a lot of bad press lately. The trio was not at the other member of the Golden Girls Estelle Getty’s funeral. Getty who bravely suffered from advanced dementia for many years died at her home in Hollywood on July 22.

“We were with Estelle when it mattered,” Betty tells ET. “I didn’t go to her funeral and Paul, her wonderful caretaker, knew I wasn’t going to her funeral.”

Betty, a feisty 86, claims that Estelle would have been angry if they had shown up. As they would have attracted even further tabloid coverage. Since they were very close to Getty you would think they would know and understand her.

“Funerals are about [journalism] … who was there and who wasn’t? That’s not about Estelle,” Betty says. “We adored her. To tell you the truth, her passing is tough on us, but it’s a blessing for her. She’s been so ill for so long, she’s in a better place now, wherever she is.”

Funerals in general are not a fun place to be and at one of a close friend it is even worse. Let’s face it at the age the “Girls” are now I am sure they spend a whole lot of time going to funerals. So let’s cut them some slack on this, my motto is bring me flowers while I can enjoy them and not when I can’t.

[ETOnLine]