"Golden Girls" star Bea Arthur is beloved by gays--but reveals it's a mystery to her.

"I don't know why I'm a gay icon," says Bea, a smile lighting up her face.

"I often try to figure it out, but I think a lot of it is that I have been very supportive of any and all antidiscriminatory measures that come up periodically, and of course, I have been very active in AIDS benefits," the activist actress told an interviewer.

Showing her humor is still intact at age 79, TV's Maude added, "I really felt that when Judy Garland left, I took over."

The unsinkable Bea Arthur has been touring in a one-woman show, "Just Between Friends," delighting audiences around the world.

Nearly 5-foot-10, Bea's physical and emotional power, deep resonant voice and fearless approach to life also make her an audience favorite--among gays and straights.

In her early stage days, she played many classic heroines and demonstrated her absolute dedication to her craft.

"My training has been total," she quips. "I've done everything except stag movies and rodeos."