In a World Focused on Pro-Aging, Why is "Old" a Trigger Word?

Summary

Gloss Angeles Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: In a World Focused on Pro-Aging, Why is "Old" a Trigger Word?
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Hosts: Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan

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1. Navigating the Devastating LA Fires ([00:38] - [15:17])

A. Personal Impact and Community Resilience
Kirbie and Sara opened the episode by discussing the recent catastrophic fires in Los Angeles, specifically the destruction in the Palisades and Altadena. They shared personal anecdotes about evacuations and the emotional toll of leaving behind cherished belongings.

• Kirbie Johnson ([01:28] - [02:31]):
  “I don’t have a home, I don’t have a ton of things, but I’m grateful for what I do have right now.”

• Sara Tan ([02:33] - [03:30]):
  “It is really devastating. But I know that we will be able to rebuild and bounce back from this because Los Angeles Angelenos are so very strong. But it is going to take a really long time.”

B. The Scale of Destruction
The hosts emphasized the unprecedented scale of the fires, comparing the Palisades' devastation to an entire city like Manhattan and highlighting the ongoing uncertainty regarding casualties and destroyed structures.

• Kirbie Johnson ([03:30] - [04:34]):
  “The Palisades is completely leveled. It looks like a tornado just wiped the whole thing out. It is unfathomable, and it's something that we have never seen before.”

C. Misinformation and Media Responsibility
Kirbie criticized the spread of misinformation regarding the causes of the fires, particularly myths about budget cuts affecting fire services. She urged listeners to verify information before sharing.

• Kirbie Johnson ([04:07] - [06:00]):
  “Please stop sharing misinformation. It doesn’t help anybody. Especially people who are really quick to just share an Instagram or a Twitter tweet without doing the research.”

D. Effective Donation Practices
The conversation shifted to the challenges of donating during such crises. Sara recommended direct support to affected individuals rather than large-scale donations that could impede emergency services.

• Sara Tan ([09:27] - [13:07]):
  “If you know anybody in the LA area that has been affected by this, go to them directly and say, can I send you a Target card? What can I do for you specifically before contributing to larger donation efforts?”

2. Emergency Preparedness Tips ([06:28] - [13:58])

A. Personal Emergency Kits
Kirbie and Sara shared essential tips for emergency preparedness, emphasizing the importance of having a well-stocked emergency kit.

• Kirbie Johnson ([07:05] - [08:48]):
  “Video your home in detail every three to six months. Make sure you know what you have, like the back of your hand. Keep cash readily available... Make sure that you have cash available that you can grab because if electricity goes out, you won’t be able to use your cards.”

• Sara Tan ([09:05] - [10:32]):
  “Preppy (PREPPY) makes such incredible emergency kits. Great for fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes... Make that one of your priorities for the next month.”

B. Practical Recommendations
Additional recommendations included keeping distilled water accessible, maintaining a full gas tank, and ensuring important documents are centralized and easily accessible.

• Kirbie Johnson ([10:32] - [11:54]):
  “Keep distilled water in your car trunk and in a closet in your home... Make sure all your important belongings are in an easy-to-find place.”

3. Transition to Pro-Aging Discussion ([13:58] - [40:13])

A. Introduction to the Term "Old" as a Trigger Word
The hosts introduced the main topic by referencing an op-ed in Allure titled "Old Lady Energy Flexed Its Well-Toned Muscles at the Golden Globes." They delved into the problematic connotations of the term "old" when describing women.

• Kirbie Johnson ([28:14] - [30:52]):
  “When I saw the headline 'old lady energy flexed its well-toned muscles at the Golden Globes,' my initial reaction was, what are we doing?”

B. Analyzing Media Representation and Ageism
Kirbie and Sara analyzed the op-ed's focus on women over 50 in the Golden Globes, highlighting the lack of representation in leading roles and questioning the societal fixation on women's ages.

• Kirbie Johnson ([31:00] - [32:01]):
  “When it comes to getting older, we're told to embrace our age... but younger people telling you to just be grateful is almost patronizing.”

C. Reclaiming the Term "Old"
The conversation centered on the need to reclaim the term "old" for women, contrasting it with the more flattering terms often reserved for men, such as "silver fox."

• Sara Tan ([35:18] - [36:03]):
  “We need this conversation. We need to find a word for women because 'mature' isn’t any better.”

D. Gender Disparities in Age Terminology
They discussed the double standards in language, noting that men are rarely labeled "old" and emphasizing the intersection of ageism and sexism.

• Kirbie Johnson ([36:03] - [37:13]):
  “Brad Pitt and George Clooney are never called old men; they're silver foxes. Why are we focusing on women's ages?”

E. Celebrating Older Women in Media
The hosts praised older actresses like Nicole Kidman and Demi Moore for their continued visibility and representation, advocating for more authentic portrayals of aging women.

• Kirbie Johnson ([36:34] - [37:05]):
  “Celebrating aging means visibility and representation. Women like Nicole Kidman are embodying acceptance and pride in their age.”

4. Concluding Remarks and Forward Action ([40:13] - [42:34])

A. Encouraging Ongoing Dialogue and Support
Kirbie and Sara concluded by urging listeners to engage in meaningful conversations about ageism and to support initiatives that promote positive aging narratives.

• Sara Tan ([40:13] - [40:21]):
  “We need this conversation.”

B. Upcoming Topics and Listener Engagement
The hosts hinted at transitioning back to lighter topics while maintaining the importance of the discussed issues, inviting listener feedback on the reclamation of the term "old."

• Kirbie Johnson ([41:46] - [42:34]):
  “We'd love to know, what do you think? Is 'old lady' ever going to be reclaimed? How do you feel about being called an old lady?”

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Kirbie Johnson ([01:28] - [01:42]):
  “I’m grateful for what I do have right now.”

• Sara Tan ([02:33] - [03:30]):
  “Los Angeles Angelenos are so very strong. But it is going to take a really long time.”

• Kirbie Johnson ([04:07] - [06:00]):
  “Please stop sharing misinformation. It doesn’t help anybody.”

• Sara Tan ([09:27] - [13:07]):
  “Can I send you a Target card? What can I do for you specifically before contributing to larger donation efforts?”

• Kirbie Johnson ([28:14] - [30:52]):
  “When I saw the headline 'old lady energy flexed its well-toned muscles at the Golden Globes,' my initial reaction was, what are we doing?”

• Sara Tan ([35:18] - [36:03]):
  “We need to find a word for women because 'mature' isn’t any better.”

---

Key Takeaways

1. Community Resilience: Despite the devastation caused by the LA fires, the enduring spirit of Los Angeles residents offers hope for rebuilding.
2. Misinformation Vigilance: Accurate information dissemination is crucial during crises to prevent panic and ensure effective response.
3. Effective Support: Direct assistance to affected individuals is more beneficial than broad donations that may hinder emergency efforts.
4. Challenging Ageism: The podcast advocates for reclaiming derogatory terms related to age, especially for women, and calls for more authentic representation in media.
5. Empowerment Through Representation: Highlighting successful older women in media serves as a powerful tool against age-based stereotypes and promotes a positive aging narrative.

This episode of Gloss Angeles masterfully intertwines pressing social issues with community support, offering listeners both emotional insights and practical advice. The hosts' passionate discussion on ageism underscores the ongoing battle against societal biases, advocating for a more inclusive and respectful language surrounding aging.

Transcript

[A]

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[C]

G L A M. Los Angeles.

[D]

Hi, Kirby.

[C]

Hi, Sarah.

[D]

Welcome to Los Angeles.

[C]

I can't even get our own merch. What's. What's up with that?

[D]

It's one of one. It's one of one.

[C]

So incredibly rude because this was the.

[D]

Sample and we decided we didn't like or actually, no. You know what happened? It didn't sell.

[C]

We sold this.

[D]

We did, but then no one bought it. Everyone bought the, like, teal green, pink. But let me. Let me see what I need to do.

[C]

We need to do a red and pink version now.

[D]

We do. We do.

[C]

That would be so good with our.

[D]

With our new logo.

[C]

But I still. Even. This was never our logo. And it's just.

[D]

It's so good. Really good. Oh, Kirby. How you doing, my friend?

[C]

I mean, better than most people, which is. Yeah, something I'm extremely grateful for. I was telling my friends I don't have a home, I don't have a ton of things, but I'm grateful for what I do have right now.

[D]

Yeah. Like.

[C]

And the fact that I have not felt. I did evacuate out an abundance of caution on Wednesday night because of the sunset fire.

[D]

But.

[C]

But I. I mean, it is actually terrifying trying to gather what you deem as important. And I had time.

[D]

Right.

[C]

I mean, I. I was going through basically anything that was important to me was in a clear plastic box that included photos, letters, keepsakes from when I was a kid, whatever. And then I grabbed a few. You know, I grabbed some Quinn stuff that I knew she would need and. And want to have and. And my computer bag. But it's. I mean, how do you even decide what to deem is the most important when you have a five minute evacuation warning order or.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Or less or less.

[D]

Yeah. I don't even know. I mean, I asked Matt. I was like, what would you take? What would you even take? And I'm. It's like my computer, some photos, like passports. But, like, I. At that moment, especially, like, these people who have kids and pets, like, trying to think of, like, what they need or if you need medication. It's just horrible. It's. It's horrible what everyone has had to deal with. And what's crazy to me is that each of us knows at least, like, four or five people or families that have been impacted by this. So it's really just so devastating. And I don't know. I know that we will be able to rebuild and bounce back from this because, you know, Los Angeles Angelenos are so very strong. But it is going to take a really long time.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, I. I do feel confident that we will band together and get through this, but it is. I mean, I. I don't want to sugarcoat anything either. What burned down in the Palisades is equivalent to the entire city of Manhattan burning down? Yeah, more. So. Even. Even more acreage than that.

[D]

And I think the estimations that they are reporting on the news in terms of how many structures and really, really, like, how many people have died. We don't even.

[C]

All preliminary.

[D]

Oh, we have no idea. It's.

[C]

No, it's still.

[D]

Yeah. Because, I mean, this is very grim, obviously, but, like, it's impossibly difficult to identify these people if they have been burned. Some people I know are still missing.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

So, yeah, we don't even. We're not even a week out yet, but we're what, like, five days out? Four or five days out, and we still don't know how many structures were burnt to the ground. It's just. Yeah.

[C]

The Palisades is completely leveled. It looks like a tornado just wiped the whole thing out.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

It is unfathomable, and it's something that we have never. It's unprecedented. That's something that I've been really trying to stress is this is not a normal fire situation. We get fires all the time in Los Angeles. It's. It's the matter of fact that we live in a very dry desert. We've probably built homes in areas that we shouldn't have, quite frankly. Obviously, there are some city infrastructure issues like clearing brush and things like that. That definitely did not happen. That should have happened. But I also think there's been so much misinformation about why this happened that I've been really trying to explain. Not explain, but just share with people. Like, please stop sharing misinformation. It doesn't help anybody I know, Especially.

[D]

People who are really quick to just share, like an Instagram or a Twitter tweet, if that's what we're still calling it, without really even doing the research of, like, where did you hear this information from?

[C]

And unfortunately, there are actual legitimate news sources sharing misinformation, specifically about our fire budget being cut.

[D]

I know.

[C]

Which is actually jaw dropping. I was shocked to see how many different publications that I trust we're sharing stuff like this.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And this is not a political podcast. So we're not going to get into the politics of it all or the nitty gritty of it all. But there just has been a ton of misinformation. So we're trying to keep people's perspective in the right place, which is there are people that are not only needing help right now, but are going to need help for months and years in the future. And so what can we actively be doing to give back? Yeah, I've been sharing a lot of stuff on my Instagram, and I just want to say that, yeah, Kirby is.

[D]

Like the number one fire journalist in Los Angeles at this moment.

[C]

Am I getting into.

[D]

Are you local news reporting? Are you a meteorologist?

[C]

Is this my calling? I don't know. Maybe I'm a new, like. Like Los Angeles on the ground roving reporter in the future. But one thing that I've been seeing from people who have been affected or they're sharing, like, this is what I wish I would have done prior to knowing that I was going to have an evacuation order. So one of the things that sucks is in Los Angeles, specifically when people's insurances, when their policies were ending, their insurance was not letting them renew their fire coverage, which is a whole other bag of worms.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And if you do have any sort of insurance coverage on your home, they're gonna make you break down exactly everything that you had in that home.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

So video your home in detail every three to six months. Make sure you know what you have, like the back of your hand.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Keep cash readily available. My mom, when I first moved to la, she gave me this book that was what to do when shit hits the fan. And the top two things she kept on imparting on in. In me as well as my dad were, was to make sure that you have a wad of cash readily available. Hide it in your sock drawer, hide it in your safe, hide it wherever, but make sure that you have Cash available that you can grab because God forbid electricity goes out, you're not going to be able to get money, you're not going to be able to use your cards. So that's really important. Then also keep your gas tank full. I am notorious for getting to E and just praying to God it works out. But 50%. When you get to 50%, once you get to 50. Yes. The past few years.

[D]

Gotta refill this.

[C]

My dad has been proud of me. I've been filling up. I've never, I haven't gotten to E in a very, very long time because I'm a grown adult. So make sure that you keep your gas tank full. I cannot, you know, express how important that is. Make sure that all of your important belongings are an easy to find place. That means things like your Social Security card, birth certificate, passport, license. Hopefully your license will be on you and your wallet. Yeah, but any type of certificates.

[D]

Exactly. Yeah, we have. I'm looking at ours. It's just like in this, you know, one of those like file boxes we just have all the time. Just because like you said, like, you just when you're in the state of chaos, you don't, you can't think. You just need to move and you just need to.

[C]

You don't want to be looking for this thing that is the utmost important to you.

[D]

Yes, exactly.

[C]

You want to make sure it's all in one centralized location. So outside of the documents, if there's something like a heirloom, a ring, a baby blanket, whatever, keep them all together in the same spot. So, you know, you just run and grab those things and hit the road.

[D]

Yeah. I do want to mention which, we've talked about this brand several times on the pod, but Preppy P R E P R E P P I. If you are just like at a loss for how to build your own emergency kit, they make such incredible emergency kits. I know we obviously are talking about fires, but great for also earthquakes, which, you know, hurricanes. Hurricanes, tornadoes. Things that obviously all of us across the country have to worry about now. Um, we're not going to get into the climate change conversation because like you, Kirby said, we're not going to turn this into a political podcast, but it's real and we need to this our reality and we need to figure it out. So, yeah, Preppy is a great one. Obviously there's many others and I've been seeing so many incredible posts and carousels, like Kirby said, of people who are like, this is what I would have done. This is what I would have Packed. This is what you should. How to build your own. So if you have not done that yet, like make that one of your priorities for, you know, the next month.

[C]

Keep distilled water in your car trunk. Keep it in a closet in your home. I have learned that because of earthquakes, but especially relevant right now when people are being told they're on a boil water notice, you know, it's, it's, there's a lot going on. And then, you know, I would say get a kit not only for your home, but for your car.

[D]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

You never know where you could be.

[D]

And like keep the ones in your home, like by the door.

[C]

Yes. So we have been sharing resources and ways to help. Where to donate, where to donate supplies. I know so many people want to help and that is amazing. But right now what Sarah and I are trying to focus on is making sure that we're not adding to the noise because there is a lot going on here and everybody is so desperate to go and give and donate. But at the same time, I know that these people will eventually get these donations, but it's like people are doing collections and then taking them to like a YMCA or whatever. And it's like, I think that if you know anybody in the LA area that has been affected by this, go to them directly and say, can I send you a target card? Can I. Yeah, can I send you masks? What, like, what can I do for you specifically before going and doing like the bigger. Yeah, supplies and monetary donations elsewhere.

[D]

It's been incredible to see like just everyone I know on Instagram and social media, even people who are not in Los Angeles, like, reaching out, wanting to donate. But like you said, I was watching KTLA this morning and that at the Rose bowl there's that donation center where, you know, literally hundreds of people have been going to drop stuff off at the top of the hour. They were like showcasing how many people have come and like welcoming donations. And then by the like half hour they were like, actually we're closing donations at this time because there's just an influx and actually it was blocking a lot of like emergency fire trucks and things like that, like, you know, to get to the, to, to the places that needed it. But anyways, all that to say there's just this influx of, of things. So like Kirby said, like, if there are like, you know, GoFundMe for families that, you know, or families of friends that, you know that need help, like, it's probably a better idea to just like directly donate at this time and then you know, I think two, three, four, five weeks from now, it's going to get really quiet and people will still need stuff.

[C]

So 100%, it's going to die down and then people are going to be still left wondering, where are they going to live? What are they going to do? What's going on? Obviously, this is a beauty podcast and we're focused on our beauty community. We let our Slack members know if there was anyone affected by these fires. Please get in touch with us directly because we would like to help in any way we can. And then also we're keeping a running list of all of the beauty industry professionals, whether that means an expert, publicist, creator. We have a whole running list of people that we would like to do something for in the future. And we're talking to a variety of different publishers and organizations about doing stuff together. But if you are a brand, you work with the brand. I think one thing that Sarah and I are thinking of is just like, how do we do something that's the most effective?

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Because I see a lot of people right now being like, we want to help experts recurate their kits. And it's like, okay, I think there's not that there's enough, but there's just so many people doing this thing that we want it to be very actionable, impactful way to move forward, and we have big ideas for that. So if you maybe work at a retailer like Sephora or Ulta or Target, Nordstrom and Nordstrom, and you want to get in touch with us, we would love to chat with you about a few things that not only we think would be helpful in situations like this, but would actually probably benefit your business long term. Because, listen, we know how. We know how it works. We know that people want to make money, but at the end of the day, we're willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that people are getting what they want. And my friend Bailey, she was evacuated from the Eaton fires. Thankfully, her house is fine. Thank God. This is like one of my longest standing friends. I've known her since fourth grade. I was terrified that, you know, they. They have this house that they saved up for. And, you know, I think that's the other big misconception. Everyone thinks, oh, well, everyone la is rich. I am not r Sarah. Not rich. No. Most of the people in this city came here to. They had a dream.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

And some of them got really, really lucky. And others are also lucky, but not as rich. And yes. Will Jamie Lee Curtis be okay? Yes. Will Miles Teller And Leighton Meester and Adam Brody be okay.

[D]

Harrison. Harrison Ford.

[C]

Harrison Ford, Paris Hilton. They will all be able to figure things out because they have the means to do so. But I also know these people are also giving back in huge ways. And also, it's not just about the money like these people. I don't think people realize no one's going back to the Palisades. Yeah, they're not going back. And they're not going back to Altadena, where people had homes in their families for generations that were passed down to them. I mean, this is a catastrophic event with catastrophic implications. I cannot stress that enough. So I've really been seeing some terrible, nasty comments about the city of Los Angeles, about, you know, this person and that person. And I guess you're entitled to your opinion, but I would argue that we have an empathy crisis. And I just can't fathom saying anything like that about a person that has literally lost all of their. Everything they own. Every single thing they own is gone.

[D]

I know it's, like, offensive to see these people saying the stupid, stupid. All their conspiracy theories and just. Yeah, really offensive remarks. I think a lot of people, when they see, like, Pasadena, Altadena, obviously, Palisades, Malibu, they think, like Kirby said, like, oh, these people are fine. They're rich. They will rebuild. But like, I was reading something about how Altadena. Altadena has long served as a refuge for black families seeking asylum. They were one of the. The first communities that had integrated schools. These black families were. This is where they built their, you know, their homes, their families is generational wealth. This is all that they had. There's so much rich history. Not to mention, obviously, these houses are, like, over a hundred years old. It's just really, really devastating. And I think it's just so incredibly rude to say anything that would suggest that these people, quote, unquote, deserved it in some way.

[C]

And not just rude. Heartless. Heartless and fucking stupid. Also, that made me feel good.

[D]

No, yeah, I. Rude was a euphemism. Stupid. I hope you all blank. Also, these people who are just carrying around torches around Los Angeles.

[C]

Oh, yeah, we've had arsonists. I mean, truly the bad place.

[D]

Oh, my God. It's literally the scum of the earth has come out.

[C]

And no, I'm like, lock them up.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

100 years minimum. Throw them in there. I don't care. Like, I really think people need to be taught lessons, and this is one of them.

[D]

I was watching KTLA and the reporter said that a house was burning. And there was someone that was, like, picking stuff up and putting it in a bag. And the reporter was like, oh, is this your home? And he's like, no, I just thought that they didn't. They wouldn't want this stuff. And the reporter was like, get out of here. Isn't that crazy?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, it's horrible. And then on top of that, I mean, these are all the bad things. But then we see these stories of, like, firefighters helping these dogs.

[D]

Oh, my God.

[C]

Wildlife. I don't even get me started on the wildlife. I've, like, been sobbing non stop about a skunk on Tick tock and this deer running through the middle of the street. And these dogs. People have lost their dogs, their animals. They weren't able to get back home, and it gets them. And so now I see all of the. Amanda McCants has been posting. Did you lose this dog? It's safe. They have it. You know.

[D]

Oh, my. I saw my. Ryan Mack is a reporter for the New York Times, and he was in Altadena, and he took a photo of a woman who put out water in front of her, you know, what was her home because she couldn't get all of her cats. And so she's hoping water and food, hoping that they'll return. It's just heartbreaking.

[C]

It's heartbreaking because not only, you know, did some of them just truly not survive, but if they did, the smoke inhalation is just too much to bear. So obviously, Los Angeles is. We're grieving. I know people are in shock. I know people are overwhelmed. But if you work in the beauty world, you have power. Please get in touch with us. We are working on something, and we want this to be a long, standing giving back moment versus just like give, give, give right now and then just radio silence in a couple of weeks. So however the show must go on, we know that we are a national podcast, a global podcast, actually. And these fires don't affect a lot of people. And I'm not expecting the world to stop turning, but it is. We are called Los Angeles, for crying out loud. So we did feel like it was okay for us to talk about this at the top of the show. Let's turn it to something a little bit more exciting. A little. Not even exciting, but just funny. Sarah, have you seen Mufasa yet?

[D]

No, but I'm in love with Aaron Pierre. So I will be seeing Mufasa.

[C]

Will you tell me when you go? Because are you gonna go to the theater?

[D]

Probably, because Zoe wants to see it.

[C]

Okay. I have to be with you because there is. There are two songs that have gone viral from this. This movie that I had no desire to see. This movie didn't care. And that teaches me I should never bet against Lin Manuel Miranda.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

Because anything he does, I'm all up in it. And I'm like, mufasa, who gives the Lion King, is like the best movie of all time. No one's gonna come close. Who cares? I don't want to see the live, quote, unquote, live action, CGI version of prequel. Right. Well, there's this song called Brother.

[D]

Yeah. Oh, we listened to it because we play, like a Spotify playlist that's like Disney hits. And they have been playing My Brother.

[C]

I tell you to say that again to my face. What did you say about my brother? It's not astray. That's my brother. You stay away from my brother. Cause I say so. My brother. And their little mouths, their little mouth, the way they say bruva. And I'm like, the song could have been. The song could have been so bad. But Lin Manuel Miranda, he knows how to get you. And then there's one, I guess, with this new villain who I do not know the name of the song is called Bye Bye. It's basically Scars Be Prepared. But for this version of the movie and the song, he's like, I. I can't. I'm not even going to try to imitate. Because everyone's like, why are they British?

[D]

Well, scarred in real life doesn't have an accent, but Aaron Pierre does. But maybe I don't know who plays the villain.

[C]

Oh, okay. Okay, okay, okay, okay. I don't know the concept of this movie. Really.

[D]

I don't either.

[C]

It's like behind the scenes of how Mufasa became the ruler. So. But there's more than one character.

[D]

But.

[C]

So Mufasa is not British, right?

[D]

Aaron Pierre. Aaron Pierre is British.

[C]

Aaron Pierre plays Mufasa.

[D]

Aaron Pierre. Okay. Aaron Pierre plays Mufasa.

[C]

I'm thinking James Earl Jones. Okay, so, like, when you say Mufasa, I'm like James Earl Jones.

[D]

No, but. But what's confusing is that if you've been watching the press, Aaron Pierre looks like Scar because he's got these beautiful eyes. No, Kirby, when I tell you by Discover page is just Aaron Pierre all over the place. And also Aaron Pierre doing the tunnel dance at Jennifer Hudson's show because it's like the best tunnel dance ever.

[C]

Aaron Pierre. That's Mufasa.

[D]

That's Mufasa. That's Mufasa. I've watched it. Now I can't even tell you because so many people have reposted it on their accounts, and all the comments are like, I'm not gonna tell anyone how many times I've watched this. And I'm like, same.

[C]

I'm going to watch this immediately. Oh, my God, this man is so fine.

[D]

Oh, my God. He's 30 years old, which is not that young. But it doesn't make me feel that bad because that's also, like, Timothee Chalamet's age. But I'm just like, this man. Like, everyone's comment is like, God really took his time on Aaron Pierre. And I'm like, correct, correct. But anyways, he is British, but the guy who plays Scar and doesn't look like Scar is not British, he's not British, etc.

[C]

Okay, wait, hold on, hold on. I need to find this. I need to. I was, like, looking it up last night because I was, like, crying, laughing. I make you go bye bye I make you go bye bye.

[D]

Barry Jenkins is behind the movie as well. Who does moonlight and if Beale Street. It's just a. It's a phenomenal cast and and crew. It didn't get that great of reviews, but I think people are still seeing it just because, like, you said, it is.

[C]

So it opened to not great numbers, and now it's picked up. And I swear to God, part of the reason are these two songs. Because I am crying, laughing. I'm gonna send you this video.

[D]

I'm gonna make Zoe. I'm gonna make his. Always saying that about Cade.

[C]

I sang it to my brother. I was like, my brava. Some of this. I'm like, brava. And then their little faces, their little, like, lion cub faces, when they say, brava, I'm gonna send it to you.

[D]

That's what some of the reviews was saying. It's like, obviously, Barry Jenkins is, like, such a prolific director, and it's just hard to watch his work via these, like, CGI lion cubs.

[C]

Right, right, right, right, right.

[D]

So, like, such, like, serious material. And then it's like this little lion cub's mouth.

[C]

Like, people were. I don't know if you remember this, but during the pandemic, so many people were like, oh, God, Lin Manuel Miranda. Like, this guy's annoying. Like, they were just so mean to him for no reason. I'm like, do you not understand? This is one of the most prolific songwriters of our time. And then I saw this video because I've been liking literally Every single Mufasa video that's come up on my page. So now it's all Lin Manuel Miranda and Mufasa, and we don't talk about Bruno.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

In the Heights.

[D]

Moana. Oh, Moana. Moana one.

[C]

Yes. Hamilton, obviously.

[D]

Hamilton, obviously. No.

[C]

And now. Bye bye, bye.

[D]

The reason why Moana is my favorite Disney movie over Frozen is because of the music. It's because of Lin Manuel Miranda. So I have. We still haven't seen Moana too. And I do want to support the fact that this is the first Disney movie where they had women write the music. This. The songs just are. It's not Lin Manuel Miranda.

[C]

No, sorry. I'm sorry. It's not. It's not. Listen, two things can be true at once. We can support women.

[D]

And also, Lin Manuel Miranda is just the goat. The goat.

[C]

Bye. Bye. That's. This is, like, unfortunate that I've been, like, walking around my house, like, grabbing Quinn, like, my brava. She's like, like, I'm a girl. Leave me alone.

[D]

Oh, my God, Quinn, that's hilarious.

[C]

Okay, we have some news. Sarah, how do you feel about the term old lady?

[D]

I don't know. I. Originally, at first glance, I was like, no, no, we can do better than this. But with context of the article, the writer, the. The content of the story, I'm like, okay, we're like, we're redeeming this. This term. We're redeeming this term. But I don't know. I still feel weird. I don't want to be called an old lady, do I?

[C]

So what Sarah is referring to is there is this op ed in allure. And it came out a couple days after the Golden Globes, which feels like.

[D]

A year ago, by the way.

[C]

How. How it says old lady energy flexed its well toned muscles at the Golden Globes. Sixteen women over 50 and 60 and 70 were nominated for awards this year. Is that change we smell in the air? So you read the caption, and it says, In 2025, O L E is greater than BDE. This is such an amazing year for female performances, says Fernanda Torres as she accepted her Golden Globe for best actress in a motion picture drama on Sunday night. What she didn't say was that it was an amazing year for performances by females over 50, 60, and 70. The evidence, Demi Moore, 62, for the substance. Jody Foster, 62 for True Detective Night Country Jean Smart, 73 for hacks. And said Fernanda Torres is 59. And they note that that's baby. Basically a baby in comparison for I'm still here. Not to mention, but what an honorable mention. The other nominated actresses, seven of them in their 50s, along with Tilda Swinton at 64, Allison Janney at 65, Isabella Rossellini at 72, and Kathy Bates at 76.

[D]

Oh, by the way, Kathy Bates looks amazing.

[C]

I know. She's killing it. We respect her. Then it says Viola Davis was decorated with the Cecil B. DeMille Award at 59. When meanwhile, just five years ago, research found that a woman over 50 wasn't cast in a single leading role in 2019's top films. And I included that in my story about the 40s and why makeup brands were not catering to the 40 year olds. So let me just say I have been on this beat. Thank you very much. So, Val Monroe, if you're not familiar with Val, long, long time, highly regarded former beauty director of Oprah magazine, she's a contributor to the Cut. So many amazing people in this industry love and respect her. And she has a substack called how to not fuck up your face with over 19,000 subscribers. So I highly recommend you subscribe to her substack if you haven't. She is 70 years old. Okay. She is the one that wrote this. And I will say, when I saw the headline old lady energy flexed its well toned muscles at the Golden Globes, I was just like, yeah. Like my initial reaction, my gut reaction was, what the are we doing?

[D]

Yeah. And the comment section, when Allure posted this on their Instagram, people felt the same way immediately. Like, first reaction.

[C]

But then I sat with it for a second and this is, this is a topic I'm super passionate about because I feel like when it comes to getting older, we're told to embrace our age. We're told that getting older is a gift. And it is. Because if you're not getting older, you are not here.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

And we all know that that is a gift. But there is something almost patronizing about younger people telling you you should just be grateful. Your wrinkles are a sign of this and this and this. When they have never been up against what women are up against as they age.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, so it's like, I, I, I'm, I, it's a, it's this balance of like, yes, I'm grateful and I, I'm happier than I've ever been. I'm know yourself accomplished. I know myself. I know what I will and won't put up with. But then also people seeing me in a light that I'm like, well, I feel like I'm 18 years old still, Totally still trying to figure things out.

[D]

And then also, obviously, like, men don't have to deal with this shit.

[C]

Correct. The. The patriarchy continues. And that's what a lot of people said to me when I said, did this headline upset you? Tell me why. And the number one response was, you would never see Brad Pitt and George Clooney be identified as old men. They are silver foxes.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

So I commented this on Allure's page. And full disclosure, I write their entertainment column, but I'm not employed by them as a full time employee, I'm allowed to have my own opinions. We talk about Allure on this podcast a lot. I said, I think this conversation is interesting. Immediately I got defensive about the use of old. But if we celebrate aging, why do we look at old as derogatory? Perhaps because it means worn out, discarded and tiresome, which these women are not. But it also means advanced and experienced. Maybe it's about taking back the connotation of this word. Because in my humble opinion, mature isn't any better, which is defined as ripe, elderly, or final. And Val the writer being in her 70s is also meaningful to the discussion. And a lot of people responded to this. Allure ended up pinning it, which I guess that means they aligned with it. And some people said, I had the same thoughts. Old is an inevitable fact, and it's not in inherently a bad thing. And then someone says, maybe because the focus on age is always for women. I've never seen someone call, say, Harrison Ford an old man. Men are always exempt from these weird terms used for women. Basically, people were like, why are we focusing on women's ages anyways? Like, why is age the focus here? And I'm like, well, because Hollywood has Notorious. Yeah, notorious. Like you're missing the entire point of the story, which if you actually read the story, it's very complimentary of these women. It is not saying that they're old. Well, it's saying they're old, but it's not saying they're haggard or lifeless or being taken out to pasture. It's saying that we need to figure out how to take back the term. Because, I mean, there are no terms for older women right now that are equivalent to silver fox that put women in this. This light. And I think about this all the time. A lot of people are like, okay, but like, is 60 old, is 70 old? And I'm like, we really need to have a come to Jesus about what old constitutes as these days. Because if you go on TikTok 30 is old, right? Okay.

[D]

Exactly.

[C]

But everywhere else in the word, it's like, well, maybe 70, 80s is old.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And I don't think that we should be. It's like, old is truly the four letter word of.

[D]

For women.

[C]

For women.

[D]

Yeah, for women. Yeah. No, and I accidentally said earlier redeem, but I meant reclaim. Like we truly need. That's what Valerie is trying to do here, is reclaim this term old lady. Because why did I have such a visceral reaction when I read it? And when I, you know, saw myself being one day defined as an old lady? Like, why did I feel so awful about that?

[C]

Someone messaged me and goes, I don't even care about the word old. I'm more pissed about lady. Like, they're like, pissed that they're like, lady is like the worst. If someone's like, hi, lady. Or like this lovely lady. She just hates the term. And I get it because it does have this older connotation to it. Like, more stuffy. I'm like, I'm not a fucking lady. I'm like, I'm a woman. Like, you know, I'm a woman.

[D]

At least it didn't say old. Ma'am. When people call me ma'am, like, oh, ma'am, ma'am.

[C]

That it's right up there with old. But this is my point, I guess, is that why are we celebrating aging and we can't accept the word old.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

We still have a long way to go.

[D]

So much work to do. So much.

[C]

And I agree, men would never be called old grandpas.

[D]

Nope.

[C]

Or old men.

[D]

Nope.

[C]

But we also need to find a word for women, because the word for women, as they get older, there's maybe like two of them. And those are. They're not flattering words either, right?

[D]

No, totally. And, like, we should be like, Valerie is pointing out. And you, Kirby, pointed out, celebrating the fact that, like, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore are on the covers of these magazines, are, you know, the leading actors in these movies. Because it's visibility, like, it's representation. Like, the fact that they. There were no. What did you say? Women over 50 in any movie in 2019 or any leading role. That's actually insane.

[C]

It is 100% insane. And if you saw Baby Girl, the hottest movie I've ever seen in my life, I was like, yeah, I want to be Nicole Kidman.

[D]

Yes.

[C]

I want to be Nicole Kidman in general. But after that movie, I'm like, yes, yes. We are lucky to be alive with Nicole Kidman. Patty Dubroff, who we have had on the pod and we love dearly. This, this Patty is truly the embodiment of someone who accepts her age and is it, embraces it.

[D]

Right.

[C]

And that's what we personally love about her. But it was interesting. So she posted what a lot of people thought and said old lady expressive. Right.

[D]

Now, I know you are. You're an actor. Not the Botox, but then also in like beauty advertisements and, you know, stock images of women in their 50s and 60s. And it's these women who do not look anything like the women that I know who are in their 50s and 60s. Like, we just have so much work to do and I think we are moving in the right direction. This pro aging movement or whatever you want to call it. But like, we also have to look inwards.

[C]

We have to look inwards. Yeah, I agree. And I also think a big part of it that was kind of bonkers to me is it said vowels age in the caption.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And people are always like, people are not reading it. You need to add more context or whatever. And then when they do, nobody reads it.

[D]

No one is reading.

[C]

And so someone, a couple people were like, thanks so much for pointing out the writer's age. That. And I'm like, I literally got that information from the caption. Like, what are we doing here?

[D]

They needed Val to do a tick tock. They needed Val to like do a green screen.

[C]

Val get on a green screen.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Let's talk about it. Some people had problem with the fact that the well toned arms were mentioned. It's like, well, why are we talking about their bodies?

[D]

And I'm like, oh my God, stop. It's.

[C]

It, it's literally like, what, Sarah, what's my editor friend, Sarah? What is the term I'm using? It's not a euphemism, but it's like the old women are flexing their well toned arms because obviously they're obvious. They're obviously well toned. But it's like when you flex a muscle, it's like, I'm flexing my speaking muscle. I'm. I'm working my whatever muscle.

[D]

Like you're saying it's like, it's like a symbol for like something beyond just being like physically toned.

[C]

It wasn't the literal physical.

[D]

But they're not.

[C]

She's not even talking about their bodies in the story.

[D]

Not at all. But I will say they look great, 100%.

[C]

But then people were mad about that.

[D]

Yeah, I know.

[C]

Why are we bringing bodies into this? I'm like, do we not.

[D]

We truly have no win we can't win.

[C]

What do you can. Everyone's illiterate. I'm just going to put it out there.

[D]

No reading anymore.

[C]

Read for your cognitive brain function. I beg of you. It will make you a smarter person.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And don't let things that piss you off in. In cite a. A comment that you could have waited five minutes, have been like, oh, actually, this was not as big of a deal.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And then a lot of people were like, oh, this. They knew what they were doing with this. Blah, blah. And I will admit, initially I was like, did Val write this? And then they put the headline like this.

[D]

No, they wouldn't do.

[C]

They.

[D]

They wouldn't do that.

[C]

No, they told like, they were like, I mean, I should have known better. But I mean, but also of media at this point.

[D]

They knew that this would ruffle some feathers.

[C]

A little feathers. I mean, listen, we don't shame them for doing anything, but we need this course.

[D]

We need this conversation.

[C]

I agree. I think this was an important conversation. I personally enjoyed the conversation. I was like, yeah, okay, let's talk about it then. Yeah, let's do it.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, I would be so lucky to one day grow up to be a. And look like Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman.

[C]

Have you seen the substance?

[D]

I welcome that. No, because I'm. I'm really like the horror body horror.

[C]

It was a hard watch when it was happening, but it's so good.

[D]

It is. So I do. I want to watch it because of her and Margot Quilly. So maybe I'll, like, just watch and then, you know, put my hands over my eyes.

[C]

You mean Margaret.

[D]

Margaret Qualley? Yeah.

[C]

Okay. I thought you said Margot Quaily.

[D]

I was like, mark, Margaret, who's also just so cute.

[C]

And I don't know if she, like, also had prosthetics in the movie. She did have prosthetics at one point, very obviously, but. And I'm not trying to objectify her, but her body in the movie. I was like, fuck, man.

[D]

Yeah, well, I mean, she has to play that role.

[C]

She looks good.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Jack Antonoff is. He had like, some kind of song about her where he was like, she was wearing white. And I knew I was in trouble. It was like a Lana Del Rey or song. Anyways, we're. We're digressing, but we'd love to know, what do you think? Does all. Is old lady ever going to be reclaimed? And how do you feel about being called an old lady? And when is it okay to call someone old? I think that's the bigger question.

[D]

Yeah, it's one of those things where it's like you can't like ask someone if they're pregnant until they're like fully nine months and showing because you don't want to offend them. It's almost like that at this point where people are just like, I don't know if I'm allowed to call you old. Would love to know.

[A]

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