I tend to read, watch, and listen to a lot of Oldster-adjacent content. Every other Friday I’ll pass some of it along to you in a link roundup like this one.
While I have you…The advertiser-funded and venture-capital-funded approaches to media have failed, and led to the demise of most legacy outlets. Fortunately, the reader-supported approach is working. Support with your dollars the publications you’d like to see survive. Your paid subscriptions help me to keep publishing Oldster Magazine, and to pay contributors. They are greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Marianne Faithfull, Musician, Muse and Symbol of ’60s London, Dies at 78. - Samantha Conti in (my long-ago alma mater) Women’s Wear Daily.
“Denzel Washington told us his whole life story…” - the 70-year-old actor talked with Esquire’s Ryan D’Agostino.
“Questlove charts 50 years of 'SNL' musical hits (and misses)” - at Fresh Air/NPR, Terry Gross talks to Roots bandleader and filmmaker Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson about Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music, a documentary he made that’s streaming now on Peacock.
“At 97 years old, filmmaker Michael Roemer is seeing his work at last discovered and embraced.” - An interview by Bilge Ebiri in NYMag/Vulture.
“How the Loss I Endured 80 Years Ago Still Impacts Me Today” - My former Newsday colleague Bea Lewis in AARP’s The Ethel.
“Michael Palin on His Diaries and Adventurous Life” - In The New York Times, Darryn King interviews the 81-year-old Monty Python veteran about his latest memoir, There and Back: Diaries 1999-2009.
- ’s great spring interview with All Fours author .
Unfortunately I’m unable to catch any of Mandy Patinkin’s performances of his concert, Being Alive, but maybe you can. (I really really wish I could get tickets for the February 20th show in Walnut Creek for my 89-year-old cantor dad who lives there, but it’s sold out…If you’ve got tickets for that show that you can’t use, will you let me know?)
“The L.A. Fires Taught Me How to Accept Help” -
in New York Times Opinion.A cool Swiss TV project to support, from Katja Meier and Zenka Films: What happens when a rebel crew of middle-aged women doesn't bend to Hollywood's rules? They grab their thermoses and film their own TV series in the snowy Swiss Alps. $HARE follows 59-year-old Lena Corbyn who inherits part of a mining empire and decides to shake things up—much to her family's horror. Think Succession meets genuine female power. Forbes is already cheering them on. Stream $HARE now on Olyn for $8.95. Every view funds the next episodes and stories from and about real women who refuse to fade into the background after 50!
Recently I was contacted by Carole Montgomery, one of the creators/performers behind of Funny Women of a Certain Age, a live great standup comedy series: “In an industry that often prioritizes youth, Funny Women of a Certain Age boldly redefines the spotlight. It’s a heartfelt, hilarious, and overdue celebration of women who’ve earned their place on stage through decades of experience and undeniable talent. The show proves that humor doesn’t fade with time—it matures, sharpens, and becomes all the more powerful.” If you’re in South Florida, you can catch a live performance of Funny Women of a Certain Age starring: Carole Montgomery, Leighann Lord and Julia Scotti on February 16th at 2pm at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, and February 17th-20th at DelRay Beach Playhouse. Here’s a trailer from their 2019 Showtime special featuring Fran Drescher and others:
“Signs You Are A Gen-Xer Who’s About to Turn Sixty” - Lisa Borders in McSweeney’s.
This time last year in Oldster:
’s brilliant “Monster-in-Residency,” which received notable mention in The Best American Essays 2024, edited by Wesley Morris.
That’s all I’ve got for now. More next week! Stay tuned, hang in there… And keep hounding your reps! Thanks as always for reading, for commenting thoughtfully, and for all your support. 🙏 💝
-Sari
$hare looks amazing. Thank you for sharing (pun intended) 😄
I waited until the "right" day to actually open these. 😜 I deeply appreciate all morsels of levity and community these days, and an Oldster link roundup always delivers.