Hello Dolly!

Dolly + Dallas and the time I was interviewed by Glamour Magazine

If the folks at google let us know what the most googled question of the week was, I’m pretty sure ‘Dolly’s age’ would’ve won Thanksgiving week by a landslide.

What a day! First, Cher showed us she’s still got it in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

It’s hard to believe it could be topped, but later that day as the Dallas Cowboys took on the Washington Commanders, Dolly’s halftime appearance wow’d us all. My whole family was silenced as we collectively took in the sight of Dolly rockin that Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader outfit.

Our conversation went something like this:

“I love Dolly Parton.”

“Wow! Look at her!”

“WOW! LOOK AT HER!”

“How old is she?”

“I think she’s 80.”

“No, she’s 70”

Googling by all….

“She’s 77!”

“Wow!”

“Look at her!”

“You go girl”

“Oh. My. Gosh! She’s incredible.”

“She’s 77!!!!”

“SEVENTY-SEVEN.”

In case you’re wondering, Cher is ALSO 77!!

Bravo to these two ladies who are blowing up the old notions of aging. Of course they’ve both admittedly had plastic surgery, but wow, they are breaking the mold of our idea of a senior woman. I’m here for it.

As Dolly performed, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders did their routine right in front of her. Dolly literally looked like one of them! She fit right in!

I imagined how the whole costume idea went down.

Them: Ms. Dolly, what do you have in mind as far as a costume? Wouldn’t it be cool to have your costume as a take on the Cheerleader’s uniform?

Dolly: Well darling, I can probably fit right into one of them there uniforms. Yep, I’m pretty sure I can.

Them: Okay let’s give it a try.

Dolly: I’m going to need a XXS bottom and an XXXL top.

Them: Not a problem, here you go.

Dolly: Tries it on. Fits perfectly. See, I told you I could probably fit right into it.

Them: (just like the rest of us) SILENCE *Mindblown!*

I saw lots of great tik toks and reels about it. Most were comparing Dolly to themselves, or to their own 77 year old Mom. They were overwhelmingly positive too.

A few pointed out she had a mesh body suit on. Um, hello, of course she did. She’s 77.

I love our generation of aging women. It seems, we are willing to cheer others on. I didn’t see any negative comments from those of us over 50.

The whole scenario reminded me of JLo’s Superbowl halftime performance a few years ago when she was 50. I actually got interviewed by Glamour magazine back then, but they never ran the article.

To give you the back story, at the time I was a fitness coach. I’d lost weight and gained muscle post-menopause, following this certain program. I loved it so much I decided to become a coach. I didn’t realize it going into it, but a big part of being a coach was creating and maintaining an online social media presence. In case you’re wondering, this is exactly why I quit being a coach. I wasn’t into the instagram-facebook-tik tok- twitter hustle. I didn’t want to post every day, or show my entire days in stories every day and I certainly didn’t want to make dance videos.

At the time though, I was giving it a try. Doing social media my way. Since I was a middle aged woman, my target audience was middle aged women. The reporter from Glamour found me through my fitness instagram. She reached out to me via email. When I saw it sitting in my inbox, I was skeptical, but it seemed legit so I clicked on it.

It read something like this:

Kathi,

I found your instagram and see you are over 50. I’m writing an article for Glamour Magazine and am wondering if I could interview you. It’s about Jennifer Lopez’s (JLo’s) Superbowl halftime performance. If you’d be interested, please email me back. I’m interviewing several midlife women and am hoping to have the article completed in two weeks time.

Thank you,

Glamour Interviewer (I won’t say her real name)

So, I emailed her back. She replied right back and we set up a time for a phone interview the next week. The day came & I was so excited. I mean, GLAMOUR magazine! Granted, I hadn’t read it since I was a teenager, but still….I was going to be in Glamour magazine! Wow!!

The day came for the interview and I half wondered if she’d really call. Sure enough at 11am, my phone rang. It was her. This is how the conversation went:

Glamour Interviewer (we’ll call her GI for short): Hi Kathi, thanks so much for taking the time to be interviewed.

Me: You’re so welcome. Thanks for reaching out. It’s pretty exciting to be interviewed by Glamour magazine.

GI: I’m glad we found you. Just to be sure, can you tell me your age? I want to be sure I’m interviewing women in their 50’s. The whole angle of my article, is from JLo’s peers’ perspectives.

Me: Well, I’m definitely over 50 but I sure don’t think I’m JLo’s peer. *laughing*

(At the time, I was 52.)

GI: Well, you’re her peer in age. That’s what I meant. *not laughing*

Me: Okay then. What month will the article be published? I want to make sure I know so I can buy some copies.

GI: Glamour is online now. We are digital. It’s not an actual magazine anymore. *I could hear her eyes rolling*

Me: Oh, okay. I guess times have changed. I can’t tell you how much I loved the magazine as a teen.

GI: So, let’s talk about JLo. I’m assuming since you agreed to be interviewed, you saw the halftime show?

Me: Yes I did!

GI: What was your initial thought when you saw JLo take the stage?

Me: “Wow! How old is she?” was my initial thought

GI: What did you think about her costume?

Me: I thought it was great!!

GI: But she’s 50.

Me: Exactly! I thought it was great. She looks amazing.

GI: But didn’t you think it was inappropriate?

Me: I’ve seen worse. *laughing*

GI: But on a 50 year old?

Me: No, that’s why it was great.

GI: Seriously? *sounding annoyed*

Me: Yes!!

GI: Would you wear that?

Me: No. I wouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think she should.

GI: Ugh, you are the third person I’ve interviewed who has said this. *sounding annoyed*

Me: That’s great! I am all for women cheering each other on.

GI: Don’t you think women over 50 should act and dress a certain way?

Me: Yes, however they want. Just because we are 50 doesn’t mean we’re dead. *laughing*

GI: I was really hoping you’d say you thought it was inappropriate or outlandish that someone her age would wear that on national tv. I can’t find anyone. I guess I have to keep calling people.

Me: Or maybe that should be your angle. Women supporting women, not tearing them down.

GI: That’s not my assignment.

Me: I love seeing aging stereotypes shattered. It’s a new generation of women. I feel better about myself and how I look now more than I ever have.

GI: So are you at your thinnest?

Me: Nowhere near it. *laughing* I’m actually 30 pounds heavier than I was at my thinnest. But wayyy more confident. That’s the beauty of aging. Confidence.

GI: Well, you are inspiring. I don’t think your viewpoint will fit with my article.

Me: Thanks for saying I’m inspiring. You’re welcome to use my quotes in your article for someone who thinks it’s great.

GI: Okay.

Me: Will you let me know if your article gets published?

GI: Sure. Have a good day & thanks. I liked talking to you.

Me: Me too. I hope it gets published.

Guess what, it didn’t.

I’m guessing because she couldn’t find enough women with that view. Or maybe Glamour decided that wasn’t the angle to go with. I noticed their articles about JLo ended up being positve. None were written by my Glamour Interviewer.

She sounded young, but I have no idea how old she was. I wonder what she thinks as she’s aging?

Here’s what I see.

I see a new generation of women.

The second half of life, is just that. The second half. It’s not the end. It’s a time where we can be who we want. We don’t have the hangups and insecurities that plague us in our youth. We are comfortable and confident in ourselves and we like ourselves. We can freely support another woman who chooses differently than us. We don’t judge. We just are.

This is the beauty of life in the second half. You be you, and I’ll cheer for you. I’ll be me, and you’ll cheer for me.

So to Dolly, Cher, and JLo….you keep doing you. I’m here for it. Cheering for you…100%!