up in her 60s and says laughing at herself on stage actually made her feel less “obsolete” in a society that often ignores older women. There’s no paycheck—just the thrill of making people laugh—and that’s more than enough. In other words, it’s about personal fulfillment. These gutsy gals in the comedy club would rather be found “dying” on stage (metaphorically!) than dying of boredom at home. Their takeaway? Why the heck not! As long as you’re funny, nobody cares if you’re young or old—they just care that you’re there, doing it. And as McGovern’s story shows, sometimes being the butt of the joke is a power move—it puts you in control of your narrative rather than letting the world make jokes about “little old ladies.” And let’s not forget the literal high-flyers. Women over 60 are climbing mountains, surfing waves, and yes, jumping out of airplanes. The world’s oldest known skydiver on record was a 103-year-old woman from Sweden, and challengers are lining up. Dorothy Hoffner, 104, made her jump in 2023 and came down glowing. “Wonderful… the whole thing was delightful, couldn’t have been better,” she gushed, already plotting a hot-air balloon ride next.
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