“We have always been very passionate about telling stories within the LGBTQ+ community with our series that have included ‘Finding Prince Charming,’ ‘Todrick,’ ‘Escape the Night,’ ‘Instant Influencer,’ and ‘Lance Loves Michael,’ and have had an extremely successful track record collaborating with social media influencers which also include Joey Graceffa and James Charles,” Graden said. Their brand work also includes projects with HBO Max, “American Horror Story,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Budlight Seltzer and Shake Shack. They first gained attention when they were featured in promotional videos for the gay dating app Grindr. In addition to their viral videos, the “Old Gays,” who range in age from mid-60s to late 70s, have appeared on the “Drew Barrymore Show” and “Today” show. “Their videos resonate with audiences young and old alike and viewers have shown extreme interest in seeing their lives on a more personal level which we intend to deliver upon.” “We are thrilled to be working with the hilarious and very talented ‘Old Gays,’” BGM CEO Brian Graden said. “When you get inquisitive, it keeps your mind working, your body working.The “Old Gays” have more than 3.2 million followers and 320 million views across their social media platforms. Scott recorded his first video right after a month alone in his apartment, and the response astounded him: thousands of likes and comments from viewers asking him to be their grandfather and hoping to be like him when they’re older. “Then it went viral, and I thought, Hey, maybe I have a hidden talent.” He’s a regular guest on the Spectrum Retirement TikTok (93,000 followers), which is produced by a company called Spectrum Retirement Communities and features residents from its senior living facilities across the country. “At first, it was just a little prank,” said Lou Scott, 78, who lives at Burr Ridge Senior Living in Burr Ridge, Ill. “This is a group of older people who are perfectly capable of doing everything on their own, and having a lot of fun while they’re doing it.” ‘Have the Best Be the Last’Īt the same time, over a million seniors in the United States live in nursing homes - and some of them are going viral on TikTok, too. “It’s not a home, where you need care and somebody to cook for you and bring you your pills,” Ms.
Retirement House, for all its artifice, presents a version of aging full of novelty and active curiosity. “Maybe it’s time for us to start getting older in a different way.” The TikTok account has told its fans “that they don’t have to take the usual route into being old,” Ms. “We’re actually building shared memories together - and it’s on videotape.” “You see so many stories of older people that are not happy, because as you get older, you lose friends, you lose relatives, you don’t have people to share your life with,” said Reatha Grey, 72. The silly group antics of the Retirement House are a welcome counterpoint to stories of isolated elders quietly diminishing in nursing homes during the pandemic.
(“Bubbe,” he said, using her character name, “do you know what ‘sneaky links’ means?”) On the back patio, Patti Yulish, 81, performed a rap as Mr. Boyd, to camera: “You sweet on me? Take one of these pills, and you’ll be sour on me.”) In the kitchen, Chuck Lacey, 70, and Jerry Boyd, 76, ate miracle berries before tasting an array of sour foods on camera, reacting to lemon slices and Warheads made sweet. On a recent Thursday at the Retirement House - a Hollywood set rented by the hour - there were two shoots going on. “I’m having a great time.” Rewriting the Script for Old Age “The irony, of course, is that we’re in Retirement House, but I don’t have anything to retire from,” she said. Soon, though, the men were ready to take their talents to a bigger platform. Martin moved into a house across the street.Ī few years later, a younger neighbor, Ryan Yezak, 35, who’d gotten to chatting with the men during his Saturday morning dog walks, suggested they film a few videos for Grindr, where Mr. Reeves’s Craigslist ad for a room in a gay-friendly, nudist-friendly home. “What we’re doing, through the strength of our friendships and our mutual support, is changing the course of the way one lives their life.” Chosen Familyīy the time the Old Gays started posting on TikTok, in December 2020, the four men already had half a century of friendship between them. “As you get into old age, moving into a nursing home is what’s expected, and many older people buy into that plan,” Mr. Rather than rely on younger relatives or paid strangers for care and companionship, why not turn to each other? Even those who can manage without support face increased risks of loneliness and depression. But for people who have lost mobility, the rising cost of home care can be prohibitive.