When the words "hip" and "old ladies" are put together, the word "artificial" usually isn't very far behind. However, as the 69-year-old Madeleine Albright taught us yesterday, older women don't have to settle down and bake cookies once they hit Social Security age. When you think about it, your grandmother is probably one of the cooler people you know -who else gave you all the candy, junk food and birthday presents you wanted when you were little? Academy Award winning actress Helen Hayes said that, "The hardest years in life are between 10 and 70," and these women, from a former First Lady to the most recent Best Actress winner, are proving her right by showing that seniors can do more than play bridge and knit.
10) Cher - Cher is one of the few artists that has won an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy and several Golden Globes. Ironically, she opened three of her worldwide tours with a cover of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," which can only mean that she is, in fact, actively seeking out the fountain of youth.
9) Martha Stewart - Martha Stewart was once a perfectly innocent woman, until insider trading charges landed her five months of hard jail time. Well, the minimum security federal prison may not have toughened her up, but at least she can always say, "This one time, back in prison ..."
8) Maya Angelou - "The hip, Maya Angelou bird thinks of another breeze/ But the less hip birds stand on the grave of dreams" Okay, so that's not how the poem goes, but it's how it should go. Angelou hasn't just written classics like "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," she has signed on to host a radio show on Oprah's XM radio channel. While Howard Stern might have gotten the big headlines over at Sirius Radio, Angelou's literary contributions have Stern's foray into the written word, "Private Parts" (1997), pretty soundly beaten.
7) Maggie Smith - England is pretty small and there are only a few renowned British actresses, and even fewer old ones. Smith has starred in both "Sister Act" (1992) and "Sister Act 2" (1993), as well as the typical Shakespearian role. Best known recently for her work with the "Harry Potter" series, she has proven once and for all that she is in demand for just about any kind of role. She's also pretty old (72), making her hipness stand out that much more.
6) Dr. Ruth Westheimer - A popular sex therapist, Dr. Ruth knows everything about hips and what goes on between them. Though she turns 80 next year, Dr. Ruth has none of the prudishness associated with grandmothers. Her Web site offers sex advice for teens as well as people over 50. She has written many books and aired both a television series and radio show.
5) Eleanor Roosevelt - Notably one of the most intimidating first ladies to ever grace the White House, Roosevelt worked tirelessly for civil and human rights during her political career, while still promoting her belief that, "America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed" (At least according to "Talladega Nights" [2006]).Almost 6 feet tall, she stood eye-to-eye with most men, and was undoubtedly the life of many political gatherings.
4) Helen Mirren - The most recent Best Actress winner at the Oscars, this drama 'Queen' of sorts was vocal about her choice to turn down the creepy plastic surgery goody bags offered to stars before the awards. This talented award-winner has us convinced that her looks, acting skills and even her accent are for real.
3) Yoko Ono - Best known for breaking up The Beatles, but an avant-garde artist in her own right, this hip lady is still out and about with a piece in Boston's own new ICA museum. That stylin' short haircut and those perpetually-inappropriate sunglasses make her a character that can't be missed. Plus, one of the most influential musicians of our time was madly in love with her, so that wins her some hip-points, if anything.
2) Doris Roberts - Most know her as Marie Barone from "Everybody Loves Raymond," and everyone familiar with the show knows that this lady can manipulate like no other. While some might say she just embodies the typical grandmother, Marie's got the most power out of anyone on the show. It's pretty hip to embody the all-encompassing stereotype of the nagging, overprotective mother.
1) Edna Parker - Edna Parker is the hippest lady alive - simply due to the fact that she is, in fact, still alive. Parker is the oldest living American at age 113; she's due to turn 114 years young April 20. She is on no major medications, is still able to walk and resides in an elderly community with the tallest woman alive Sandy Allen, at 7-foot-7-inches. Nothing characterizes "hip" more than a lady who has seen the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, and is still cool enough to socialize. -compiled by Daily Arts Staff
