On second thought, they're probably stoned.

I seem to go to the Y whenever the aquarobics class has just let out, which means that the women's locker room is often filled with a large group of older ladies. This was true in New Jersey as well. And in both places, whenever I manage to get there while they're toweling off, I can barely get dressed because I'm laughing so hard. They are always, every time, hilarious. I thought the hilarity was unique to the group in Jersey, but unless those women all moved here when I did, this is a thing.

And let me be clear: I'm not laughing at them. They are not unintentionally funny. Nope, they are fall-down, I-would-pay-to-watch-this funny. They inevitably start cataloguing the failures of their bodies and minds and their husband's bodies (and minds), which sounds depressing, but they are positively giddy while they're doing it. Today one woman finished a description of her increasing waist size with the observation, "The body changes," and the other women started whooping and one woman cried out "NO SHIT" and maybe you had to be there, but I'm telling you, it was hilarious.

I'm pretty sure they're drunk. These ladies all get stinking drunk and then they go to aquarobics! Come on. It makes sense. At any rate, even if they're sober WHICH I DOUBT, they make me consider taking aquarobics with them.

In conclusion, let's all admire Bea Arthur.

Comments

[puncturedbicycle]

Oh, Bea - you are missed. I caught her one-woman show at the Savoy in London and she told a funny but rather rude anecdote that made me love her forever. She was one of a kind.

My grandmother was the funniest person I ever met, and we still laugh until we cry about things she said decades ago. She had a way of saying stuff that just came up to but didn't go over a certain line of crudeness. She was a comic genius.

[Alexa]

I have that clip saved, and watch it often. I ADORE Bea Arthur. She went to my college, and one of my friends' work study job involved calling alumni to ask for money (I believe it was phrased more delicately than that) and he got to call her. I am still quite jealous.

Also, you have given me a whole new reason to consider going to the gym.

[bluejeanamy]

you speak the truth, sister. i've been swimming it up at the y to move my baby on out and holy god - i love the locker room older lady antics. they need an agent.

i'm also *thisclose* to naming our baby bea after bea arthur, so hurrah for this video!

[LPC]

They're drunk on the freedom of old age for women. Just wait.

[Marilyn]

I love the sentence that says "I'm pretty their drunk." It's pretty much the best typo (wait, is it a typo?) I've ever seen. :)

[Annika]

This is probably the postpartum hormones talking, but did anyone else notice how fine Tommy Lee is looking these days?

[Alice Bradley]

Marilyn: TYPO! GLORGH! This cannot stand. 

[Alice Bradley]

Annika: Definitely the postpartum hormones. But then, I'm not into the tattooed sex-tape-making type. MAYBE THAT'S YOUR THING. Dirty girl. 

[Alice Bradley]

Oh Amy, NAME YOUR BABY BEA! Such a cute name. Then as a nickname you could call her Maude! 

[Tina]

I hope that I am that funny and able to laugh at myself when I get older. That's just awesome!

[Embee]

If you don't keep a sense of humor as you age, you turn into a prune... And I'm not talking about the 'too long at the aqua-aerobics class' kind.

These ladies weren't drunk, they're just not willing to become prunes... Once again, NOT the aqua-aerobics kind.:-)

[cathy k]

At 37, I joined a gym for the first time in my life. So all of the gym routines are new to me. I, too, seem to get to the locker room after the senior yoga class and/or aqua class gets out. I have the same reaction - I love it! The outfits, the lingering, the hilarious discussions, and the swim caps - even in the whirlpool! I catch myself thinking that I hope I am that cool at their age.

[angelle321]

Oh that clip was awesome! Thank you so much for posting it! <3 her.

[Jan]

Great Bea Arthur clip - thanks for the laughs! She always reminded me of a favorite aunt of mine and, although both are gone now, I still love to her watch her work especially like this.

[Philippa]

How funny! It's international! My community gym in Australia is just the same, and I love it for exactly that reason. Pure cabaret sometimes. I want to be just like that in 20 years' time :-)

[Samantha]

God, Bea Arthur is great. However, I love the blond chick hanging alll over Jimmy Kimmel and talking to him and jiggling her leg during the reading and then the shot of Sarah Silverman on another couch looking so upset. So distracting, these celebrities and their break-ups!

[Alexandra]

Alice, I've got to find this link for you, it's an older woman, about 80's in age, and she's asked by a newlywed, what's the secret to a long, happy marriage. This older prim, proper lady announces, with a straight face," "keep Miss Pussy clean."

Cracks me up everytime...

[Rachel]

I go to a ladies-only gym and it is bursting with old women. I turn off the iPod in the weight room because I don't want to miss anything they say. I am never disappointed.

[Jessica]

RIP Bea.

[MissusB]

I live in Nebraska, and I go to a gym other than the Y, but as I am getting out of the shower the water aerobics ladies are coming in the locker room. I love them. I rarely talk directly to them, because I just like to hang back and listen. I hope to be one of them in many years from now. My mom is one at her gym. She's clearly awesome.

[jts]

You are so terrifically funny.

[bec]

I'd never seen that clip of Bea before and holy crap, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Thank you.

[amieable]

I know I am beyond late chiming in on this, but this is one of my favorite clips of all time. We watch it over and over again. It is a good reminder that if we try, we can keep a hold of our personalities and have a good time even while getting older.

Thanks for the reminder.