Reinventing at 86: Annie Korzen's Viral Journey
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Cathy:Welcome to Late Boomers, our podcast guide to creating your 3rd act with style, power, and impact. Hi. I'm Cathy Worthington.
Merry:And I'm Merry Elkins. Join us as we bring you conversations with successful entrepreneurs, entertainers, and people with vision who are making a difference in the world.
Cathy:Everyone has a story and we'll take you along for the ride on each interview, recounting the journey our guests have taken to get where they are, inspiring you to create your own path to success. Let's get started.
Cathy:Hello. I'm Cathy Worthington. Welcome to a fun episode of late boomers with our exciting guest, 86 year old TikTok sensation and author Annie Korzen.
Merry:And I'm Mary Elkins. Annie's going to tell us all about finding success late in life, so you baby boomers out there pay close attention. Welcome, Annie.
Annie Korzen:Hi. I'm so happy to be here.
Merry:It's great to have you.
Cathy:We're so happy we found you. Our baby boomer audience always likes to hear about your early life, before the world of social influencing. So was it always about acting and comedy for you?
Annie Korzen:You know, it was a dream, but no. I started out I was brought up to be a musician. So I was a piano teacher, which I hated, and I was not a good pianist. Oh. But I always dreamed of movies and and, my husband, Benny, has worked in films.
Annie Korzen:As a matter of fact, he's an uncredited producer of what I consider one of the greatest movies ever, the Danish Oscar winning movie called Babette's Feast. Oh. And when I married Benny and he was doing something, he said, you know what, Annie? We need could you just step in and do a little role here? And I did, and I liked it, and I caught the bug.
Annie Korzen:So I started I started everything in life late.
Cathy:I
Annie Korzen:started acting late. I started writing even later. I started TikTok when I was, I don't know, 80 or so. So so I'm really my story is really about somebody who's always reinvented herself at late stages in her life.
Merry:Well, you are an yeah. You are, an inspiration for everybody, young
Cathy:and young. We love to feature people that can do this on our podcast. We always try to feature people that are exciting late in life. You know? It's it's wonderful.
Merry:Absolutely. And you are an unlikely TikTok star. So how did that happen?
Annie Korzen:Very unlikely. I, I had done something called storytelling. I don't know if you know about storytelling. You can go to the moss. The moss dot org is that's the greatest storytelling organization.
Annie Korzen:And, but mostly, I did storytelling shows in LA. There'd be maybe 50, 60 people in the audience. I would do a solo show that may be a 100 people in the audience. And I said, one week before the lockdown, I was talking to a young friend. She was 30 at the time.
Annie Korzen:I said, I wish I could find a larger audience for what I have to say. I think I think I think people would respond to me if I could get my words out there. And I said, I think maybe I'll put some little clips up on Instagram. And she's being 30 foot up her head. Excuse me.
Annie Korzen:Instagram is so toxic. It's so last century. You need to be on TikTok.
Cathy:Mhmm.
Annie Korzen:And I said, are you nuts? Why would anybody want? I TikTok is about young girls dancing, putting on makeup, taking their booties. And she said, trust me. You would go viral.
Annie Korzen:And one of the themes of my book is actually that how should I say this? My mantra is I try to have my mantra be to anything that's proposed to me. I try to have my mantra be, yeah. Why not? Let's give it a try.
Annie Korzen:Yeah. Why not? So I said I said, I think you're nuts, but, yeah, why not? Let's try it.
Cathy:Mhmm. And
Annie Korzen:so we started literally the week before lockdown, and very soon, I had right now, I have almost I think I have almost half a 1000000 followers.
Cathy:Wow. Yeah.
Annie Korzen:It's just fantastic. On the street. I get I get stopped on the street. Oh, we love you. Oh, can we have a sec?
Annie Korzen:And I love it. I'm an actor. I'm an attention whore. I love the attention. I love the audience.
Annie Korzen:And here's an audience I never in my wildest dreams would have expected. I just took a chance, and I think people are too afraid of taking chances. Too afraid of failing or too afraid of being humiliate. I don't know. But my thing is, yeah.
Annie Korzen:Okay. Let's try it.
Cathy:Yeah. It's like the old improvisational acting class where you you take it, and anything that happens, you say
Merry:Yes.
Cathy:Yes and Yes. And Yes. And and you say yes. It.
Merry:And that's all about what life is. Yes, Anne.
Annie Korzen:It could be, but I think a lot of people are too afraid. I just heard a great story because I think a lot of people like my son's age. My son is 56. And a lot of people at that age are going through some kind of crisis, you know, professionally. And a friend of mine told me her son had a big corporate job for 30 years, and at 55, they let him go.
Annie Korzen:They were doing downsize. He was AT and T or some, and he was devastated. His whole his whole persona, his whole self esteem was connected with that job, and he didn't know what to do. He ended up working at Trader Joe's. He loves it.
Annie Korzen:He loves it. It's it's the last thing in his imagination he would ever have pictured himself doing. And so I think and, again, I think it was a case of, yeah. Why not? I'll try it.
Annie Korzen:What else? If I lost my big job, I'll take this stupid job. And he's absolutely happy that he's
Cathy:quite a happy culture there. I love shopping there because the people are so engaging. They deliberately Right. They deliberately shoot it well.
Merry:They really are.
Cathy:They're chosen like you would cast something. Like
Annie Korzen:That's interesting. I never thought of that, but you're probably right.
Cathy:Yeah. They all have a personality. They ask you what That's right. What are you gonna make Absolutely. What are you gonna make tonight with these things you bought?
Cathy:They always ask you. Or they say, have you tried this with this? And I go, no. And they say you should get that, and then I go get it. It's like Yeah.
Cathy:I don't know those people.
Merry:And then they give you a taste of some of the things that they are selling, and it's they're really good.
Annie Korzen:Why that you think you give you a taste of the wines. They don't do that anymore for
Merry:some reason. They don't let you driving in the parking lot.
Cathy:Yeah. But they're pretty sure
Annie Korzen:I guess, you know, my point is there's always a way to reinvent. I think what happens too much is that we get stuck in our scenario of what we need to make us happy. You don't know what's gonna make you happy until you try everything and fail a couple of times. I think people have made a failure.
Merry:I love that.
Cathy:And we all learn from our failures for sure.
Annie Korzen:Mhmm.
Cathy:But tell us tell us how you booked a role, a recurring role on Seinfeld, and share some stories from your time on set with Well,
Annie Korzen:I was and still am in a way a bit player, basically, and didn't have much of a career. I have more so now. And my agent called one day, and he said, look. This is new show. I don't know anything about it, and there's a role that one of his other clients in the agency turned down the audition because she said it was too small for her, just a few lines.
Annie Korzen:She felt that was not he said, would you go in? I'd be I'll do any like I say, I said, yeah. Why not? I went in, took my life in my hands because I had to drive there, and I'm not a good driver. And I mistakenly got onto the fast lane of the Hollywood Freeway going with my top speed of 36 miles an hour.
Annie Korzen:And I got there, and I booked it. And when we watched the show, my husband watched it. He said, well, I don't get it. It's not about anything. Famous last words.
Annie Korzen:And I did not know that my role would recur, so they called me back. So I did, I think, 3 or 4 episodes of that character, Doris Klompass, down in the Florida condo, and then they called me in to do a second character, an obnoxious airline passenger. I'm good at for some reason, I'm very good at playing obnoxious people. So those few so in the whole maybe 5 episodes that I was in, I might have, I think I was counting. I have something like 28 lines to this, and this I started in 1991.
Annie Korzen:To this day, I have earned around $100,000 in residuals. Wow. So that was my yeah. Why not? I'll try.
Annie Korzen:You do not know what anything is going to lead to. I went on this and and I sometimes think of the actress who turned it down. She's not working anymore. I don't see her. And being associated with that show changed the trajectory of my career.
Merry:Mhmm.
Annie Korzen:Because if you've done a recurring on Seinfeld, people are suddenly started getting treated with respect.
Cathy:Yes. Definitely so. And tell us a little bit about being on set for Seinfeld.
Annie Korzen:It was very nice because, you know, whenever you're on any set, as you probably both know, the the gestalt of the show comes from the top. Jerry is a very nice, decent, thoughtful human being. So it was a nice, decent show to be on. Right? Mhmm.
Annie Korzen:And, I got friendly with some of the people. I got friendly with Jerry Stiller, a little friendly with, and, and I would run into Jerry, from time to time. He would always stop and chat. It was just a very pleasant atmosphere, and you didn't necessarily keep to the script. I'm a good improviser.
Annie Korzen:That's my background. And once in a while, not too often, but I would kind of ad lib something. And they would come over and they say, we like that line. Keep it in. And that was very satisfying to be told that my writing was good enough to be included in a, you know, in a.
Annie Korzen:Sure. So
Cathy:That's exciting.
Annie Korzen:And and Jerry, again, as I say, he was a very thoughtful, decent person. Well, he once spent all day on the phone, all day on the phone, and I could see he was very intense and very concerned about something. I said, Jerry, what's going on? He said, well, one of my best friends is they're about to have a baby. They're in the hospital.
Annie Korzen:They're waiting, and I keep calling to hear if the baby has come. Now how many guys do you know who take time during their workday and a very challenging and demanding workday to stay on the phone with a friend whose wife is having a baby?
Merry:I love it. Yeah.
Cathy:What a nice person.
Merry:He's so Truly. Truly. But he looks at every part of life in tiny, tiny pieces. How could how could he come up with his great shows without knowing that and without being that way? And And
Annie Korzen:that's his guess. Yeah. Yeah.
Merry:I just have to have to add when you were talking about the the beginnings of your career on Seinfeld. I just have to say that the old saying, the old adage, there are no small parts, only small actors. And you Totally. And you've proven Right. You've proven that the parts get bigger.
Annie Korzen:And you know something? I think it doesn't just refer to acting jobs. I think a lot of people turn down things. I talk a lot in my book. Oh, can I mention the book again?
Annie Korzen:Yes. That's of any
Cathy:Yeah.
Annie Korzen:Hubert Hart and Hood's book from an accidental influencer. I also talk about, I think, for example, in dating, a lot of the women that I know, I think they dismiss certain possibilities because they have this idea in their mind of what the guy has to be, what he has to like, and I say, you know, you're not looking for a clone. My husband and I have very little in common, actually.
Merry:How long how long have you been married?
Annie Korzen:We just celebrated our 60th anniversary. Wow. We got married as total strangers. It was a green card mar green card marriage. I met this young Dane, and we hit it off.
Annie Korzen:And we decided to get married, and we met in February. We got married in April. And my friends were so angry at me. They said, you're marrying a total stranger. As soon as he gets his papers, you'll never hear from them again.
Annie Korzen:And I said it was, again, my yeah, why not moment. I said, yeah. Let's get married. I felt it was real, and it was real. And 60 years later, we're still getting to know each other.
Merry:Oh, I understand that.
Cathy:You're very, very good at you're very, very good at using your intuition, obviously.
Merry:Yeah.
Cathy:And just knowing That the path to take trusting. And a lot of people don't tune into that enough. Like, what's
Annie Korzen:think that's an interesting point. Like, how much do you trust your I have some friends who I'm gonna say should not trust their intuition because they keep making the same mistakes over and over and over.
Cathy:But we will not name them. We will not name those people.
Annie Korzen:But, you know, you've seen I've seen people who have multiple marriages and make the same mistake each time.
Cathy:Uh-huh. You know
Annie Korzen:what I mean? They go they look for the wrong things. And my thing about finding a mate is no matter what age you are, it's not how much you have in common, it's how much they are there for you. My husband backs me up in everything I do. I did a solo show.
Annie Korzen:It ran for 6 months. He never missed a performance. He was there every night. Or with my other stuff that I do, he's there. He's urging me on.
Annie Korzen:How many women do you how many married women do you know who can say that?
Cathy:Very few.
Merry:Very, very few.
Cathy:Usually, there always If they do anything, they're doing it without the husband's knowledge sometimes or without any support.
Annie Korzen:Yeah.
Cathy:Like, just trying to tread water or they just don't try anything.
Annie Korzen:Yeah. Well, I think that in dating, and I guess that this should be true for men as well. You want a partner who's as interested in you and your enterprises as you are in theirs. And a lot of men of our genera, maybe not so much the you new generation, the very young the young ones now, I think maybe that's changed. But in the boomer generation and in my older generation, I think mostly the relationship is about the husband's career, the husband's pursuits, and the woman has to kind of fit in to wherever she can find space.
Cathy:Does that sound true? Yes. It does because I'm trying to figure out the dating world now because my husband passed away almost 3 years ago.
Annie Korzen:And I'm I'm
Cathy:now at the stage of trying to figure out how to do that, and I understand. We interviewed a dating expert for this show, and he said so many women are just looking for themselves. They want someone equally rich and equally you know, they're they're looking for a match. And like like you're saying, maybe it doesn't match, and you shouldn't overlook, like, something under your nose. So I'm trying to be open to that, but, yeah, it's it's confusing.
Annie Korzen:Yeah. I I agree with your dating person. You know, I'll give you an ex I fixed up somebody years ago. I fixed up a friend with another friend. On the surface, they had very little in common, but I had a oh, no.
Annie Korzen:No. Well, wait a minute. Anyway, they met and they kind of liked each other. It was going okay, and then she called me. She said, okay.
Annie Korzen:I can't see him anymore. What's the problem? I looked at his music collections, his CDs, and she was a big opera buff. He she said, he has no classical music, only jazz. And I said, listen.
Annie Korzen:You can go to the opera with your I'll go to the opera with you. There's nothing wrong with jazz. It's not like he's listening to polka music or some you know, something. Jazz is great and sophisticated and a fine art form. And she listened to me.
Annie Korzen:They got they got married. They had the best marriage I've ever known. Once she decided that he didn't have to have every single interest in common with her.
Cathy:Right. What is
Merry:the stating different would you say for an older baby boomer or older versus young people?
Annie Korzen:I'm not sure. I think the principles are the same. I mean, what I hear mostly from Uber age women is that they'll go on a date, and I'll say how'd it go, and they'll say, well, he spent the whole time talking about himself.
Merry:Yeah.
Annie Korzen:And I would say that's pretty much That's all
Cathy:I hear. I mean, tell you to hear from people.
Annie Korzen:And so the men out there really have to learn, take a breath, and ask a question. Sow sow some interest in the other person. Women are kind of programmed to do that. Right? We're programmed to laugh at his jokes, show interest in what he's saying.
Annie Korzen:We've been programmed. I'm saying older women, not not maybe the very young ones right now. But it's time for the men to learn that too. Take a breath, ask some questions, show some interest. Yeah.
Annie Korzen:Right?
Cathy:Right. Wow. Right. I agree.
Merry:Well, on a different point, how has TikTok changed your life? You mentioned a few things. And, also, did it take a long time for younger folks to embrace you?
Annie Korzen:No. I much to my amazement, it was really the younger folks that came on board, and that's something I never expected. And I asked why, and here's the strange thing about me and TikTok, and a lesson for everybody out there. All my life, I have been criticized for being too talkative, too opinionated, too outspoken, too blunt about my opinions, and I've always apologized for that. I've been told that it's an unattractive quality in a woman not to be the kind of talker that I am, and I believe that.
Annie Korzen:On TikTok, I'm opinionated. I talk. I share my opinions. And the people say, oh, we love hearing this. Oh, you're so inspiring.
Annie Korzen:Oh, we love your voice. Oh, we and so, again, it's a theme in my book, and this is very important. I wanna say this with quote marks. Right? Do not be imprisoned by other people's negative opinions of you, and we all have that.
Annie Korzen:We grow up believing what people tell us about ourselves. Right?
Merry:That's true.
Annie Korzen:They even tell me that I'm beautiful. I have never in my life heard that I'm beautiful ever, certainly not in Hollywood.
Cathy:Well, they're
Annie Korzen:I mean, they
Cathy:attracted to what you're saying. They're attracted to your opinions, and that that they find that beautiful, and that's really wonderful that they tell you.
Merry:Yeah. And her wisdom. And, also, I when I was an actress, I did a play once, and I did I worked with a woman who was, oh, I was very young and she was in, like, 45. And I said to her, you're so beautiful. And she said, well, you know, every age has its beauty.
Merry:And I really feel that it's it's a lesson that I've learned as I look in the mirror.
Annie Korzen:I think you're both beautiful. It's interesting. In in my case, I'm considered character y, and I'm a character actress. If if a call went out today for an attractive older woman, I would never be seen for it. I'm they they don't wanna say it.
Annie Korzen:I know what it is. They think I'm too Jewish looking. I'm too ethnic looking. That's a that's an old that's a Hollywood thing that's been going on since the since 1 year. These kids don't have those same prejudices.
Annie Korzen:So when I but this is for me. I'm 80 I'm almost 86 years old. And when I hear these kids saying, oh, you're so beautiful. Oh, you have so much style. Oh, I hope I'm like you when I'm older.
Annie Korzen:This is a miracle to me because I've always been told I'm too much of a loudmouth and I'm ugly. That's the message I've been given all my life.
Merry:Even when you were a child?
Annie Korzen:Yes. Oh, yes. When I was a child, I you know, my hair was kinky. My nose was big, whatever. The the the standards of beauty in America have been a have not been the kind that I ever fit into in any way.
Annie Korzen:It's funny. My husband is Danish, and I and I said and he my my my Danish husband on the other hand, he said, oh, but you're so exotic. I don't know women that look like you. To him, it was a big fight to find someone that looked because Denmark is full of every other woman in Denmark looks like a movie star. They're all tall and black.
Merry:They do. They do.
Annie Korzen:They couldn't oh, he said, that's so boring. That's like every girl I've ever known. So it's not such a big commodity there, you know, as it is here. Mhmm.
Cathy:But what advice can you give our boomers who are starting new careers?
Annie Korzen:I think you have to I don't know how to say it. I think you have to take chances, and I think you have to follow your bliss. You might have to try something. You might have to be willing to fail at something. You know?
Annie Korzen:But I think you need to have confidence that you have the word to use, that you have wisdom and life experience that's worth sharing. And if you could find people who are smart enough to recognize that in you, you will you will do well.
Merry:It's like a gift that you have to give to people who are younger and same age. Yeah.
Annie Korzen:Absolutely. And, you know, there's a new movement now. I don't know if you're aware of it. I think it started with Betty White. There's definitely a movement finally in this country of admiring and respecting older women.
Annie Korzen:There've been a whole bunch of movies. I was just in 1, Thelma. Have you seen Thelma? I did a small role at
Cathy:Dela 2. It's one of
Annie Korzen:the well, the star is 94 years old, and she's fabulous.
Cathy:Oh, wow.
Annie Korzen:And, they've been a bunch now with, you know, book club. I forget the names of those. They're a bunch with Diane Keaton and older actresses that show them being active and attractive and sexual and Churned.
Cathy:Grace and Frankie. Exactly. Grace and Frankie was had a
Annie Korzen:huge audience. Very much. Thank you. And that's a whole new thing. I think it's a new movement here, and I welcome that.
Annie Korzen:And I think it's about time.
Cathy:So do I.
Annie Korzen:There's even there's even some fashion. Did you know there's a fashion what they call me is, my fashion style is a retired art teacher because I like artsy boho stuff. You know?
Merry:I do too.
Annie Korzen:There's another style called, coastal grandmother, and there's Diane Keaton, the white turtleneck, the beige cashmere, the Yeah. The kind you know? But but when in our lifetime has there ever been fattened definitions that refer to older woman women. This is something totally new.
Cathy:No. They're brand new. Brand new. And and the funny thing is about that is the pop culture, once they get a term like that, the younger people all start dressing like that too. Totally.
Cathy:That's so fun. It's so fun to see. Yeah. Because I I love those styles. And I have a friend who's a retired art teacher, and I can tell you that is how she dresses.
Annie Korzen:Right. Right?
Cathy:And she loves
Annie Korzen:Dramatic jewelry.
Cathy:She loves
Annie Korzen:layers and Yeah. Right. Right. I do a lot of vintage, and yeah. So I'm happy to see that.
Annie Korzen:I think I mean, it hasn't all One thing that annoys me about being an older woman will be that kind of friendliness that the people don't realize is actually condescension. For example, I'll be in a restaurant. This happened to me. I was in a restaurant with my husband, and the waiter the young unemployed actor waiter comes out, and he says to my husband, would you care for a drink, sir? And then he gives his wife, and he turns to me and he says, and how about you, young lady?
Merry:Oh, yeah. Oh. Now
Annie Korzen:I he thinks that he's being flirty, and and I think I actually said to him I said, you know, I know you mean well, but, it's really kind of insulting to I we both know I'm not young, and I don't wanna be young. So what should he have said? I don't know. How about you, ma'am? How about you, madam?
Annie Korzen:What's the equivalent of sir? What would you like, sir?
Cathy:Or he
Cathy:should have asked you first.
Merry:That's what I was going to say. He should have asked
Annie Korzen:you first. Might have helped as well. Mhmm. But they, you know, they say, oh, she's so cute. Oh, she's adorable.
Annie Korzen:Those are in my mind that I know they mean well. Those are not really respectful words for an older person. I'm not a toddler. Diminutive. I'm not a toddler.
Annie Korzen:Totally.
Cathy:He's not They're trying to make you real tiny. Yeah. Exactly. You we all wanna be bigger and seen.
Annie Korzen:And I I think that's important.
Cathy:And we get into the boomer age or or in the older age, and we feel very invisible. That's right. Women.
Merry:When we walk down the street, we aren't invisible.
Cathy:Why? We become invisible now.
Merry:And yet we are we finally come into our own boomers who have been perhaps married and are widowed now, and now they're their own person. And it's almost like suddenly, they have to start a new life and become a a new person. And, actually, that that brings me to my question for you. What advice do you have on the subject of, I hate to say old age, but older age?
Annie Korzen:You know what? I think the most one of the most important things for me has been hang out with younger people. I would say most of my friends are considerably older considerably younger than I. Also, because at my age, most of my friends are dead or dying. You know?
Annie Korzen:Mhmm. They're not doing well. They're not that much fun to be. Now being with them is more of a chore of obligation, but it's not always so it's sad for me to see people deteriorating. And since my husband and I are both still highly functional, I love being around younger people, and they they we feed each other.
Annie Korzen:We get things from each other. Mhmm. So that I I mean, I have friends who are still having babies, and we talk about motherhood or grandmotherhood or, and I value those friendships, and they value me as well because they come to me for life wisdom. I come to them for keeping me in touch with what's going on. Yeah.
Annie Korzen:Even slang, I don't I'm I keep learning all the new slang expression.
Merry:I was like, why you're asking about that. What kind of slang? Tell us some.
Annie Korzen:Oh my god. What's your what's
Cathy:your favorite? Do you ever use it?
Annie Korzen:I can't remember. Sometimes I use some of them.
Cathy:Do you use it in some of your TikTok things? Do you use some of the slang?
Annie Korzen:I don't think I I don't because it's not natural for me. I gotta sound like myself in TikTok. Yeah. But sometimes I have to go to Google to look up the comments I get because I don't know what they're saying. You know?
Annie Korzen:Even even the even the now, I guess, everybody knows what a goat is. You you both know what a goat is.
Merry:Yeah.
Annie Korzen:Things like that. Those acronyms. I don't know all those acronyms.
Cathy:And everybody talks in initials now.
Merry:They do letters. B l o l.
Annie Korzen:Because I haven't used one. Now. But she's so wholesome. So wholesome. You're wholesome.
Annie Korzen:What's wholesome?
Cathy:And they use the word demure. And demure, that's the other one. Is a big thing now. I suppose. I
Merry:suppose. What does that mean other than I don't know what demure means other than the the real definition of the word? Right.
Cathy:It actually is pretty much the real word word, but they're using it a lot, which the word was out of use, and it's just kind of a funny thing to say I wanna be demure.
Annie Korzen:And that's funny. And then there can be some I got into a very bad misunderstanding on TikTok, which caused me a lot of trouble. I, I met an amazing black woman who does who has a certain style that really knocked me out, and I said we gotta do some TikToks together. She does she does her hair in fresh flowers. She's known as the flower lady from the flower.
Annie Korzen:And her hair is like a garden. It's like a living garden.
Cathy:Wow. It's a
Annie Korzen:little wild, but I like eccentricity, and I like creativity. And we got along, and so we shot some videos. And the first video, I said, I just met this amazing creature named Rose. Well, I got such, negative response. Creature?
Annie Korzen:You're calling a woman a creature? Would you say that about a black woman? Apparently, the word creature has a different meaning to younger women to younger people now than it does to to my generation. To me, calling someone is a fantastic creature, I said I'm is the way I meant it, obviously, as a high compliment. Well, it's not heard that way by younger ears.
Annie Korzen:So we had to and she wasn't at all offended. She understood what I was saying, but it got into a whole thing about language and the meaning of language and how as I said to the haters, I said, you have to look at the intent. Did anyone think I was intently insulting this woman since I was there to kind of celebrate her and show how amazingly creative I thought she was? But I was just sensitive. That's how worst that's how worst her.
Merry:Yeah. But the bottom line is, was she insulted?
Annie Korzen:Not at all. Not at all. And she made that clear. She came in and backed me up, and she said, I love Annie, and we have no any
Cathy:because this was a mature a mature woman.
Annie Korzen:Yes. And an intelligent woman. I mean, I think the people I'm sorry to say it, but I think the people who are offended are kind of stupid because it's clear there are people, and this is a danger in social media. There are people who are looking for reasons to be haters. There are people who just do that.
Cathy:Right.
Annie Korzen:You have to be very careful of them. But, you know, listen. You can't please everybody. You can't have everybody love you. I would like that.
Annie Korzen:I would like everyone. I'm very thin skinned. I'm sensitive to criticism. I don't like it when people tell me I'm being inappropriate or insensitive. Yeah.
Annie Korzen:But in the end
Cathy:Got it.
Annie Korzen:Since I know my intentions are decent, I have to be unapologetic about who I am.
Merry:Right? And criticism can make you shrink, and that's the last thing that we want to do as human beings. Exactly.
Cathy:Exactly. Hear a little bit about your book. I've read a hunk of it, but I didn't I didn't get to finish it. And it's called the book of Annie, humor, heart, and chutzpah from an accidental influencer. I love that title.
Cathy:Yeah. Well that you put a lot of beautiful memories into the book. So tell our listeners, you've mentioned some of the themes, but what's your main
Annie Korzen:Well, basically, I'm a humorist. So my writing is, first of all, I only got the book deal again about reinventing yourself. I only got the book deal because of my TikTok Wow. Yeah. Platform.
Annie Korzen:In other words, publishers want books that where they think there's already made audience. Mhmm. So that was another another positive result of being on TikTok was that I got a book out. Mhmm. And the book is really a collection of humorous essays about my life and observations about life, and it covers what I think are the important subject, happiness, marriage, dating, restaurants, lifestyle.
Annie Korzen:And what I didn't know again, it's funny. When you are truly yourself, you don't know what's going to hit a universal what's the word? How you say in English, in a universal response? I have always I I grew up poor, so I have never been someone who can waste money. I buy everything I own.
Annie Korzen:If you see in the background, the antiques and stuff in the back, I buy everything at yard sales and thrift stores. I never shop retail. I never have except for, you know, shoes and underwear. And I save money if I That's
Cathy:a good line.
Merry:That is a good line.
Annie Korzen:I've been I've been that way. I did not know that thrifting is a big new culture thing among younger people.
Cathy:Mhmm.
Annie Korzen:And so they wanna know where do you get I'm a I'm a total bargain shopper, and and so I talk in the book about thrifting, about how I save money, how I do things, even travel with, without without spending too much money because it's something I'm passionate about. So I I guess what I'm saying is if you share your passions, you may be surprised at how many other people share that and wanna hear about it. Yeah. And, again, it was always something I was a little ashamed of. Yeah.
Annie Korzen:Well, I don't know. I don't shop at Barney's. I shop at Goodwill. Now you go into Goodwill, and you see all these young fashionistas there
Merry:looking for
Annie Korzen:the same interesting vintage stuff that I am. Now it's become competitive. Yeah. And so for ecological reasons because fast fashion is a very bad you know, the fashion industry is a big contributor to global warming.
Merry:Yes. But also too, a lot of them are taking old clothes back and and recirculating them as as part of a new piece.
Annie Korzen:Yes. Yes. And using them and, of course, they've always done it. They they they use the old designs to create new designs. Nothing nothing ever really goes out of style, does it?
Merry:That's well, that's true.
Cathy:It doesn't. I like to shop in my closet. I hold on to everything, and then I I go in there and I think, well, what's wonderful? Or my daughter will borrow, like, the most amazing leather jacket that I have. It's, like, from the eighties.
Annie Korzen:Oh my god.
Cathy:Brand new to her, and it's gorgeous.
Annie Korzen:Right. And it probably looks great on her.
Cathy:Right? I love finding things to wear in there
Merry:Yeah. And forgot about.
Cathy:Yeah. I
Merry:I'm complimented on a few things that I wear, and I they said, where did you get it? And I said, I went shopping in my closet.
Annie Korzen:That's it. That's it. I regret some of the things I get. Sometimes I think, oh, I have too much. Since I pay so little.
Annie Korzen:I pay a couple of bucks for each thing. I think I gotta get rid of all this. I have to and then I think, but wait a minute. Why? Why should I get rid of it?
Annie Korzen:I might use it or I might, you know,
Cathy:especially with people. I know a neighbor that's a wonderful person, and she she gives away her closet, like, regularly, and I'm like, why would you do that? Because she buys very expensive stuff. I said, save it. You're gonna wear it again.
Cathy:And she said, no. I'm never gonna wear it again.
Merry:Well, I think we should all have a party and just trade clothes.
Annie Korzen:I've heard that people do that Mhmm. Actually. I've heard that. Yeah. Everybody comes with 10 outfits that they don't want anymore, and everybody goes home with 10.
Annie Korzen:And I'll tell you something funny. I don't think they do it anymore now that dating is so digital. But I remember a time when women gave boyfriend leftover parties that single women would get together, they and each of them would invite an ex that they were still on, you know, friendly enough to to do this with so that other women would come and meet their friends' exes. And I think that's such a great now that I'm thinking about it, I'm just gonna make a note. I'm gonna do this as a TikTok.
Annie Korzen:I think that's a great idea.
Cathy:Yeah.
Annie Korzen:It sounds better to me than swiping.
Merry:It does sound better.
Annie Korzen:You know? Meet someone in person and talk to them and get to know them in a social situation. Why not?
Cathy:Mhmm. Yeah. That sounds good to me, but a lot of my boomer friends, their husbands have passed away. There are no exes.
Annie Korzen:Can't do that. There are no exes serving. Work.
Merry:That's so hard to do. Do you have any memories from the book that you'd like to share with our audience and us?
Annie Korzen:I would say that sometimes the worst thing that ever happened to you can can have a happy ending, and I have a couple of worst things that happened to me. I had an extremely terrible postpartum depression when my son was born. I was living in Denmark. I didn't speak the language. I didn't have close friends or family around, and I was actually hospitalized for the 1st 3 or 4 months of my of my son's life.
Annie Korzen:And I thought I'm the worst mother that ever lived. I will never overcome this, etcetera, etcetera. I will go into all the details. In the end, What turns out is I am the best mother that ever lived. I have a great relationship with my son.
Annie Korzen:And, again, I just believed what everyone was telling me instead of instead of making my own demands. I said, I don't feel right. I can't do this. I don't know how to do this. I need help.
Annie Korzen:Instead of giving me help, they locked me up. Aw. You mothers need help, some more than others. And postpartum is not a syndrome that that they know any more about now than they did before. It's not taught properly in medical schools.
Annie Korzen:It's not dealt with properly. And I don't wanna go off on this. But, anyway so in other words but so I have a story about something really quite tragic, and I managed to make it funny. I'm not being funny right now, but I managed to make it humorous, and it has a very happy ending. And I have more stories like that that sometimes when it hits the fan and you have to deal with really terrible life emergencies, You find your strength and somehow you go through it.
Annie Korzen:I have I have a hypnotherapist now who keeps reminding me, you are a problem solver. You will and and I have to remember that because I forget that. That's right. I am. I'm a problem solver, and I will figure it out.
Annie Korzen:And in a way, we all are unless we give in, as I say, to other people's telling us what's wrong with us, unless we believe those negative things that people tell us about ourselves. That's the really dangerous thing.
Merry:Well, how old do you think you were when you finally got to the point where you said, I'm listening to myself?
Annie Korzen:Too old. I wish I had started like this much earlier. You know, this is a recent thing. I mean, look. Right now, I'm busier.
Annie Korzen:I'm more productive. I'm getting more appreciation. In some ways, I'm happier than I ever have been. I mean so sometimes I say, gee. I wish things were like this in my forties, in my fifties, in my sixties when I was always worried and felt like a failure and felt apologetic about my looks and my personality.
Annie Korzen:I wish I had gotten this sense of pride and self esteem a lot earlier, but, hey. It happens when I'll take it now. I can't do anything. I can't rewrite the past.
Cathy:Great attitude.
Annie Korzen:Take this success now.
Merry:Absolutely. Well, on that note, what's next for you? And do you have a to do list or a bucket list?
Annie Korzen:You know, I really like everything I'm doing. I just wanna do more of it. I'm not doing we've never done that great financially, so that's really my big concern in my life. And I'm trying to deal with that. And that's our that's my husband's and I because we've lived this kind of artsy boho hippie life, and never really so I admire people younger than I who have figured out their money situation and don't have that to worry about.
Annie Korzen:But, again, I am a problem solver. There is there is there are you know? And and, I'm dealing with it. I'm I'll deal with it. But if I I would say if I have a regret in my life, that's my big regret that I never was never very smart about money.
Annie Korzen:On the other hand, I've had a good life. I've always lived well. I've traveled. So maybe I did the right thing living above my beyond my means because I've I've lived well. So that's a it's a tricky I'm not sure
Cathy:It is tricky. My
Merry:Well, there's always a time myself. Always a time to learn.
Cathy:And I wanted to say that with regard to what's coming up, I heard that you're gonna be acting in a new show made for Instagram and TikTok and YouTube called HOA created by Emma Cregan and Zach Farian. And those 2 those 2 creators visited with us on one of our late boomers podcasts. We featured them when their documentary came out. Our listeners will be able to access HOA on those networks with the handle at that HOA show. But after it gets released, of course, they haven't shot it yet.
Annie Korzen:So They will be fun. And my friend, Tibel Steven Tobolovsky is in it. He's a wonderful actor. He actually
Cathy:really is. He really is.
Annie Korzen:Yeah. And I can I remind people about my book? Please
Cathy:do. Yes, please.
Annie Korzen:It's The Book of Annie, Humor, Heart, and Chutzpah from an Accidental Influencer. You get it on Amazon. You can, I think, listen to it on Audible? You can get it Barnes and Noble. Whatever.
Cathy:Do the audible recording yourself?
Annie Korzen:You know something? It wasn't for audible. It was for another although it's sold there, but it was for another company I can do you know that they they asked me to audition for reading the book? Can I believe it? My agent was so fierce on how to who else is it?
Annie Korzen:Who are they gonna get? Helen Mirren to read the book of Anne? You know what I mean?
Cathy:And that was one of the few
Annie Korzen:times was one of the few times where I did not say, yeah. Why not? I said, no. I'm not going to audition, but here are links to my previous voice work. I just felt that was a little too insulting to be asked to, but but I did read it, and it's fun.
Annie Korzen:And I had fun doing it.
Cathy:Oh, I'm so glad you got to. And one more thing. What would you like our listeners, particularly our Boomer audience, to have as a takeaway today?
Annie Korzen:I think a repetition of what I've been saying before, which is kind of to follow your bliss and don't believe other people's negative opinions of you. You know what you are. You know what you're good at. You know what you enjoy, and take chances even though you might fail. You do not know.
Annie Korzen:I only regret things that I didn't do. I don't regret anything that I did do. So do stuff is really what I wanna say.
Cathy:Do stuff.
Annie Korzen:Do stuff. I know.
Cathy:Yeah. Do stuff. I
Merry:love that.
Annie Korzen:We should make that a t shirt. Right?
Merry:You should
Annie Korzen:make that a t shirt. And say do
Cathy:stuff. Light boomers. Do stuff.
Merry:Do stuff and love it. And happy life. Yes.
Annie Korzen:Yeah. Learn stuff. Learn new stuff.
Merry:Yeah. Okay. We're all good. I love that. Annie, you're great.
Merry:Thank you so much. Our guest today
Annie Korzen:you, Rose.
Merry:Oh, hey. Our guest today on Late Boomers has been Annie Korzen. She's 86 years old, and she's the TikTok sensation and author of the very fun book, The Book of Annie, humor, heart, and kutzpah from an accidental influencer, and you can get it on Amazon and Audible. And look her up on TikTok and Instagram, but TikTok, watch her, and have a great time. Thanks again, Annie.
Cathy:And we wanna thank our listeners for subscribing to our podcast and checking us out on YouTube and recommending us to your friends. We appreciate you, and we'd love to have you give us a 5 star review. And we wanna hear about your experiences with late boomers and what gets you inspired. We are on Instagram at I am Cathy Worthington and at I am Mary Elkins and at late boomers. Thank you for listening, and be sure to listen next week to our late boomers podcast when we feature Tristina Anderson, who will be giving all of us baby boomers some coaching on brave thinking and embracing change.
Cathy:And thanks again, Annie.
Annie Korzen:Thank you. I love doing it.
Cathy:We loved meeting you.
Merry:We absolutely did.
Cathy:Thank you for joining us on Late Boomers. The podcast that is your guide to creating a third act with style, power, and impact. Please visit our website and get in touch with us at lateboomers.biz. If you would like to listen to or download other episodes of late boomers, go to ewnpodcastnetwork.com.
Merry:This podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and most other major podcast sites. We hope you make use of the wisdom you've gained here and that you enjoy a successful third act with your own style, power, and impact.
