July 23, 2007
PRESS RELEASES FROM HELL, VOL. 36
I'll admit it. I think about growing older and the effects on my body.
I've seen loved ones age and noted how their physical stature withered. I've seen their mental faculties dim. Their zest for life and appetite for adventure diminished.
I try not to think about the sex thing because, well, they're relatives, you know? There isn't enough psychological Brillo to scrub that one away.
So when the topic of sex and aging does spring to mind, I find myself lacking in role models I can turn to for advice. "If only," I've never thought to myself, "If only I had a Reagan-era immigrant Catskills comic with a vodka-related stage name to guide me through the treacherous waters of intimate elder relations."
Now, I do.
To: Houck, Jeff B.Subject: Item? Relationship Advice from Comedian Yakov Smirnoff (and AARP The Magazine)
Jeff,
Summer loving—and the love woes that accompany it—are finally here; are you ready? AARP The Magazine’s brand-new love columnist, famed comedian Yakov Smirnoff, author of recurring column “Happily Ever Laughter,” is an expert on all things love and marriage, and routinely answers tough—not to mention awkward—love questions.
Yakov Smirnoff is available for interviews.
Possible topics include:
o Resolving family conflicts with a sense of humor. Conflicts within the family often arise from petty issues and can severe family ties.
o Adjusting old habits. As couples go through life, they often find that their interests diverge. What steps should couples take to find a good compromise?
o Finding love again. New love can be difficult at any age – what are the specific obstacles and benefits of new love at 50+?
o Sex. How do sexual relationships—for both men and women—change over the years?
o Recent questions posed to AARP The Magazine. The July/August issue discusses how to deal with the conflicts that come along with dividing up heirlooms, how to encourage a home-rooted husband to travel, and information on the love-life of 70-year-old men.
* Smirnoff’s expert advice, as well as a host of relationship and love information, can be found at http://www.aarpmagazine.org/family/happily_ever_laughter.html.
Clearly Smirnoff is simply filling a need left wide open by the success of his '80s contemporaries. Had "Deal or No Deal" flopped, it might well be Howie Mandel talking about retirement nookie instead.
Can an Emo Phillips "Sex In The (Second) City"-type column in Seniority be far behind? Gosh, I hope not.
PREVIOUS PRESS RELEASES FROM HELL:
David Beckham, Tara Reid and Smuckers.
"It's not a 'Karaoke Kevin' album.''