Men Can’t Stop Hitting on the World’s Oldest Female Stand-Up Comic

It’s an unfortunate reality for female stand-up comedians — there’s a subset of men who believe lady comics are dying for their affection. And according to the world’s oldest female stand-up comic D’yan Forest, it never lets up — even when you’re 88 years old. “One thing that has surprised me is the number of young men who hit on me after a show,” she told The Guardian. “They’ll stand outside afterwards, waiting to talk to me.” 

Perhaps they’re attracted to Forest’s raunchy onstage persona. While she claims to be more of a Puritan in real life, on stage she delivers racy punchlines about “not having the energy for 69s.” Still, why would comics of any age want to put up with the unwanted affection of comedy nerds? “I’m pleased I can show that as an older person, you don’t need to take a back seat in life.”

Forest isn’t even afraid of getting a little naughty on The Drew Barrymore Show: “I love the young people. Except after the show, a lot of the young guys come up and they say the same thing. ‘D’yan, you can be my grandmother.’ I said, ‘But I’m not your grandmother, so if you kiss me, I expect a little tongue.’”

Amorous fans aren’t Forest’s only comedy challenges. “In New York, comedians are typically young men with beards,” she says. “It’s hard enough to break through as a woman, even harder as someone old enough to be their grandmother.”

So after twenty years of stand-up, why keep at it when you’re pushing 90? Forest’s friends can’t understand it, telling her she’s nuts to be hitting the clubs at night instead of taking it easy. But she can’t get enough of the juice. Besides, she can’t stay current by staying at home. “I like engaging with the world and you’ve got to be in touch to be funny,” she says. “Comedy has changed hugely in the past 20 years … what was considered funny then isn’t seen as funny now. Audiences have changed, too.”

Well, some things about audiences have changed. Unfortunately, it’s not the dudes. “They often ask me out,” Forest says, “and it’s not my brain they’re after.”