Larry Martino

Weekdays 3:00pm - 8:00pm

Last Friday afternoon, I was sitting in Top Round, a restaurant just outside T-Mobile Arena. My buddy and I were grabbing something to eat before we were going to head inside to watch the Vegas Golden Knights battle the Dallas Stars in the first game of the NHL’s Western Conference Finals. I glanced at the tv on the wall and saw the headline scroll across the bottom of the screen: Jim Brown, NFL Hall of Fame running back, actor, and civil rights activist, had passed away at the age of 87.

He had passed away at his home in Los Angeles the day before, but this was the first I had heard of it since I was on vacation last week and not really paying attention to the news of the day. When I saw the headline on the tv screen, I immediately flashed back to that day I actually met this legend. I even had the opportunity to interview him on the air.

It was the early 1990’s, and I was the Program Director and afternoon drive personality at a Top 40 radio station in San Bernardino, CA. Our community was being ripped apart by gang violence at that time. There were a lot of drive-by shootings in the surrounding communities within the Inland Empire of Southern California.

So, our radio station decided to try and do something about it. We instituted a “Stop The Violence” campaign on the air. We even planned a community event at the San Bernardino Spirit baseball stadium. There was a candlelight vigil. We took the time to announce the names of all the local youths who had been killed by gang violence in the past year. It was a very solemn event.

During our interview I learned that Brown was instrumental in helping to curtail the gang violence in Los Angeles a few years earlier. He had also created the Amer-I-Can Foundation in the late 1980’s. Per Wikipedia.org, his organization strived to turn gang members and former prisoners away from violence by teaching them “life skills.”

Jim Brown heard about our “Stop The Violence” campaign and asked if he could speak on the topic. He arrived at our station during my afternoon show, so I had the opportunity to meet him. I’m a pretty big guy at 6-foot 2-inches, but Mr. Brown seemed enormous to me, even though we were about the same height. When we shook hands, it felt like I was shaking hands with a catcher’s mitt.

What I remember most about meeting Jim Brown was his intensity. He was a soft-spoken man. A very intelligent man. He did not get his point across by yelling and acting out. He spoke with dignity, common sense, and intelligence. He was extremely impressive, not just because of his size, stature, celebrity, or what he accomplished on the football and lacrosse fields. He was impressive because of his intensity, honesty, and forthrightness.

I know he would never remember me from that meeting and interview, but I will never forget the day I met Jim Brown.

You'll Never Guess How Old These Celebrities Are

When it comes to aging, there are different categories of celebrities. Sometimes celebrities allow themselves to age gracefully. Other times they pump themselves full of fillers and engage in all manor of plastic surgery to preserve their youth. Then you have that “other” group of famous people. The secret society of youth and beauty. The ones who just seem to have taken a big old drink from the fountain of youth.

These are the celebrities we love to hate. Because while they are nice to look at, and maybe we are happy for their good fortune, we kind of want to push them off a cliff. I mean, we can only do so much with diet and exercise. Positive thinking doesn’t fix the wrinkles and gray hair that parenthood gives us. And we don’t all have a fortune to spend on skin regimens.

So sometimes it just comes down to sheer luck in genetics. Now, I can’t complain personally. I often get asked if I’m ten years younger than my actual age. But the celebrities on this list are at a whole new level. It’s like they joined that secret club Isabella Rossellini started in Death Becomes Her.

If you remember that scene, Rossellini tells Meryl Streep that she can only stay in the public eye for ten years after taking the potion. Because after that people will get suspicious of her “perfect, unchanged beauty”. Well, celebrities on this list, color me suspicious.

Seriously though, this is a good game to play with people if you’re bored. Because the people on this list don’t look anywhere near their actual age. Last one knocked me straight off my chair. And it’s not just women. There are some male celebrities drinking from the fountain too. Must be nice. – Wendy Rush (age unknown 😉 )

  • 19. Salma Hayek

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 13: Salma Hayek Pinault attends the "Puss In Boots: The Last Wish" World Premiere at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 13, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

    Salma Hayek is 56 years old. That’s only 4 years from 60, people! How does she still look this good?

  • 18. Jennifer Lopez

    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Jennifer Lopez speaks onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy )

    The new Mrs. Ben Affleck is 53 years old. And looks the same as she did on In Living Color.

  • 17. William Shatner

    BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 02: Actor William Shatner attends the  NBCUniversal press day during the 2016 Summer TCA Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 2, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California.  (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

    William Shatner is 9 years away from being a centenarian. He’s 91 years old!

  • 16. Michelle Pfeiffer

    LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 20: Michelle Pfeiffer arrives at the Paramount+ UK launch at Outernet London on June 20, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images for Paramount+)

    Michelle Pfeiffer looks like she’s in her forties/early fifties. But she’s actually 64!

  • 15. Padma Lakshi

    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 12: Padma Lakshmi speaks onstage during the Fourth Annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on June 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards)

    Padma Lakshi is proof I need to get back into the gym. The Top Chef host is 52 and mother to a middle schooler.

  • 14. Pharrell Williams

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Pharrell Williams speaks onstage at Storytellers – Pharrell Williams With Minya Oh during the 2022 Tribeca Festivalat BMCC Tribeca PAC on June 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival )

    Being happy must be this guy’s secret, because Pharrell Williams will be 50 next month.

  • 13. Julia Roberts

    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 17: Julia Roberts attends the premiere of Universal Pictures' "Ticket To Paradise" at Regency Village Theatre on October 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)

    Julia Roberts is pretty in pink, and she’s also halfway to sixty. She’s 55!

  • 12. Tom Cruise

    SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 19: Tom Cruise attends the Korea Red Carpet for "Top Gun: Maverick" at Lotte World on June 19, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

    He can’t just have one of the greatest movie careers of all time. The newly 60 Tom Cruise has to have the fountain of youth genes too.

  • 11. Tina Turner

    LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: Tina Turner attends the opening night of 'Tina' the Tina Turner musical at Aldwych Theatre on April 17, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

    It seems like Tina Turner has been around forever, so it’s obvious she’s not going to be a spring chicken. But I never would have guessed the singer is 83!

  • 10. Chris Rock

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 15: Chris Rock speaks onstage at the National Board of Review annual awards gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on March 15, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for National Board of Review)

    Comedian Chris Rock is pushing 60. He just turned 58 this month.

  • 9. Gwen Stefani

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: Gwen Stefani attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

    Gwen Stefani hasn’t changed much since her No Doubt days. Though, at 53 years old she has managed to get more beautiful.

  • 8. Lucy Liu

    SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 23: Lucy Liu speaks onstage at the Warner Bros. theatrical session with "Black Adam" and

    Lucy Liu has always looked younger than she is. And at 54, she still doesn’t disappoint.

  • 7. Susan Sarandon

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 17: Susan Sarandon attends a special screening of "Maybe I Do" hosted by Fifth Season and Vertical at Crosby Street Hotel on January 17, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

    Maybe Susan Sarandon looks so young because she’s got a younger boyfriend. Tim Robbins is 64 years old. And she has twelve years on him. Yep, she’s 76.

  • 6. Lisa Bonet

    BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: (L-R) Lisa Bonet and Zoe Kravitz attend the 21st Annual Warner Bros. And InStyle Golden Globe After Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 05, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

    More shocking than Lisa Bonet‘s age (which is 55), is the fact that this picture isn’t her and her sister. It’s her and her daughter, Zoe Kravitz.

  • 5. Gabrielle Union

    BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 07: Gabrielle Union attends as Netflix opens up Culturecon New York with a screening of The Redeem Team featuring Dwayne Wade and an Entergalactic Party on October 07, 2022 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix)

    Gabrielle Union is 50 years old. She looks like she’s in her twenties!

  • 4. Keanu Reeves

    SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 18: Actor Keanu Reeves attends "The Matrix Resurrections" Red Carpet U.S. Premiere Screening at The Castro Theatre on December 18, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images)

    It’s hard to believe, but Keanu Reeves is almost 60! Mr. Ted Theodore Logan Esquire is 58 years old.

  • 3. Halle Berry

    HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Halle Berry attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Moonfall" at TCL Chinese Theatre on January 31, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

    At 56 years old, Halle Berry is making us all look bad! LOL

  • 2. Sandra Bullock

    LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 31: Sandra Bullock attends the UK Special Screening of "The Lost City" at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 31, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

    I would like to personally thank Sandra Bullock for reminding us all how unfair life can be. She is 58. years. old.

  • 1. Martha Stewart

    NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 09: Martha Stewart attends the Z100's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2022 Press Room at Madison Square Garden on December 09, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

    Are you ready for this? Martha Stewart is 81 years old. That makes her older than all the Rolling Stones and half of the Beatles. 😲 She looks amazing!

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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

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