I never fail to be surprised by commenters’ interest in May-December romance. Those romances interest me as well, but it’s more of a head-shaking, “No fool like an old fool” sort of way. Since yesterday’s post about Anthony LaPaglia (56) dating a 26-year-old was so popular, let’s discuss this Richard Gere situation. Gere and Carey Lowell split up in 2013 after about a year of rumors that he was fooling around. I always thought Carey and Richard made a pretty good couple, and as far as age differences went, she was just 11 years younger than him. Richard’s first wife, Cindy Crawford, was 17 years younger. So his history indicates that he likes women more than a decade younger, at the very least.
Richard is 65 years old now. And he’s just gone public this week with his new girlfriend, Alejandra Silva, described by most publications as “a Spanish socialite.” They are vacationing together in Italy – you can see the photos here. Alejandra is just 32 years old. That’s 33 years YOUNGER. She’s also blonde with a great figure, which is pretty much “the dream” for many men, right?
So how bad is this? It’s pretty bad, although I will admit to being less worried about age differences when the women are in their 30s. Men dating twenty-something women with 30-year-plus age differences… that really irritates me. I think it’s because so many 20-something women are still figuring out who they are, they’re making bad dating decisions and I could see how some of them naively succumb to the allure of a powerful, wealthy older man. But a woman in her 30s? She’s more likely to know what’s up. So while I think a 65 year old dating a 32 year old is still kind of gross, it’s not as bad as some of the May-December pairings we’ve seen.
I’m pretty sure the blonde in these photos is Alejandra.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’m almost 32 and definitely do not know what’s up (still!) lol. But I take your point. It’s definitely more palatable than a 20-something year old and a 60-something year old. Still questionable though.
60 something…. 60 something!!!
That’s older than my parents, so you know… I don’t know how old your parents are, but is Richard older/younger than your dad?
Cause that’s…. Whoa!!! I don’t care how much of an old soul a woman can be in her early thirties, but… That’s a no on my watch!!
It’s one of two things… maybe they were gonna take her apartment…. Or maybe she’s had him on her wall since 12 when she saw pretty woman and the love grew from there…. Or maybe she’s seriously one of the more advanced souls on earth who sees no creed, no age, no wealth…. just his SOUL and fell deeply in love with his SOUL!!!!
But for this mere mortal, who can barely stand trying to teach her dad how to work a computer program without rolling my eyes with impatience. Or cringeing with embarrassment when he dances to cece and bebe winans, or the small little corrections to my posture, or how I clean things or what you wear….. I can’t!!!!
And they all do it. Whether father or lover, they all try to micro manage you because after 45… You can’t change a man, you have to mould into HIS world, not the other way around. The only woman who can challenge that is usually a woman his generational age group… for obvious reasons
Gere is so grumpy and hard to deal with.
And also full of himself. I recently saw his appearance on the Graham Norton Show where he would NOT SIT down because the audience was applauding him, and he did this weird, slow walk around the studio to take it all in. It was gross, and I’ve never seen any guest do that before.
How enlightened of him to be dating a woman half his age.
Because getting with someone as old and ugly as you is the hallmark of an enlightened being. Good point.
MND –
lol
And yes, being with someone closer to your age, who you are attracted to not because their skin is tight or their buns are firm but because they can actually relate to you and really, truly understand what you are going through and have been through IS enlightened – because you get how the differences can be eventually unfair, to both parties involved…
Constantly explaining what you mean if you happen to use descriptors involving trends of your youth or subjects that your age similar friends are sharing is kind of a buzz kill for both people. Or having physical ailments that slow you down or parts of your body ache that, no matter how much yoga you do, mortality dictates will cause you grief while your selected mate bounces around perky and chipper early in the morning after a night of tequila shots… a let down for the young and old.
Who wants to be tethered to what slows them down in youth or makes them feel even older than they are? It’s rarely a match.
Nice post, mytbean. But I’m choosing option number three of aging and dying alone. It seems like the easy way out.
Richard, sunblock and a hat with a brim are your friends. Try them!
He looks like her grandpa.
Do the women think “in ten years I’ll be with a 75 year old man”?
No, they think something like “$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$”
Are we still surprised that old a$$ men with money can still basically buy a beautiful companion? Sad commentary on life, but true.
Exactly. He’s past being a silver fox, now he just looks like a grandpa.
+1
I thought he looks very Bill Clinton in the pics..I don’t think men realize the younger the arm candy, the older they look in comparison.
gross.
also, why would anyone want to be with someone whose body is pulled down by gravity so disproportionately more than your own?
or are men having their sacs lifted? i could believe this guy would. so vain.
I liked him better with Carey Lowell. She may not be thirty years old but she’s hardly a wilting flower in the “hot” department.
This girl has a smoking bod but has nothing on Carey in the face department IMO.
He really does look like her grandpa in those pics. Very cringeworthy.
Carey is gorgeous. Very underrated as a Bond girl and my second favorite L&O ADA!
I actually met Richard Gere and Carey Lowell a few years ago. She was really impressive– well-spoken, thoughtful, and gorgeous. He was a drunken mess. I had no idea they’d split. He was lucky to have her. I hope she’s on to better things!
Agreed. There were some pictures of Carey from a few months ago when she going into court for the divorce hearings and she really looks amazing. I hope she moves on to better things.
He has beautiful hair though.
Sorry I am not buying it, unless its money or fame.
I know I know — there will be many posts on here that say my husband is 35 years older and we married for love ! But its really rare IRL. Its the exception not the rule when an age difference this wide is for love and love alone.
When I was 25 ? That was my prime in body, no debt, first job, on my way in life — your body will never be as firm. I would never have ever glanced at someone who looked older than my dad. I wanted to sex someone hot and fine lol Why waste your prime time on an old man? You will get that when you get old.
I don’t care. They are the ones who will have to deal with the consequences of the age difference.
Right? Can’t get worked up over these types of pairings which let’s face it, have been happening since time immemorial. I only really get skeeved out if one half of the couple is still a teenager.
It’s just surprising that the guys don’t feel more ancient through this type of association. Just the lack of cultural touchstones from different eras must get exhausting. Never mind the physical strength and agility differential between such large age gaps.
Maybe it’s all about the mentor/mentee roles?
At 35, I briefly dated a 25-year-old and I frequently found myself feeling old. Just the whole selfie-social-media-partying-thing was something that I never really understood. Also, he was really baby-faced and looked younger than 25 which made me feel icky.
Anyway, I think the reverse is often the case for men. I think younger women make them feel younger, and feed their ego.
Eh. More power to them, I guess? Not my thing though.
I agree that it’s less of an issue in your 30’s, but can’t understand the interest in dating someone as old or older than your own father. That reeks of daddy issues or gold-digging to me.
In my 30’s, I was willing to date someone a decade older, but that was about the limit. I ended up marrying a great guy 11 years my senior. The thing I’ve noticed is as we get older, he is aging faster than I am — as in, dealing with the issues of getting older first. That’s the main difference I feel now.
But, like you said Kiddo, they’re the ones who’ll deal with the the consequences of the age difference. It’s definitely worse when the woman’s older as Kitten noted. I dated a guy who was 25 when I was 31 and I felt the maturity differences every time we were together.
Almost 35 here just started dating a 27 year old guy. I feel like a pervert sometimes when i say sweet words to him (not very often, i don’t want to spoil him) although he is mature and he WANTS this more then i do. And i have no money and i’m not very beautiful either, just my personality lol.
But i am not lying to myself about our future and i’m not lying to him either. We both know that the end is near. May -December thing. I can’t see my future with him for sure. Sooo a 65 years old with a 33??? What?
Richard Gere will always be my mama’s No 1.
And I would NEVER have guessed him to be one to go down the route of much younger girlfriend.
Disgusting but nothing new that we haven’t seen before. Rich old men will always be able to snag much younger women looking for a sugar daddy.
True. He’s disgusting, always has been; and so is this relationship.
Gere has a post-menopausal body now. I just couldn’t.
Here now…….
Disgusting and gross. Any woman who would date a man more than two decades older than her is just craving for money and security, nothing more.
I am 28. Richard Gere is handsome but 65 is old. On the other hand Brand Pitt is what,52? I wouldn’t say no to Brad.
Brad Pitt does not look like a grandpa! That’s the difference. 😀
He’s hot!But 52 its considered old for a woman at my age too.
It’s another thing that Brad is a vampire.
I’m 32. He’s 4 years older than my dad. Vomit
count me on the Vomit too!
Richard Gere is a well-known Buddhist. Methinks younger women (myself included) find him hot because he’s all Zen and shit. No pressuring for sex all the time, very little posturing and competition with other men, highly likely to leave you alone and let you pursue your own path. I love it. She’s in her 30’s and probably itching to be with a different kind of man. I am sorry, though, that Gere and Lowell split. They seemed harmonious together (from my 1million-yard view).
Just because he’s a Buddhist, doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a self-centered douche.
He does, however, get Flair Points for not wearing contextualized Tibetan Robes made of crushed ladybugs.
there is a strong correlation between being a celeb buddhist and being a douchebag. just like there are so many yoga teachers who screw all their students has nothing to do with yoga, but that image still sticks.
Word. I mean, Steven Segal is a buddhist and he is a serial sexual harasser on movie sets, and is an arrogant arse. Find the YouTube video of Richard Gere on the Graham Norton Show — he is conceited and arrogant. Blech.
To be honest I like him. It’s just the white hair that throw me off and makes him look more like a grandpa.
If his hair were grey and not so white he would look better. On the other hand I appreciate that he doesn’t dye it.
Edit: I just saw the daily mail photos.He looks bad. My comments were for the first picture with the white shirt. 😱
The Old KC — all this. A friend ran two big events a few years ago and Gere was one of the 20 or so celeb guests. There were other hot rich celeb men there, in other words.
My friend said that Gere was SO nice, even helping out a young waiter who nervously had dropped something, that people were swooning with delight. AND all the women, ages 20-somthing to 90, soon only had eyes and ears for him. Young women were being chatted up by these known young celeb men, and were sort of “yeah whatever” to them, as they had eyes on stalks for Gere who was simply making conversation about the world, religion, and showing a lot of interest in his table mates’ thoughts. i.e., a good conversationalist and listener, and kind and amusing to everyone.. This was maybe, 4, 5 years ago. My friend was laughing that no other guy there had a chance and Gere wasn’t even hitting on anyone. So….there’s that.
I was working In EU and went to a few two-week summer conferences in Italy and Austria each year. There, it was amazing again. I saw young women equally dazzled by older and younger guest mentors. I also saw a late-50s woman guest (business, science) captivating a group of young male students so much, they basically dated her as a group the whole time, as her unofficial bodyguards, took her to dinner, out for hikes, out for beers, out for music, sat up late chatting with her, table tennis – it was pretty cool. Not fawning suck-ups, either. They were into her and after she went off to bed (alone) they sat uo drinking beers and talking about how amazing she was. Then after a week, one very cute assistant prof in his mid 30s was SO low and teary- eyed when he found she was living with a man back in France! He sat outside w me and two pals “why is this so? why is this so?” until 3 am for three nights!
So…..great personality can swing the age gates wide open.
This is a great point about personality, because a sucky personality at 25 will likely be an equally dull personality thirty years later, just with an aging exterior. Personality really does make a difference.
Interesting story. Yes, charm and showing interest in people really goes a long way.
I agree with all of this. I am 43 and I still would. I bet he is interesting, fairly smart and sexy. At the end of the day, he is RICHARD GERE!
I think I remember years ago reading that he doesn’t dye his hair and when he does, it takes about five years off. I kind of like it that he doesn’t hide the white hair. Ok, he doesn’t look so hot without clothes, but who does?
I bet he couldn’t care less about the age gap and probably has no plans to marry again so is just enjoying himself.
I really like your story. I’ve met quite a few very captivating, truly energetic 50/60+ers. Short-term attraction might have a lot to do with physical attributes, but I, too, believe that an interesting, caring/empathetic personality is what really attracts most people. With Gere, I always thought he’s quite arrogant, and even grumpy at times. Then I watched an interview about buddhism with him, and I was surprised, how calm, friendly, and deep he could be. As for this new relationship, he might just want company at times, and doesn’t even consider anything ‘serious’ anymore.
No pressuring for sex all the time? There’s only one reason for a man in his 60s to date a woman in her 30s, and it’s for her young vagina and her smooth skin. What would be the point without the sex? Trust me, Buddhist or not, Gere is in this for the sex. I believe that men feel like they’re not “too old” if they can still get a young woman to have sex with them. Would she be interested in some 65 year-old who just retired from 40 years working as a grocery store manager? Doubtful. That’s what’s in it for her. Money and having her photograph taken.
Richard and Carey were great together.
He just disgusts me now.
It is BAD. 30 + years of difference ? That’s just insane.
He does look so much older than her. When I mentioned seeing these photos on the other thread, someone said maybe he’s just enjoying her company casually. And they were probably right. He travels for his Buddhist causes. He’s in movies off on location. She’s some socialite who lives part time in NYC and part time in Spain, or wherever it said she also lived. She has a kid. I think she is probably a partier since she is called a so-called socialite, no job to speak of. So maybe he is just having fun and dating her casually.
He was dating Padma Lakshmi, age 44, for a while before this woman. Richard used to like interesting women. Cindy Crawford was an engineering major before she began modeling, so very intelligent. He dated a Brazilian artist for a long time before Cindy. His wife was an interesting woman. I hope he’s not now dating some so-called socialite and serious. But life is short and they are both grown-ups, so I guess if they enjoy each other’s company, he’s not robbing the cradle.
She was an “engineering major” for like one semester. She doesn’t even have a college degree. Let’s not give her too much credit. You have to actually get a degree in engineering to be an engineer. Anyone can declare any major they want and then drop out of school and say all their lives, “When I was in college, I was an astrophysics major” or whatever. Someone should ask her what her GPA was in her major. Then you’d find out she never took any “engineering classes” because she was off modeling instead of going to school.
I’m sure she’s smart. She wouldn’t be so successful as a business person otherwise. But let’s not overdo it.
Mrs Odie,
Your comment is hilarious, and spot on!!!
I don’t really get the concern over young women making poor dating decisions with older men? I made plenty of terrible dating choices in my 20’s while dating within my age range. I don’t think being bullied and assaulted by an older guy would have messed me up more than a young guy, and as for the more minor mistakes, again, I can’t see how the guys age would have made them worse.
If it’s a power thing, again I’m not sure what that has to do with age. No one wrings their hands when a massively successful and wealthy 30-something actor hooks up with a fairly unsuccessful 30-something actress, or a 20-something tech billionaire hooks up with a 20-something who’s yearly salary is what he makes in a minute. The power imbalance there is much greater than that between some like Gere, who’s career has been on a big downward slide for well over a decade and who lost a large chunk of his money in divorce settlements, and a socialite who probably has better connections than him at this point.
this. thank you.
I don’t think it’s concern — I think it’s bafflement. I’m baffled. If she’s happy, that’s fine, but I don’t get it (not that they care what I think).
I have never dated an older man, so this is totally not about my personal preference. If the woman is past mid 20s, I think she is an adult old enough to make the decision to date an older man. I wouldn’t, but it doesn’t disgust me. How is hooking up with randoms your own age somehow better than dating an older man?
He professed his adoration of her during some speech on Fri night (I believe). This story blew threw the Euro press over the weekend. The whole thing wound up in People last night. NYPost has yet to say a word about it.
Could care less about the relationship but I’m deeply horribly and incredibly fascinated about his Iron Defense PR team not being able to play this one a bit better in the press.
I didn’t realize they have been dating for a year, so I guess they are serious.
Actor Patrick Stewart’s wife is 38 years younger than him. She’s 36. He’s 74. Everybody was on here carrying on how much they loved him and that he was with her a long time before marrying a couple of years ago, so he got the seal of approval on here because I guess he’s beloved and people said they were adults. But that means he started dating her when she was 30, when he was 68. But people weren’t as judgy about him and said they would date him too on here.
I don’t get that relationship either (in terms of romantic or sexual attraction, I mean), but I think people are less judgmental of relationships that start in a woman’s 30s because by that time she probably has a defined sense of self and isn’t so malleable. Her sense of self at that age probably means she’s going into the relationship with full knowledge and experience.
Edited to add:
Whoops. I just realized we’re judging Richard Gere. Yeah, I got nothing with respect to that.
it is the same to me. imho it is gross. it doesn’t matter if i am a fan or not.
Same. Although Patrick is one little hottie still….
co-sign!
In some cases love knows no bounds, but seeing a 20-something with a guy who looks like her grandfather (not even her father) is off-putting to say the least.
She’s 32 with a child, not 20 something.
But he does look like her grandfather in those photos.
She looks like his daughter. My dad is 68 and I’m 38.
richard gere has been 65 for like the past 30 years lol
Yeah, it feels like it doesn’t it?
He strikes me as a control freak. It’s easy to control someone much, much younger.
So Ricky, mortality gives you a big, fat smack upside the head and you went all scaredy cat? Where are the Real men who can stand up to aging and death?
he filmed a movie by my house about 2 yrs ago, i found him to be rather charismatic. after talking to him a bit, i’m afraid i have to admit that i’d hit that.
That’s the thing with Richard. I thought he was looking old years ago because he let his hair go white, lots of lines. Then I saw him in a movie, Arbitrage (which is a great thriller by the way) and thought, the guy still has got it. His sexy charisma was still there and he has an intensity to him and keen intelligence, and he still rocks a suit. They even had him with a young mistress and it did not look silly for the movie (a big part of the plot in the beginning), and he had a panther like quality in his love scenes and always had.
i am 32 – my father is 62. this makes me barf. i’ve always like older men (husband 8 years older) – but i would have to draw the line on anyone within 10 years of parents age. my dad would die 1000 deaths if i brought home someone older than him. i would be mortified if he got a girlfriend my age. what could they have in common?
I’m 43 and my dad is 65. He’d date someone twenty years younger than me in a heartbeat.
My father is 72 and always talking about women aged 20-45. I live in fear of him ditching my mother (whom he hasn’t gotten along with for 20 years now)for a side piece and blow my inheritance in the process (I am 34). There were already divorcees who were old girlfriends of my dad trolling my grandma’s funeral hoping he was single. They clearly saw dollar signs since he was an only child.
Right. So your father simply must continue living with your mother with whom he’s been unhappy for 20 years of his life for pete’s sake! And make her unhappy for who knows how many more. Why? Because you are concerned about your inheritance. Wow. Just wow. This comes as a confirmation that those of us who were against “staying together for the children” on the other thread were right.
To further an explanation, my parents are co-dependent on one another, but miserable. My mother I haven’t seen her happy in 20 years, I told her to leave my father 15 years ago and she wouldn’t, she didn’t want to go back to working or having to provide for herself, she basically married up and now is miserable. She also belittles and verbally abuses my father at every turn. They’ve been married 40 years and I am 34, I have seen them truly happy maybe I could count on both hands my whole life. This my friends is what happens when you marry someone for money and money only.
I don’t know why, but this story is far more disturbing than yesterday’s story. Honestly for me, it is because he simply looks so OLD in comparison to her, like her grandpa like someone said above. I find older men sexy but this is too old even for me. I think because I am 34 I could see going for a 40 something or 50 something, but 65? Yelch. like someone said above also, you know in 10-20 years you will be searching for a new man because he will be most likely dead. Too big of an age gap, don’t understand what they have in common other than his money.
here’s the thing; I personally wouldn’t bc I don’t find gere attractive (also admittedly I wouldn’t date someone older than mid/late 40s atm), but as a woman in her 20s I too have to admit that sometimes older men are just more attractive overall. maybe not necessarily physically, but that’s not everything is it? the fact you can have proper conversations, don’t have to deal with childishness all the time, or with constant pressuring for sex which isn’t even all that good, are not things to underestimate. I don’t understand why some women seem so baffled by age differences and assume is just money.
Yea I know what you’re saying. Sometimes older men have this “seasoned” presence. If they are smart, good-looking and mature, there is definitely something swoonworthy about it.
That’s reasoning like this that doom women: a need of external wisdom and supposed”guidance”… plus in general the men who look for younger women don’t necessarily are the best providers of wisdom, substance or even good conversations…
“I don’t understand why some women seem so baffled by age differences and assume is just money.” It’s simply because it’s a proven FACT, by many studies, example the last OECD study on marriages in the relevant countries (2013) had underline the fact that the less educated is woman the greater the age difference is with her spouse or partner: in substance more a woman support herself, the more she choose a partner in her age range (2/3 years) … so not baffled just well life…
PS: I am in my 20s too and wouldn’t go for men past early 30s… Physical attraction is to everything but it is something quite important when you try to be “attracted ” to someone…
where did I mention guidance in my comment though? that was not what I wrote, so i don’t really know what to answer to you. re-read my comment. I also don’t know what to say to your proven FACTS. you do realise that for whatever study, you can find another mentioning the opposite, right? social studies are not the same as scientific studies, I’m afraid. so you can’t really prove anything as a FACT concerning this topic.
as for attraction, that might be for YOU. for many, physical attraction isn’t the main attribute, and regardless, many things can contribute to overall attraction. confidence and humour can for example make someone look far more attractive than a physically beautiful person lacking in other departments.
@ell:
-“you do realise that for whatever study, you can find another mentioning the opposite, right? social studies are not the same as scientific studies, I’m afraid”
Where did you reading my comment that it’s a ” social study ” when it was the collect and analysis of the demographics in countries members of the OECD ( developed countries organisation for your concern…)
So the numbers are the OFFICIAL ones provided by no less than the governments, the analysis are conduced by 3 universities from each country. ( more than 50 again FYI…)… and the statistic are indisputable: they are stating FACTS…..that the more a women is uneducated the more she marries older, complying with a traditional society role and the more she is independent the more she marries per choice, so within 3/4 years of her age (in some countries in 1 /3 of marriage the women is even the eldest… )
– Maybe you didn’t understand the “physical attraction” implied here… the hormonal one that is widely documented by SCIENTIFIC studies and that drives ATTRACTION (not as defined by the definition pulled out from your own hat…) and that frame relationships and is confirmed 95% of people marrying within 3/4 years of their age.
ps1 Maybe my comment hitter to close from home…
ps2: by the way social studies are very serious and offer quite solid and documented studies… at least way much better than a random comment make by one random opinion on the internet… you should give it at least a try…or a book
what hit close to home- because it’s “close to home” not “hitter (is it a verb?) to close from home”, just so you know for next time- the fact a faceless stranger on the internet thinks they know it all because of some study? ok then lmao.
@ell: what makes me LMAO is how you avoid backing your saying by proper sources …and about mistakes : english is my third langage…
What to think then about a faceless stranger on the internet that thinks knowing it all because…. well just because , no even the shadow of a rational point here ….when one makes generalizations one would try to at least back it on more solid ground than just his very personal and subjective opinion… that’s why REPORTS (not studies) are helpful when trying to do so… you should definitly try it! LMAO (big time!)
My boyfriend said last night when I was grossed out about the photos, well he was VERY popular in the 90’s. I was like yayyy…that was 20 years ago! Honestly ladies, do you still find him attractive? I just don’t anymore, not for some time now.
I always thought he aged gracefully (maybe because of the grey hair), but next to the 32 year old not so much.
Noooooo I don’t, Andrea.
He doesn’t even look like a “fun” 65 year old. Actually, he kind of reminds me of my old on-edge (and strangely paranoid) high school Spanish teacher.
^this especially your comment about the Spanish Teacher.
Kym — This was the comment of the day for me. The part about your Spanish teacher was priceless!
😀
Thank you kindly.
I am never, ever shocked when any man of any age wants to be with an attractive younger woman in her twenties. Even if he is eighty (disgusting but still). From a scientific standpoint, men like younger, fresh, attractive women – all the time, at any age. They can love a woman that is their age but it’s not like if they had the opportunity to be with a hotter/younger woman it wouldn’t be an alluring possibility, cause it is. I’ve always been certain it’s a fertility thing. Is it cringeworthy? Sometimes, totally! I think women are more into the convergence of emotional/mental attraction and physical attraction which is why the cliche mid-life red sports car mid-life crisis we chock up to being a male thing.
Nah. It’s a power thing. Once women earn as much/more than men, they will buy something young and pretty, too. Has nothing to do with fertility.
That’s a good point – J. Lo definitely comes to mind with her younger boytoys.
I don’t know if I agree. Some men sow their oats a lot then want to settle down later on (40’s-50’s), and let’s be frank here, they have that luxury to do so if they choose to.
Agreed on the fertility aspect. I don’t disagree that fertility makes women look fresher, more attractive, but the whole point of being attractive during peak fertility is to attract a healthy, strong mate who will give you healthy offspring. I know rich older dudes end up marrying young women all the time, but the reality is most May-Decembers don’t end up creating offspring. And while these old guys have the resources to take care of children, their virility is no longer optimal for making children. These guys like younger women because a.) they are thinking with their dicks b.) they enjoy having a power imbalance in a relationship where the younger person doesn’t have the experience nor the resources to be independent on their own and c.) they fear aging and want to recapture youth by courting a young mate.
Older men aren’t healthy and strong and much less likely to guarantee healthy offspring than younger males.
The advanced age of the father increases the risks of many diseases in the offspring (autism, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, etc.).
The Queen of Versailles husband comes to mind—80 with 8 kids under 20.
And women like Sophie B. Hawkins, Adrien Barbeau and Geena Davis had kids in their late 40’s/early 50’s. Just because it happens doesn’t make it the norm. What nobody wants to tell you is male infertility accounts for 50% of the root issue for couples struggling to conceive. Tom Arnold was one of the few male celebrities to openly admit he struggled with infertility. Regardless of all the high profile men who start having kids later in life, it is not the norm and it is not optimal for healthy offspring.
@Beth: exactly! There are more and more studies on male fertily these last years and the results kind of wreck the popular belief that men “don’t age ” in that department, actually it starts at 35 and by mid-45 it takes a great plunge!
That’s why sperm banks don’t want a donor older than 35…but hey people want absolutely this super fertility tale to still exists
I think the issue with JLo is that men her age in her field with her stature are not going to consider her as dating material because she’s too old for them. She has to go younger or MUCH older.
Maybe she takes care of him…
I was really thinking he and Diane Lane were going to end up together. They had mad chemistry in the movies they did together and on red carpets together, had great affection for one another. Then her marriage broke up. Then his broke up the same year. I saw it as a great love story coming together, fate. Both single at the same time, meant to end together as a couple.
Then crickets. Nothing ever happened.
Both of them together at the Palm Springs International Movie Awards Gala a couple of years ago about six months before he announces split with wife.
http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/wennpic/lane-gere-24th-annual-palm-springs-international-film-festival-awards-gala-02.jpg
Oops. This is the photo on the same red carpet I thought showed the chemistry between these two with his arms around her. Diane had just separated I think when this was taken.
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Diane+Lane+Richard+Gere+2013+Palm+Springs+fNHh8od2O7Xl.jpg
Wow! I could see them together. He really ages himself with the younger woman imo. I dated an older man for awhile and he felt like he was my dad after awhile so he got the punt despite being very wealthy. It wasn’t quite the age gap this is though.
In the top photo he just looks so nice. I would absolutely be into him, but I guess being in his age group he wouldn’t be in to me. lol.
OH! I thought it was his granddaughter.
The age difference is a little disturbing but his girlfriend is in her 30s and apparently a mom herself so I guess its less icky than if he was going out with a girl in her 20s. Btw- does anyone else think he is beginning to look like Queen Elizabeth?
I don’t know why women in their 30’s are deemed more acceptable as partners for much older men. Sure, they have had more life experience than someone 10 years younger, but when a man is that much older than her, her life experience looks pitiful in comparison.
@I don’t understand that too… like when you cross the 30 line you are fair game for any pensioner because you have “the same kind level” of experience… wow amazing how some beliefs are disturbing and backwards.
There is a great deal a difference between someone in their 20s, especially early 20s, and someone who is in their 30s, generally speaking. Richard Gere’s girlfriend is 32 and reportedly has a child. I think she is old enough to decide who she wants go out with even if it is an old geriatric.
I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Life experience isn’t something you gain just by being alive. There’s no shortage of 50-60yr olds who’ve never travelled, never had a real conversation with someone who wasn’t like them, never taken much notice of the world around them. My parents for example. They have 30+ years on my siblings and I, but we all have experienced so much more just by engaging with the world.
In some ways successful actors are in a bubble like that too. A more interesting bubble, but their actual life experience is often very narrow.
@grace: sure. and the deal is even greater between someone in her 30s and someone in his 60s… actually there is a whole generation fitted in there with even some room…
@Jessica: While I agree with what you say overall, i think the experience difference between older people and younger one is not in term of travelling and conversations and more about learning life lessons and losing some aspects, and someone in their 60s will always be ahead of someon in this 30s on this aspect… they know what it is it to live a whole life no matter what choices they make, while someone in they 30s didn’t even hit the middle of their life and have plenty of life experience and experimenting ahead…
Nothing can make it for this type of deep imbalance, because experience gained by years are just that: years of living
I am 36 and could totally date an older man if it was the right person. I’m positive the right person would never ever wear that vest. Ever. I’d put up with a bad dresser but the vest people the vest! (I’ve been reading comments for years without commenting but the vest broke me)
Richard. My my…. Listen, luv, don’t get married again. Be Buddhist; spread it around.
My ex is 57, in shape, medium good-looking, has a high-power job, and is wealthy. When we were married, I would see younger women throwing themselves at him. Now that we’re not, his girl friend is a 40-something arm charm. Seriously smoking hot body. He takes her around the world on fabulous vacations. They sail, ski, etc. Everytime I see them, she looks like she just won the lottery. And in a way, she has.
Winning the lottery would be really winning… or being wealthy herself… being someone arm candy is NOT! Your are just borrowing somebody else’ride dust… this is not even including the consideration of how pitiful this condition is..
Hmm. There’s a lot of ageism on this thread. People judge Dick for being shallow but aren’t you being just as shallow with all your comments about how old and ugly he is?
it’s not ageism it’s more a disgust that this man choose the shallow route rather the opposite, and it’s not a disgust of his age … it’s the disgust that at his age he is actually the one being crassly ageist…
I am quite curious to see all the acceptance and “after 30 we are so mature” points on the next J-Low thread…
I’m 28 and would date him. I don’t see the problem with ageism.
Eh… Who cares? I am in my early thirties and, as long as the guy is old enough to drink, I’m down. Maybe I am just a guy trapped in a women’s body. I keep getting older, but remain attracted to men in their 20s. If they are both consenting adults, who cares? I do side eye very old men or women with dates less than 21. Life is different when you still aren’t legally allowed to drink!!!
I don’t think anyone is suggesting they aren’t two consenting adults, I think people are wearily watching with annoyance the social imbalances in the sexual marketplace. If he weren’t Richard Gere (and he is starting to look long in the tooth) she wouldn’t look twice at him and if she were 60 he wouldn’t look twice at her – it’s the age old equation of younger female flesh in exchange for wealth and status. We know no one’s coercing them – but it does get annoying to keep being reminded how much women are still worth the package they come wrapped in, while men are not.
You know what, I don’t really see the problem with this. If they’re both happy (for whatever reasons that may be, superficial or not) then who cares?
What irritates me is Gere’s pontificating about Buddhism and enlightenment – oddly, his enlightenment never quite gets him as far as sleeping with women his own age. I’d have more respect for him if he shut up about his spirituality and just shrugged and said, “Why should I sleep with age appropriate women when my name and wealth can get me a younger piece of a**?” They do it because they can. Full stop. End of story.
Is no one going to mention the gerbil story?
No, because It was completely made up and the story took on a life of its own, another stupid urban legend. It’s kind of sad intelligent people latch on to some piece of gossip that anyone can state and put somewhere and then read it on the internet as truth and then perpetuate the lie. Richard has always been a ladies man, but even if he had ever wanted to dip into the man pond, does anyone really believe he would let someone put a gerbil up his ass? It’s like I see someone stupid guy started a rumor about Liam Neeson so distraught about losing Natashia that he flipped to men and now cruises the internet on some site and dates young guys, very young, borderline underage. Then I see it gets passed around on the internet and keeps being repeated on certain gossip sites by posters as if true. I heard blah, blah, blah.
Sylvestor Stallone once said he and Richard Gere were doing a movie and got into a fist fight and couldn’t stand each other anyway. Stallone said he got him kicked off the movie. The rumor happened sometime after that. And that since then he blames Stallone for spreading the gerbil going to the ER rumor. Stallone told the interviewer he never spread that rumor.
People, use your common sense.
Michael K mentioned the “gerbil story,” nice and grossly, in his entry for 6/24. Read DListed for further elucidation!
I’ve dated guys more than a decade older since my teens, so really don’t want to judge. Even in high school, I thought guys in college were prepubescent and immature. Being friends is ok, but I really don’t desire them as partners.
But being with someone older than my mom or dad would be disgusting, and I’ll be disowned LOL