--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's going to be really weird when I'm 80…" description: "\"It's going to be really weird when I'm 80 years old, in a walker, and people are still calling me America's sweetheart. We need a new one.\" — Mary Lou ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/mary-lou-retton-14694_america_it-s-going-to-be-really-weird-when-i-m-8_2591612.jpg" --- # It's going to be really weird when I'm 80 years old, in a… ![“It's going to be really weird when I'm 80 years old, in a walker, and people are still calling me America's sweetheart. We need a new one.” quote by Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/mary-lou-retton-14694_america_it-s-going-to-be-really-weird-when-i-m-8_2591612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/mary-lou-retton-14694_america_it-s-going-to-be-really-weird-when-i-m-8_2591612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/790/mary-lou-retton-14694_america_it-s-going-to-be-really-weird-when-i-m-8_2591612.jpg) > “It's going to be really weird when I'm 80 years old, in a walker, and people are still calling me America's sweetheart. We need a new one.” [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Age and fame can become a stereotype; society needs fresh role models beyond the familiar. **In simple terms:** Old stereotypes need new role models. Key Takeaway Promote new voices. Themes age celebrity stereotype Mood determined optimistic Type cultural social When to use this quote - advertising - youth mentorship - public speaking Key Concepts media studies gender studies Questions to Reflect On - Who could be the next role model? - How to break age stereotypes? A Different Perspective May overlook existing role models. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sweetheart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweetheart/) ## Related quotes > [You know you're old if your walker has an airbag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/you-know-you-re-old-if-your-walker-has-an-airbag/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [You know you're old when your walker has an airbag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/you-know-you-re-old-when-your-walker-has-an-airbag/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [I'm not like a gay icon or America's gay sweetheart. I'm just America's sweetheart, and I'm just an icon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rippon/i-m-not-like-a-gay-icon-or-america-s-gay-sweetheart-i-m-just-america/) [Adam Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rippon/) > [Being "America's Sweetheart", that label gets put on a lot of people. I don't pay that much attention. And I'm not trying to shake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/being-america-s-sweetheart-that-label-gets-put-on-a-lot-of-people-i/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [Who wants to shake the hand of the first man to put it to America's sweetheart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-agar/who-wants-to-shake-the-hand-of-the-first-man-to-put-it-to-america-s/) John Agar > [Fred Savage,he's America's sweetheart, like I always say. One of the funniest, nicest, most decent... I love him like a brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/fred-savage-he-s-america-s-sweetheart-like-i-always-say-one-of-the/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [You'd think if anyone could charm America into caring about the evening news, it would be Katie Couric, the Tri Delt from Virginia who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/you-d-think-if-anyone-could-charm-america-into-caring-about-the/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [I remember I was a little girl when Elizabeth Taylor stole Eddie Fisher from America's Sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds, and the reaction back then was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/i-remember-i-was-a-little-girl-when-elizabeth-taylor-stole-eddie/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [Dorothy Hamill was my big idol as a kid. She'd won the Olympics in 1976. She was America's sweetheart with her personality, her talent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-yamaguchi/dorothy-hamill-was-my-big-idol-as-a-kid-she-d-won-the-olympics-in/) [Kristi Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-yamaguchi/) > [Look at Jennifer Aniston: She's America's sweetheart for a reason. You know what she's going to look like when she shows up to something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-williams/look-at-jennifer-aniston-she-s-america-s-sweetheart-for-a-reason-you/) [Allison Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-williams/) > [I've never really been America's sweetheart, but for a minute I think that's what they wanted me to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-heigl/i-ve-never-really-been-america-s-sweetheart-but-for-a-minute-i-think/) [Katherine Heigl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-heigl/) > [There's something about America's sweetheart and America's bad boy. That juxtaposition is what everyone desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/there-s-something-about-america-s-sweetheart-and-america-s-bad-boy/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [Working people are under the worst attack in 80 years. Never has there been a stronger need for a stronger union movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sweeney/working-people-are-under-the-worst-attack-in-80-years-never-has-there/) [John Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sweeney/) > [Seriously, the world is changing so quickly that if you had any more than 80 years of change I dont see how you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/seriously-the-world-is-changing-so-quickly-that-if-you-had-any-more/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I'll be that guy who's 80 years old and still has a job. There is no 'retire' for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-show/i-ll-be-that-guy-who-s-80-years-old-and-still-has-a-job-there-is-no/) [Big Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-show/) ## More by Mary Lou Retton > [I usually don't mind giving autographs, but when hundreds of folks with paper and pen start coming at you, it's time to seek shelter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/i-usually-don-t-mind-giving-autographs-but-when-hundreds-of-folks/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Even though it may seem counterintuitive, a comfort zone is a dangerous place to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/even-though-it-may-seem-counterintuitive-a-comfort-zone-is-a/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Former Olympians also get paid to make appearances. Many of them won their medals in an era when Olympic success didn't go hand-in-hand with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/former-olympians-also-get-paid-to-make-appearances-many-of-them-won/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [I love her attitude, but as much as I'd like to bring my medals to a speech or appearance, I never do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/i-love-her-attitude-but-as-much-as-i-d-like-to-bring-my-medals-to-a/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [As much time as you put into it, that's what your achievements are going to be when you come out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/as-much-time-as-you-put-into-it-that-s-what-your-achievements-are/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun. You get self-satisfaction from pushing your self to the limit, knowing that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun-you-get-self/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [You give up your childhood. You miss proms and games and high-school events, and people say it's awful... I say it was a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/you-give-up-your-childhood-you-miss-proms-and-games-and-high-school/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Many medal winners dream of competing in a sport other than the one they're famous for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/many-medal-winners-dream-of-competing-in-a-sport-other-than-the-one/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [More than 10,000 athletes came to Atlanta seeking Olympic medals. Only a few of them will be lucky and skilled enough to claim one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/more-than-10-000-athletes-came-to-atlanta-seeking-olympic-medals-only/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/as-simple-as-it-sounds-we-all-must-try-to-be-the-best-person-we-can/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Rather then focusing on the obstacle in your path, focus on the bridge over the obstacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/rather-then-focusing-on-the-obstacle-in-your-path-focus-on-the-bridge/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [I'm very determined and stubborn. There's a desire in me that makes me want to do more and more, and to do it right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/i-m-very-determined-and-stubborn-there-s-a-desire-in-me-that-makes-me/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It's our goal in life to find it and keep it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/each-of-us-has-a-fire-in-our-hearts-for-something-it-s-our-goal-in/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Erase the word "failure" from your vocabulary. No case is ever truly closed, and no challenge is ever over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/erase-the-word-failure-from-your-vocabulary-no-case-is-ever-truly/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) [Explore all 45 Mary Lou Retton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's going to be really weird when I'm 80 years old, in a walker, and people are still calling me America's sweetheart. 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