Meet a TikTok Pop Culture Influencer … at 60

Lori Alterman didn’t suddenly decide at 60 that she wanted to be on TikTok. It was a dream that had been sitting quietly for decades.

In her younger years, Alterman was pursuing a career in entertainment. She was doing stand-up, improv, and acting, fully immersed in that world and chasing something bigger. But like so many women, life took a different turn. She got married, had two daughters, and shifted into a successful career in sales while raising her family. She didn’t abandon her dream. She set it aside because life required something else then. For 24 years, the creative part of her stayed on the shelf.

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The Moment Everything Changed

When her daughters grew up and left home, Alterman found herself facing a moment many women know all too well. The house gets quiet, the roles shift, and the question becomes unavoidable.

Now what?

In one week, her youngest left for college, the family dog died, and they moved homes. It was too much all at once. She had what she openly calls a nervous breakdown. Instead of ignoring it, she chose to deal with it. She went to therapy and did the hard work of unpacking years of emotions she had pushed aside. She realized she had been using humor as a shield, keeping everything light on the surface while avoiding what was underneath.

That work didn’t just help her heal. It opened something up.

The Unexpected Idea

One night, Alterman woke up with a thought that would change everything. She had been watching TikTok, consuming content, and something clicked.

Why not me?

She didn’t overthink it. She didn’t wait until she had the perfect plan. She didn’t worry about being too old or not knowing how to use the platform. In fact, she didn’t even know how to open the app properly. She hired a college student just to teach her the basics.

And then she started.

At first, she talked about things many women over 50 are already thinking about. Skincare, makeup, menopause, life changes. But what naturally came through wasn’t just the topics. It was her voice.

Her humor. Her honesty. Her complete lack of a filter.

Lori Alterman; photo by Stephanie Girard

Finding Her Voice and Her Audience

What started as simple videos quickly turned into something much bigger. People connected with her because she wasn’t trying to be polished or perfect. She was real.

Today, Alterman has nearly 200,000 followers on TikTok. She partners with outlets like Us Weekly, interviews celebrities, and hosts her own podcast, Fan or Fanatic, where she interviews celebrities and dives into the world of pop culture. She has built a platform and a business in a space many people assume belongs to a younger generation. But what actually makes her stand out is her perspective.

She’s lived. She’s raised kids. She’s navigated marriage, career shifts, and personal challenges. That life experience shows up in everything she does, and it’s exactly what her audience responds to.

Why Being Over 50 Is Her Advantage

There is a narrative that certain industries, especially social media and entertainment, are for younger people. Alterman proves that’s simply not true.

If anything, her age gives her an advantage. She is not afraid to speak her mind. She is not chasing approval. And she understands that rejection is part of the process. As she said, you already have a “no” by default because you haven’t asked yet. So, you might as well go for it.

That mindset is powerful, especially in midlife. When you stop worrying about what people think, you open yourself up to opportunities you might never have considered before. She is also very clear about one thing. She is not trying to be younger. Fifty is not the new thirty. Fifty is fifty. And sixty is sixty. And that is more than enough.

The Joy of Starting Again

One of the most powerful parts of Alterman’s story has nothing to do with follower counts or brand deals. It is how she feels about her life now.

She goes to sleep excited to wake up.

That is something many women lose somewhere along the way, not because they have done anything wrong, but because they have spent years showing up for everyone else. Alterman’s story is a reminder that you can find that excitement again. It does not require a perfect plan. It does not require experience. It just requires starting.

You’re Not Too Old

Lori Alterman did not become a TikTok influencer in spite of her age. She became one because she finally allowed herself to step into who she was always meant to be. Her story is not really about TikTok. It is about reinvention. It is about giving yourself permission to try something new, even if it feels uncomfortable or unexpected.

And most importantly, it is about understanding that there is no expiration date on becoming who you want to be. You are not too old for social media. You are not too old to start over. You are not too old to build something meaningful.

If anything, this might be exactly the right time.

Note: Christina Daves is a TV lifestyle contributor and the host of the award-winning podcast Living Ageless and Bold, where she celebrates women over 50 who are rewriting the rules of midlife.