Just call them the Golden Girls for a new generation.
TikTok stars Robert Reeves, Mick Peterson, Bill Lyons and Jessay Martin — known collectively as the “Old Gays” — have signed with Brian Graden Media (BGM) to develop a docuseries about their personal and professional social media lives, all while living together in Cathedral City, California.
The “Old Gays” have more than 3.2 million followers and 320 million views across their social media platforms.
“We are thrilled to be working with the hilarious and very talented ‘Old Gays,’” BGM CEO Brian Graden said. “Their videos resonate with audiences young and old alike and viewers have shown extreme interest in seeing their lives on a more personal level which we intend to deliver upon.”
In addition to their viral videos, the “Old Gays,” who range in age from mid-60s to late 70s, have appeared on the “Drew Barrymore Show” and “Today” show. They first gained attention when they were featured in promotional videos for the gay dating app Grindr. Their brand work also includes projects with HBO Max, “American Horror Story,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Budlight Seltzer and Shake Shack.
“We have always been very passionate about telling stories within the LGBTQ+ community with our series that have included ‘Finding Prince Charming,’ ‘Todrick,’ ‘Escape the Night,’ ‘Instant Influencer,’ and ‘Lance Loves Michael,’ and have had an extremely successful track record collaborating with social media influencers which also include Joey Graceffa and James Charles,” Graden said. “We look forward to expanding upon that success with the ‘Old Gays’ to create an entertaining and successful long-form series that will be enjoyed by millions of viewers from all different backgrounds and ages across the world.”
NBC's TODAY.com profiled the Old Gays earlier this year for Pride Month 2021, when all four men sat down to talk about their newfound fame in this late act of their lives.
“I think the most important thing that we’re educating people on is that 60 years ago, coming out was a real struggle,” said Lyons, who never openly came out out to his parents even though he knew all his life he was gay.
“You didn’t talk about coming out to your parents or anything. In fact, a lot of situations, I heard when parents found out that one of their children was gay, they kicked him out of the house right away. It really wasn’t easy in the beginning.”
Martin said that their viral videos have helped him rediscover his own voice.
“I have not always had a voice,” he shared. “This has given me an opportunity to really use my voice and to just not to worry about what people are thinking of me. For me, it really has been and still is quite the journey. I don’t know where it’s going, but right now I’m on cloud nine and I’m thankful to be a part of it.”
But above all else, Peterson just wants to entertain.
“I hope that they take our experiences and see that we’re honest about them and reflect on those experiences towards themselves, either as a cautionary tale or something to have a laugh with us on,” he said. “And maybe they learn not to ignore the old gay at the bar next time.”