Audacious Older Women in Comedy, Law, and Body Art Redefine What It Means to Grow Older

Comedian D’yan Forest, attorney Harriet Newman Cohen, and Guinness World Record holder Charlotte Guttenberg are proving that aging can be bold, expressive, and full of momentum. This trio of women, all well into their seventies, eighties, and nineties, continue to push boundaries in their respective fields while refusing to slow down.

D’yan Forest, now 91 years old, has built a reputation as a sharp, witty performer who commands the stage with her ukulele and signature humor. She holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest female comedian, and she recently released a new full-length solo show titled A Gefilte Fish Out Of Water. Her performances weave together stories from her long life, delivered with a confidence and comedic timing that highlight decades of lived experience.

Forest’s ability to connect with audiences stems from her openness about her personal journey, which includes a career spanning cabaret, music, and comedy. She continues to appear at venues across countries and festivals, with her earlier performance A Broad Abroad making an appearance at the Greenside Venues Launch during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2016. More details about her Guinness recognition can be found on the Guinness World Records website at Guinness World Records – Oldest Female Comedian.

Meanwhile, Harriet Newman Cohen, at 92 years old, remains a prominent figure in the world of matrimonial and family law. She is a founding partner of Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP, where she serves as a negotiator and trial attorney handling divorce, custody, and complex family matters. Cohen is widely respected for her influence on legal reforms, particularly those affecting LGBTQ+ families, and she has no intention of leaving the profession she helped shape.

Cohen is also the author of Passion and Power: A Life in Three Worlds, a book that outlines her personal, academic, and legal journey. Her decades of work have positioned her as one of the most impactful family law attorneys in the United States, and her firm’s information is available at Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP.

The third audacious elder, Charlotte Guttenberg, is 77 years old and holds the Guinness World Record for being the most-tattooed female senior citizen. She began tattooing her body in her fifties and has since transformed nearly all of it into a detailed canvas, turning herself into what she describes as a living piece of art. Her journey into extreme body art challenges misconceptions about aging and self-expression.

Guttenberg’s extraordinary tattoo coverage and Guinness achievements are recognized globally, and more about her record can be found through the Guinness World Records listing at Most Tattooed Senior Citizen (Female).

These three women were recently featured on the show Audacious, hosted by Chion Wolf of Connecticut Public. The episode highlights how each of them continues to work, create, and inspire well past the age when society typically expects people to slow down. Wolf’s show, which explores unconventional and misunderstood human experiences, is available on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Listen Notes.

The episode also credits contributors Jessica Severin de Martinez, Meg Fitzgerald, and Robyn Doyon-Aitken, all part of the Connecticut Public audio storytelling team. Their work showcases stories that spotlight extraordinary individuals whose lives don’t fit conventional molds, making this particular segment a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and unapologetic individuality.