Looking for new utterly upbeat, inspiring entertainment? Then you’ll want to consider “Call Your Grandmother,” a just-launched podcast hosted by two actual grandmothers: 81-year-old Ellin Grodsky and 90-year-old Rita Kaye.
Debuting at the end of January, the six-episode season spotlights a conversation between a Jewish grandmother and her grandchild every week with Grodsky and Kaye offering up lots of colorful commentary throughout.
Grodsky says the universally-relatable concept is that “no matter what, your grandmother is always there for you and that what you have, what your life is, is very dependent on how your grandmother saw the world and how she brought your parents up.” She says the podcast hosts children speaking to their grandparents with “such love.” “There’s such devotion to these grandparents,” she notes. “It’s very, very heartwarming.”
Read on for more about the podcast — and what Grodsky and Kaye have to say to other seniors.
How the podcast began
The two were tapped to host the podcast through the grapevine. A connection of Kaye’s daughter was friends with producer Meryl Poster, and when she heard that Poster was putting together a podcast about grandmothers, she thought that Kaye would make a great addition. Kaye, in turn, recommended Grodsky, and the pair, along with a few others, were interviewed to be part of the show.
“And not only were we chosen, we were asked to be the host of all of them,” says Kaye.
Grodsky adds, “I think a lot of it had to do with the rapport that Rita and I have. My daughter, after she listened to it, she says, ‘You know, Ma, I think you and Rita think with the same brain.’”
And their affection for each other is evident on the phone and on the podcast. They laugh and joke easily and often, as Grodsky says, go off on tangents.
The first episode, which launched on iHeart Radio on January 28, features a conversation between Kaye and her granddaughter Rachel who not only lived with Kaye for six months before heading off to graduate school but also calls her grandmother her best friend.
“[The podcast includes] a lot of discussion about when we were young, and the kids of today are young and the differences,” says Kaye. For example, for her, talking on the phone to a friend beats texting any day.
Grodsky adds that it’s been so heartwarming to hear all the stories and conversations between the grandchildren and the grandmothers. “I’m just loving every minute of this,” she says.
How the hosts’ friendship blossomed
“Rita and I are — when I say, old friends, I mean old friends,” says Grodsky. “We’ve known each other a little over 20 years, and she’s dear to me. Very, very dear to me.”
The pair both grew up in Brooklyn and actually attended the same high school at different times. Years later, a mutual friend introduced them, knowing the two would hit it off, Grodsky recalls. As it turns out, their friend was right on the money.
While they were close before, often talking a couple times a week, this experience has brought them even closer. “Now, we talk almost every day,” says Grodsky, “And every day, there’s something new and exciting to talk about.”
The podcast itself has proven to be enriching both for them and, they hope, for others.
“I think that the podcast is funny,” says Grodsky (Spoiler: It’s very funny. Just listen to the two-minute trailer where Kaye says how she’s becoming a star at 90, and the two jokingly argue over how fast to say the name of the podcast, and you get a quick glimpse into what’s in store.) “It’s funny, and it’s loving. Those are the two things that I take away from it.”
And based on the reviews, it’s working. “I smiled all the way through,” writes one reviewer.
“This podcast is hilarious and will instantly brighten your mood. Imagine your fun and funny, sweet but opinionated (in a good way) and spunky grandmother, and then, multiply that by two, and you’ve got this hit podcast!” writes another.
Friends and family have also chimed in praising the pair. “All the grandkids, they’re so excited about this whole thing, you can’t imagine,” says Kaye, who has grandchildren ranging in age from 14 to 28.
Grodsky, who has grandchildren ranging from 11 to almost 18 years old, agrees. “I have gotten phone calls from people I haven’t heard from for years,” she says. “I got a note from one friend and it said, ‘I have loved you for 25 years, but never more than after I heard that podcast.’”
The grandmothers’ life lessons for other seniors
A few life-loving tips the podcast co-hosts and dear friends can offer other older adults:
Embrace technology. Along with the podcast, Grodsky and Kaye both use technology regularly. Grodsky had a blog called “In Ellin’s Kitchen” for years, and Kaye has found the computer to be a lifeline this year — especially because it allows her to watch her beloved opera, which she hasn’t been able to see in person.
They also recommend that older adults seek out resources to learn more about tech. For instance, Grodsky says her grandson and two of his friends volunteered at a senior residence to teach residents how to use their tech.
“Look, you can’t stay young age-wise,” says Kaye. “But if you just want to be young for your age, you’ve got to get with the things that are going on today. That’s what keeps you young.”
Find a creative outlet. “If you can’t get out, you should find things to do that interest you and that excite you,” says Grodsky, who notes that writing her blog would help calm her and provide something other than work to focus on. “You have to keep your mind going,” she says.
Stay engaged. Similarly, Kaye encourages people to find activities and hobbies to busy themselves with, like knitting which she’s recently taken up again. The co-host, who notes she feels lucky that her mind is still sharp, says, “Don’t give up. If you’re physically able, go. Do. Visit. That’s my motto: I’ll go until I can’t go.”
