Dick Van Dyke turned 100 late last year — and his attitude about it might surprise you. Rally digs into what the legendary entertainer’s century of living can teach us about staying curious, staying playful, and refusing to let age call the shots. From classic Disney films to a heartfelt Coldplay video, this beloved centenarian doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Rally :
Hello Beautiful People…
Rally Preston here — your 70-year-old host and, a uh, certified member of the “a-little-creaky-but-still-kicking club.” Just like the legendary Dick Van Dyke. Who, by the way, is my jumping-off point for this episode today.
But first, let me welcome you back to the Silver Beast Podcast, where age is just a number. And if it starts bossing us around well, we can just pretend we can’t hear it. That’s the beauty of selective hearing, right?
So today, Silver Beasties, we’ve got something I think every single one of us needs to hear once and awhile…
…Especially maybe on those mornings when just opening your eyes feels like you’re lifting a grand piano, right?
So let me ask you something. What would you do right now — today — if nobody had ever told you how old you were? How would you act? What would you try?
Well, I know a guy…who I’d say answered that question every day of his life…and that’s Dick Van Dyke.
Yep. The dancing chimney sweep from Mary Poppins. The guy who tripped over the ottoman – or sidestepped it – you never knew which it would be every week on TV — you remember that?
Yeah the one and only Dick Van Dyke — who turned one hundred uh, this past December.
He’s an official centenarian now. He made it.
In fact, a reporter asked him what it felt like to hit that milestone, and what he said was classic Van Dyke…here’s what he said:
“A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more. Which I plan to.”
I mean… that’s pretty awesome, right?
One hundred years old, and his attitude is more like: yeah, I’m just getting warmed up. That is some serious Silver Beast energy right there, I tell ya.
Oh — and when someone asked him how old he feels? He said he feels about thirteen. Thirteen!
Yeah I wake up some mornings feeling like an old ‘87 Buick with three flat tires. Dick Van Dyke feels thirteen. Well good for him.
And here’s something kinda funny. He said that over the years, he played a lot of older characters in movies. Now I remember he played another character, the old banker, Mr. Dawes, in Mary Poppins too…and yeah he was a 38-year old. Anyway, he played lots of old characters pretty much angry and cantankerous.
But now that he is a hundred, he looked back and said — “It’s not really that way.”
And he proves that in well, every interview I’ve seen of him lately.
And you know that’s pretty much in line with what he wrote in his earlier book I read, I haven’t read the new one yet, but in his Keep Moving book that’s been out ten years or so now, he had a great quote in it. And here’s what he said:
“You don’t have to act your age. You don’t even have to feel it. And if it does attempt to elbow its way into your life — you do not have to pay attention.”
Well I betcha with that attitude, that’s probably why he made it to 100 and is still going.
So yeah, Dick Van Dyke is not pretending old age is a breeze.
He’s honest about it.
I mean his eyesight is giving him trouble. He wears hearing aids. But he says he still tries to dance. And he still tries to hit the gym three days a week…and he gets stiff when he misses it. And I can relate to that.
Now — something else about Dick Van Dyke I find really cool. Coldplay — the rock band — asked him to be in one of their music videos. This was late 2024. So he was 98 I guess. Anyway, he showed up. Did a little dancing. And in the video, by the end of the song, his kids, his grandkids, and his great-grandkids all come out and dance with him. It’s really touching to watch….and you can find it on YouTube…uh the song’s “All My Love” by Coldplay. All that at 98 years old. That’s not bad for a guy born well before broadcast TV was around.
Y’know, his big message in his Keep Moving book really starts with the title I think.
And in it you’ll find he doesn’t just mean physically, although that’s a big part of it for him.
He means in every way — uh body, mind, curiosity, joy. Stay in motion. Stay interested. Stay a little bit ridiculous if you need to. That’s pretty much been his mindset.
So with Dick Van Dyke as our inspiration, let’s see if we can apply some of his philosophy to our everyday lives.
So think about this — how many times have you stopped yourself from doing something fun, or a little silly, because it didn’t seem age-appropriate?
You know, like uh dancing in public. Taking a college class with much younger people. Or uh laughing like a maniac at a dumb TV show.
I wish I could be more like that. I really do. And I try.
Sometimes you just got to remember there is no such thing as age-appropriate.
That’s just something invented by people who have nothing better to do, right. And Dick Van Dyke has been ignoring that his whole life.
And I love that mindset, because it’s so easy to start believing our best years are behind us.
But you know, what if they’re not? Play along with me here…
What if some of the most meaningful, joyful — or just flat-out weird and wonderful moments are still ahead?
Now look. I’m not saying every day is going to feel like a Broadway number from Bye Bye Birdie. Some days it’s a victory just to find your car keys. And I get it. But moving isn’t about being perfect. It’s about doing something. Like a walk. A stretch. Everything counts.
Because you know once you stop moving — physically, mentally, emotionally — you start to rust over. Kinda like my old bike with the banana seat I left outside for years and years. The less we move, the crustier we get. And trust me, WD-40 won’t fix everything.
Now look, I know some of us are dealing with real challenges. Uh, health stuff. Loss. Days that feel heavy. There’s no way to sugarcoat that. OK.
But I would like to remind you that even a tiny step forward — whatever that looks like for you — can start to shift your whole perspective.
So here’s what I say:
Forget what the calendar says.
Forget what society says.
Forget what your knees say. Well, okay — maybe listen a little. But don’t let them run the show.
If something makes you feel alive — chase it. If music plays in the store — well dance. If a joke is funny — well then just laugh out loud. If an idea excites you — then go learn about it.
And if you feel like doing something completely ridiculous for no good reason — well like Nike says, just do it.
We’re going to wrap up in a minute, but here are a few gentle nudges to keep your mind and body moving, Silver Beast style:
Try something new this week. Doesn’t have to be grand. Paint a rock. Watch a movie you’ve never heard of. Rearrange the fridge magnets. Just uh, shake things up – even if it’s just a little bit.
Next you can…Move your body. Walk the block. Stretch while you’re brushing your teeth. Or invent your own weird little dance. You’re the choreographer of your life now.So take advantage of that.
Next, feed your mind. Read a weird fact. Google how to say “pickle” in five languages. I’ll get you started — it’s sottaceto in Italian– or something like that. Point is, dive into something curious just because it’s fun.
Reach out to someone. Call a friend. Say something silly to the cashier. That connection gives your soul a really good vibe.
And laugh more. Don’t forget that. Life is funny. We’re funny. And sometimes all you can do is laugh — like when you show up to the grocery store in your house slippers. Not that I’ve ever done that. More than twice.
So my fellow Silver Beasts — take a cue from Mr. Dick Van Dyke. A hundred years in, and the man is still curious, still playful, still dancing when he can, and still telling us…it’s not enough. He wants more.
And you know what? So should we.
Alright my friends…
Keep moving. Keep smiling. And keep being the gloriously unpredictable Silver Beast that I know you are.
I’ll see you on the next episode of the Silver Beast Podcast. Take care!