If Sex Sells, Here’s An Irrisistible Offer!

Ladies Who Lunch ConversationsDuchess: Death Doula

Nov 7

Whether or not you subscribe to the well-known advertising and marketing strategy that urges creatives to use “sexual imagery, sensuality, or physical attraction to grab attention and make people more likely to buy a product or service” ~ you would do one better by buying into the authentic, real thing. In a matter of speaking, there is now the very real opportunity to actually buy into sex ~ in the form of a documentary film that is. More to the point, the Ask Joan documentary is about ageless sexuality, enhanced sensuality and intimacy ~ as told through the life of the acknowledged “Senior Sexpert” author, and sex advice columnist ~ Joan Price ~ who picked up where Dr. Ruth left off.

What’s that again, you ask?

Let me explain. If you do not already know Joan Price, allow me to introduce this inspiring 82-year old sex educator and advocate for ageless sexuality. She is the reigning royal fairy godmother ~ complete with her own Tinker-Bell “Sex Date” ritual, who the NY Times referred to as “the woman leading a sex revolution for seniors.”

In fact, I have the NY Times to thank for introducing me to Joan. Back in March, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the newspaper’s, Modern Love column, “A Widow’s Guide to Sex” featuring Joan.

I was excited that the venerable “Grey Lady” was featuring another grey lady ~ but this one is a sexy, charismatic senior who gets us to talk about sex and aging. Because, frankly, no one else has felt comfortable or had the experience to share the conversation about what happens to our sex lives as we get older.

After I read the Modern Love column, I was determined to help open up the conversation on a topic that is overlooked or considered taboo. Straight away, I knew this inspiring woman was the ideal guest for my videocast, Ladies Who Lunch Conversation.

We aligned our calendars accordingly in order to be closer to the release date of the Ask Joan documentary film, and in our coordinations, arranged to include a lucky extra ~ to produce what is so apropos here: a double feature. See, I not only had the great honor to host Joan, but to also include Deidre Fishel, the award-winning documentary filmmaker who sought out Joan in order to tell her important story in a film short.

For the first half of the Ladies Who Lunch Conversation, I help you to discover Joan’s inspiring life story: her struggles, challenges, losses and triumphs, including her favorite fragrance 🌸 and Deirdre’s favorite cocktail 🍹

When we bring in Deidre to join the Conversation, you’re then in position to understand why Deidre was so smitten with Joan and was compelled to tell her story. Deirdre is a passionate voice for telling stories through film and I’m sure you’ll agree, Deidre’s choice of subject and topic here with Ask Joan is spot-on topical as well as brimming with covered advice. And in preparing this overview post, I also see that Ask Joan has already ignited a red hot spotlight on the subject with podcasters and news media. Go Joan!

No doubt, you’ll be charmed by Joan’s indefatigable spirit, and her fearless determination to live life fully.

You can view our incredibly informative, candid and humorous talk on the Ladies Who Lunch Conversations Facebook page or on YouTube. It’s pure joy. Like me, you’ll feel like you’re sitting down with a dear friend. Albeit a wise and successful one.

I can tell you that I learned so much. Not only about our human sexuality as we age but about following your dream and a career that evolves gently and with synchronicity over time...

I often note that in living longer, we need to embrace the chapters that each succeeding decade can offer. Joan is an inspiring, living proof of this journey.

For example, in our videocast, Joan talks about writing and speaking about senior sex since 2005; becoming “invisible” to men as she aged and how she found her voice; her journey from a high school English teacher to sex educator. By her late forties, she had taken up the mantle of her shero, Dr. Ruth Weistheimer, offering advice to lovers in her AARP, Senior Planet column to help fill the burgeoning need from her followers about how to practice good sex at any age.

Today, Joan is the author of four books about sexuality, including the award-winning and newly updated Sex after Grief: Navigating Your Sexuality after Losing Your Beloved and Naked at Our Age: Talking Out Loud about Senior Sex, that was recently chosen by the New York Times as one of the eight best books about sex. Joan readily autographs the books, too. It’s easy when you purchase from the links I provided. I know I’ll use her signed copy of the Sex After Grief book in my Death Doula work, where she addresses the complications of dating and sex, “debunking hurtful myths about sex and dating…helping you discover how to reclaim your sexuality in your own way, on your own timeline.” Joan is also a sex accessory influencer. She is adorable asking when she asked if my tablescape included vibrators! That would have added new meanings to Gathering and Hospitality, don’t you think?

What I did showcase on my tablescape as an homage to Joan were the bells. I love that I elicitated such a surprise for Joan. She then explained how the bell is a key part of her and Mac’s “Sex Date” ritual. Caption this, please!

Joan is an internationally popular public speaker and viewing our Conversation, I think you’ll readily agree she is at the same time, a warm and delightfully coquetish girlfriend that you want to talk to and laugh with. And that’s part of her ultimate beauty and charm. Because truth be told, Joan has seen her share of tragedy. Like a heroine in a country song, she triumphed after an near-fatal car accident and rehab, the death of her first husband, and if you can believe it, the disappearance of her sex drive, along with life’s otherwise daily challenges, including the day of our Conversation, when her area lost power and the corresponding wifi, just as she was getting ready to sign on to the studio. But we persevered ~ and dear Joan was game. The result is the smashing Conversation you must experience. 🤸

Plus, Deirdre, the film documentarian joins us at the half-way point, adding her profound perspective.

Grab your popcorn and enjoy this most intriguing talk. It’s so honest, raw, and authentic, generating a mix of emotions from compassion to comedy. I laughed exuberantly. Why does any talk about sex frequently throttle us back in time to render us giggling tweens? Or alternatively, scare us into embarrassed silence?

At times during our lively Conversation, I wanted to hug both Deidre and Joan, given their abundant candor and heartfelt reminders of adult relationships ~ from our parents and our lovers ~ both of whom impact our sense of self. Along with the too-often overlooked or ignored importance of making the effort to mindfully celebrate our desires and our sexuality!

We need to learn and talk about this topic more for our mental and physical well being. I’m doing my part here 😀 Joan reminds us of the importance of sex with her signature playful style, posing the rhetorical question to make a point: “At what age do you plan to retire your genitals?”

While the desire and passion is steadfast, Joan offers advice about managing health and body issues that come along with the aging process.

Joan’s inspiring journey of love and loss and joy, while navigating life’s ever-changing chapters is what makes this Conversation so timely and compelling. Likewise, it is what will make this documentary so compelling.

Deidre is an independent filmmaker who is a dedicated artist telling stories about lives that have remained largely invisible. Her other works include Facing the Wind (2024) which began airing this past June on PBS, and Women in Blue (2020) broadcast on PBS independent Lens and the MacArthur and Ford Foundation-funded Care 2018.

Joan’s story is Deirdre’s creative hands. But they do need some team support to bring the film over the finish line. Will you please consider donating?

In a very cool opportunity, with Joan’s permission, Deidre has generously offered to include any of our crowd-funded names for those who donate $100 or more to help fund the final editing of the film.

I just made a donation ~ easy sneezy. You can use your credit cards, a check or Paypal.

You’ll not only support this documentary art piece, reaching a vast audience, but you will also see your name up in lights ~ well, not on the marquee but better. In the credits. You know you always wanted to be in the movies as a kind of executive producer. 👏🎥🎬 Here’s the Link to your Art House investment here 🙂 Whether you donate as a public service ~ the message needs to be shared: ageism in sex is real. Or you want to support the empowering love story of a woman who became a leader of a movement, it’s all good.