‘Dating While Gray’: Richmond podcaster navigates love for those 50 and older
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- If you watch the “Golden Bachelorette," you’re familiar with the challenge of finding love in the golden years. Here at home, one Richmond podcaster is giving folks a roadmap to dating over 50. Laura Stassi hosts the podcast ‘Dating While Gray,’ which takes on topics like couples living apart while together, prenups and finding love after divorce or death. Stassi tells her listeners she knows that dating while older isn’t for the weak. “How do people my age meet other people?," Stassi said of the dating hurdles this demographic faces. "Is it possible to start a new romantic relationship when you’re over 50 years old?” Stassi took to this new career behind the microphone following her own experiences with divorce and dating struggles. Laura Stassi, host of "Dating While Gray," a Richmond podcast that talks love at 50 and older. (Photo: 8News)Laura Stassi, host of "Dating While Gray," a Richmond podcast that talks love at 50 and older. (Photo: 8News) “I took an interest when my own marriage -- long-time first marriage -- came to an end," she said. The term 'gray divorce,’ or getting divorced later in life, is an experience Stassi knows well. It was 2013 when Stassi split from her husband, whom she'd been with since she was a teenager. Starting over was scary -- but she gave online dating a try. “I’m not even sure there were apps back then," Stassi said of what that was like. The mother of two says there was even a time when she and her daughter were navigating dating together. ‘Every pair of shoes is spreading love’: This Chesterfield woman has donated shoes to her community for years Then, Stassi started a blog for divorced, widowed and never-married seniors. In 2018, she heard an ad on the radio that WAMU in Washington, D.C. was looking for creative projects to turn into podcasts. Stassi applied and was accepted to the program, where she learned how to record a pilot episode. She later signed a 10-episode contract in 2020. Stassi told 8News that she finds her episode topics based on what people tell her they’re experiencing. “That’s what I tell people when they agree to share their stories," she said. "I say, ‘This is so unique to you -- and yet so many people can relate to what you’re saying.'” Stassi said she’s heard from listeners around the world, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Canada. PHOTOS: Firefighters rescue kitten from sewer at Brightpoint Community College “I love getting emails from people saying, ‘I had given up, [but then] I heard something on your podcast that made me think, 'Oh, let me just give it a try,''” Stassi said. Stassi has new episodes airing through Thanksgiving. After that, more episodes will debut in 2025. Although her show may help others find love, Stassi said she is not currently dating, as she is devoting time to her show -- but she said her eyes are always open!
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- If you watch the “Golden Bachelorette," you’re familiar with the challenge of finding love in the golden years. Here at home, one Richmond podcaster is giving folks a roadmap to dating over 50.
Laura Stassi hosts the podcast ‘Dating While Gray,’ which takes on topics like couples living apart while together, prenups and finding love after divorce or death.
Stassi tells her listeners she knows that dating while older isn’t for the weak.
“How do people my age meet other people?," Stassi said of the dating hurdles this demographic faces. "Is it possible to start a new romantic relationship when you’re over 50 years old?”
Stassi took to this new career behind the microphone following her own experiences with divorce and dating struggles.
Laura Stassi, host of "Dating While Gray," a Richmond podcast that talks love at 50 and older. (Photo: 8News)
Laura Stassi, host of "Dating While Gray," a Richmond podcast that talks love at 50 and older. (Photo: 8News)
“I took an interest when my own marriage -- long-time first marriage -- came to an end," she said.
The term 'gray divorce,’ or getting divorced later in life, is an experience Stassi knows well.
It was 2013 when Stassi split from her husband, whom she'd been with since she was a teenager. Starting over was scary -- but she gave online dating a try.
“I’m not even sure there were apps back then," Stassi said of what that was like.
The mother of two says there was even a time when she and her daughter were navigating dating together.
Then, Stassi started a blog for divorced, widowed and never-married seniors.
In 2018, she heard an ad on the radio that WAMU in Washington, D.C. was looking for creative projects to turn into podcasts. Stassi applied and was accepted to the program, where she learned how to record a pilot episode. She later signed a 10-episode contract in 2020.
Stassi told 8News that she finds her episode topics based on what people tell her they’re experiencing.
“That’s what I tell people when they agree to share their stories," she said. "I say, ‘This is so unique to you -- and yet so many people can relate to what you’re saying.'”
Stassi said she’s heard from listeners around the world, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Canada.
PHOTOS: Firefighters rescue kitten from sewer at Brightpoint Community College
“I love getting emails from people saying, ‘I had given up, [but then] I heard something on your podcast that made me think, 'Oh, let me just give it a try,''” Stassi said.
Stassi has new episodes airing through Thanksgiving. After that, more episodes will debut in 2025.
Although her show may help others find love, Stassi said she is not currently dating, as she is devoting time to her show -- but she said her eyes are always open!
