Exclusives from AARP The Magazine: Jamie Lee Curtis on Why She Feels More Alive at 66, Retirees Prioritizing Bucket-List Travel, and Jimmy Fallon on How Family and Values Shaped His Comedy
Exclusives from AARP The Magazine: Jamie Lee Curtis on Why She Feels More Alive at 66, Retirees Prioritizing Bucket-List Travel, and Jimmy Fallon on How Family and Values Shaped His Comedy
Plus: Debbie Gibson on her musical career and overcoming health challenges; closing the retirement savings gap for Gen X women and AARP’s annual tech guide highlighting how AI and online tools help older adults stay connected and reduce isolation
WASHINGTON—The August/September 2025 issue of AARP The Magazine (ATM) gives readers a closer look into the lives of their favorite celebrities and reveals some of the biggest trends of 2025.
Oscar winner, AARP Movies for Grownups Career Achievement winner, and Hollywood icon Jamie Lee Curtis, 66, graces the cover as she reflects on her path from early insecurity and typecasting to the confidence and powerful clarity she has found through sobriety, spirituality, and growing older. Her 2023 Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once reignited her presence in Hollywood, fueling a new wave of creative momentum and major projects. Curtis credits her 25-year sobriety journey for helping her stay grounded and addiction-free, unlocking a deeper sense of self, purpose, and artistic freedom.
This issue’s Upfront section spotlights six surprising things we love about pop star Debbie Gibson. She opens up about the career highs and personal challenges that have shaped her life—from becoming the youngest artist to top the Billboard charts to overcoming health struggles and releasing her new memoir, Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music.
Late-night host Jimmy Fallon reflects on how his family influences his signature humor and dishes on his latest project, the NBC reality competition “On Brand.” Additionally, AARP’s annual Tech Guide explores how AI-powered tools are making life easier for older adults—from health wearables to personalized TV recommendations—while our travel team breaks down the rise of the “retirementmoon,” spotlighting how today’s new retirees are turning their first post-work vacations into unforgettable global adventures.
Plus: ATM dives into the growing concern many Gen X women face about falling behind on retirement savings, offering practical, actionable steps to help close the gender gap and build a more secure financial future.
In this issue of AARP The Magazine:
The Liberation of Jamie Lee Curtis
This month’s issue of ATM explores how Jamie Lee Curtis, now 66, is thriving personally and professionally. As she balances a slate of new film and TV projects, including a Freaky Friday sequel and the Scarpetta TV series with Nicole Kidman, she reflects on embracing a new chapter of creative freedom, self-acceptance and prolific work in Hollywood. At the heart of the evolution is her 25-year journey with sobriety, a path that has not only given her clarity, but also community and spirituality. It has transformed the way she sees aging, and, more than anything, has left her feeling more alive than ever.
The A List: 6 Surprising Things About Debbie Gibson
Pop icon Debbie Gibson, 54, reflects on the personal and professional milestones that have shaped her trailblazing career in music. Rising to fame at just 17 as the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a Billboard No. 1 single, Gibson credits her early success to the guidance of her mother and former manager, Diane. With her upcoming memoir, Eternally Electric: The Message in My Music, Gibson opens up about the career shifts she faced during the grunge era, her ongoing health challenges with Lyme disease and Epstein-Barr virus, and the resilience that has carried her through it all. Today, she continues to find strength through music, holistic therapy, and a fiercely loyal fanbase affectionately known as ‘Debheads’
What I Know Now: Jimmy Fallon
Comedian and late-night host Jimmy Fallon reflects on the family memories and early influences that shaped his comedic voice and creative path. The 50-year-old shares stories of growing up surrounded by grandparents, performing stand-up routines as a kid, and learning life lessons from his Vietnam veteran father and retired police officer grandfather. Fallon, who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live and now helms The Tonight Show, is also the creator and executive producer of NBC’s upcoming reality competition series On Brand. Beyond the stage, he remains grounded in humor, gratitude, and the enduring values passed down through generations.
Will I Ever Be Able to Retire?
Feeling behind on retirement savings is common for Gen X women, especially when compared to their male counterparts. On average, Gen X men have 53 percent more in their 401(k)s than Gen X women do, according to a 2023 report by Bank of America. Factors like the gender pay gap, time out of the workforce to care for children or aging parents, and the financial impact of divorce have contributed to this disparity. ATM offers a practical roadmap to help close the gap, with strategies like taking an honest look at your current finances, learning foundational planning skills, finding ways to reduce debt, and identifying opportunities to increase income and retirement contributions.
Your Tech, Simplified: AARP The Magazine’s Annual Tech Guide:
The latest issue of ATM features its annual tech guide, where AARP “techsperts” explore how technology can help older adults stay connected—an increasingly vital need as one in three adults ages 50 to 80 report feeling isolated, according to a 2023 National Poll on Healthy Aging. With social isolation linked to dementia and other health issues, the guide highlights how tools like online communities, voice and video messaging, and games can foster meaningful connections. AARP tech expert Ed Baig also shares how artificial intelligence-powered tools—from wearable health devices to doctor visit prep and personalized TV recommendations to match your interests and mood—are helping enhance and simplify everyday life.
Retired and Ready to Roam
ATM explores the rise of the “retirementmoon”—a growing travel trend that signifies the first major adventure after stepping away from a nine-to-five job. With nearly 76% of Americans approaching retirement citing travel as their top goal, this story captures how retirees are transforming their new freedom into meaningful, often bucket-list experiences. From fishing in Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula to retracing ancestral roots in Spain, and jet skiing 650 miles to Juneau, these journeys go beyond vacation—they reflect personal healing, rediscovery, and celebration.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.