Sunday Morning

Is 80 Old Anymore?

September 16, 2007 / 12:28 PM EDT / CBS

For the aging population of a nation obsessed with youth, there is some good news: Turning 80 years old is not fatal and it might even be fun.

That's the message of the new book "80," a collection of interviews with 80 prominent octogenarians.

Among the contributors is entertainer Elaine Stritch, 82, fresh from an Emmy win last week; legendary newsman Ben Bradlee, 86, of The Washington Post; Helen Thomas, at 87 still the first lady of White House correspondents; television producer Norman Lear, 85, creator of the landmark "All in the Family;" and Hugh Hefner, founder of the Playboy empire and at 81 the star of an "E" network TV show about his life with three much younger girlfriends.

CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith asked similar questions of each. The answers varied but all were of the opinion that being past 80 is not the same thing as being old.

See some of the people featured in the book and glean some of their insights here:

Photos: 80 And Still Influential