93岁和98岁夫妇走俏网络世界

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

A California couple have become the unlikely stars of the family blog world. They have a few thousand fans on Facebook, and thousands more visit their website every day - not bad for two love birds pushing the century mark.

Gloria Hillard brings us their story from Los Angeles.

GLORIA HILLARD: At the Hollenbeck Palms retirement and nursing home in Los Angeles, they're just Harry and Barbara. He's 98 years old, and she's 93.

Ms. BARBARA COOPER (Blogger, The OGs): Hi, baby dear.

Mr. HARRY COOPER (Blogger, The OGs): Hello.

Ms. B. COOPER: How are you?

HILLARD: But to their thousands of Internet fans, they're The OGs, short for original grandparents.

Just click on their website, the-ogs.com.

(Soundbite of music)

Unidentified Group: (Singing) Oh wow, oh gee, it's the OGs, Barbara and Harry.

HILLARD: It's where Barbara and Harry Cooper, married 72 years, espouse charming advice, wisdom and uncensored wit in featured videos like Around the Hood, sort of like fieldtrips with the couple to restaurant reviews. Ask Grandma Anything is the most popular video blog - and no subject is off limits.

Unidentified Woman: Hi, I was just wondering what your position is on lesbians?

Ms. B. COOPER: Just do your own thing. That's all.

Mr. COOPER: How do I feel about lesbians? Good luck to them.

Unidentified Woman: Thanks, Grandpa.

HILLARD: Behind the sometimes shaky camera are the couple's granddaughters -sisters Chinta and Kim Cooper - who a couple of years ago became the primary caregivers to the aging couple. Kim says following visits with their grandparents...

Ms. KIM COOPER: We would just be laughing and going: Can you believe what just happened? And then we would just get back to our lives and be like: What was that cute thing that she said? So I think that was part of the impetus to just lock these moments in amber and keep them and share them - and not lose them.

HILLARD: It's rare when the small camera does not capture them kissing or holding hands. And not surprising, most of their fans write in to ask about the secret of a long-lasting love affair. It's a subject they never seem to tire of.

Even when asked yet again by a reporter.

Mr. COOPER: As long as she's close by, I'm happy.

Ms. B. COOPER: Because I'm very amusing. I have a lot of tales to tell him.

HILLARD: It's a repartee delivered with show business timing. To Harry's I couldn't keep my eyes off her, Barbara, her speech sometimes slurred by a stroke, quipped:

Ms. B. COOPER: We didn't trust each other, so we had to keep an eye on each other - not really, not really.

HILLARD: Kim Cooper smiles up at her grandmother and shakes her head.

Ms. K. COOPER: I never know what she's going to say. She's like the oracle because she doesn't stop to ponder. She has the answer. It's like she's been waiting for this question all her life.

HILLARD: As Chinta gets ready behind the camera, Kim shuffles through the Ask Grandma Anything mail. The first letter is from a young woman concerned about her live-in boyfriend.

Ms. K. COOPER: And I'm tired of doing his laundry, cleaning up after him and having no idea whether he's coming home at 5:00 p.m. or 5:00 a.m. Your wisdom, please. Thank you.

HILLARD: From her armchair - looking directly into the camera - Barbara doesn't miss a beat.

Ms. B. COOPER: Pack his suitcase and put it outside the door.

HILLARD: And for a woman considering marriage who's getting cold feet?

Ms. B. COOPER: Jump in with both feet. You will not feel sorry.

HILLARD: The couple's biggest fans are the two who know them best, Kim and Chinta.

Ms. CHINTA COOPER: We just sort of go through the world with our grandparents and live, and it's nice.

HILLARD: And they know these days, every moment is to be treasured. After lunch in the cafeteria, Chinta sat down with her grandmother at the computer to help her answer her fan email.

(Soundbite of keyboarding)

Ms. B. COOPER: Thank you for writing us. We like hearing from you.

(Soundbite of keyboarding)

Ms. C. COOPER: From Barbara and Harry?

Ms. B. COOPER: Yeah.

HILLARD: For NPR News, I'm Gloria Hillard.

(Soundbite of music)

Unidentified Group: (Singing) Oh, wow, oh, gee, it's the OGs.