Alex Traynor learned his grandmother was "funnier than" him years ago when she stole the show in his movie about his college dating life and everybody's favorite scene was her interview.
Over a decade later, his 106-year-old grandmother, Doris Brown, of East Haddam, has gone viral on TikTok for her humor.
Traynor — a 33-year-old comedian, video editor and museum curator from Glastonbury — posted a video on April 22 revealing Brown's longevity secrets and how the internet has grown to love her as much as he does.
FALL SALE! Get 6 Months of Access for 99¢.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Alex Traynor (@alexandertraynor)
The clip, which has 5.2 million likes as of Sunday, begins with Traynor's voiceover.
"We’ve been assuming my grandmother was going to die next year, every year for my entire life. And here she is — 106 years old," he said.
"I can’t hear, I can’t see. Half of the time I don’t know what I’m talking about," Brown said to the camera.
At 106, Brown still makes her grandson breakfast and walks up the stairs unaided, which led Traynor to question her secret. The answer is not "a healthy lifestyle." Brown still drinks alcohol and used to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, the video revealed.
"In fact, when she was 48, she had a heart attack so massive, they read her her last rites. And guess what? She outlived everyone in that room," Traynor said.
Brown was born in 1917 and lived through both world wars.
"What was World War II like?" Traynor asked her.
"We partied," she said.
"During World War II?"
"Yeah, it was crazy," she said. "When you're young, you're young — and what do you do then? You party."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Alex Traynor (@alexandertraynor)
Traynor showed off Brown's home decor, including her spoon collection, Last Supper painting and straw hat. His fifth grade essay about the house received a perfect score from his teacher and praise from his grandmother, a moment that Traynor said may have planted his desire to become a writer.
More for you
Traynor learned early to include his grandmother in his content.
"Do you like making these videos?" he asked.
"Not really," she said, drawing laughter from both of them.
While doing sketch comedy in New York in his mid 20s, he would play the clip of his grandmother from the movie about his dating life. The video from eight years ago shows the audience roaring with laughter in response to Brown's comments about his ex-girlfriend.
Traynor's mother would drive her down from East Haddam to go on stage during his shows, he said in an interview with Hearst CT.
Beginning in 2020, he's made several videos about her and some of them have blown up, but not to the same extent as the latest one.
"I keep making these videos because I was like, 'Well, I'll regret it if I don't make more.' Even at 103, I was like, 'Well I won't have this opportunity next year...' And she's still around," he said.
At the end of the video, Traynor asks Brown how she'd like to be remembered.
"As a pretty good person, but I don't want to take no honors," she said.
Traynor said the secret to living a long life is to stay humble and have a sense of humor.
"Be kind and good to people. If you’re mean and rotten, they hate you," Brown said.
Traynor told Hearst CT that people may enjoy his videos because it reminds them of their own grandmothers. Many of the video's comments are from users whose grandmothers have lived to be centenarians.
Others commented on Brown's witty and honest sense of humor and applauded her perseverance.
"Grandma is never giving up. She's one tough lady," one user commented.
"She is OUR grandma now."
"This is the only acceptable 10 min TikTok I'll watch," another said.