'AGT' Season 17: Who is Penny Starr Sr? Meet the burlesque legend who still performs at age 84!
Long-time fans of 'America's Got Talent' know for a fact that the platform is open to anyone and everyone as long as they have the passion and skill to back up their talent. The show has seen some truly remarkable talent over the years and it looks like Season 17 is taking it up a notch.
When it comes to dancing performances, fans have seen some pretty impressive acts so far, such as The Mayyas, Bayley Graham, and Stefanny and Yeeremy. Now, taking to the stage is a burlesque legend, who is all set to show the kids how it's done. To know more Penny Starr Sr, continue reading!
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Who is Penny Starr Sr?
Penny Roberts, who goes by the stage name Penny Starr Sr, is a burlesque dancer. As per her Facebook bio, she is a "Living Legend of Burlesque" who "still lights up the stage at 84!"
As reported by The Morning Call, Penny Starr Sr was born Janet Gaynor Colby in Allentown. She attended Allentown High School and graduated in 1951. She married her first husband shortly after and went on to have 5 husbands after -- she is currently married to Aaron, whom she has been with for 17 years.
At age 27, Roberts expressed her desire to be on stage while talking to a doctor. "He said, 'Honey, if you don't get this out of your system, it'll bug you for the rest of your life,'" she explained in the article. "He said, 'Your children are in school and your mother is around to help take care of them. Go make some money and send it home to your mother,'" she added.
Roberts took this advice and in 1957, she joined the Christiani Bros Circus. While she wanted to be a trapeze artist, she ended up as a dancer who performed with an elephant. When the circus reached Tampa, Florida, she joined a burlesque club called Guys and Dolls as a dancer. Roberts' stage name was inspired by her mother, who loved the movies 'Pennies from Heaven' and 'A Star is Born'.
Despite her age, it looks like Roberts has no intentions of quitting what she loves anytime soon. "If I can walk, I'll dance," she said. "And I'm not giving my high heels up for anyone," she added.
Roberts has certainly gone on to create a legacy, considering that her granddaughter Augusta Avallone followed her footsteps and goes by the name Penny Starr Jr. Avallone is a costume designer, and an award-winning burlesque dancer.
'America's Got Talent' airs on Tuesdays at 8 pm on NBC. For viewers who wish to tune in to the show without cable, they can do so using streaming services like Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu With Live TV, AT&T TV, or YouTube TV.