WASHINGTON, DC—From her hilarious satire as the gum-chewing, podium-pushing White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live, to an Emmy-winning role in the hit series, Mike & Molly, and an Oscar-nominated turn in the uproariously joyous and funny film sensation, Bridesmaids, one thing is for certain, audiences adore Melissa McCarthy. In the April/May issue of AARP The Magazine (ATM), the actress and comedian, revered for her sidesplitting humor, is joined in a rare interview by her mother, Sandy. Just what molded this lovably kind ‘farm girl’ from rural Illinois who spent teenage years working and spending time with the elderly at a nursing home and had the boldness and gumption to book a one-way ticket to New York City in pursuit of her dreams? “I’ve learned so much from my mother,” says McCarthy, “starting with the fact that the world’s a nicer, happier place if everyone has a sandwich.”

Life of the Party, a new film comedy about a mother who enrolls at her daughter’s university, starring and produced by McCarthy, is set for release on May 11. What kind of woman would McCarthy like to be at her mom’s age: “I hope a crazy one… ‘Once I hit 70, it’s going to be all caftans and turbans and big wacky glasses…’ ‘What does it matter? You want to wear daisy prints? Who cares!’”

The April/May issue of ATM also includes fascinating articles about entertainment, money, health and travel.

Entertainment

A life-threatening brain injury sustained in a 2014 car accident almost ended comedian Tracy Morgan’s life. He’s returning to television with a new series, The Last O.G., and a positive attitude. In an exclusive ATM interview, Morgan offers some candid thoughts: “My comedy got sharper…I see more clearly now. I see the jokes, and I see the wisdom. Comedy is tragedy turned inside out like a sock.”

A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Entertainer, producer, actor and author Tyler Perry shares his poignant feelings and thoughts on the impact the civil rights icon has had on his life and society. Among his reflections on Dr. King’s legacy, Perry vividly recounts his purchase of a home in a tony Atlanta suburb that formerly had a codicil preventing a sale to an African-American.

Journalist Katie Couric takes viewers on a road trip in the series, America Inside Out, premiering April 11 on the National Geographic Channel. Exploring topics such as religion and race, Couric attempts to gauge the cultural landscape and social divide. “We all seem to be in a bubble, often working, living and social­izing with people who are just like us. It has weak­ened our empathy muscle.” 

Money

How well do you really know your spouse’s or children’s knowledge or attitudes about money? ATM invites readers to take the test in “Your Family Financial Exam.” Topics cover the truth of gender pay disparity, average wealth inheritance, and whether your first-born child will be the biggest breadwinner of your brood.

Con men will say anything to part you from your money. As proof, AARP researchers have compiled verbatim quotes taken from calls secretly recorded by law enforcement of scammers pitching their bogus investments and products. Be prepared to be thoroughly outraged and offended by this rare and important undercover report.

Sharon Epperson, CNBC’s senior personal finance correspondent, learned the value of disability insurance after suffering a brain aneurysm. ATM talked with Epperson, who shares her first-hand experience and advice, along with other experts on “Planning for the Worst.”

Health

Your body at 50-plus: In this fascinating and unusual report, ATM reveals the subtle physical changes and challenges of a person in his or her 50s, as well as how to counterbalance the effects of aging as we glide past the mid-century mark. Covering everything from your brain to your taste buds and from your heart to your toenails, there is more good news than you might think about the capabilities and resilience of your aging body.

Travel

Sometimes a bucket-list adventure can exceed your expectations. For the author, his journey to the Bahamas to catch the elusive and beautiful bonefish proved to be such a case. Pioneered by luminaries such as writers Ernest Hemingway and Zane Grey and baseball legend Ted Williams, bonefishing is more akin to a hunt than dropping a line. The thrill and romance of the chase, the rush of adrenaline and the sport’s singular zen-like focus, are at the heart of its appeal. This artfully written first-person tale transports you to the Caribbean and offers inspiration for your own dream vacation. 

Memorial Day Salute

Lieutenant Harold Brown, one of the African-American pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII, relates his moving story of capture and taken prisoner of war by Germany. Scared and alone, Brown recalls his joy and relief at the sight of his buddy and fellow pilot Lieutenant George Iles among the POWs, the only two black men in their compound, and how they survived until liberation. It is just one of several powerful tales in this exclusive AARP story collection and tribute to our military, “The Buddy I’ll Never Forget.”

Personal Best

In his elegant story The River Runs Through Us, author and journalism professor Steve Salerno shares his touching story of bonding with his troubled grandson, Jordan, during languid summer days spent frolicking in a stream. When Jordan must move away, it teaches them both hard lessons. And when Jordan returns to visit, and they return to the stream, Salerno realizes, “The closeness I feel with this child is a closeness that I’d never known, even with my own son…. For us, in the here and now, water is thicker than blood.”

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About AARP The Magazine
With more than 38 million readers, AARP The Magazine is the nation’s largest circulation magazine – and the definitive lifestyle publication – for Americans 50 and older. AARP The Magazine delivers targeted content in three demographic versions – for readers age 50 to 59, 60 to 69 and 70-plus – including health and fitness features, financial guidance, consumer information and tips, celebrity interviews, and book and movie reviews. AARP has been publishing a magazine for members since its founding in 1958. AARP The Magazine is published bimonthly in print and continually online. Learn more at www.aarp.org/magazine/.

About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.