INTERNET GOLD: Barry Manilow’s First-Ever TikTok Live at 82 Is the Sweetest, Funniest Thing Online Right Now
August 2, 2025 — The internet is collectively swooning after Barry Manilow, the 82-year-old music legend behind hits like Mandy and Copacabana, made his surprise TikTok Live debut — and it was pure, delightful chaos.
It all began when fans noticed a sudden notification: “@TheRealBarryManilow is going live.” Within minutes, tens of thousands joined the stream, unsure of what to expect. What they got was two minutes of pure internet gold.
Manilow, clearly unfamiliar with the platform, appeared on screen squinting into his phone with a look of cautious curiosity. “Can anyone hear me?” he asked, tapping the screen gently. “Is this thing on?”
As the comments flooded in with hearts, greetings, and “WE LOVE YOU BARRY!!!,” he looked confused, then broke into a grin.
“This is like a TV… except for the first time ever, the TV talks back!”
The comments section exploded with laughter emojis and wholesome chaos. Some highlights:
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“Protect this man at all costs 💖”
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“Barry Manilow discovering TikTok is my Roman Empire”
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“Grandpa just broke the internet and doesn’t even know it 😭”
At one point, he tilted the phone too far upward, giving viewers a perfect shot of his ceiling fan, followed by a close-up of his forehead. “Oh wait — did I lose you?” he asked, smiling. “You’re all still there, huh? Well, I guess we’re doing this.”
He eventually found the front-facing camera again, waved, and said, “I was just going to say hi. This is amazing. You all are amazing.”
The stream ended after a brief few minutes — likely unintentionally — but that was all it took. Within an hour, the clip had been reposted on every platform, racking up millions of views, with fans and celebs alike sharing their love for the moment.
TikTok users have already dubbed it the “Wholesome Event of the Year”, with fan edits set to Can’t Smile Without You and Looks Like We Made It making the rounds. Even TikTok’s official account reposted the clip with the caption: “Barry, you’ve officially won TikTok.”
While the world is no stranger to celebrity livestreams, this one stood out — not for its polish or tech savvy, but for its unfiltered, genuine sweetness. It was a reminder that connection — even across generations, across screens — can still feel real.
One top comment may have said it best:
“Barry Manilow just figured out TikTok… and somehow made it feel like 1975 again.”