Why do publications publish a celebrity’s age after their names in articles?

Yes, OP (72)

Adding the age of the person mentioned in a story was pretty standard for newspaper articles in general, OP

It makes no sense. Why not add race, income, height, political party?

No, oP

In the earlier parts of the 20th century mentioning race or ethnicity was also a pretty standard journalistic practice R3 / OP.

Have you never read old newspaper articles?

Yes I find it very weird.

Yes

It is required by the NYT in-house style book.

Which is run by the Sulzbergers (Jewishish)

The publish the paper, they don’t edit it—you’re a fucking bigoted asshole

Joy Behar says that People magazine is the one that started putting everyone's age after their names.

Another gift boomers gave the world. Obsession with youth.

No not odd at all OP. Completely normal.

It's even weirder when they don't necessarily include the age, but just refer to a woman as a "a grandmother," even though that has absolutely nothing to do with what is being reported on.

[quote]Another gift boomers gave the world. Obsession with youth.

That's been going on for millennia.

All ancient civilizations were obsessed with beauty, youth, and immortality.

[quote] It makes no sense. Why not add race, income, height, political party?

And sizemeat verificatia for all adult males.

Newspapers do it in many news stories. If you, say, witness a crime, it becomes “Nate Smith, 34, watched as the vehicle made a getaway.”

What does the witness’s age have to do with anything?

Or when, in the crime blotter, it says, “Marge Johnson, 51, was charged with making an illegal right turn.” How does the age help clarify the crime?

It's so we can find out the true ages of people like Joan Collins, by going back in the archive.

But yes, it's weird and always has been.

[quote]Joy Behar says that People magazine is the one that started putting everyone's age after their names.

Joy has never been accused of being correct or ever doing a bit of research before she opens her trap.

Television news does the same thing - " 31 yr old Mary Waters was the victim of........"