Newton woman to star on NBC’s ‘Little Big Shots: Forever Young’
An 88-year-old Newton woman known for her chicken-calling, spunki-ness and style will be featured on the small screen Wednesday night during NBC’s “Little Big Shots: Forever Young.”
Bonnie Swalwell Eilert, a Baxter native and a 1947 Newton High School graduate, went on one of her biggest adventures yet this past spring — she traveled to Los Angeles to film with TV host Steve Harvey.
Eilert’s hoots and hollers are not only famous to Iowans, but they are also known to Eilert’s friends and family internationally. Eilert has participated in the calling contests at the Iowa State Fair for more than 45 years, where she has won a hefty amount of blue ribbons in various categories.
When one of the producers of the newly launched show saw Eilert on social media, they reached out to the Iowa State Fair. The state fair employees then reached out to Eilert about the opportunity.
“Well I didn’t have to wait to think about it,” Eilert said. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Eilert said she received a call from NBC in January.
