Tucked away in his Rehoboth Beach home inside a gated community, Larry Pennington often patrols the comments section of his TikTok posts like a veteran officer of the punctuation police.

Looking spiffy in a suit jacket and fedora, Pennington cruises through the TikTok streets in his vibrant yellow 1993 Cadillac Allante, combing through countless comments in search of those golden messages that end with a question mark.  

Pennington, a 79-year-old style icon and rising TikTok influencer, is committed to engaging with his 243,000-plus fans, answering their questions with unwavering dedication. 

Why is answering his fans’ questions so important to him? 

“I think it’s rude if I don’t,” Pennington told The News Journal / Delaware Online during an April 16 interview at his Rehoboth home.  

“They are looking at my posts. They are making me what I am,” he continued about his fans. “I am nothing without those people.” 

New York Times featured dapper Delaware TikTok star

Pennington’s newfound TikTok fame has landed him in feature articles by The New York Times and Newsweek. He said the “Tamron Hall Show” reached out to him earlier this year, but he wasn’t able to be a guest because he and his fashionable husband David Lasher-Pennington were on a cruise.   

The beloved boomer is popular for sharing videos of thrifted items from his house, which he calls his “thrifted home.” Pennington also models his favorite outfits, many featuring colorful blazers. A number of his clothing items are from the major department chain Belk.  

It certainly helps that the West Virginia-born style influencer, who was raised in a household with fashionable parents, has a velvety southern accent that captivates his audience — plus, he’s well spoken. 

The wardrobe warrior’s Rehoboth home has six closets, and he owns over 90 jackets and suits, while his husband has at least 40 suits.  

Delaware TikTok star swamped by over 8,700 fan comments

A retired teacher from Cape Henlopen High School, Pennington said his TikTok account exploded on Jan. 1. That’s the day he posted a video of himself modeling a brown blazer and sweater in his closet, which is something he’s done before on TikTok. That video generated over 3.6 million views.  

“It was crazy, and I didn’t understand why that one went so viral,” he explained.  

The fashion bug’s video triggered a flood of engagement with over 8,700 comments. He almost drowned trying to respond to his fans.  

“That nearly killed me,” he said. “Now, fortunately, a lot of people just make a comment. But if they ask a question, I think it’s rude not to answer.” 

Hacker held new Delaware TikTok star’s account for ransom

Becoming an internet celebrity can come with risks, and Pennington discovered the harsh reality in March when his sudden fame made him the target of a ransom attack. 

The dapper Delawarean revealed his TikTok account was hacked, with the intruder changing his password and locking him out. The hacker also changed the name of his account from @larry.penninton to @pennsylvania91. 

Pennington said he tried to contact someone at TikTok to help him regain control of his account, but it led him nowhere. 

“When you deal with TikTok, you’re talking to a computer. It’s weird,” he said. 

After nearly a week of frustration, Pennington reluctantly gave in and paid the hacker, ultimately losing around $1,000 to the scam. Pennington said the hacker returned his account, which led the influencer to create a new password and beef up security on his phone.  

Once Pennington got back into his account, he said the hacker had the nerve to ask him for more money.  

“I kept getting, ‘Oh, I need this. Could you send this? My child [is] in the hospital,’ with a picture of the kid in the hospital bed,” Pennington explained.  

Other scammers also have tried to take advantage of the fashion guru, including one who claimed there was an issue with Pennington’s PayPal account. But the TikTok senior is hip to their schemes.  

There was pain in his voice when the influencer recalled how helpless he felt during the March ransom attack.  

“I was so involved in doing my TikToks that it was like a death in the family. I was devastated. I was in horrible shape,” Pennington said. “It was just awful.”  

His husband said he’s cautious of scammers trying to interfere with Pennington’s TikTok fame.   

“I’m kinda concerned that something is going to happen or someone is going to pull it out from under like the ransom thing,” said David, a softspoken man of few words, who likes to hang out in the background of Pennington’s videos.  

Pennington has no regrets paying his TikTok ransom.  

“It was worth every penny to get it back,” he said. “It was easier just to pay them. I mean, after all, I make money on TikTok, so I figured I’ll invest some of my TikTok money in getting [back] my TikTok account.” 

Ivy League grad with 3 degrees: Delaware influencer is a flight attendant who juggles fame

TikTok fashion guru from Delaware dresses up 7 days a week

Although the stylish gent posts often on TikTok, he and his husband spend a lot of time outside of the house. The couple said they dress up seven days a week. 

Here’s an example of what their weekly schedule around Rehoboth looks like, according to Pennington:  

Monday (visit Red, White and Basil), Tuesday (visit Rigby’s Bar & Grill), Wednesday (they’ll figure out a new place to visit), Friday (hang out downtown with friends), Saturday (“we’re usually open to do something different”) and Sunday (visit Kings Creek Country Club). 

Delaware friends talk TikTok fame: ‘Incredibly amazing’

Duane Liscinsky is a fellow member of Kings Creek Country Club and he’s been friends with Larry for about 10 years. He said Pennington’s TikTok videos aren’t a gimmick.  

“He’s dressed almost overly appropriate for [any] event. He always has a hat on. He always has a pocket square, and he always has a brooch on,” Liscinsky of Rehoboth said. “That is his everyday life.” 

Kent Swarts has known the Penningtons for about a decade. He said their TikTok fame is cool, especially for Larry. 

Goodbye, Dude: ‘Most famous cat in Delaware’ dies at 17. Here’s why he was different

Another Delaware influencer: Ivy League grad with 3 degrees is a food and fun influencer, flight attendant

“I think it’s incredibly amazing that as a senior gentleman, he took this inherent talent of being able to speak intelligently and clearly, especially on something he knows so well, and turn it into a modern-day success for himself,” Swarts of Rehoboth Beach said.  

Swarts said his own husband’s late mom used to refer to the Penningtons as “live cartoon characters.” That’s because the couple are well-known entities in Rehoboth.  

He added, when most people are wearing shorts, the Penningtons are wearing suits and “they are driving in this little yellow convertible Cadillac … into town to have a cocktail hour.”  

Delaware TikTok star on being famous at 79

Pennington has enjoyed the thrill of TikTok fame and looks forward to creating even more content for his growing fan base. 

Finding unexpected fame at nearly 80 years old is something that tickles the fashion expert. 

“It’s nothing I ever imagined. I thought my opportunity for fame had passed me by. You know, [I’m] in my late ’70s,” he said. “It just seemed improbable. But it has happened.” 

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters. 

Hundreds of people joined Delaware’s most influential political figures at Cab Calloway School for the Arts in Wilmington for a town hall, where resistance to the Trump administration and the war in Gaza took the spotlight.

Around 900 tickets were moved for this event, which took place in the school’s theater. The All-Democratic lineup of U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride, Gov. Matt Meyer and Attorney General Kathy Jennings spoke a lot about being united in strong opposition against the Trump administration.

Not everyone got their question in, but the over two-hour event addressed how each figure would oppose President Trump and his administration most controversial policies, like cuts to federal funding and mass deportations. The war in Gaza and the related stances of the First State’s federal delegation was another hot topic, with multiple people interrupting the town hall to press them about their stances.

“I’ve never been through 100 days like the ones we are going through right now,” Coons said in his opening remarks.

McBride and others describes their resistance strategy

McBride, in her first term as the state’s lone representative in the House of Representatives, gave a rundown on how she will resist Trump administration policies she disagrees with.

When asked whether she would support Articles of Impeachment against Trump, she said she believes he has violated the law but did not commit to it. She said turning the public against the current administration is more important than impeaching him within his first 100 days. She called persuading the public is an art form that takes time and requires her to “fight smart.”

“I’ve got to be honest with you,” she said in response to a question on impeachment, “the worst thing we can do is slow down public opposition to this President.”

A little while after, one man questioned the federal delegation on their protesting techniques, asking if they would even get arrested at a protest. Blunt Rochester said it’s all about finding a way to protest in a way that works for you. She said she supported Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, in his 24-hour Senate floor marathon by praying with him beforehand and monitoring his health throughout.

Coons said he does his best to serve in Delaware and be able to fulfill his duties in Washington D.C., but has no plans of getting put in handcuffs.

“I don’t think it is a great idea for me to get arrested on your behalf, because I don’t trust this president to let me out,” he said.

AG Jennings has joined other Democratic state attorneys general in countless lawsuits against Trump administration policies.

“There are attorneys general in our country who believe in the rule of law, and they have been so courageous,” she said.

Pro-Palestine protesters disrupt town hall, rattle crowd and politicians

In a scene that has become familiar to political figures who have spoken in favor of Israel and their current operation in Gaza, protesters have interrupted regular proceedings to press them on their stance on the ongoing conflict.

Overall, three protesters were removed by police officers, after some warning, for their disruption. They were not arrested or taken away in handcuffs, rather they were simply thrown out of the building. The congressional delegation answered their concerns but supported Israel’s “right to exist and defend itself” while calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid in devastated Gaza. They also supported “self-determination” in Palestine.

“There are deep and strong feelings about Israel, Hamas and Gaza in our community, but frankly, screaming at me doesn’t move me in a positive way,” Coons said.

McBride spoke about her opposition to people getting arrested or deported for supporting Palestine in the conflict.

“They should not face deportation when they peacefully express that opinion,” she said. “And I will not let anyone disingenuously use a conflict in Middle East to abridge the rights of anyone in this country.”

Meyer makes commitments on state level on aid in dying, voting rights and reproductive freedom

Not everything asked at the town hall was for national or international problems. Some were for controversial topics on the state level.

Meyer committed to signing House Bill 140, which would allow medical aid in dying. That bill is past both chambers of the state legislature.

He supported two other bills that would amend the state’s constitution, which he has no vote in. One expands access to absentee voting ballots, and the other would enshrine reproductive freedom into the state constitution.

He was also asked about high energy prices in Delaware. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Delaware consumes 100% more energy than it produces. He said he is working on a plan to get Delaware running on renewable energy.

“We have a plan that we’re finalizing now so that not tomorrow, not next year, but within a decade, it will go to 100% renewable Delaware produce energy,” he said at the town hall.

He has made affordable housing a large part of his platform, but disagreed with enacting rent control caps on lease renewals at the town halls.

“I’m open to creative solutions,” he said. “I think putting a straight up cap will limit the amount of affordable housing that developers want to build, and will create more problems than it actually solves.”

Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com.

A swap for the planet

That’s exactly the kind of shift organizers of the clothing swap hope to entourage. Hosted by the Climate Fellows, a graduate student group focused on environmental justice, the swap invited students to drop off clothes they no longer wanted and pick up something new, all free of charge.

“The fast fashion industry is very destructive for the environment. It’s extremely unsustainable, it’s bad for climate change and it also just can be very wasteful. Clothes just go through factories, they get thrown away, they’re not made thoughtfully,” said Emma Corinne, a marine policy graduate student and president of the Climate Fellows. “The industry as a whole can be very damaging for climate change.”

“But a clothing swap is a really cool way to promote reduce, reuse, recycle into the clothing industry,” she added.

For Corinne, it’s about making the connection between personal habits and global impact.

She encouraged students to swap clothes “instead of buying a t-shirt from H&M or whatever – I don’t want to single out a single company – stores where clothes are shipped directly from China, which is also part of the climate change impact that you’re putting tons of material on ships and sending it across the ocean. That’s emissions,” she said. “So, instead of doing that, we’re taking clothes from students at UD and giving them to students at UD. There’s no carbon emissions.”

Gen Z’s thrifting power

“I would attribute it to a couple things. One is just an awareness, and it’s almost an awareness to the point where it’s become a trend,” Corinne said. “People want to get their clothes sustainably because I feel like back in the day maybe that wasn’t seen as the trendy thing to do, whereas now thrifting is all the rage.”

“I think the other thing is they realize that they’re the ones impacted by climate change. They’re younger, they’re going to live through it,” she added. “And if they don’t do something, they realize that those consequences [will] come back to them in the future. And because of that, they have a motivation to practice sustainable shopping.”

That awareness appears to be translating into action. According to a recent Capital One Shopping report, more than 60% of Gen Z prefer to buy secondhand — a shift shaped by both values and value, especially in an era marked by inflation and rising retail prices.

“Obviously, I’m a single person so it’s a small change, but at least it’s something,” Dziemian said. “When you have cool clothing … and then [people] ask where it’s from and you say you thrifted it, then they get inspired to do the same thing.”

“You’re not going into a store and going to be wearing the same thing as everyone else. It’s very unique to your own style,” she added. “You can really get to experiment, which I think is the most fun part of it.”