Ruth Westheimer, the Sex Therapist Known as Dr. Ruth, Dies at 96

Ruth Westheimer, the Sex Therapist Known as Dr. Ruth, Dies at 96

Funny and funny psychotherapist who broke the taboo was reputed to have spoken out on TV and radio that would have found shocking from everyone else.

By Daniel Lewis

Jul 14, 2024 02:20 AM

 

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Ruth Westheimer, the grandmotherly psychologist who, in her role as “Dr. Ruth” was the most famous American sexual counselor, thanks to her humorous television and radio programs was killed on July 5th from her home at Manhattan. She was 96.

She was killed by her spokesperson Pierre Lehu.

“The Dr. Westheimer was in her 50s when she went on broadcast in 1980 to answer the queries of viewers who wrote in regarding sexuality and relationships to the station WYNY in New York. The show, called “Sexually Speaking,” was only a 15-minute program which was aired at late hour of Saturdays at midnight. It was extremely popular and she became a national media sensation and also a woman-owned business.

At her most famous in the 1980s, she was able to arrange live radio programs, call-in shows and TV shows, penned an article for Playgirl Magazine, also lent her name to an online game and also its computer-based version. She also began to release sexuality guidebooks which covered all aspects of sexuality, from education for younger people, to charging older. Students at colleges were enthralled by her. her appearances on campus alone resulted in significant profits. Her advertisements included of soft drink brands, automobiles shampoo and typewriters as well as condoms.

She even appeared in the 1985 French film “One Woman or Two,” in which were Gerard Depardieu and Sigourney Weaver and was made available to audiences in the United States in 1987. “Dr. Ruth cannot be misconstrued as being an actor,” Janet Maslin wrote in her New York Times review, “but she is a the energy. 

Dr. Westheimer together with Gerard Depardieu left as well as Michel Aumont in the 1985 film “One Woman or Two.” “Dr. Ruth cannot be mistaken for an actress” the critic who wrote about her acting skills “but she has pep. “Credit…Moune Jamet/Orion Pictures Corporation. via Everett Collection

It is required to recall the reality of the fact that Ruth Westheimer had a radical formula and an enormous impact on the norms of society. Talk shows were everywhere in the 1980s however prior to the time of her appearance, they were not dealing specifically and specifically on the subject of sexuality. It was hard for anyone to believe that the woman carrying Eros was a tall middle-aged teacher with a distinctive style which The Wall Street Journal described as “something like something like a cross between Henry Kissinger and a canary. 

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