Ruth Westheimer, the grandmotherly psychologist known as “Dr. Ruth,” who became America’s most famous sex counselor with her candid and humorous radio and television programs, passed away on Friday at her Manhattan home. She was 96.
Her death was confirmed by her spokesman, Pierre Lehu.
Dr. Westheimer was in her 50s when she began her media career in 1980, answering listeners’ questions about sex and relationships on New York radio station WYNY. The show, “Sexually Speaking,” was a brief 15-minute segment that aired after midnight on Sundays. It quickly became popular, turning her into a national media celebrity and a successful business figure.
In the 1980s, at the height of her popularity, she hosted syndicated live call-in shows on radio and television, contributed a column to Playgirl magazine, endorsed a board game and its computer version, and authored numerous guidebooks on sexuality, addressing topics from educating the young to revitalizing intimacy for the elderly. College students were particularly fond of her, and her campus speaking engagements generated significant income. She also appeared in advertisements for a variety of products including cars, soft drinks, shampoo, typewriters, and condoms.