Renowned sex therapist and talk show host Dr. Ruth Westheimer died on Friday at 96 years old. Her publicist confirmed her death to CBS News, a BBC News partner, but did not give a cause.
Known as Dr. Ruth, she was famous for talking openly about sex, making her a pop culture icon and best-selling author with books like “Sex for Dummies.” She promoted open, non-judgmental discussions about sex.
Born in Frankfurt, Germany, Dr. Ruth was a Holocaust survivor. Her journey to fame began with her local radio show “Sexually Speaking” in the 1980s, which became nationally syndicated in 1984.
Her first book, “Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Good Sex,” published in 1983, aimed to demystify sex. She wrote over 40 books and hosted “The Dr. Ruth Show” on television.
In a 2019 interview with NBC Nightly News, Dr. Ruth shared her mission to spread sexual knowledge to young people.
She appeared on various talk shows, including The Howard Stern Radio Show, the Dr. Oz Show, Nightline, the Tonight Show, and Late Night with David Letterman.
Last November, New York Governor Kathy Hochul named Dr. Ruth the state’s honorary ambassador to loneliness.
Dr. Ruth, born Karola Ruth Siegel in 1928, was sent to Switzerland by her parents at ten to escape Nazi violence. She never saw her parents again and believed they were killed in Auschwitz.
Dr. Ruth’s legacy includes her efforts to make conversations about sex more open and her impact on American pop culture. (BBC)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ngqy1vxyeo