Dick Wolfsie
In 1981, Dr. Ruth Westheimer was a spunky 53-year-old who gave explicit sex advice to listeners of her radio show from her studio in New York City. At that time, I was hosting a morning TV show, and while listening to her program on the way to work, I was so impressed with her candor that I encouraged my producer to book her as one of my guests.
I interviewed Dr. Ruth several more times over the years. Her first question to me was always, “How is your sex life?” I used to kiddingly respond that it was not her business. We both laughed because the truth is, that’s exactly what her business was. Dr. Ruth passed recently at age 96.
Before my short stint in New York, I met Richard Simmons (1948-2024) while hosting an evening talk show in Columbus, Ohio, in the late 1970s. Mary Ellen was unsure about the exercise guru, questioning whether his public displays of compassion and empathy for those with weight problems were sincere. It all seemed just a bit showbizzy.
Mary Ellen came to the studio to view the live telecast the night Richard was to appear. After the show, my wife was searching for a restroom when she passed by one of the open dressing rooms. Inside was Richard with a young lady who had struggled with weight her whole life. Richard was sitting there holding her hand and consoling her while she sobbed. That’s who Richard was.
My next encounter with Richard was back in New York City when I was out on location taping a segment. A woman pulled up in her car and told Richard that her mother was a huge fan but was presently in the hospital. She asked for an autograph for her mother. Instead, Richard jumped in the woman’s car and headed off to see the ailing woman. I was left there with my crew. That’s who Richard was.
That same year, a photographer saw Richard and me jogging together in Central Park. The snapshot he took soon appeared on the front page of a well-known tabloid. You can view it on my Facebook page.
More than 20 years ago, Richard came to Indy to visit. He arrived in a limo at my house, where I was doing my WISH-TV segment live at 5:30 a.m. David Barras, the morning anchor, convulsed in laughter at Richards’s antics.
Batting third for this column, the slot he usually occupied in the Giants lineup, is Willie Mays, arguably the greatest baseball player of all time. His home in New Rochelle, New York, was only a couple of miles from my house. I never had the nerve to knock on the door for an autograph, even though I’m sure he would have happily obliged.
Willie had a touch of Yogi Berra in him. My favorite Willie quote went something like this: Never assume the other guy will never do something you would never do. That seems like too many negatives for one sentence.
But when I think about Dr. Ruth, Richard and Willie, I know they are three people I will never, never, never forget.
Television personality Dick Wolfsie writes columns for The Daily Reporter. Send comments to [email protected].
