TWO FOR TUESDAY TVXOHOF TRIBUTE #1 - DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER

From NPR:
Internationally acclaimed sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who tore down taboos with her open, nonjudgmental and good-humored public conversations about human intimacy, has died. She was 96 years old.

According to her longtime publicist Pierre Lehu, Westheimer died peacefully on Friday at her home in New York City. The cause of death was not publicly shared.

Westheimer became a household name in the early 1980s when she was in her 50s, for her frank approach to discussing sex on her popular late-night radio show, “Sexually Speaking”.

She continued her work on TV with ‘The Dr. Ruth Show’, which by 1985 attracted 2 million viewers a week. She also shared her knowledge in dozens of books including “Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Good Sex” and “Sex for Dummies”, on the web and in the classroom. She taught at Yale, Princeton and Columbia Universities as well as Hunter College.

When she wasn’t telling people to “get some”, she was racking up Toobworld appearances, enough to qualify her for membership in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame as a member of the League of Themselves.

DR. RUTH

From Wikipedia:
Karola Ruth Westheimer (née Siegel; June 4, 1928 – July 12, 2024), better known as Dr. Ruth, was a German and American sex therapist and talk show host.

Westheimer was born in Germany to a Jewish family. As the Nazis came to power, her parents sent the 10-year-old girl to a school in Switzerland for safety while they remained behind because of her elderly grandmother. Both were killed in concentration camps. After World War II, she emigrated to British-controlled Mandatory Palestine. At 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) tall and 17 years of age, she joined the Haganah, and was trained as a sniper. On her 20th birthday, she was wounded in action by an exploding shell during mortar fire on Jerusalem during the 1947–1949 Israeli War of Independence, and almost lost both feet.

Westheimer's media career began in 1980 with the radio call-in show "Sexually Speaking", which continued until 1990. In 1983 it was the top-rated radio show in the country's largest radio market. She then launched a television show, "The Dr. Ruth Show", which by 1985 attracted two million viewers a week. She became known for giving serious advice while being candid, but also warm, cheerful, funny, and respectful, and for her tag phrase: "Get some".

In 1984 The New York Times noted that she had risen "from obscurity to almost instant stardom."  She hosted several series on the Lifetime Channel and other cable television networks from 1984 to 1993. She became a household name and major cultural figure, appeared on several network TV shows, co-starred in a movie with Gérard Depardieu, appeared on the cover of People, sang on a Tom Chapin album, appeared in several commercials, and hosted Playboy videos.

Here are Dr. Ruth’s TVXOHOF-worthy credits.  (Unfortunately I haven't found enough pictures to represent them all....)

THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW
S20E27 (1982)
Charles Grodin, Kaye Ballard, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Anita Morris

O’Bservation:
This talk show had a televersion, thanks to an episode of ‘Seinfeld,’ so Dr. Ruth’s televersion would have appeared on it.

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON
9 EPISODES (1982–1986)

MOONLIGHTING

CAMILLE (1989)
When a con woman escapes from the custody of a crooked detective she accidentally stops an assassin killing an American senator. Addison has the bright idea of employing Camille to raise the profile of the company.

MELROSE PLACE
FRIENDS & LOVERS (1992)
Billy finds romance in his new job; Jake is arrested. Dr. Ruth has a cameo.

QUANTUM LEAP
LIBERATION - OCTOBER 16, 1968 (1993)
At the end of the episode, Sam leaps into Dr. Ruth Westheimer in the teaser for Dr. Ruth - April 25, 1985 (1993).

This was the only time that he leaped into two women in a row.

Sam Beckett as Dr. Ruth Westheimer

DR. RUTH – APRIL 25, 1985 (1993)
Sam leaps into the sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, plays matchmaker for a couple on the staff of her radio show and helps a woman deal with sexual harassment.

Sam leaps into Dr. Ruth Westheimer the well-known sex therapist just as she is in the middle of her radio call-in show. Al tells him he's there to help two of Dr. Ruth's staff, Doug and Debbie, to stick together. Sam thinks he's there to help a young woman, Annie Wilkins, who called into the show to say she was being pressured by her boss, Jonathan, to have sex. Sam convinces her to quit her job and Jonathan says Annie is just fantasizing. In the blue room meanwhile, the real Dr. Ruth has advice for Al who, she says, seems to go out of his way to sabotage all of his relationships.

One of several episodes of the fifth season where Sam's mind merges with the person he's leaped into, but the only time it doesn't prove a hindrance.

The only episode (apart from the finale) where Sam isn't seen leaping at the end; instead, they show Dr. Ruth in the waiting room being leaped into by a man wearing fangs, presumably a vampire. This is the only episode in which the leapee is seen being replaced in the Waiting Room by another leapee rather than Sam's next leap.

LOVE BOAT: THE NEXT WAVE
BLIND LOVE (1999)  

ALLY McBEAL
SEX, LIES, AND POLITICS (1999)
Although Ally has finalized things with Billy, now she's trying to patch things up with Greg, but the jealousy gets to both of them. John and Ling are in court together in a case against a Senator, and John trains Ling on his usual tricks.

HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
10 EPISODES (2003–2004)

HEAD CASES
PILOT (2005)
Rebounding from a nervous breakdown, Attorney Jason Payne ventures forward with his own firm.

TODAY
2 EPISODE (2015 & 2019)

O’Bservation:
The ‘Today’ show is not in the TVXOHOF… yet.  But one day it will be, and that can be traced to its fictional televersion, following the path set by ‘The Merv Griffin Show’ – appearing in a ‘Seinfeld’ episode.

THE VIEW
1 EPISODE (2019)

And here is Dr. Ruth with other members of the Hall:

With Regis Philbin

With Shari Lewis & Lambchop

With Joan Rivers & Miss Piggy (future member)
Probably photoshopped

Welcome to the Crossover Hall, Dr. Ruth.Hopefully I will find more pictures to grace your tribute....

TWO FOR TUESDAY TVXOHOF TRIBUTES #2 - RICHARD SIMMONS

From ABC News:

FITNESS GURU RICHARD SIMMONS DEAD AT 76
He just celebrated his birthday on Friday.
By Mark Osborne and Alex Stone
July 13, 2024, 5:52 PM

Eccentric fitness guru Richard Simmons, known for his unrelenting positivity, has died, according to his representative.

Simmons just celebrated his 76th birthday on Friday.

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to his home after a 911 call from his housekeeper and found Simmons dead, according to police sources. He appears to have died of natural causes, and no foul play is suspected, the sources said.

Simmons had more than enough credits which qualified him to be a member of the Television Crossover Hall of Fame as a member of the League of Themselves in Toobworld.  Plus he was a multidimensional with counterparts in Skitlandia and The Tooniverse.  I just didn’t think I’d have to do so this quickly….

RICHARD SIMMONS

From Wikipedia:
Milton Teagle "Richard" Simmons (July 12, 1948 – July 13, 2024) was an American fitness personality and public figure. He was a promoter of weight-loss programs, most prominently through his Sweatin' to the Oldies line of aerobics videos.

Simmons began his weight-loss career by opening his gym Slimmons in Beverly Hills, California, catering to the overweight, and he became widely known through exposure on television and through the popularity of his consumer products. He was often parodied and was a frequent guest of late-night television and radio talk shows, such as the Late Show with David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show.

He continued to promote health and exercise through a decades-long career, and later broadened his activities to include political activism, such as in 2008 in support of a bill mandating noncompetitive physical education in public schools as a part of the No Child Left Behind Act.

GENERAL HOSPITAL

72 EPISODES (1979-2013)

From sheknows.com:

From 1979-82, Simmons recurred on the soap and taught exercise classes, first at the Campus Disco, then at the Community Sports Center. More than 20 years later, he returned to Port Charles for the Nurses Ball — and, of course, to continue to get under the skin of frenemy Lucy Coe.

THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY CARSON
10 EPISODES (1981-1986)

O'Bservation:

So far, I have yet to find a picture of Simmons with fellow TVXOHOF member Johnny Carson.  I have faith, though.  Ten episodes, there must be one out there, or a video I can get a framegrab from.  But at least there are pics of him with guest host and another TVXOHOF member, Joan Rivers.

CHiPs

MEET THE NEW GUY (1982)
Ponch has to break in a new rookie partner, while searching for a runaway girl and her newborn baby.

O’Bservation:

It looks like robbers struck one of his Slimmons franchise gyms while he was there.

FAME

TEACHERS (1982)
Lydia takes a part time job teaching aerobics at Richard Simmons club.

From a ‘Fame’ site:

Ms. Grant runs afoul of Richard Simmons when she takes a second job as an exercise instructor in his health club and verbally abuses the women taking her class.

"In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have put Ms. Grant in charge of the suburban moms' Flabby to Fit exercise group."

Richard Simmons hears Ms. Grant's barking from his nearby office and steps into the exercise room and watches with dismay as she humiliates the aerobicizers. Ms. Grant spots the 'fro sporting exercise guru watching her and snaps, "What do you want? I'm very busy right now" then realizes she just stepped in it, 'cause not only is he Richard Simmons, he's also the owner of the health club. She gets over her sheepishness pretty quick, though, and tells him that being an exercise instructor isn't her life's dream...and he says it's pretty clear she doesn't take this seriously, which is a shame 'cause getting into shape is a serious thing for these women. Ms. Grant shrugs indifferently and says she's not going to be around long enough to worry about the morale of a bunch of flabby, middle aged housewives. Richard Simmons scrunches his face concernedly and sounds hopeful as he says, "Deep down you're probably a nice person" then scampers back to the safety of his office.

AMAZING STORIES
REMOTE CONTROL MAN (1985)

A meek, unhappy and frustrated husband with a nagging wife and incorrigible sons finally finds solace in his new TV set that "comes alive" with the use of a magic remote control and gives him the chance to replace his family with various TV characters. But then reality hits.

Walter's remote control accidentally brings Richard Simmons to life.

O'Bservation:
The Richard Simmons who showed up in Walter's living room was a cathode phantom, a manifestation of the Richard Simmons on the TV screen.  That is the main Toobworld's televersion who is going into the TVXOHOF.  

THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW
THE WARMTH EPISODE (1992)

After market research shows that audience members don't find him likable, Larry goes out of his way to be nice to everyone and asks Artie to run the show by focus groups.  Simmons was Larry’s guest on the show.

EVENING SHADE
HARLAN DEALS A MEAL (1992)

Harlon goes on a diet, whilst Nub goes on a date

THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO
24 EPISODES

O'Bservation:

Both 'The Tonight Show' and Jay Leno are in the Hall.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
S19 E10 (1994)
Jason Patric & Blind Melon
Simmons was in the Cofee Talk sketch, which means he has a presence in Skitlandia

From the “One SNL A Day” website:  

— (*sigh*) Fourth appearance of this sketch in just ten episodes so far this season…
— Hmm, a Richard Simmons appearance. At least he’s providing a distraction from the typical Coffee Talk dullness.
— Simmons is adding a fairly fun vibe to this. His energy is welcome, considering the lethargic atmosphere throughout tonight’s episode.
— Another positive thing about this Coffee Talk sketch is that it has thankfully cut down on the use of Linda Richman’s catchphrases that never make me laugh.
STARS: **½

Speaking of Skitlandia….
In the sketch comedy TV dimension, it’s not unusual for various characters, mostly celebrities or historical figures, to look like different people while still being themselves… in a manner of speaking.  

The same holds true for Richard Simmons in Skitlandia.  While he did portray himself on ‘Saturday Night Live’, he also looked like talk show host Jimmy Fallon as well.  And then, thanks to ‘In Living Color’, Simmons looked more like Jim Carrey.

O’Bservation:
So a guy who owns a couple of gyms was played by a couple of Jims.

Hey… it’s late at night and I have no shame.

ALL MY CHILDREN
June 21, 1995 episode

HOLLYWOOD SQUARES

20 EPISODES 1999-2003

O’Bservation:

At least for that week of his appearances on ‘Hollywood Squares’, he was in good company with other members of the TVXOHOF – Don Rickles, Jerry Springer, and Martin Mull.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
BRINGING UP BUSTER (2003)
Simmons appeared as himself in a commercial with George Bluth for the Cornballer. George burns himself and attacks Richard out of anger.

THE ONE WHERE THEY BUILD A HOUSE (2004)

The same commercial is later revealed to be shown in Mexico, dubbed in Spanish.

87th MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE 2013  

O'Bservation:

Simmons rode the Rocking Turtle (1979-1998, 2013-2016, 2019-) when it returned to the parade in 2013, and was apparently the last celebrity to do so.  (At least that’s how it looks in the Thanksgiving Day Parade fan page wiki.)

And as for the final version of Richard Simmons in the greater TV Universe….

THE TOONIVERSE

JOHNNY BRAVO
T IS FOR TROUBLE (2004)

Mr. T helps Johnny confront his childhood tormentor.

For all of the silliness in the way he presented himself, he really did help a lot of people.  But I've always felt there had to be some sadness behind the facade; it could be just something that I'm imagining.  Still, it is sad that he died the day right after his birthday... not that there's any good day to die.

I'm sorry I didn't take care of this sooner while he was alive, on the slim chance he might have seen it; I'm always thinking there's plenty of prime-time....

But he's here now in the Hall and he'll find a lot of people there he knows already.... 

Welcome to the Television Crossover Hall of Fame, Richard Simmons.