Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Sex therapist who became a national celebrity offering explicit but common-sense sex advice on radio and TV with a warm, frank style.
On the island
Eight records
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
actually accompanied me throughout my life. Despite the fact that I was so persecuted by Nazis, there is something in the culture, despite the fact that I became an orphan, that is deep rooted and I do love Mozart.
Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians
because in Switzerland I did see a few of the British movies, like Mrs. Miniver, like Waterlo Bridge, and it made me so sad because sometimes there were scenes of separation, of men going into war, and sometimes there were scenes of finding each other again. And when they sang that song, it was at the same time sad and at the same time hopeful, especially when it talks about friendships.
Ode to Joy (from Symphony No. 9)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Colin Davis
because all through my life this is one of the things that I always hummed and sang with the words Freude Schoener Gottefunken, which is jwa, which is joy.
I loved the romantic songs, especially by Mulluggi, who was short. ... Muluji is a short singer, but the song he sang compeptikoklico. I love that song, it's a love song.
Unfinished Symphony (Symphony No. 8)
Vienna Philharmonic, Sir Georg Solti
because that theme that is repeated was a whistle that many of my friends and I used in Israel, because in Israel there was no telephone. And when you wanted to call somebody up on the third floor, that's what we whistled.
Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (from The Magic Flute)
Wolfgang Brendel, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
I really do love Mozart and it's the magic flute.
I love this song because it talks about the Jerusalem stone. ... And for me that's very meaningful because that has something to do with World War Two, with the Holocaust, and with my life. That out of ashes, out of misery, out of devastation. That there is some survival.
Hazman Higia (There Was a Time)Favourite
My son Joel, who went to Princeton as an undergraduate and was part of a little band, and he wrote and composed and plays a song for his sister's wedding. ... And the song really talks about him giving this as a gift to his sister. whom he loves very much, she's six years older than him, and to his brother-in-law. And it talks, it is based on something of the Jewish tradition again that says, I'm to my beloved and my beloved is to me. Hasman Higia, the time has come.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:10Does being compared to Freud please you, and what do you think is the secret of your success?
Secretly, of course, it pleases me when they call me Grandma Freud. ... I was very fortunate. I am very well trained. I have all of the academic credentials. I have the clinical experience by now. But I also believe strongly that it is because I'm an older woman. I'm going to be sixty two this year. I am short, four foot seven. Uh I do have a big smile. I can talk about these issues of sexuality with humour. But most importantly, you don't threaten them, is that what you're saying? By your appearance, your voice, or anything. I'm not threatening uh not to men and not to women. That I think is an important uh part of it. I'm really like a little aunt who uh has the fortune to know about these things and can talk about it.
Presenter asks
11:34How has that terrible childhood experience affected you as a psychologist? How are you different because of it?
I think what it has permitted me to do is to have a tremendous empathy of suffering for other people. without it making me uh depressed, because in the early childhood years this jwade vivre, this lust for life, has been given to me. But I do uh understand what it means to go through difficult times.
Presenter asks
22:08How quickly did your radio show rise in the ratings? What happened?
The keepsakes
The book
Margaret Mitchell
I love that scale. And I love that Red Butler when I grow up. And also the other reason for that is it's a very heavy book, so at least I can read it over and over until you, Sue, will come and rescue me, or you will send that British air um the Royal Air Force to rescue me.
The luxury
All right, then I'll take Maron Glacsee. But a big box, please. Of maron glacis. Yes, I love them.
It was amazing because I made a presentation to a group of broadcasters saying that we have the knowledge, we have the scientifically validated data about human sexual functioning. ... I did not think that it ought to be me. Listen to my accent. I've never done any broadcasting, but NBC Radio gave me a quarter of an hour. Buried after midnight. From that it grew to an hour, then to two hours, and until last year it was two hours and it became actually international. And about five years ago, Fred Silverman, who used to be President of NBC, asked me if I wanted to do a television programme. I said, of course, I'll try anything.
Presenter asks
26:28What do you say to accusations that you and the broadcasting company are exploiting sex, using personal problems to titillate the audience?
What I am saying is, what I'm doing is very ethical. Because I hope, and I'm not the only one, I always want to say that, that with programs like this, yes, there is no question that nothing is as interesting as what people do in their bedrooms. No question. Yes, it's true that these things do sell, but if it's done in the way that it's educational and entertaining, I believe that it behooves us to do that because we have the data. You see, it says in the Jewish tradition in the Talmud, a lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.
Presenter asks
29:28What have you got out of this job you created for yourself a decade ago?
Oh, my gosh First of all, I never have to worry again about money for the rest of my life And I'm really very fortunate, because here at my age of sixty two, I have not only the recognition, But I have a tremendous amount of gratitude from people, and I'm very grateful for that when people say you really helped me. ... That helps me to withstand all of those criticisms that you have talked about, because I say to myself, really, I'm a fortunate woman. And I'm having a pretty, pretty good time. What it also means is, of course, a lot of people need you, and a lot of people love you. Perhaps that's also quite important to you. And especially since the deprivation. in the early years because there wasn't much love. Uh from the age of ten to sixteen the orphanage was rather loveless. Um we did have food and shelter, but we didn't have much care. So um all of those things that I'm getting right now, it's very nice.
Presenter asks
30:33What happens when fame starts to fade away?
When this happens, and it can happen from one day to the next, I will say thank you very much. I've had a great time, but I still will keep up my private practice. I do not give that up. I will still do something. Who knows, maybe something else is going to open up.
“I am a survivor because I survived Nazi Germany. I survived being badly hurt and wounded in the war of independence in Israel. And I'm in general a th I do think of myself a survivor. So when I have that image of that desert island, I say to myself, Sue, I'm going to survive that one too.”
“I will never forget that day. It was on january fifth, nineteen thirty nine. and my mother and grandmother went to the railroad station to wave goodbye. And I do remember that they were running. In order to get another glimpse of me, I thought I'm going to Switzerland for six months. that after the six months they would come, pick me up, and we would go someplace else, whichever country would take us.”
“I think what it has permitted me to do is to have a tremendous empathy of suffering for other people. without it making me uh depressed, because in the early childhood years this jwade vivre, this lust for life, has been given to me. But I do uh understand what it means to go through difficult times.”
“What I am saying is, what I'm doing is very ethical. Because I hope, and I'm not the only one, I always want to say that, that with programs like this, yes, there is no question that nothing is as interesting as what people do in their bedrooms. No question. Yes, it's true that these things do sell, but if it's done in the way that it's educational and entertaining, I believe that it behooves us to do that because we have the data. You see, it says in the Jewish tradition in the Talmud, a lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.”
“When this happens, and it can happen from one day to the next, I will say thank you very much. I've had a great time, but I still will keep up my private practice. I do not give that up. I will still do something. Who knows, maybe something else is going to open up.”