By Anjali Desai
Daily Texan Staff
Sue Johanson: Hi, Scott.
Scott Oshawa: Hi, Sue. I have a problem with being overly endowed, causing my girlfriend a problem of discomfort.
Sue: Is your penis wide or long?
Scott: Both.
Sue: OOOK. [laughter pause] Lubrication is good. Have you tried different positions?
Scott: Yes.
Sue: Well, the best position for people with generous genitals is with the male on the bottom and the female straddled on top. This way she can control the thrusting.
Scott: All right. Thanks a lot, Sue.
Sue Johanson, also known as the "Sex Lady," has been hosting the Sunday Night Sex Show on the W Network, a television network for Canadian women, for six years.
Johanson began talking about sex over the airwaves of the Toronto-based rock station Q107 in 1984. Twelve years later, Sunday Night Sex Show is broadcast in Canada and the United States.
Disturbed by the lack of information available for sexually active teens, Johan-son established the Don Mills Birth Control Clinic in Canada and remained there as a coordinator until she started the radio program.
Universities and high schools across Canada request the sex therapist to talk to their students about sex, love and relationships. Johanson gives presentations to over 47,000 students annually, according to the Oxygen Media Web site.
The Canadian also authored three books, which are now out of print.
In between it all, she still manages to host a live sex show.
The Sunday Night Sex Show receives an average of 70,000 attempted calls on Sundays, according to the W Network communications department. Questions cover a variety of topics including everything from lust and libido to orgies and orgasms.
The petite grandmother of two provides her viewers with no-nonsense
Although Johanson approves of exploration and novelty in the bedroom, she always emphasizes the importance of caution and good judgment. After all, she advises, "It don't take long to cover your schlong."
Johanson keeps the show exciting by breaking from her callers to discuss a variety of toys from her pleasure chest, including vibrating anal beads and penis claws. "Tongue-Joy is $65 worth of crap," Johanson said while evaluating a vibrator contraption that slips over the tongue. "You can't talk, it looks silly and your tongue gets numb."
The candid sex expert also provides reviews on sex-related books.
Johanson continuously adds versatility to the show. Staff members model the latest lingerie. The series airs an annual Valentine's Day special with themes such as "Dates from Hell." Johanson never hesitates to employ her pointer when describing various parts of the human anatomy — and the processes that take place within them.
Johanson can convey even the most difficult concepts by using her hands. She demonstrates bodily activities, instructions for utilizing various products and her overall attitude about whatever she is discussing. In short, her hands provide images that even the most graphic pictures would fail to illustrate.
On Jan. 13, the show crossed borders and debuted on the Oxygen Network, a 24-hour women's channel based in New York City. Currently, the Sunday Night Sex Show airs nightly at 11.
The network bought the series because "it's a fun, educational show that viewers [can] appreciate," said Christina Campanile, a spokeswoman for the Oxygen Network. It is one of the top-rated shows on the network, according to Campanile. Oxygen does not release actual ratings to the public.
Eric Wiley, a former Canadian resident and current Austin resident and freelance Web page designer, is ecstatic that the series finally started appearing in the United States. "I have practically learned everything I know about sex from Sue," the 26-year-old Wiley said. "She's kind of like the know-it-all, not-too-embarrassed-to-share grandmother I never had. Besides, it's one of the few things that Canada has created that actually deserves credit."
The program is quickly developing a loyal fan club in the United States.
"I watch it at least four times a week," said Sarah Kriwanek, a freshman at Praxis College in Oklahoma City. "Sue pretty much makes the show. She is definitely what makes it funny."
Cara Holbrook, a sophomore at Austin Community College, and her roommate sat in their dorm room one late night channel surfing. They stopped flipping when they caught a glimpse of an older woman holding a dildo. The shock of the whole scene caught Holbrook's attention and has held it ever since.
Oxygen set up chat rooms and message boards to keep local fans satisfied. The audience can access a live chat with the sex guru herself, every Thursday at 11 p.m. The viewers' comments scroll across the screen during the show.
The popularity of Sue Johanson is rising in the United States, but skeptics still have their doubts.
"I think it's kind of freaky that a woman that old gives advice on sex,"said Maricarmen Lopez, a marketing senior, after watching an episode.
Curious viewers can tune in to Johanson handling eager callers' burning questions and burning sensations and judge for themselves if this grandmother deserves her title as the "Sex Lady."
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