Entertainment

Ricki Lake reveals how 9/11 changed her life

Ricki Lake opens up about witnessing 9/11 from the roof of her building

Published April 29, 2026
Ricki Lake reveals how 9/11 changed her life
Ricki Lake reveals how 9/11 changed her life

Ricki Lake recently got candid and revealed the reason behind her decision to quit her '90s daytime talk show.

The 57-year-old American television host and actress appeared on the On Par with Maury Povich podcast, where she talked about her famous show, which ran from 1993-2004.

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When she was asked why she resigned from the show, Lake said the event she witnessed during 9/11 forced her to leave New York, which ultimately became the reason for her exit from the show.

Articulating her thoughts to Povich, she said, "I could have done it for probably a decade longer.”

The host went on to highlight that he and the Serial Mom star left their shows at the peak of their careers as well as when the shows were receiving the highest ratings.

"I made that choice. 9/11 was a huge trajectory shift in my life. Every aspect of my life changed from witnessing that experience that day from my West Village apartment,” Lake noted.

Notably, the Hairspray alum, who witnessed the incident of 9/11 from the roof of her building in 2001, decided to relocate somewhere else, as the incident had terrorized her.

"I was so freaked out watching that plane fly down the Hudson and hit that building. I had a 2 month old and a 4 year old. So I was a lactating new mother protecting my cubs, you know? I mean, I just felt like the world was coming to an end that day. And I said to myself — I had an epiphany on the roof of my building as I watched it all unfold — that I would leave New York," she explained.

It is pertinent to mention that Ricki Lake shares two sons named Milo and Owen with ex-husband Rob Sussman, whom she tied the knot with in 1994 and divorced in 2004.

Areeba Sheikh
Areeba Sheikh is a reporter specialising in trending topics, with a focus on music, entertainment culture, and viral moments. For the past two years she has been covering wide artists, releases, and digital conversations, blending storytelling with trend analysis to capture how online buzz, fandom, and pop culture shape global audience engagement.
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