Actor Ernest Borgnine Reveals His Sex Secret

Actor and funny man Ernest Borgnine made headlines once again this week when the 91-year-old Academy Award-winner shared his secret to longevity with Fox News:

"I masturbate a lot," the gapped-tooth star unabashedly told his host, loud enough for the nation to hear.

Health experts say ... taking care of one's self ... can in fact be part of a long, healthy life.

"It's about your zest for life," said Dr. Aline Zoldbrod, Ph.D. and author on sexual wellness.

"If you masturbate in moderation, you accept your sexuality, and sexuality is part of being alive," said Zoldbrod, who runs sexsmart.com.

She emphasized that it's only healthy in moderation - even for the five-times married Borgnine, who has appeared in nearly 200 movies and TV shows including "Marty," "From Here to Eternity," "McHale's Navy" and "The Posiedon Adventure."

Efforts to reach doctors at Boston's major research hospitals were unsuccessful yesterday. But one Boston-area doctor, who declined to be identified, told the Herald that there may be physical benefits to the form of exercise Borgnine was touting.

"It may be protective to the prostate," the doctor said.

The AARP demured when asked for comment on the oldster's personal fountain of youth. "We have no perspective to contribute on the matter," an AARP spokeswoman told the Herald.

But the Oscar-winning actor's theory apparently has struck a chord with the younger set. The vid is a sensation on YouTube, the Internet's wildly popular video-sharing Web site.

Originally published by By KATY JORDAN.

(c) 2008 Boston Herald. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.