Ruby Wax

summary

Ruby is upfront, sassy and with a reputation for posing questions no one else would think to ask

Ruby has become one of the best known and popular faces on television in recent years. She has also performed stand-up comedy and toured extensively around the globe. In her own unique and inimitable style Ruby has confronted Imelda Marcos, irritated Donald Trump and been intimate with Pamela Anderson, she is one of the few television personalities who has cracked Cannes and Hollywood.

Her TV shows get under the skin of celebrity and seek out the wackier side of life.

She is in demand not only for dinner speaking and entertainment, but also moderates conferences, where a sharp brain, wittiness and humour is of essence.

biography

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Ruby Wax majored in Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and then moved to the UK where she studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

In 1977, Ruby Wax later joined the Royal Shakespeare Company working alongside Helen Mirren and Juliet Stevenson.

“I really could never find my niche. I was a terrible actress, I couldn’t sing, I couldn’t do characters, I couldn’t do an English accent and I lived in England, so I was narrowing it down”

Always forthright, brash and loud, conforming to the British stereotype of an American, Ruby Wax cemented this trademark image in 1985 when she starred as loud-mouthed American actress Shelley DuPont in the British sitcom ‘Girls On Top’. According to a BBC ‘Arena’ documentary narrated by Ruby’s ‘Girl’s On Top’ co-star Dawn French, it was Ruby’s role as backstage interviewer at ‘The Secret Policeman’s Ball’ in 1987 that finally launched her into stardom.

Ruby was eventually given her own chat show after drunkenly interviewing Michael Grade (head of Channel 4 at the time) in a tent at the Edinburgh Festival.

A run of successful television shows followed where Ruby she simply met and interviewed people, mostly extraordinary members of the general public. In 1991 Ruby presented ‘The Full Wax’.

Despite her variety of work over the years, Ruby is probably best known for her celebrity interviews in ‘the Full Wax’, ‘Ruby Wax Meets…’ and ‘Ruby’.

In ‘Ruby Wax Meets…’ Ruby abandoned the stereotypical chat show set, and chose to travel around with her celebrity interviewees, following them day-to-day in their home and at work. Ruby interviewed a number of high profile celebrities including OJ Simpson, Jerry Springer, Don King, Pamela Anderson, Tom Hanks, Bill Cosby, The Spice Girls, Goldie Hawn and The Duchess of York, the latter interview receiving over 14 million viewers.

In March 2003, Wax was one of the celebrity contestants on ‘Comic Relief does Fame Academy’, successfully making it to the final, taking runner-up position to Will Mellor.

In 2006, Ruby was a celebrity showjumper in the BBC’s Sport Relief event ‘Only Fools on Horses’, and also presented ‘Cirque de Celebrite’ on Sky One.

Ruby Wax is available for hosting and cabaret, and also has two remarkable business presentations focused on Change and Women in Retail.

photos

Testimonials

SKYPE
Ruby the leader made a huge difference to the experience. Brilliant comic timing aside, she has a no-holds-barred approach to communication and a strong desire for feedback, which made the whole experience feel a lot more open and comfortable. The huge cultural mix also meant it was important to have someone competent at communicating without shyness or reservation.
Colin Graham, Product Manager, Skype

Thank you for spending two days with us in Tallinn [Latvia] and being such a great host for the meetings while dealing with dead-fish pastry, snow blizzards and silly hats! Your style and approach went down really well. 
Michael van Swaaij, CEO, Skype

Ruby did a great job getting people to open up and focus on where we are. It was very refreshing. She found the right tone between sceptical and conciliatory. You go offsite to get people to think differently. Having someone from outside like Ruby really helps!
Rodrigo Madanes, Chief Product Strategist, Skype

Ruby was simple, direct, and practical. Instead of dwelling on issues, she prodded me by saying - OK, try this.  I found her approach very helpful.  She’ll be pleased to know that I have had some good results from that trying:-) I would like to have another session with her.”
Suchi Mukherjee, Head of User Experience and Communications, Skype

DEUTSCHE BANK
A fantastic experience: I learned some new communication skills that will be useful and unique in their applicability.

KIDS COMPANY
Ruby Wax is widely know for the quickness of her wit, and humour, but in addition she has extraordinary intellectual ability and is very astute about human behaviour and psychological functioning. Her intelligence is breathtaking; she is guaranteed to leave the listener with something to be treasured.
Camila Batmanghelidjh, CEO, Kids Company

PROMETHEAN
Thank you so much for all your hard work in providing us with a superb input and support at the Promethean event. Jean Yves [CEO] was keen that your involvement should continue into the next meeting. You brought JY alive in front of the very people who most need to know him well, and safely!
Mark Hamlin, Organisation Resource Limited

ROYAL MARSDEN NHS TRUST
Ruby’s compassion, empathy and good humour shine through. She is an excellent communicator and the women in the groups we worked with always ask after her and want to know when she is coming back to The Royal Marsden. It was a fantastic experience working with her and I am sure she will be a great spokeswoman for the issued raised by living in the twenty-first century.
Natalie Doyle, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

HOUSE OF LORDS SPEECH
Thank you so much for your wonderful speech at the OXPIP [Oxford Parent Infant Project] lunch. I have received so many calls and messages from guests saying how you brought the subject of attachment alive in such an entertaining way.
Andrea Leadsom, OXPIP Chair

HOME OFFICE
A thoughtful and thought-provoking morning. Ruby provided some real insights—relevant both to work and wider life.

Excellent timing in terms of my personal needs. Some very practical advice and techniques. Because it’s such a short intervention, I think having Ruby was very important “ it maximized the impact for the long term.

I instantly used this, having to lead a difficult Friday afternoon workshop. And because I concentrated on ‘experiencing the moment’ I didn’t fall apart when the going got tough i.e. what I learned really helped me not to panic. I have also used it since, practising breathing before presenting to the Board. Very useful.

This was more like a Workshop or a Masterclass than anything I have experienced since I joined the Home Office—and I welcome that greatly. It provided me with direct lessons and tips around communicating and focus. But, perhaps of more value, it has caused me to look harder at some of my habits, behaviours and attitudes.

I really do hope that this, or something similar, does run through SCS [Senior Civil Service] and beyond. Stress management and interpersonal skills are imperative for good performance and good leadership.