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Original poster

Ruby Wax interviews

26 replies

gildalily · 04/09/2021 18:06

Has anybody been watching the shows on BBC about Ruby Wax's 1990's interviews? She's critiquing them with the benefit of hindsight and through the lens of her psychology training. Would be interested to see what you're making if the shows and her insight.

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dayswithaY · 04/09/2021 21:49

I've seen them and I love them, might be due to nostalgia though. Celebs were more detached in those days so interviews were more revealing. I'm cringing a bit at Ruby's behaviour though - seems like she is too.

IDidntFloatUpTheLaganInABubble · 04/09/2021 21:59

I've been watching them, it was was a different time then wasn't it. A time when there was a "behind the scenes" these days everything is seen!

Someone of them still come across well, Goldie Hawn, Sharon Stone. But Jesus OJ, Trump and David/Liza they were toe curling, as were some of Ruby's antics, I love her though!

Original poster

gildalily · 04/09/2021 22:06

I thought a couple of them were awful - I really felt that Pamela Anderson and Madonna didn't take to Ruby Wax at all and she misjudged how well she got on with her. On the other hand Bette Midler and Sharon Stone were great and loved her. Sharon Stone was so beautiful.
I did think that she talked over them so much and missed what might have interesting answers but she saw that herself I think. She managed to get access to some amazing people. Would love to have seen her with Tom Cruise.
I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of them.

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tribpot · 04/09/2021 22:16

I've loved them for the nostalgia, and seeing her and Carrie Fisher together is always special. I agree, @gildalily, she talked over them a lot and now recognises how many great moments she may have missed as a result.

I couldn't watch the Trump or OJ ones, and I won't be watching Marcos/Cosby either. Liza/David was just so dreadful.

I'd like to see her reinterview some of them today - Bette Midler, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn. I don't think she particularly wants to, though! But it would have made for an interesting wrap up to this series, looking back at some of the interviews with the interviewee.

Original poster

gildalily · 04/09/2021 22:42

@tribpot yes! The idea of revisiting some of them would be amazing. Would have been good to see the pair of them looking over the previous meeting and giving their opinion.

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SwedishEdith · 04/09/2021 22:48

I've been enjoying these. Tbf, I don't think Madonna would really warm to anyone - too self-conscious and brittle.

JacquelineCarlyle · 04/09/2021 23:36

I thought they were great too but agree it was annoying how she talked over them so much! Good idea to watch again with the benefit of hindsight.

SouthOfFrance · 05/09/2021 00:16

She was on radio 4 the other day talking about her old shows and TV formats in general, worth a listen if you are interested. And her podcast interview with Louis Theroux too.

I'm looking forward to watching them, I remember watching some the first time round. Vaguely remember a hilarious one with Jim Carey?

Larryyourwaiter · 05/09/2021 00:28

I need to find time to watch this. I’ve been meaning to see what I could find of hers online since the Louis Theroux podcast.
Ruby seems so damaged and sad now. In the LT podcast she came across at so bitter. She was very much of her time though and it couldn’t have lasted forever.

Original poster

gildalily · 05/09/2021 02:31

@Larryyourwaiter yes, bitter was exactly how she came across on that Louis Theroux podcast. I found that weird as I dint think their work is similar at all. Louis is all nuance and leaving things unsaid and Ruby is like a bull in a china shop.

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dayswithaY · 05/09/2021 09:13

I will listen to the LT podcast, I always thought it was Ruby's decision to walk away from fame. I read her first book called "Sane Mind" or something and she implies she was just fed up with the whole industry.

Rainallnight · 05/09/2021 09:16

I thought it was a really odd format and I didn’t warm to it at all (and I do like her). I can’t put my finger on why. There was a certain detachment in how she was talking about the past interviews that didn’t sit right with me. I’m interested in how others felt.

JacquelineCarlyle · 05/09/2021 09:23

I enjoyed her critique - she seemed honest to me in her own shortcomings also, which I liked (I was never a Ruby Wax fan so actually enjoyed these a lot as didnt watch them at the time).

Original poster

gildalily · 05/09/2021 09:24

@Rainallnight it's interesting you say that as I felt similarly. In the original interviews I thought that she was overbearing and quite unpleasant on occasions and I also was surprised at her modern take on some of the interviews.

As I said earlier her perception on occasion of how she had won people over by making them laugh and how they loved her just wasn't how I perceived it. Although she's the psychologist and I'm not so I could well be wrong.

I must admit I was put off her quite a lot by the way she was quite hostile in that Louis Theroux interview so I might be being unfair.

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unlikelytobe · 05/09/2021 14:27

I didn't used to like Ruby much - too brash, trying too hard, not letting her interviewees speak and so on. It was a bit like watching a car crash at times but could be fascinating TV. Some celebs she had a connection with like Carrie Fisher but others it was strained/false and weird to watch.

She's obviously calmed down a lot and has made some thoughtful reflections on this series looking back at her old TV self. It's clear she has insecurities and has had face lift after face lift.

That Louis Theroux podcast made uncomfortable listening. She seemed to see him as a rival or usurper but I think he does something fairly different and in a more measured way. So, not sure what to think of her now!

IDidntFloatUpTheLaganInABubble · 05/09/2021 14:30

I wasn't aware of the podcast, am off to listen now!

Cactu · 05/09/2021 14:34

She complained on the LT podcast that her shows are never repeated. They just wouldn’t stand up to it as there is far too much of her wackiness in them and not enough celeb. This format is a good way of showing some of the best bits as she did get great access to some very high profile and interesting people.

HollowTalk · 05/09/2021 14:35

I was astounded to hear on the Louis Theroux podcast that she saw herself as in the same league as him. I don't think anyone else thought of her in that way. I'm always really uneasy when I see her (and used to be in the past, too) as she seemed like a loose cannon. It was always about her, never about the person she was interviewing. I won't watch anything with her in it again - it's too uncomfortable.

SwedishEdith · 05/09/2021 18:37

It's still about her though, even this series. It's still all about how she comes across and how the celebs respond to or like/dislike her. Which is sort of odd for an interviewer as they're meant to disappear a little to make way for the subject. I'm enjoying watching them but I'm not finding her insights that insightful, just entertaining. I'll listen to the Louis Theroux thing though, especially now some of you have said she comes across as bitter

Original poster

gildalily · 05/09/2021 20:51

I'm interested to hear what you think those of you who go off and listen to the Louis Theroux podcast.

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JaneJeffer · 05/09/2021 21:13

I've only watched the first one. Recorded the other two.

I think with Trump she was seeing things that weren't there. She said she was scared of him but I don't think he was intimidating, just fed up of her daft questions. His security guy however looked very scary. She is applying present feelings about him to the past when he was just the guy from The Apprentice.

EachandEveryone · 06/09/2021 11:52

Her daughters seem lovely. She gelled with Roseanne didnt she? I would love to see a catch up.

Time40 · 06/09/2021 12:00

She said she was scared of him but I don't think he was intimidating, just fed up of her daft questions

I don't think she was scared of him per se; I think she was scared that because he was obviously unimpressed by her, she wouldn't get a good interview.

Original poster

gildalily · 06/09/2021 12:21

I'm just watching the 3rd one now with Bill Cosby. He was horrible. However I think it's really interesting how the men seemed to have no tolerance for her schtick whereas the women tolerate her / actively enjoy her company regardless of her delivery. She sees it as her getting on better with the women than the men. But I wonder if it's more a case of women being used to putting up with intimate questions etc.

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JaneJeffer · 06/09/2021 12:27

I remember reading years ago that men hate funny women.

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