Ruby Wax

Ruby Wax, a comedian, actress, and mental health advocate, shares her candid experiences with depression and the challenges of navigating fame. She reveals a shocking story about being thrown off Donald Trump's plane and discusses how cancel culture stifles comedic creativity. Ruby highlights her early awareness of problematic celebrities, unique approaches to mental health, and her commitment to running support groups in cafes across the UK. Through humor and personal insight, she addresses the shifting dynamics of comedy and celebrity culture.

Comedian Ruby Wax shares her personal struggles with mental health including her experiences in a monastery, mental institution, and therapy. She discusses challenges of maintaining mindfulness, reflections on a disastrous interview, perceptions and assumptions, depression treatment and recovery, creating a sanctuary at home, and using trips for authentic connection. She also talks about her initiative called frazzled cafe for judgment-free connections.

Comedian and best-selling author Ruby Wax opens up about repeating negative patterns, coping with depression, and the importance of allowing people to be multi-faceted humans. They also delve into their wild experiences, Ruby's book 'I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was,' her time in a mental health clinic, and the toxic relationship with fame. The impact of Frazzled Cafes, different therapies, and finding balance are also discussed.

This weekend, we talk about conversation. Columnist Enuma Okoro explores what makes certain conversations feel good. Lilah and US Managing Editor Peter Spiegel chase the mystery of who actually wrote the US constitution along with esteemed historian William Ewald. And Ruby Wax, the iconic celebrity interviewer of the 90s, tells us how she got stars good and bad—from the members of the Spice Girls to Bill Cosby—to open up and show us who they really are.Links from the episode: — The FT’s best books of 2021 (paywall): https://www.ft.com/booksof2021— Enuma Okoro on the art of conversation: https://www.ft.com/content/7ea1d669-a490-418e-a4a0-5aa04175657a — Watch Lilah’s full conversation with Ruby Wax: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E317YWBFyws — Watch a lecture by UPenn law and philosophy professor William Ewald, on forgotten founding father James Wilson: https://vimeo.com/521928817— Ewald’s published articles about Wilson: https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/do/search/?q=author_lname%3A%22Ewald%22%20AND%20author_fname%3A%22William%22 Want to say hi? Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. If you want a great discount on an FT subscription or a $1/£1/€1 month-long trial, we’ve got you: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner, with original music by Metaphor music. ‘Yankee Doodle’ was performed by Carrie Rehkopf. Clips of Ruby Wax are from BBC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UK CEO of HSBC, mental health charity Mind rep, comedian Ruby Wax, Reuters journalist mental health head, and Minds at Work advocate share experiences of mental health breakdown at work. Discussed topics include business impact on mental health, personal stories of work-related struggles, supportive leadership, and daily recovery practices for mental well-being.