One of the most fun shows of the 90’s was Ruby Wax Meets, a series that gave comediene Ruby Wax the chance to delve deep in her unique way into the lives and careers of all manner of guests, from The Spice Girls to Imelda Marcos, Donald Trump to her friend Carrie Fisher. A look back to this fascinating series called When Ruby Wax Met…is now available now on BBC iPlayer.
The series opens with one of Ruby’s last interviewees, Donald Trump. It’s an edge-of-the-seat encounter and an uncomfortable but quietly revelatory watch for Ruby – as is her fascinating chat with Mr Trump’s girlfriend, model Melania Knauss.
Ruby walks us through the genesis of her boundary-busting celebrity interview technique, originating in her studio The Full Wax, which crossed genres and created a fearless new form of entertainment. As Ruby moved away from the studio and leaned into redefining interviews, we revisit early guests Carrie Fisher, Goldie Hawn and Tom Hanks.
The final interviewee is the central figure of the trial of the 20th century: OJ Simpson, now the subject of many documentary series and even a dramatisation that brought American police racism into the spotlight alongside a heinous and bloody murder. Ruby’s unrivalled access to the man himself produced a first-hand source that is still as compelling as on its first screening – and, given how the story has unfolded since, it proves fascinating viewing alongside Ruby’s contemporary take on events.
