Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

Did anyone see this?

Ruby's objective is to cast blame on her Jewish parents for her own mental health issues. She comes over as mad as a box of frogs..............knows nothing about the problems her parents had escaping Nazi europe and has absolutely no empathy at all. When learning of her grandparents professions as dental surgeons, her reply is "Oh how uninteresting is that!!"

What a snowflake!!!

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

Ive recorded it so I will let you know after watching.

Some people turn out much nicer than you expect and some sadly dont..

One man said he had dumped his wife when he hit the big time because he had outgrown her (words to that effect) I couldnt bear watching him after that.

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

Perhaps I am the only one who could see the pain in Ruby's eyes and her distress as she went on this difficult journey into her past. Smiling and joking but not with her eyes. The same eyes that have no doubt shed many tears given what she said about what her great aunt must have gone through. It was like she was reliving her own experiences.

I didn't see the first part but I did see the part about her mother hiding from her the fact that her great aunt spent many years in a mental institution and it turns out her great great grandmother also died in the same institution when the great aunt was still a child. She spoke of the similarity between her aunt's and her mother's symptoms (except her mum wasn't committed). Her own realisation as the programme went on that her own illness is likely the result of the genetic maternal line rather than any nurture issues. She spent years in therapy but if she had known this was hereditary she may have been able to accept it sooner. This is someone who did a neuroscience degree in an attempt to understand what was happening inside her own head.

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

I saw it.
I agree with Annie I thought Ruby was deeply affected by learning about her forbears , the torture of her father by the gestapo the loss of close family in dreadful circumstances and the fact that two of her mother's family had severe mental illnesses.
She said several times that she wished her parents had told her what they had been through and that her mother had opened up to her about her own mother's mental illness .
She was open in the fact that she hersel was on medication and had been for 20 years and said as she stood before the grim looking mental hospital if not for that I would be here.
I thought she was brave and honest to speak as she did on this programme.

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

I agree, Cass, I still remember the one they did about that loathesome Jeremy Clarkson. All he was interested in was money. They discovered he was related to the 'Kilner Jar' people and he just kept asking 'Does that mean there'll be money to come?', 'Have you found me any money?', 'What happened to all their money?' . He showed no interest at all in how the jars were invented or what happened to his ancesters - just their money. He kept on about it so much I switched off.

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

Never liked the woman.

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

I used to. Thought she was a great comedienne - until she had a breakdown. Then I saw her in a show which I thought would be a comedy, but it was all about her, her breakdown, her mental health.......... Not something I want to see, and certainly not pay to see.

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

Strangely enough I've never liked her , but last night touched me as I watched the pain in her eyes . She mentioned that she could not feel deeply due to her medication , yet she was in pain . A very sad story .

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

I didn't see a lack of empathy more a look of incredulity. She did explain early in the show that she was on medication to stop her 'feeling' as she put it.

I was elated for her to be honest, I thought the journey into her family past was therapeutic, I hope she gains comfort from it, she was brave to do it,

Re: Who Do You Think You Are? - Ruby Wax

Hate to sound catty, but I think much of that look of incredulity has more to do with her well publicized regular botox treatment!