Ruby Wax: What's so funny about mental illness?
Ruby Wax: Cóż śmiesznego jest w chorobie psychicznej?
Ruby Wax is a loud, funny woman -- who spent much of her comedy career battling depression in silence. Now her work blends mental health advocacy and laughs. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
i dostanie Oskara. (Śmiech)
że znalazłam swoich. (Śmiech)
z życzeniami powrotu do zdrowia.
Brak nam przepustowości,
substancje zostają w ciele,
a człowiek ma przechlapane. (Śmiech)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ruby Wax - Comedian and Mental Health ActivistRuby Wax is a loud, funny woman -- who spent much of her comedy career battling depression in silence. Now her work blends mental health advocacy and laughs.
Why you should listen
Winston Churchill called it "the Black Dog" -- a depression that settled over him and drained the flavor from life. Ruby Wax knows the Black Dog well; throughout the '80s and '90s, during a flourishing career as a brash comedian and interviewer in the UK, it trotted at her heels, even while she was interviewing the Duchess of York and sorting through Imelda Marcos' shoes.
After taking a timeout to learn how to manage the condition, Wax produced a stand-up comedy show called "Losing It" that directly addresses her mental health experiences, hilariously but powerfully. And she's started up a new social network called the Black Dog Tribe, which offers a community and support to people with depression. Meanwhile, she's working on her Master's in cognitive therapy.
Also, this year, Ruby was honored as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her mental health work.
As she says: "I've always said to myself, if you've got a disability, use it." Read our Q&A with Ruby Wax >>
Ruby is also a visiting professor at The University of Surrey.
Ruby Wax | Speaker | TED.com