Ruby Wax, the American-born comedian and longtime BBC presenter, recently recounted a bizarre encounter with Donald Trump in the 1990s—an encounter she now finds hilarious. Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Wax recalled how she was thrown off Trump’s private plane after laughing at his claim that he wanted to be president.
During a pre-interview meal—her usual method to build rapport—Trump confided, “I want to be the next president of the United States.” Wax burst into laughter, thinking he was joking. Offended, Trump demanded she be removed from the flight. “We reached 33,000 feet and turned straight back,” Wax said. “It wasn’t a good show.”
Stranded in Arkansas, Wax’s crew later found Trump judging a Miss Nebraska contest. She noted Trump seemed perplexed by her demeanor. “He said, ‘You’re angry with a smile.’ He couldn’t figure me out,” she said.
Decades later, Trump not only ran but won the presidency—proof, perhaps, that audacity often trumps skepticism. Looking back, Wax laughs harder now, marveling at the absurdity of being kicked off a plane by the future leader of the free world.
