Cultural Life: Ruby Wax, comedian

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Books: I've recently finished Jonathan Franzen's fantastic novel, 'Freedom'. Every sentence is so dark and to the heart of what is wrong with America. Celebrating dysfunctionality, as an expose of American psyche, it doesn't just hit the nail on the head – it slams it into the ground and kills it.

Television: Having seen every episode at least three times, 'House' is my religion. I'm a true obsessive. Hugh Laurie is the most interesting character, he is just superb. I also love '30 Rock'. I've never seen anyone write like that: not one minute goes by that's not hilarious. Alec Baldwin is very sexy and this is definitely his best show ever. 'Episodes' is also pretty good, I love the head of comedy who never speaks; the way she smiles and sneers makes it look like she is going to be sick all the time.

Theatre: Jez Butterworth's 'Jerusalem' is my all-time favourite play. I usually walk out of plays halfway through, but I liked Mike Bartlett's 'Earthquakes' in London at The National Theatre and 'Black Watch' at The Barbican was also really interesting: I loved watching hardcore Glaswegian thugs dance so beautifully.

Film: I really enjoyed the dangerous audacity of the British black comedy, 'Four Lions': frightening and hilarious, the nerve of it is breathtaking. I also saw 'The Fighter': I didn't know Christian Bale could act like that! It's the best crack-addict acting I've ever seen. 'The King's Speech' was also magnificent.

Music: I never buy albums; I don't like the pop charts at all. I listen to tracks by Bombay Dub Orchestra and Transglobal Underground, and a song called Dead Man' by Nitin Sawhney is just fantastic.

Ruby Wax's show 'Losing It' is at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London SE1 (020-7907 7060) to 19 March