Thirteen years with the show, she is among the longest staying hosts in “Eat Bulaga.” Jimmy Santos is a year older than her while Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon, who are the show’s pioneers are still very much active in “Eat Bulaga.” As “Eat Bulaga” nears its silver year this 2004, Ruby feels her longevity with the show is a feat she is more than proud of.
“I also started from the bottom. In 1990, I was just appearing every other day sa ‘Bulagaan.’ Then in 1991, I became a regular host. A little later, I was already holding my own segments,” she recalled.
She attributes the family-like atmosphere in the show to be the super glue that holds everyone intact through thick and thin. Whether you talk of the hosts or the crew, everyone is a part of the family.
“Like what they say, ‘a family that prays together, stays together’ di ba? Ang mararamdaman mong kaibahan, you are like brothers and sisters. Whenever you have a problem, you know who to turn to,” she shared.
Speaking of a family-like atmosphere, she describes it as being open and honest with one another. And this also means that you can be scolded any time for your mistakes. As they say in the vernacular, “walang plastikan!”
“The secret here is that you have to blend in with the group,” explains Ruby. “Pag pikon sa yo sasabihin straight to your face. Pag mali ka papagalitan ka straight to your face. Parang nanay, parang tatay, diba kapag mali ang kapatid mo sasabihan mo kaagad. Ganun kami.”
With regards to their competition “Masayang Tanghali Bayan,” Ruby expressed that they don’t usually talk about it. But since it would be always inevitable for them to know about their ratings, they would usually think positive that they would always recover and be on top again whenever their ratings would dip lower than their rival. (As of press time, ABS-CBN’s “MTB” has been re-formatted with Ai Ai delas Alas, Edu Manzano and Arnel Ignacio as the banner hosts. Only Mickey Ferriols was retained among the original cast. The show is now called “MTB: Ang Sayasaya.”)
“It doesn’t affect what we do. It should not affect us in such a way that we get depressed. We just have fun and enjoy what we are doing.”
Aside from the enjoyment of doing the show for more than a decade now, the other factors that contributed to her career’s success according to Ruby are her comic and hosting skills and of course hard work.
“I believe it is because of my talent. Second is of course, I would like to think they think I work well. I produce naman. I know I’m that diligent,” she quipped.
Through the years though of working with “Eat Bulaga,”  the influx of newer television talents doesn’t escape her attention. And she has observed that there has been big changes in various TV personalities that come to showbiz.
“Ang daming difference. May itsura ka lang ng kaunti, pwede na. Care ko kung may talent o wala. Basta may itsura, go enter pero kung magsalita balubaluktot. Unlike the time when we got in, talagang talent ang pinaguusapan. Labanan talaga. Walang preferences, you start from the bottom,” she opined.
She added that the advice she always give newcomers in the business is to always keep themselves grounded. They should always remember where they came from.
When asked what she learned from “Eat Bulaga,” she simply replied “Patience.”
Aside from “Eat Bulaga” Ruby Rodriguez is very thrilled about her newest perk in life – her new endorsement project. She is now the image model or product endorser for the detergent brand Blustar from DSS Productmakers, Inc., a Filipino-owned company.
Blustar is actually the detergent Blu which kicked-off in 1996. Since its onset, it has become a favorite among consumers in duty free shops in Subic. Then in 2002, DSS reformulated their product to make it even more globally competitive, environment friendly and more effective than its predecessor Blu. The most important thing is its value for money trait.
“I am a mother and naglalaba ako. So I had no problem accepting this project. This is my first detergent to endorse and full equity pa,” she remarked proudly. “I tried it and I liked it. There are some detergents that when you use it on your underwear, it itches when you wear it after washing it kasi sobrang tapang. Ito hindi siya matapang,” she beamed.
According to DSS executives, Ruby was chosen because of her respected stature in show business. As they explained, “Ruby has a good reputation as a comedian. Her credibility speaks for her. She is also matipid and that like us, who buy and sell products of quality and good value, so we think she is the perfect model for the product.”
They  added that they will be working with Ruby for a long time for the said product which also consists of a dishwashing paste, detergent cream and dishwashing liquid.
As for Ruby who has worked with a lot of products as an endorser, her last being a toothpaste for which she was the celebrity endorser for six years, this project excites her.
“I’m happy to be endorsing the product which is something new and that gives me a sense of pride. I’m honored to be chosen kasi maraming pwedeng piliin na stars. For them to entrust you with their product is really an honor because their product will be associated with you. You are side by side with it.”
A celebrity, an endorser, a mother and a wife  – these are the roles that have become the fabric of Ruby Rodriguez’ life. But among all of these things, what really keeps her smiling is her family.
Unlike other stars who would drag their family life inside showbiz, Ruby opts to keep her family very private all the time. For her, this is one key to keeping her marriage happy and manageable and solid for the years to come. As she would always say, “what happens inside the four corners of your bedroom, doesn’t get out.”
She doesn’t describe herself as a perfect wife though but she is up to the challenge of becoming one someday. Hers is a continuing learning experience with her family life. And if you ask her to sum up her priorities in life, it would be wife-mother-career!