Meet the Hosts

Arisa Cox

Arisa Cox rocks the house as co-host of E! and is loving every minute of it.

Prior to joining E!, Arisa racked up credits as both host and producer in entertainment, news and reality television on shows like ET Canada, The Gill Deacon Show, Road to Rockstar, The A-List, Studio 2, U8 on Film, Arresting Design and The Lofters. Her resume also includes cameos on The Smart Woman's Survival Guide, Instant Star and CBC Newsworld.

Academically Speaking

Arisa won numerous awards and scholarships during her time at the Claude Watson School for the Arts and Carleton University’s journalism program, including a national Harry Jerome award for excellence in academics.

Music Notes

A woman of many talents, Arisa is also quite a crooner. In 2004, she won the first the Canadian Media Idol competition, and donated her $5,000 winnings to the Harry Jerome scholarship fund.

Behind the Camera

Along with singing and working in front of the camera, this creative soul is also a painter, dancer, photographer, screenwriter and budding filmmaker with several big projects on the go.

Arisa is a major self-proclaimed film nerd with a background in film history and theory. “I live, eat and breathe film, from early black & white films to avant-garde cinefile stuff to foreign films to documentaries and sci-fi.”

About Arisa

• Best Interview: Rocker Ozzy Osbourne
• Roots: Arisa is a first generation Canadian - her parents are Trinidadian-Canadian.
• Classmate Confidential: High school classmates at the Claude Watson School for the Arts included actors Scott Speedman and Sarah Polley.
• Rock It Out: Bjork is at the top of her music list because of her inspirational originality.
• Word to the Wise: “Making the world a better place is not always about grand gestures, sometimes it’s the small things that count.”

Jason Ruta

Over the past decade, Jason has earned credits and experience in almost everything entertainment including radio, television, film and theatre. With a resume running from script to screen, this extensive background has prepared him well for a new role as co-host on E! where he is having the time of his life.

Get It Started

His first gig in broadcasting was at a small independent video and film production house in Winnipeg back in 1997. A man of many talents, Jason’s duties included everything from managing the office to starring in a boating safety video.

Country Roots

Jason is something of an urban cowboy. During his three-plus years at Country 95.3 radio in the Toronto/Hamilton area, he started-out distributing stickers on the promotional team and then moved into the hosting chair for the weekend morning show.

At Country Music Television (CMT), he interviewed industry stars including Reba McIntyre. Jason also spent four summers traveling to major music festivals including the Big Valley Jamboree and Merritt Mountain Festival interviewing some of the biggest artists in country music like Leanne Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Brad Paisley, Paul Brandt and Terry Clark.

Acting Up

Jason’s varied acting credits include live performances in YTV’s “Weird on Wheels” national tour as well as roles in commercials for Bell ExpressVu and Trojan. You might also have spotted him in films like “Cinderella Man”, “Nostradamus” and “A Marriage of Convenience” as well as “The Lofters” reality tv show.

Rudimentary Ruta

Friends and family are very important to this Cooks Creek, Manitoba native. He is discovering the joys of being a first time uncle to his newborn niece and lists his mom’s home cooking among his favourite foods.

• Old School: Jason was enrolled at the Vancouver Film School when he received the call to join E!
• Good Reads: “The Alchemist” and “Tuesday’s with Morrie”
• Dream Interview: Country music superstar Garth Brooks
• Must-See TV: Brothers & Sisters, Prison Break and The Amazing Race
• Words to Live By: “Always believe! I strongly believe that anyone can do anything and be anything in life… all they have to do is believe it.”