Podcast Summary: Normal Gossip – “Anne Rice's Email With A Vampire”
Guest: Mike Rugnetta
Host: Rachel Hampton
Air Date: November 19, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, host Rachel Hampton welcomes Mike Rugnetta (of the podcast Never Post) for a delightfully gothic romp through a tale of New Orleans, Anne Rice fandom, and one exceedingly committed vampire roleplayer. Following the classic Normal Gossip format, Rachel and Mike trade thoughts on the nature of gossip and then dive into a listener-submitted story that mixes subculture, flirtation, extravagant costuming, and a twist straight out of a vampire novel. The story unfurls with theatrical flair, campy devotion, and the signature wit both hosts bring to every narrative.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
What Is Mike Rugnetta's Relationship to Gossip?
[04:55 - 06:56]
- Mike describes himself as a lover of a good story, albeit a somewhat reluctant participant in personal gossip. He's more at ease with "professional arts-related gossiping" due to his background in theater and media.
- Shares a story about his wife, a "world-class eavesdropper," who would send him out for gossip while she was pregnant, placing a humorous lens on secondhand drama.
"For most of my life I've been an artist...and so I'm surrounded by just, like, energy is high, emotions run high. People talk about other people because it's important..."
—Mike Rugnetta [05:57]
Mike's Personal Gossip Story: The Rich Airbnb Rule-Breakers
[08:17 - 15:30]
- Mike recounts a decade-old story: friends gather in the woods for an Italian dinner, including a couple (Scott & Annie) who flout every house rule, have loud arguments, bring dogs to a no-dogs Airbnb, and serve themselves oversized portions before anyone else.
- Richness and entitlement are recurring themes, culminating in Scott attempting to break into the house late at night and almost getting into a fight.
"These people have never, ever worried that they have maybe too much."
—Mike Rugnetta [12:04]
- Both hosts riff on how group trips often generate exactly this kind of gossip-worthy behavior.
Main Gossip Story: “Anne Rice's Email With a Vampire”
Begins 17:49
Setting the Scene: New Orleans, 1990s, and Goth Fandom
[17:49 - 23:41]
- Thomas and Lydia, self-proclaimed goths, move to New Orleans for grad school and find themselves on the edges of both the city and its goth subculture.
- Struggling with jobs and fitting in, they're invited to an Anne Rice-themed bar by a florist’s customer.
Entering the Anne Rice Fandom
[23:41 - 29:50]
- At "Louie's," Thomas and Lydia meet Marcus and Michelle, local goth royalty and Anne Rice superfans, who introduce them to the world of Anne Rice balls and extravagant costuming.
- The Anne Rice Ball, the social event of the fan calendar, is so exclusive and costly it’s beyond their means until rumors emerge about "Gabriel."
The Legend of Gabriel
[29:50 - 34:29]
- Gabriel is a mysterious, possibly real-life vampire figure—beloved by the community and rumored to have fangs, speak ancient languages, and exude supernatural charisma.
- Marcus and Michelle act both starstruck and dismissive at once, creating a "Mean Girls" style sense of competitive awe.
"I've heard Gabriel speak Romanian..."
—Marcus (as relayed by Rachel) [30:21]
- Lydia is "all in" when Gabriel shows interest, turning the situation from spooky fun to breathless anticipation and social intrigue.
The Spell of Gabriel
[34:29 - 44:21]
- Thomas and Lydia attend a Halloween party, crafting elaborate Hamlet and Ophelia costumes. Gabriel, dressed as the Count of Monte Cristo, singles them out in a way that feels both intimate and thrilling.
- Gabriel gives them a luxe, old-fashioned business card with only his first name and an email address. Communication follows; his emails are “filled with rhetorical flourishes from other times,” and both Thomas and Lydia become obsessed—sex life included.
"Not in my long lonely life, have I beheld such beauty."
—Gabriel (in email) [43:34]
The Triad & The Ball
[45:00 - 49:07]
- After weeks of lurid, historically-referenced emails, Gabriel invites Thomas and Lydia as his honored guests to the Anne Rice Ball.
- At the ball, Gabriel attends to them with seductive intensity (e.g., lifting a glass of champagne to Lydia’s lips, whispering at Thomas’s ear), culminating in a nightcap upstairs.
"Literally no one in the history of the world has ever had just a nightcap."
—Rachel Hampton [48:48]
The Twist: Gabriel Revealed
[49:35 - 54:42]
- The next morning, Gabriel is gone. Lydia jokes about feeling like a vampire. They email Gabriel—a prompt, elaborate response comes, but…it’s from “Beth,” Gabriel’s wife.
- Beth (real name: Ron) is apparently aware of her husband’s exploits but not the vampire role-playing. She’s outraged by the "satanic" elements (and the amount of velvet), declaring Ron shall “find the Lord.”
"There is no way this guy's name was actually Gabriel."
—Mike Rugnetta [53:37]
- The saga ends with Thomas and Lydia—after immense street cred and some confusion—choosing not to expose Gabriel/Ron to the rest of the Anne Rice community, maintaining plausible deniability and the mystique of the affair.
Epilogue
[56:57 - 57:59]
- Thomas and Lydia eventually part amicably, both leaving New Orleans. Years later, Thomas returns after Hurricane Katrina and glimpses a familiar, ageless man at the bar—a final wink from the world of the supernatural (or the merely camp).
Memorable Quotes
-
"Do you believe in vampires any more than you did before we started?"
—Rachel Hampton [57:59]
"I believe in precisely one vampire now and his name is Ron and he works as a mechanic on the outskirts of New Orleans."
—Mike Rugnetta [58:08] -
"What God fearing man owns this much velvet?"
—Beth [54:00] -
"Would current version of me hook up with an irritated guy if I knew that it meant access to the party? No, but I'm in my 40s...would 20 year old me do that? There’s so much to experience—probably, yes."
—Mike Rugnetta [45:13] -
"If you wanna find a ghost in America, I think New Orleans is a great place to start."
—Rachel Hampton [20:59]
Timeline & Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:00 - 01:41: Opening appeals (ads/fundraising)—(skip)
- 01:55: Rachel introduces the episode, mentions previous collab with Mike, sets up today's guest
- 04:55 - 06:56: Mike outlines his philosophy toward gossip
- 08:17 - 15:30: Mike’s Italian dinner/airbnb "rich people behaving badly" story
- 17:49: Main story teaser: New Orleans, 90s, vampires
- 20:09 - 23:41: Thomas & Lydia's move, struggle to fit in, discovery of Anne Rice bar
- 23:41 - 29:50: Integration into Anne Rice fandom and the mythos of Gabriel
- 34:29 - 44:21: Party encounter with Gabriel, beginning of email correspondence
- 45:00 - 49:07: The Anne Rice Ball and its aftermath
- 49:35 - 54:42: The twist—Gabriel’s true identity is revealed by his wife Beth via email
- 56:57 - 57:59: Epilogue to the saga and final reflections
Tone and Style
- The episode’s tone is irreverent, witty, and filled with affectionate mockery—of subcultures, youthful dreams of being a vampire, and the communal glee in shared, low-stakes drama.
- Rachel and Mike both toggle between empathy for the story’s characters and delight in their foibles, maintaining a playful rather than mean-spirited tone throughout.
Final Thoughts
This episode stands out for its richly told story that blends theater kid nostalgia, earnest fandom, sexual tension, and playful camp. It’s a loving send-up of both the Anne Rice era of 90s goth and of the lengths to which people will go for status—and for a good party.
Ultimately, it’s a tribute to the joy of being young, dramatic, and in on a juicy secret, whether or not vampires are real. And it leaves listeners, like Mike, perhaps just a little more open to believing in the supernatural—or, at the very least, in the enduring power of a good story.