Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch – Episode Summary

Podcast: Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch (QCODE)
Episode: Bianca Del Rio: Tale of the Haunted End Tables
Date: August 13, 2025
Guests: Bianca Del Rio, Irene Bremis

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, comedian and drag icon Bianca Del Rio joins Rachel Dratch and co-host Irene Bremis for a rollicking discussion of all things “woo woo” — from haunted houses to ghost sex to the science (or lack thereof) behind spooky claims. The trio reminisce about working together, share tales both paranormal and very much explained, and riff hilariously about life, death, and being fabulous at any age.

The conversation is a mix of Bianca’s comedic skepticism, Irene's wild stories, and Rachel's deadpan humor, touching on haunted end tables, Palm Springs ghosts, dream visitations, haunted hotels, and more. The episode rounds out with a signature Woo Woo pendulum reading and plenty of candid laughter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Hurricane Bianca Reunion (01:06-05:27)

• Rachel introduces Bianca Del Rio, noting fan requests for her to be on the pod.
• The group recalls first meeting on the set of “Hurricane Bianca” and its sequel, sharing stories of on-set laughter and memorable bloopers.
• Bianca: “God damn it, when we start cackling, you can't stop.” (03:39)
• They discuss the creepy vibes filming at an abandoned prison in Newark.

2. Bianca’s Upcoming Theatre Project (05:31-07:17)

• Bianca is preparing for a role in “Tartuffe” at New York Theatre Workshop with Matthew Broderick and others.
• Jokes about playing “an old, bitter, gossipy bitch” and finding source material in herself.
• Rachel and Irene excitedly commit to attending Bianca’s NYC theater debut.

3. Growing Up in Spooky New Orleans (07:37-09:11)

• Bianca describes New Orleans as “deep in culture, deep in food…they make a shit ton of money off of ghosts.”
• Explains the city’s above-ground cemeteries, floods that can float coffins, and the prevalence of ghost tours.
• Quote: “You could go down the highway and there’ll be a coffin floating because of them coming out of the ground." (08:40)

4. The Tale of the Haunted End Tables (10:20-16:53)

• Bianca shares her main "woo woo" story:
  • After buying new end tables for her Palm Springs house, she notices their labels keep inexplicably turning outward.
  • After neighbor “caftan lady” says a man died in the house, Bianca spends months convinced there’s a ghost.
  • Eventually discovers it’s just her cleaning lady moving the tables.
• Quote (Bianca): “I thought for a hot minute, the man that died is going, 'Get out of my house, faggot. Only one gay can live here.'” (14:25)
• The crew revels in the story’s twisty, non-supernatural ending.
• Rachel: “It’s not always a ghost. Sometimes it’s just the cleaning lady.” (14:59)
• Irene calls it “the best anti-ghost story we've ever gotten.” (14:59)

5. On Death, Dreams, and Wanting Signs (19:43-22:23)

• Bianca shares that a deceased friend promised to visit her from beyond but has only appeared in dreams, silently.
• Wonders if this means spirits exist—no clear signs, but still hopes for otherworldly contact.
• Irene, as a Greek, believes silence from the dead is lucky: “When they speak to you, you might be next.” (20:56)
• The group muses about dreams versus real visitations, with Bianca wishing for a truly clear ghostly sign.

6. Irene’s “Ghost Sex” Revelation (22:08-24:01)

• Rachel brings up Irene’s legendary “ghost sex” story, which Irene recounts with increasing detail:
  • It wasn’t someone she knew; she simply woke up feeling like she’d “had the greatest sex” of her life.
  • “It was ghost peen. It was just right.” (23:42, Irene)
• Bianca is equal parts fascinated and skeptical, riffing on whether ghosts pursue the hot or simply haunt.

7. Haunted Hotels and Travel Tales (25:18-26:43)

• Rachel asks Bianca about staying in haunted hotels while touring.
• Bianca: Old European hotels can feel haunted due to “the smells, the steps, the cryptic everything,” but nothing truly paranormal has happened.
• “It’s old carpet smell…that’s where the ghosts get in.” (26:39, Bianca)

8. New Orleans, Tarot, and Drag Tours (28:27-30:41)

• Bianca is skeptical of local “haunted tours” and fortune tellers; insists they're mostly out-of-work actors.
• Jokes about wanting to run a "Haunted Drag Tour" — “Behind this building, I sucked a dick.”
• Never experienced real paranormal phenomena herself, despite growing up amid New Orleans’ mystical scene.

9. Origins: From NOLA to Drag Queen Stardom (30:46-33:27)

• Bianca traces her drag beginnings (1996), her move to NYC after Hurricane Katrina, and finding fame with RuPaul’s Drag Race.
• Showbiz roots in Broadway costuming, not just performance. Success, she says, was mostly by accident—a “snowball effect.”
• “None of it was chosen. Trust me. The only thing that was chosen were those tables.” (33:25)

10. Superlatives & Holding Grudges (35:49-41:28)

• The trio swaps high school superlative stories:
  • Rachel: “Class Clown,” Irene: “Open Mouth, Insert Foot” and “Worst Driver.”
  • Bianca draws a parallel to holding hard feelings, sharing her own epic grudge against a club that fired her: “Thirty years later, this is what they get.” (41:17)
• Humor around the absurdity and staying power of teenage reputations (and club feuds).

11. Pendulum Reading: Will Bianca Stay in Palm Springs? (43:36-45:45)

• Rachel and Irene perform a pendulum divination, which answers “yes” to Bianca’s question: Will I stay in Palm Springs another 10 years?
• Bianca reflects on the restless energy of the city and the “gays’” penchant for relocating.
• Irene and Rachel encourage her about her future, especially her theater debut.

12. Cackles, Ghost Peen, and Closing Laughs (46:00-end)

• The group concludes, circling back to Irene’s ghost adventures (“Ghost peen might be too much for me” - 46:44).
• Bianca jokes about age, birthdays, and being celebrated for what she was once scolded for as a kid.
• Plans are made to reunite in New York for cocktails and more cackling.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Haunted End Tables:
  “For a hot minute, the man that died is going, 'Get out of my house, faggot. Get out of my house. Only one gay can live here.'” (14:25, Bianca)

• On Skepticism:
  “It’s not always a ghost. Sometimes it’s just the cleaning lady.” (14:59, Rachel Dratch)

• Dreams of the Dead:
  “She’s never been like, hey, here’s my word. I’m dead. So it’s just this spooky thing that sits with me that I’m like, is this real or is this not?” (20:49, Bianca)

• On Ghost Sex:
  Irene: “It was ghost peen. It was just right, you know what I mean?” (23:42)
  Bianca: “The question is, Irene, you had a ghost that had sex with you, and you still chose Staten Island. I don’t understand this.” (22:45)

• On Grudges:
  “They fired me back in 2007, and this is what they deserve. Thirty years later, this is what they get.” (41:17, Bianca)

• Childhood Rebellion Turned Talent:
  “Everything I was hated for as a child is what I’m revered for now as an adult.” (36:32, Bianca)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Topic/Segment | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:06 | Opening, greetings, “Hurricane Bianca” memories | | 05:27 | Bianca’s theater project (“Tartuffe”) | | 07:37 | New Orleans origins, above-ground cemeteries | | 10:20 | “Haunted End Tables” story | | 14:59 | The anti-ghost twist — skepticism wins | | 19:43 | Dream visitations from late friend | | 22:08 | Irene’s “ghost sex” experience | | 25:18 | Creepy hotels & haunted travel spots | | 28:27 | Fortune tellers, tarot cards, drag tours in NOLA | | 30:46 | Bianca’s drag origins & accidental path to stardom | | 35:49 | High school superlatives & holding grudges | | 43:36 | Pendulum reading: Will Bianca stay in Palm Springs? | | 46:00 | Recap, closing laughs, ghost peen callback |

Final Notes & Tone

The episode delivers an energy that’s campy, candid, and contagiously funny. There’s as much skepticism as woo woo, and a clear joy among friends. Even as paranormal tales are ultimately debunked, the stories remain hilarious, memorable, and sometimes emotional.

If you haven’t listened: Expect deep cackles, a little bit of “ghost peen,” genuine reflection on chosen family and queer life, and a warm invitation to let yourself be “woo woo” — or at least to want your own haunted table.