Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch

Episode: "Kirk Wilson: I Manage a Haunted Hotel"

Date: October 22, 2025
Podcast Host: Rachel Dratch
Co-Host: Irene Bremis
Guest: Kirk Wilson, General Manager of the Bowery Hotel

Overview

This episode of "Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch" dives head-first into tales of the unexplained, as the hosts visit the historic (and allegedly haunted) Bowery Hotel in New York City. Special guest and hotel GM Kirk Wilson, a longtime friend of Irene Bremis, shares a trove of paranormal and mystical stories from his life—ranging from ghosts in hotel halls, to chilling road trip premonitions, to his personal brushes with mediums and Ouija boards. The conversation, packed with humor, warmth, and honest curiosity, is perfect for anyone who enjoys a spooky story (or fifty) told with wit.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Pendulum Mishap and the Legacy of “Penji”

(Pre-episode story, 01:20–07:42)

• A humorous and heartfelt side conversation about the tragic loss of the show's beloved pendulum “Penji” serves as the warm-up. Dana accidentally washed Penji, resulting in the loss of the crystal, to much mock outrage and guilt.
• Standout moments:
  • Dana: “I thought of even putting up a little sign in my laundry room, like, ‘Has anyone seen a purple crystal? Because my livelihood and my friendship depends on it.’” (04:08)
  • Irene: “We can’t even give Penji a proper funeral.” (03:31)
• Plans to get a new, even fancier pendulum from Salem, MA, are hatched.

2. Live from the Bowery Hotel – The Setting

(08:41–09:18)

• The hosts record on-site at the Bowery Hotel, known for its old-world appeal and ghost stories. Kirk Wilson is introduced, with much ribbing and affection from the team.

3. Hauntings at the Bowery Hotel

(13:12–17:59)

• Kirk shares the hotel’s most persistent ghost stories:
  • Elevator Phenomena: The elevators sometimes move on their own around 1am, leading some to suspect a ghostly presence.
  • Lady in White & Ghostly Girl: Multiple witnesses, including hotel staff, report seeing a woman and a little girl in white roaming the halls. An engineer was so shaken he refused to return to the third floor after seeing the girl.
  • Poltergeist Activity: Security footage shows a bottle flying off a shelf behind a bartender. Security guards have also seen unknown faces reflected in windows facing a nearby cemetery.
  • Historical Context: The building sits over a former old gothic bank and near a cemetery, with the Bowery area historically known for vice and its own supernatural reputation.
• Kirk: “I saw it with my own eyes… this bottle literally flew off the shelf. …It didn’t just fall—it went flying about three feet.” (15:50)
• Despite the lore, Kirk notes guests rarely report malevolent activity, just odd feelings or presences.

4. Kirk’s Life-Long Woo Woo: Meditation, Mediums, and More

(13:20 onward, recurring theme)

• Kirk’s interest in the paranormal stretches back to childhood. He’s spent time in ashrams, gone to mediums, explored tarot readings, and remains a curious skeptic.
• He references recent work with Shirley MacLaine, noting her reputation for mystical interests.

5. The “Jack O’ Lantern” Road Trip Premonition

(20:34–29:39)

• Kirk recounts a harrowing late-night road trip in the California desert with friend Owner Tukel:
  • Both were awoken by an overwhelming, unexplainable sense of danger and the urge to leave—a message in Kirk’s head screaming “Get out.”
  • As they fled, they swerved to avoid a massive pumpkin (“jack o’ lantern”) that had suddenly appeared in the road, then saw a crazed man waving them down.
  • Later, Owner’s mother alerted them that Michael Jordan’s father had been murdered while sleeping in his car by the roadside that same night, adding further chills.
• Kirk: “Something screamed, ‘Get out,’ so loud. …It was so emphatic, this voice, that I knew I needed to listen to it.” (22:07)
• The hosts discuss “The Gift of Fear” and following intuition in moments of crisis.
• Memorable exchange:
  • Irene (joking): “So there’s two options here. Either you’re a dick for not stopping, or you would have been dead. Given the two options, I’d rather take the latter.” (28:25)

6. Ghost Encounters in North Carolina

(32:40–39:13)

• Kirk describes summer theater work in Manteo, NC, where ghost sightings were a regular topic.
  • Auditory Spirit Encounter: While alone on a dock, Kirk heard a distinct, external voice whisper “Hey” into his ear.
    • Kirk: “It was so distinctly right in my right ear…not my own voice. Something said, ‘Hey.’” (34:54)
  • Nature’s Response to Skeptics: Another incident in the woods after a friend challenged any ghost to “show me a sign,” a massive branch fell, nearly hitting them.

7. Experiences with Mediums, Tarot, and Energy Work

(40:58–46:28)

• Kirk describes a visit to a New York “natural dentist” whose daughter performed energy clearing sessions as a medium. The session made him feel light and “like something had been lifted away.”
• He also recounts a tarot reading in which the reader warned him a serious relationship “isn’t going to work, honey”—which proved true years later. This, he notes, is why he avoids tarot now.

8. Childhood Horror and Ouija Board Mishaps

(52:18–58:22)

• Kirk shares a teenage brush with a Ouija board with friends. One sleepover attendee claimed to have been tormented and nearly assaulted by a ghostly presence afterward—becoming a longtime in-joke (and source of ridicule) among the group.
  • Kirk: “He looks sort of traumatized …he was like, man, I swear it started to pull my pants down…” (53:22)
  • Rachel (on Ouija): “Some people say don’t ever have one in your house. It opens you up to dark forces.” (56:47)
• The group debates if adolescent imagination or supernatural forces were at play.

9. Family Woo Woo & Religious Backdrop

(58:45–61:26)

• Kirk grew up Southern Baptist. His father, a football coach, also had books on psychic self-defense and mental domination, quietly fueling Kirk’s lifelong curiosity in the paranormal.
• While his household wasn’t overtly mystical, the thread of spiritual vigilance ran deep.

10. Pendulum Finale

(61:32–end)

• The team wraps with a signature pendulum reading:
  • Kirk asks, half-joking, if his alma mater (East Carolina University) will ever win a national football championship. The pendulum (Penji) insists “Yes,” to Kirk’s disbelief.
  • Irene: “Penji, no surprise, is an underdog picker.” (63:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-----------|-------| | 04:08 | Dana | “Has anyone seen a purple crystal? Because my livelihood and my friendship depends on it.” | | 15:50 | Kirk | “I saw it with my own eyes… this bottle literally flew off the shelf. …It didn’t just fall—it went flying about three feet.” | | 22:07 | Kirk | “Something screamed, ‘Get out,’ so loud… I knew I needed to listen to it.” | | 28:25 | Irene | “So there’s two options here. Either you’re a dick for not stopping, or you would have been dead.” | | 34:54 | Kirk | “It was so distinctly right in my right ear…not my own voice. Something said, ‘Hey.’” | | 46:10 | Kirk | “She said, ‘Are you in a relationship?’ …She said, ‘It’s not going to work, honey.’” | | 53:22 | Kirk | “He looks sort of traumatized …he was like, man, I swear it started to pull my pants down…” | | 56:47 | Rachel | “Some people say don’t ever have one [Ouija board] in your house. It opens you up to dark forces.” | | 63:20 | Irene | “Penji, no surprise, is an underdog picker.” |

Key Timestamps

• Pendulum Mishap / Pre-episode banter: 01:20–07:42
• Arrival at Bowery Hotel / Guest intro: 08:41–10:18
• Haunted Hotel Stories: 13:12–17:59
• Jack O’ Lantern Desert Story: 20:34–29:39
• Ghosts of North Carolina / Auditory Encounter: 32:40–39:13
• Medium & Tarot Experience: 40:58–46:28
• Ouija Board Teenage Story: 52:18–58:22
• Family Backstory: 58:45–61:26
• Pendulum Segment: 61:32–end

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode blends irreverent comedy and genuine curiosity. Rachel and Irene riff and banter, but allow Kirk’s stories to unfold with proper suspense and empathy. Everyone keeps a “skeptical believer” attitude, making it accessible whether you’re a true paranormal enthusiast or a stone-cold skeptic.

For Newcomers

Whether you’re in for the laughs or the heebie-jeebies, this episode is a perfect example of “Woo Woo’s” unique blend: genuine storytelling about odd, eerie encounters told with the open-mindedness of friends around a campfire—just in time for Halloween. And if you’ve ever managed to destroy a beloved pendulum in your laundry, you’ll feel right at home.