Podcast Summary: Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch

Episode: Wanda Sykes: Ghost of the Jefferson Hotel

Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Rachel Dratch
Co-host: Irene Bremis
Guest: Wanda Sykes

Overview

In this laughter-filled episode of "Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch," comedian, actor, and writer Wanda Sykes joins Rachel Dratch and co-host Irene Bremis to share her personal ghost story from the historic Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. The conversation unpacks experiences with the paranormal, touches on creative processes and intuition, and delights in candid discussions about comedy, astrology, and manifesting twins. Despite the show’s playful skepticism, the episode brims with warmth, humor, and genuine insights about the unexplained and the creative mind.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Wanda’s Comedy Origin Story

• NSA to Stand-Up:
  • Wanda describes her early career working at the National Security Agency, feeling unfulfilled and sensing she was “just taking up space.”
    • “I just knew it was something else. It just wasn’t satisfying.” (03:41)
  • She entered a Coors Super Talent Showcase on a whim and found her passion performing comedy in D.C.
    • “Everything made sense to me. I’m like, this is my job. This is what I’m supposed to be doing.” (04:49)
  • Wanda’s big break came with the Chris Rock Show after she impressed Chris Rock as an opener and was hired to write on his show.
    • “That’s when I went to the director of the NSA and just asked for a leave of absence...And I never went back.” (05:24–05:47)

Ghost Stories & the Woo Woo Factor

• Wanda’s Experience at the Jefferson Hotel

  • Describes a ghostly encounter in her hotel room circa 2010:
    • She felt a presence and saw a robe-clad, old-fashioned figure in a chair. Despite the eerie scenario, Wanda didn’t feel threatened.
      • “I just felt like somebody was in the room. Like there’s something, somebody in the room...It just was there.” (10:05–10:33)
  • Wanda explains her sense that the figure was an ancestor—possibly a former slave—simply observing and “checking me out.”
    • “I acknowledge that you’re there...I got a feeling this is some ancestor stuff going on.” (11:10)
    • “Maybe they are just like, oh wow, this is nice to see this Black woman standing...watching TV, eating hot Cheetos...Look how far we’ve come, you know?” (11:36)
  • Wanda thanks the figure and jokingly suggests it “go scare some white people,” after which the presence fades.
    • “I said, you know, I don’t think you need to be here all night. And I said...I would probably go scare some white people. That’s what I would do.” (12:06)
    • She humorously regrets not showing the ghost Obama’s presidency on TV:
      • “You think this is something? Wait till you see who’s the president.” (13:10)

• Rachel’s Parallel Hotel Ghost Story

  • Rachel shares her own experience with recurring apparitions in a hotel room—a “vibe” of a closeted gay couple from the 1950s—describing how both she and Wanda had similar feelings of peaceful yet unusual “guests.”
    • “[They] weren’t scary, but also I was just like, guys, could you kind of, like, vacate?” (18:03)

• Wanda on Other Paranormal Encounters & Skepticism

  • Wanda supports the idea of “guests” on the earthly plane and references her au pair’s sighting of a ghostly man in a floral shirt at their home.
    • “She said she saw him a couple times...But he was nice, it wasn’t anything. I didn’t feel anything bad from it.” (20:15)

Psychic Readings and Intuition

• Wanda occasionally participates in card readings through her wife’s French friend’s mother, though language barriers make the experience lighthearted.
  • “She doesn’t speak English, so she—everything is in French. And then her daughter will, you know, translate for me.” (21:38)
  • When told, “Everything is good, everything’s fine,” Wanda jokes, “All good. Okay.” (22:06)

Creativity & The Dream State

• The trio discuss getting ideas in dreams or hypnagogic states, relating the phenomenon of losing perfectly funny jokes upon waking.
  • Wanda:
    • “I keep a notebook by the bed and...I actually open my eyes and look around. Okay. Yeah, we got this. Nothing. Gone, gone, gone.” (22:59–23:28)
• Wanda says her comedy writing is mostly inspired by lived experience—conversations, news, or car rides—instead of formal writing sessions.
  • “It just happens, you know. It could be a conversation with my kids...while I’m driving, you know. Yeah, just driving something will pop in.” (24:10)

Twins, Manifestation, and Motherhood

• Discussion about twins: Irene highlights that they’ve had multiple guests with twins and shares a dream she had predicting another guest’s pregnancy.
• Wanda explains the intentionality behind her children’s conception and her “limit” of two embryos, with signature dark humor:
  • “If we get three, you’re going to have to leave one. We take two home and tip with a baby...Or if we get three, maybe we’ll get lucky and one of them will eat one, you know, in the womb or something.” (26:19–27:34)

Astrology Segment: Pisces Energy

• Wanda and Rachel discover they are both Pisces, waxing poetic about Piscean intuition, sensitivity, and emotional absorbency.
  • “Pisces are supposed to be the most intuitive sign. Do you find that?” (31:29)
  • Wanda: “Yes. And we’re always in our heads...Like almost borderline, like, empaths...you just feel stuff sometimes.” (31:41–32:21)
  • Irene: “You both have big hearts, and you take on a lot of what’s going externally...that’s what makes you so gifted.” (31:46)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Wanda’s Ghost Joke:
  • “If I were you, I’d go scare some white people. That’s what I would do.” (12:06)
• On Comedy Beginnings:
  • “I went to the director of the NSA and just asked for A leave of absence...and I never went back.” (05:24–05:47)
• On Twins:
  • “If we get three, maybe we'll get lucky and one of them will eat one, you know, in the womb.” (27:30)
• Piscean Empathy:
  • “You just feel stuff sometimes. You guys got shut it down because...you could go into a depression, and it’s just like...” (32:21–32:35)
• Astral Agency:
  • Rachel: “I just think it’s interesting that you also got that same, like just a—almost like a vibe, like a psychic plug in...”
  • Wanda: “Yeah, that’s...” (18:03–19:07)

Noteworthy Segments & Timestamps

• Wanda’s Comedy Origin Story & NSA Exit: 03:16–06:20
• Ghost of the Jefferson Hotel: 09:21–13:21
• Rachel Dratch’s Ghost Story: 18:03–19:36
• Spirit Visits, Psychic Experiences: 20:00–22:17
• Discussion of Creativity & Dream Inspiration: 22:27–24:36
• Twins, Motherhood, and Manifesting: 25:20–27:43
• Astrology & Pisces Insights: 29:16–32:21
• Pendulum Segment (“Will We Get a Dog?”): 35:28–36:13
• Wrap-up & Plugs for Wanda’s Work: 36:25–37:07

Episode Highlights & Tone

The episode combines genuine curiosity about the spiritual and unknown with the unmistakable comedic chemistry between Rachel, Irene, and Wanda. Laughter and wit are ever-present, even as Wanda earnestly discusses intuition, gratitude to ancestors, and the unexpected depth that sometimes comes with the “woo woo.” Much is made of the parallel between creativity and sensitivity, and the conversation flows between personal anecdotes, improvised astrology readings, and the joy of longtime friendship.

Recommendations & Plugs

• Wanda Sykes: New episodes of The Upshaws on Netflix (January release), and her live “Please and Thank You” tour dates returning soon (36:25–36:38).
• Rachel Dratch: Follow on Instagram @raedratch.
• Irene Bremis: Comedy special available on Amazon and Apple TV (“Sweetie”).
• Follow the podcast for more stories from the woo woo side of the funny world.

This episode is perfect for comedy fans, the lightly “woo curious,” or anyone seeking a blend of heartfelt storytelling, sharp wit, and insight into the minds of stand-up legends.