Winner of season six of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” drag queen and pop-culture icon Bianca del Rio returns to the stage at Orlando’s Hard Rock Live on Oct. 19 with her Unsanitized Tour.
Watermark caught up with the larger-than-life queen by phone to discuss behind the scenes pranks, reprising her role as Hugo/Loco Chanel in the hit-musical and Amazon original film “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” and the next generation of drag queens.
WATERMARK: You’ve been touring just under a month now. What’s it been like getting back on the stage?
BIANCA DEL RIO: Well, I mean, it’s a wild ride. In the beginning it was a little awkward but it’s been something that I have been missing for quite some time, you know, just seeing people and just having an audience has been a pure delight. It definitely took some adjustment with new COVID rules and regulations and all that kind of madness but we’re working through it. What I appreciate the most is people’s dedication and appreciation to show up. We do have a lot of COVID protocol things that happen, obviously masks and socially distant meet-and-greets, but now that we’ve kind of worked out the kinks, it seems to be flowing well, so I’m not mad about it.
Being on the road can come with on-set hijinks. Are you and the crew getting into any behind-the-scene antics or throwing any pranks on each other or are you keeping it kind of tame?
You know what’s kind of sad is that we’re all of a certain age where we just don’t give a shit, so, no, nothing exciting has happened. I mean, you know, usually when I’m on tour with a gaggle of other queens, there’s always some drama but with us we truly get our job done and keep moving to the next city. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the same crew for the past few tours. It’s almost like a brother-sister family related scenario, where we get together, we have our moments and we spend our separate hours apart just so we don’t kill each other, because it’s pretty tight quarters when we’re traveling going city to city. So nothing exciting has happened yet. Although Sherry Vine joins us next week, so anything is possible.
What can fans expect from your return to Orlando with your Unsanitized Tour?
I would say expect the unexpected because you never know what you’re going to get with me. We have a lot to talk about. A lot has happened within the past year and half so there’s everything from COVID to politics to “Drag Race.” A lot has gone on so I always say expect the unexpected because I have my usual script but then it’s changed because I do a lot of audience participation and kind of interacting with the crowd just because of whoever I’m dealing with. So each city is a different scenario and Florida comes with its own set of comedy. Everything from COVID rules to voting. I’ve got a lot to say about Florida, so I say expect the unexpected.
Switching over to your upcoming role as Hugo/Loco Chanel in “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” did babysitting Adore Delano help you prepare for that role at all?
[Laughs] Well, it’s very funny. I’ve already done the role twice on the West End and in the beginning it was a little – I was shocked because I was asked to play an elderly drag queen who was generous, which I thought, well that’s going to be a stretch, but anyone who knows me, I love musical theater and the best part about getting to do the show obviously is that it’s a break from what I normally do. I’m not the lead, it’s not my material, I get to be a part of an amazing cast, which is great, and it’s a show that I actually love. The film is out now too, which is great, on Amazon. It’s called “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” as well. I have a small cameo in that film, but I’m just excited to get back to the stage again. I never think of myself as old, I just consider everyone else around me getting younger and younger, so, that’s kind of what’s happening. And then, I just realized this year, next January, it’ll be twenty-six years that I’ve done drag. So, I guess, I am officially old. I’m considering facing it and owning it now.
Twenty-six years of drag that’s fantastic. You’ve really helped mentor Adore and Trinity and that fits perfectly with your role of Hugo/Loco. Did you have a Hugo figure growing up when you were getting into the drag scene?
I didn’t have just one, I had many people that were factored into it and I think that with my transition into drag it was through the theater. There were several actors and actresses and directors, and it was also my first introduction to talented gay people that exposed me to the world. I mean, we were living in a different time then, there was no internet. You had to go to a gay bar to meet other gay people. So I think there’s a mixture of people that kind of introduced me to the drag world, but I was very lucky to have met them at the right time in my life, because I think things could have gone awry as it has for many people that didn’t have a great support team. So I was very lucky that my chosen family guided me in the right direction, which has been pretty amazing to have all these years. So that’s always been my attempt – whenever I’m around younger people is to encourage and show them. Hey, I’m here for you, you know, because people were there and believed in me.
What is something you would tell the upcoming generation of drag queens and what would you want them to know?
Research everything. Everything is not just “Drag Race.” Everything is not just seen on the television. Everything is not just a lip sync and a death drop. There’s so much more to drag, which is why I appreciate the fact that drag is so celebrated now, because there’s so many different aspects of it. Go on a YouTube hole, you can find everything. Look up Charles Pierce. Look up Kenny Kerr. These are all talented performers that were doing stuff many, many years ago, and honestly, they were like the pioneers of doing drag and doing it in small cabaret spaces or in Las Vegas and just seeing the other side of it. It’s not just one element. There’s a lot more to it and it’s all at your fingertips. You know, in my day I would get videotapes of certain performances that I cherish. But luckily now with YouTube, I would say take the time, go and do the research and just witness some of the magic that’s happened before you. And I guarantee you nine times out of 10 it’s all been done before. I often whenever other drag queens, you know, when Detox comes over or Mariah Balenciaga comes over, we end up having our YouTube night where we go, “Girls, do you remember this” or “girl, did you see this” or “girl from that,” so that’s one of my favorite things to do. I think research is very important.
If you could go back to your younger self, when you were just starting your journey of drag what would you tell yourself?
Don’t do it, it’s a trap [laughs]. No, I think basically, don’t take yourself too seriously, which is what I do. I take the business side of it seriously, obviously, and I think that’s what has kind of prepared me for my life after Drag Race. I had some amazing opportunities and I think that just came with maturity, and also taking it serious from a business aspect, but not taking the madness of it or the bullshit seriously. I’m kind of glad I kind of started before social media, but I’m also glad I’m experiencing social media. So, it’s a double-edged sword, but I think not to take everything so seriously or personally, I should say, seriously is not the answer. I think personally is. You know, when you have somebody say something – they hate you – on Twitter, it can feel like ten thousand people, but it’s phantom people you’re never going to meet. You’re not going to please everyone. And everyone is not going to like you and that is just a-OK.
Is there anything that you would like to say to our readers?
I’m looking forward to seeing them! You know, I’m looking forward to going to Florida! Get ready to laugh and cut up. Just remember that I’m not for the light-hearted. It’s going to be rough and raw and I hope that they’re prepared for it. You had a year-and-half to sit at home or almost two years basically to sit at home and enjoy your quiet time. I’m going to be loud, raucous, and nasty. So get ready.
Bianca Del Rio’s Unsanitized Tour comes to the Hard Rock Live in Orlando Oct. 19 starting at 8 p.m. For ticket information, go to HardRock.com.
