As she wrapped another massively successful (and sensationally hilarious) global comedy tour, Bianca Del Rio is joining the party on the brand new Hulu series Drag Me To Dinner. As she joins an all-star cast of drag superstars showing off their kitchen prowess, Del Rio is joining fellow New York City luminaries like Sherry Vine and Murray Hill, now getting their own well-deserved moment in the national spotlight. I sat down to chat with Del Rio about her own kitchen expertise, what queen surprised her the most in the kitchen and who truly makes this comedic genius laugh herself.
Michael Cook: The new Hulu show Drag Me To Dinner is such a tremendous amount of fun!
Bianca Del Rio: Yes, it is absolutely wild and it is so exciting to be a part of. When Neil Patrick Harris calls you up and says “Hey, I have this idea” I’m like “Sign me up, let’s do it”! It was a lot of fun to get to film and to be honest I had no idea what was going on during the day because we filmed separately than everyone else, we filmed later that afternoon. I didn’t necessarily know what the girls were up to, because I wasn’t apart of it, until I went to the party. So it was all a surprise to me as well.
MC: Any content that merges drag with anything beloved like a cooking show is such an amazing concept, but why do you think a show like Drag Me To Dinner is simply necessary now?
BDR: I think it’s entertainment, it’s fun, it’s harmless. To me, this is my gay life, it being around drag queens that makes it far more enjoyable. It’s silly entertainment and my drag “journey” has been always about entertainment. It’s not some deep rooted issues that I have and I’m not interested in grooming children, it’s pure entertainment.
It depends on who you ask, because everyone’s not going to like it, and that of course comes with the territory. Overall, it’s about entertainment and its non-threatening.I think the ridiculousness of drag queens cooking for a party in that setting is hysterical. Try to have a dinner party without a gay person or a drag queen! How dreadful when you walk into a straight party where there are no gays, its never gonna be fun!
MC: Seeing you on-screen with people like Sherry Vine, Jackie Beat and Murray Hill is such a treat for longtime New York City nightlife fans especially. You and Murray Hill must be looking at each other thinking that life is simply so surreal right now, right?
BDR: Look, the fact that we are even celebrated or considered for a job is insane to me, I got to New York City in what I think was 2005. Murray is doing so amazing with Bridget Everett in Somebody Somewhere, it is just a magical year going on for him, it’s amazing and so very well deserved. I think it is basically because we did have those moments in the clubs, sometimes it was ten people and sometimes it was one hundred people. That kind of put you in a place where you appreciate and respect whatever comes your way. It’s not lost on us at all.
The only downfall for me was that it’s taken this long for us to get back to working together again. That’s much credit to Neil and David (Burtka) who met us, knew us at different times, and didn’t even know that we were all somewhat linked. We knew each other, but they didn’t know that Murray and I had worked together years ago. It was a great meeting and bringing everybody together, which was just so much fun to do.
MC: Is there anyone on Drag Me To Dinner that you thought would be a completely amazing culinary genius or anyone that simply would truly be terrible in the kitchen?
BDR: Well they all sucked. I did not know what they were cooking, but surprisingly some of the food was good. When I then watched the show and got to see them prepare it, that is when I lost it; I went into the party blind. I had no idea; I was supposed to sample food and when I saw what they went through to make it…AGGGH! (laughs)! The only good thing about all of it was that any suspicious hairs you found were probably from a wig, which was probably a bit safer than any of the drag queens underneath them.
BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon made a cake out of sand that was pretty fucking tasty, I must say. The cocktails were all good, you know a drag queen always knows their cocktails. The sand cake was by far the most surprising and my favorite. There was a jello mold that I had to eat at one point that was not good, but I think Jinkx and DeLa’s was really the one!
MC: The question now must be asked; what does Bianca Del Rio specialize in when in the kitchen. Are you a bit of an undercover culinary genius or are you the queen of UberEats?
BDR: I UberEats, and I an do basic stuff. Living in New York all of those years, you really didn’t have a kitchen and you didn’t have the space to cook nor the time; it was never about cooking for me. Now that I am out in Palm Springs and embracing my old age, I do cook occasionally. Nothing too fancy though, I can do a basic spaghetti which is fine, we do a taco night every now and then. Sherry Vine has actually been over for my taco night, not that first time she’s eaten my meat (laughs)! All of that, the simple stuff I can do. I’m not really known for anything, I’m really good for taking some prepared things and jazzing them up to another level.
I’m really bad with proportions and dealing with the food because then you’re stuck with it for the next three fucking days. Then when you’re traveling you’re really fucked when you’re coming home to six month old chili in your fridge; so I try to keep it simple!
MC: Slowing down and embracing a bit of a slower pace at a certain age I feel, is brilliant. Are you finding that doing so is influencing and inspiring you creatively?
BDR: Yes and no. It’s giving me a better life, because I am realizing I can’t do all of the things that I used to do. When you live in New York or Los Angeles, you just are going with the flow of everything; you have to, the city just keeps moving. You don’t realize all of the things that you accomplish in a day. Whereas on the road with travel, when we go out on the road we hit it really hard and we do quite a few dates, a lot of countries and we keep moving.
So when I come home what is great about California in general is the weather and having my own little place off the map. If I want the chaos, the life and the energy, I know where it is. Out here, it give me a better chance to regroup creatively and come up with the nonsense that I work with. It takes a minute, but it’s nice to come home and have that place; like I said, I know where to find it if I need it.
MC: Can you believe that you are returning to New York City for NYC Pride with Shequda and Lady Bunny on June 25th at Sony Hall?
BDR: isn’t that insane? Brandon Voss called me up and said “I miss you bitch”! He said “We need to get that old pig and that old cunt together”! I am looking forward to it, I haven’t seen Bunny in a while and I haven’t seen Shequida in years. We obviously keep up through social media, but I haven’t been around or been to see the show. I am looking forward to being around for it and for once I am going to be the pretty one!
This is one of those things that I say about the “old girls” and this is a huge compliment. A Lady Bunny, Peppermint, Shequida, Sherry Vine, Varla Jean Merman, were working during the 90’s and are still working today. I don’t mean just “working”, I mean working, that alone is talent.
Drag Race is a huge platform and elevates many people, some that shouldn’t be elevated I might add (laughs)! It’s much respect for these queens that were around then and still doing what they do, keep it up! That’s the best thing there is, to have a long drag career. I’m going on twenty eight or twenty nine years as of New Year’s Eve and it’s totally insane to think.
MC: Whether you are touring the world or getting into bed with comedic icons like Joan Rivers, you are making everyone laugh. Who is making Bianca Del Rio laugh right now?
BDR: Well it depends on who you ask who you ask if I make everyone laugh (laughs). Well, what was so wonderful about Joan and the Don Rickles of the world it was genius and brilliant and I wonder what it would be like in this world now. What would she think of Trump, I often wonder about that, knowing that she had done The Apprentice and stuff.
The one that still makes me cackle is Wanda Sykes, she just put out a new special and you sometimes forget how funny Wanda is. It’s now even what the fuck she’s saying, it’s how she’s saying it. That delivery, that voice, she’s brilliant. She’s also another one that I got to meet on Fire Island and hang out with and one of the loveliest and down to earth people you’re ever going to meet. Then of course, there is this guy Matt Rife who all the gays are screaming over and I’ve seen some clips of. I just need to know who the fuck I his publicist is! Some of his bits were very funny, even though I have not seen his full show. Currently though, you;’ve caught me on a good week, it’s Miss Wanda Sykes!
Watch Bianca Del Rio on ‘Drag Me To Dinner’ (streaming on Hulu)
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