Bianca Del Rio Breaks Down Early Drag Race Days, the Evolution of Drag & Going On Tour

Hi.

Hi.

Hi. So relatable.

I believe that's what you asked me to say.

What was it? I'm Bianca Del Rio,

and today, I'm looking back at some moments

that have shaped my career-

And identity.

Not my life, my identity.

It's all about identity nowadays.

I identify as a-

Hi, I'm Bianca Del Rio,

and I'm gonna look back at some moments

that have shaped my career and my identity.

This is Becoming Bianca Del Rio.

[upbeat rhythmic music]

So I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana,

which explains why I like to drink.

And it was a party town, and it was an amazing place.

When I was working there as a young adult,

working in the bars doing drag,

which I know I'm jumping ahead, we'll go back.

I was working for a group of drunk people.

And so when you work for a group of drunk people [laughing]

at three in the afternoon, when you're doing Drag Bingo,

you definitely learn a lot about yourself [laughing]

and a lot about alcoholics.

So I learned then [laughing]

ya gotta be a bitch 'cause ya gotta get your money,

they gotta get their drinks.

So we worked harmoniously together.

I had done a show called Pageant, in 2005, in New Orleans,

but I also had done it in 1996 as well 'cause I'm that old.

And that was the start of my drag career.

I was kind of not considered an actor,

not considered a performer.

I'd done costumes, wigs, and makeup, and stuff for theater.

And being in the space,

they always needed someone else to fill in.

So I filled in for a small role

that was supposed to be literally maybe five lines,

and then it ended up being three minutes on stage.

Then it became five minutes on stage,

then it became 10 minutes, and then it became

the monstrosity sitting before you right now.

So that's how it all began.

Let's see what's next.

[button clicking]

Hello World of Wonder and Logo TV,

my name is Roy Haylock.

My drag name is Bianca Del Rio.

So this was my Drag Race audition tape.

And I'm saying tape because that's of a certain time.

So yes, we had to make a tape and actually send it in.

I was in New York doing a show called Hot Mess,

with Lady Bunny, at Club XL.

And one night, Michelle Visage came to visit,

and she saw the show

and she asked, Why haven't you auditioned?

I said, Well, I think it's for like younger queens.

I think it's for people, you know,

that impersonate Beyonce and do splits and stuff.

And she's like, I think you'd be really good.

She goes, I have nothing to do with casting,

but I think it'd be something that would be great for you.

And I thought about it, I had about three days

and a friend of mine, Matt Kugelman, and I

put this video together in my apartment within days,

and sent it in and went, Let's see what happens.

And there ya go.

There you go, crazy.

Well, well, well I hope you bitches are ready.

But as I'm watching this now,

all I remember is that room is freezing, freezing!

'Cause they have to keep Ru awake.

It is very, very cold there.

And also, the reason why I'm wearing this dress,

it's a different thing now

'cause now these queens come in

with these amazing, big, flamboyant costumes.

We were told

with the little bit of information we were given,

Wear something

that you wouldn't be upset if it got ruined.

That was it.

So that's why I'm wearing this little random dress

that I wore 15 times on the show

because I didn't have much time to pack up and go do it.

And I was concerned about what we're gonna do,

and our challenge for the first thing was a pillow fight.

What kinda shit is that?

I'm not gonna ruin that dress, it would've helped it.

Well, my ultimate favorite challenge was the rap challenge.

And I know what you're thinkin', [laughing] yeah.

But it was the most fun.

And we had Eve and Trina there, which was so much fun

because they were dead serious [laughing] tryna help us.

And here was my asshole self trying to be a rapper,

you know?

But it was fun, it was takin' me back to my,

you know, early days in my Cavariccis and my highlights.

I was feelin' my fantasy.

Watching this now for me is really interesting

because there was a moment before Drag Race

where I was considering quitting.

And not like,

ugh, I was gonna quit and I was gonna leave the world,

and they were gonna miss me.

No.

The game was, I thought, You know what?

I was gonna be 40.

'Cause I did Drag Race when I was 37.

And for those of you on Reddit,

I was 37 when we started filming in June.

I had a birthday June 27th, I turned 38,

then it aired the next year, got it?

So during that time, I thought, You know what?

If this 'Drag Race' thing doesn't work out for me

and it doesn't give me any exposure...

Now granted, in our seasons,

we didn't really know what the potential was,

where your career could go, or what you could do.

So it was the early years, so to speak.

Jinkx had been very successful,

Sharon had been very successful.

So it was the beginning of,

Hey, you could possibly do something with this.

So I thought, Let me give 'Drag Race' a try,

and if it doesn't, I'll wrap it up at 40.

Which means at that point, I would've had 20 good years.

And here I am sitting here [laughing] almost 30 years later.

[Bianca laughing]

[upbeat rhythmic music]

[air whooshing]

Hi, I'm here to interview for the science teacher position.

My friend Matt Kugelman, who made the film,

had the idea to do this

many, many years before I did Drag Race, and was like,

We're gonna make a movie, we're gonna make a movie!

And I'm like, Yeah, girl.

Yeah, we're gonna make a movie.

And I never really thought in my head, Oh, we're doing it,

until I got there in the middle of summer [laughing]

to film in Texas, with Rachel Dratch.

And you're like, Oh shit.

First of all, Rachel Dratch,

there is nobody better, funnier than Rachel fucking Dratch.

I love Rachel Dratch.

A hoot, and a lovely, lovely lady to work with.

I'm used to theater,

where I thought I'd have to learn the whole script

from beginning to end,

and know every scene back-and-forth.

So I was struggling

because there was a lot of science dialogue.

And I dunno if you can tell by looking at me,

I don't know much about science.

So it was challenging, and Rachel Dratch told me,

Honey, honey, honey, don't look at that shit.

I'm like, What?

She's like,

Just look at it 10 minutes before you go on camera,

and you'll just get it in your head,

and then it's out of your head when you're done.

I'm like, What?

And then I thought, This bitch is genius.

Well, she's also worked on Saturday Night Live,

so she knew how this works.

It was a great tip that she gave me.

The other tip she gave me,

she says, Never make another movie.

We did, and she's in it!

[upbeat rhythmic music]

This amazing show called Everybody's Talking About Jamie

was in London.

I got a call from the director who said,

I'd like for you to join the show.

They said,

We wanna offer you the role of the the elderly drag queen.

[crickets chirping]

[Person Off Camera laughing]

I'm an elderly drag queen now too!

Yeah, I think what's amazing about this show

is that the show

is of this new time that we're experiencing.

You know, here's a story about a boy

who wants to grow up to be a drag queen.

And in high school,

he's telling everybody he wants to be a drag queen,

his mother is all about it, and he gets his wish,

where that was nowhere near the life I lived.

So I definitely related to the elderly drag queen role

because that's not how I grew up.

I didn't think I'd be a drag queen,

nor did I plan on bein' a drag queen.

And God knows, I wouldn't have told anybody,

I'm gonna be a drag queen.

I still don't tell people.

But it is interesting to see how much we've evolved,

and I think that's what's also pretty important now.

Overall, it is kind of exciting, especially for me,

to see how much we've grown

and how much acceptance is out there.

[upbeat rhythmic music]

After Drag Race,

there were many opportunities that came my way.

Most of it people thinking,

Oh, you should do a music video,

or, You should do an album of some sort.

And I thought, No, no, no, no, no.

But then I thought, Book would be fun.

And they were very interested in doing a book about my life,

which I thought, Eh, nobody wants to hear that life story.

So I thought, Well, how can I give back,

or how can I make this fun?

And I thought the perfect opportunity

was to answer questions and give horrible advice.

Because here in America, you know,

people just tag along for anything.

As I said, Dr. Phil, hello? Useless!

But, giving advice.

Dr. Oz, anoth...

You know what?

Thank you, Oprah, for all these useless fuckin' people!

But, people flock to them.

And I thought,

Well, if you got the nerve to ask me a question,

you deserve the answer that I'm gonna give you.

And most certainly, you know,

people need more advice these days, they really do,

and it should be me to give it to 'em.

Look at me, a shining symbol of success.

[upbeat rhythmic music]

Hi, it's me, Bianca Del Rio.

And I'm excited to... [laughing]

I'm not excited, I'm tryna think.

Where'd ya come from?

[laughing] Shut up, bitch.

Get her a drink, she'll do it one take.

[laughing] It's true, it's true!

This whole experience was insane.

It was a very, very long day,

and as you can see, there is no teleprompter

and it's a lot of Drag Race lingo

that you're asked to read off of these little cards

and make magic.

Eventually it got easier for me,

but in the beginning I was like,

Fuck, what season are we on?

What's happening?

What's going on in the room?

So it was challenging in the beginning,

but the worst part about the job

was having to watch Drag Race.

That was the hard part.

A lotta bitches I didn't care about. [laughing]

It was a lot!

And just when you remember their names,

you're on another season.

It was a lot for this elderly drag queen, I must say.

[Bianca laughing]

[upbeat rhythmic music]

So 2024 for me is all about my new tour,

which is called Dead Inside.

It's part therapy and reality mixed into one.

But I'm excited to hit the road again.

I've had a year off

'cause I was doing Pit Stop for most of my life,

so I'm excited to get back on the road and see people again.

And aside from it being a show, which is great,

obviously to get to perform at any point is fun.

But I also get to meet people

because I do a meet and greet every night,

which is usually 150 to 200 people

that I get to interact with.

And some of the shady shit these people tell me I live for.

I mean, that should really be a whole book,

now that I'm an author and an elderly drag queen,

is to do an entire book of just the shit people tell me,

Things Bianca Has Heard.

Write that down, Things Bianca Has Heard.

So I'm just excited to interact with people again.

I had some time off, which was great,

and it was a good year to take a break.

A lot goin' on.

And looking at this particular schedule,

we're starting out with North America and Canada,

but it's probably gonna take me into 2025.

So for all ticket information, go to thebiancadelrio.com.

See, I did a plug.

See, I don't forget that.

Thank you, Them, for having me.

And this has been Becoming Bianca Del Rio.

[upbeat rhythmic music ending]