‘Never been on safari but I’ve seen my fair share of beasts’ - Bianca Del Rio

Bianca del Rio's win on season six of RuPaul's Drag Race launched a sizzling career with a string of world tours. After a forced break due to the pandemic, she's bringing her scandalous brand of “insult comedy” back in a new show, Unsanitised. We chatted to her about the tour, her thoughts on SA, and some of her meanest travel memories. 

I was a little nervous when this tour started because I was one of the first out in the US after the pandemic, and I wasn’t sure if people were ready to go to live shows. But it’s gone incredibly well and the reception has been amazing. I’ve completed 123 shows and have five left — Johannesburg will be my 128th and final show.

I’m beyond excited to return to SA. I don’t usually have a lot of time, but I have been able to squeeze in a few interesting things on previous trips. In Cape Town, I drove along the coast, which was stunning, did a lovely catamaran cruise and had dinner at La Colombe Restaurant. In Johannesburg I perform at Montecasino. I’m not a gambler, but it has great hotels with fabulous pools and restaurants. I could live there and never leave the grounds.

I’ve never been on a safari, but I have been on RuPaul's Drag Race so I’ve seen more than my share of wild beasts. At my age, my idea of excitement is to stay in my hotel room, order room service and order stuff on Amazon that I don’t need.

I’ve never heard the term “load-shedding” — when I first heard it, I thought it meant something very different — but we occasionally experience it in southern California. The power grid gets strained so they will enact rolling blackouts. I don’t mind them because I look much prettier in the dark.

My thoughts about South Africa? Everyone in South Africa has always been very kind, welcoming, and fun. I've always had such a great time with my audiences here. You all deserve a lot of credit for tolerating a twisted bitch like me with a rotted sense of humour ... and to keep bringing me back for more!

The most difficult place I’ve been to was ... high school. Never going back to there. The most adventurous destination I’ve been to was Exuma in the Bahamas. We swam with sea turtles and nurse sharks; we went to an island inhabited by feral pigs (actual pigs) and swam with them; and we went to an island where there were hundreds of iguanas all over the beach.

New Orleans is the best place in the world for a night out. The bars there can serve alcohol 24 hours a day and you can drink in the streets. No-one tells you when to go home — which is a good and bad thing.

The one thing I always make sure I do on holiday is DRINK! I am from New Orleans after all.

One of the friendliest places I’ve ever been is Bergen, Norway. Everyone there is always so polite and hospitable. It could be because I always go there for Pride, which is in the middle of their summer when the sun never completely sets. It’s also probably because they have all that oil money and free healthcare.

My ultimate bucket-list destination is Antarctica. It’s the only continent I haven’t toured yet. I’d love to perform for the penguins there because who doesn’t love a black-tie affair?

• Bianca del Rio performs in Unsanitized in Cape Town on October 21 and in Johannesburg on October 22. Book at webtickets.