Drag queen drags everyone: Bianca Del Rio doesn’t hold back on offensive humor in her ‘It’s Jester Joke’ tour

Bianca Del Rio, season 6 winner of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ made her first appearance in Iowa City an unforgettable one by bringing high energy and bold humor to the Englert stage.

Jenna Post, Arts Reporter

After achieving international acclaim after winning season six of RuPaul’s Drag Race and starring in two Netflix original movies, Bianca Del Rio began her It’s Jester Joke tour in September, which brought the star to Iowa City for the first time.

Del Rio’s opening act, drag queen Sherry Vine, sang a parody of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” entitled “How I Blew Ya.” While the song energized the crowd for Del Rio’s arrival, it didn’t fully prepare them for what was yet to come; the audience would soon learn that a song about a blowjob was actually the tamest moment of the show.

After a brief intermission, Del Rio took the stage in a hot pink glittering jumpsuit and a bright orange wig, greeted by uproarious applause. Between Del Rio’s high-energy performance and the audience’s constant laughter, there was never a dull moment.

As loyal fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race know, Del Rio’s brand of humor certainly isn’t for everyone. The drag queen’s bold jokes were only amplified by the tour, where the restrictions of network television and Netflix didn’t apply.

No longer being a part of Drag Race didn’t stop Del Rio from making jokes about her fellow queens, including Trixie Mattel, Violet Chachki, Katya Zamolodchikova, and RuPaul herself, which delighted fans of the show. However, those fans weren’t safe from ridicule either.

Sherry Vine kicked off the crowd-mocking by teasing an audience member named Travis, which Del Rio ran with for the rest of the show. She periodically made quick-witted comments about Travis and his wife when the time was right, which made the audience feel like they were a part of an inside joke, and created a more personalized experience.

Travis was far from the only audience member who was the subject of Del Rio’s humor. She ended the show by answering pre-written questions from the audience. Each time she selected a question, she’d call out the asker’s name, ask them about themselves, then promptly mock their answers.

Del Rio may sound mean-spirited, but there was nobody she made fun of more than herself. She frequently referenced her clown-esque costume and hair throughout the show, and shared a few embarrassing stories with the audience, including a mishap involving improper tucking and a Cher costume.

Del Rio never took herself— or anyone else— too seriously, which kept the audience laughing along from start to finish.

If you’re not looking to be offended, It’s Jester Joke definitely isn’t for you, but if you’re up for a night of politically incorrect humor that doesn’t take itself seriously, It’s Jester Joke is exactly what you’re looking for.