Rachel Dratch And Alexi Pappas Dive Into Athletics And Glitter On ‘Woo Woo’
SNL alum dives into Olympic runner's spiritual side with candid conversation about athletic mindset
Sakshi holds a bachelor’s degree in Science and a master’s in Bioinformatics from Panjab University, India. Her passion for writing engaging articles has led her to pursue a career in content writing since 2020. Sakshi has written in various niches, including health and wellness, fintech, blockchain, and lifestyle.
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Rachel Dratch has welcomed Olympic runner and multihyphenate talent Alexi Pappas to the latest episode of her podcast “Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch,” offering listeners a fascinating glimpse into the spiritual side of elite athletics.
The Saturday Night Live alum shared photos from the recording session on Instagram, showing the pair engaged in animated conversation. Dratch’s post explains that Pappas—who balances careers as a runner, author, filmmaker, actor, and host of the “Mentor Buffet” podcast—discussed “the woo woo of being an elite athlete” and “the power of glitter” among other topics.
Pappas, known for representing Greece in the 2016 Rio Olympics, has built a reputation that extends far beyond the track. Her unique perspective on athletics incorporates both rigorous training and what some might consider metaphysical elements—precisely the kind of intersection Dratch’s podcast aims to explore.
The podcast, which delves into spiritual and supernatural topics with a blend of curiosity and humor, appears to have found an ideal guest in Pappas. The Olympian’s approach to performance often embraces unconventional elements alongside traditional training methods.
The Glitter Connection
One intriguing topic mentioned in Dratch’s post is “the power of glitter,” which Pappas has previously incorporated into her athletic identity. The runner has been known to compete with glitter as part of her signature look, turning the sparkly substance into something of a performance talisman.
This connection between self-expression and athletic performance exemplifies the kind of unexpected spiritual practices the podcast aims to highlight—everyday rituals that might seem quirky but carry genuine meaning for practitioners.
Beyond The Podcast
The collaboration between Dratch and Pappas brings together two multifaceted talents. While Dratch is best known for her seven-season run on Saturday Night Live (1999-2006) and memorable characters like Debbie Downer, she has maintained a diverse career spanning television, film, and now podcasting.
Pappas, meanwhile, has created a unique career path that combines elite athletics with creative pursuits. Her film “Tracktown,” which Dratch referenced, is a semi-autobiographical story about a young Olympic hopeful that Pappas co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in.
Their conversation likely touches on Pappas’ book “Bravey,” which explores mental health in athletics—a topic that has gained significant attention in recent years following high-profile discussions by athletes like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka.
Dratch’s Podcast Journey
“Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch” has become a platform for the comedian to explore topics that might be considered supernatural, spiritual, or simply outside mainstream understanding. Recent episodes have featured guests like SNL photographer Mary Ellen Matthews and Broadway veteran Jimmy Smagula, with whom Dratch discussed his “uncanny skill at reading people’s medical conditions” and his “sparkle technique.”
The podcast represents a later-career pivot for Dratch, who studied drama at Dartmouth College (a connection she shares with Pappas, as noted in her Instagram hashtags) before launching her comedy career at Second City in Chicago.
In recent months, Dratch has been particularly active, participating in her hometown of Lexington, Massachusetts’ 250th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Lexington and filming commercial work for American Home Shield as her character “Warrantina.”
Connecting Through Conversation
What makes this particular podcast episode intriguing is the unexpected overlap between elite athletics and spiritual practices—two worlds that might seem disparate but often share common ground in the pursuit of peak performance and self-understanding.
For listeners of “Woo Woo with Rachel Dratch,” the conversation with Pappas offers not just entertainment but potentially useful insights into how top performers integrate unconventional practices into their routines to achieve extraordinary results.
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