For eight seasons, RuPaul’s Drag Race alums Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova have opened up their dark twisted The brains of their World of Wonder short film series UNHhhh, in which the duo are sitting on a green screen. Rifles and tangents ensue, as Trixie and Katya expand on the episode’s themes, surrounded by animation, clip art and text added in the clip. UNHhhh At times it feels like a psychedelic visual podcast, a sporadic public access-style show that sparked viral memes among drag fans online. Passed the 200 episode milestone for this season, the show – about 10 arrive06 Transcript and Streaming on YouTube and WOW Presents Plus – Submitted for Emmy Awards for the first time. Trixie and Katya chatted with THR via Zoom about their longtime collaboration and what they see as an Emmy nomination.
When you met at
KATYA Our cycles are naturally synchronized by being close to each other. There are many physical and psychological glues that hold us together. But she doesn’t know when my birthday is yet, so…
TRIXIE To be honest, Katya is probably the person I talk to the least. We didn’t really connect until later.
KATYA we spent a lot of time talking on the phone together [after the show] and we were quick Realizing that we’re not exactly the typical “Yas! Work! Goddess!” kind of a drag — it’s not that we don’t like those people, we just don’t belong in that cloth. We feel like outsiders, so we make connections. We’re huge fans of the WOW Presents videos – basically, they just throw some queens on a stool and say, “Hey, what do you think of birds?” Trixie’s idea is that we should actually be commenting on run times on the web One of the longest and most popular shows, called Fashion Photo RuView, where we review reviewers’ outfits. This builds our one-on-one rapport.
TRIXIE
Eight seasons and above 1000 After a few episodes, you guys are still trying to find a way Surprise each other?
KATYA Okay let me Let me tell you something: A great way to stay amazed is to have dementia, which I obviously have. I don’t remember anything. Every day is like day one to me.
TRIXIE Honestly, the only thing that surprises us is that some days you can tell I am in a bad mood. Or there are days when you can tell Katya is not in the mood. Then, there are days when neither of us is in the mood. Those actually ended up being the best because we were all like, “Girls. We’re in one episode, like 5 million.”
KATYA It’s like senile disease. For example, we can see comets flying towards the earth.
TRIXIE
Do you shoot multiple episodes a day?
KATYA THREE. We’ve done four episodes before, but they were shorter back then. And we are so ugly. Oof!
TRIXIE
KATYA All that needs to happen is an Emmy. (Takes a foot figurine off the shelf. ) It’s a golden foot, but it’s the closest thing I have to an Emmy. please!
It’s funny you say that. In episode 200, Trixie says she never wants to get any nominations because she hates losing.
TRIXIE
KATYA
I’m curious how editing works. Do you have any expectations for how the final product will look? Still always surprised?
KATYA I get out of that job and say, “Well, that’s a steaming shit, no one’s going to look.” And then — gold.
TRIXIE
KATYA I’d say, “Hey Trixie, would you like to shoot August: Osage County with me today?”
Part of the fun of watching is that you all have such contagious laughs.
KATYA I think density is Clip-wise, the per-minute jokes this season are actually overwhelming. I mean, I never tell jokes. [edit] Something that comes to mind through word play, and really fast – bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! They are so talented.
TRIXIE
Are there any stories that you have told that still linger in your mind?
TRIXIE
KATYA
TRIXIE
So, now you’re submitted for an Emmy. Have you ever thought about what you would say in your acceptance speech – or do you have any ideas that are good?
KATYA This is totally Depends on venue and award. If it’s the Oscars, it’s the whole thing, the most you can get is 70 Second. If they don’t know who you are, you’ll get 10 seconds.
TRIXIE One of our biggest haters is people winning grand slams awards , prepare nothing. We hate that.
KATYA
TRIXIE
KATYA I think if I’m going to win an Oscar, I’m going to walk up and accept it On stage, I’d say, “Thanks to the academy for letting me be who I am,” and tear off the prosthetic mask. Here I am Judi Dench. Short and sweet.
I’ve been thinking a lot about drag and queer political attacks. Do you feel like your show is a resistance to it in any way?
KATYA I personally think I It’s Julianne Moore in the Carrie remake: “It’s a godless age.” Honestly, I think the pendulum swings from left to right. It’s fascinating to see how these stupid and ignorant right-wing lawmakers weaponize themselves into a bone broth of bigotry and hatred.
TRIXIE People literally searched for “drag queens” and put pictures On a conservative news story, then say, “Drag queens are beauticians.” They did that to my picture! No one dislikes children more than I do. nobody! At the end of the day, they gave us too much credit. None of us are sitting around the table at night discussing “whose kid should we take next?”
KATYA
So you’re not voluntary Read to the kids in the library.
Omg, worst mistake a drag queen ever made.
TRIXIE
KATYA You won’t believe we hear from people with cancer, by being in the hospital All the treatment with chemotherapy, we got them through. It’s the most wonderfully exaggerated compliment we can receive.
TRIXIE We’re lucky to work in drag because honestly , we work on the final frontier.
KATYA
TRIXIE
KATYA [Ranking is] us, then MSF.
Interview edited for length and clarity.
This story first appeared in the June standalone issue of The Hollywood Reporter Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe .
