- All right. Can you please lift your hands up high?
Put 'em through here.
- I can feel it on my skin
'cause I'm not wearing any shape wear.
Can you just not ask where I was January 6th?
[electricity crackles]
- [Interviewer] Is your name Trixie Mattel?
- No, it's Brian Firkus.
- [Interviewer] Were you born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] Are you about to take a lie detector test?
- I think so.
Or I'm getting my blood pressure taken.
[dramatic music]
Okay, I killed him.
- [Interviewer] Let's start with your career.
You joined RuPaul's Drag Race in 2015
and won All Stars in 2018, but said you would never compete
in another RuPaul competition.
Is that because you can't handle the competition?
- Honestly, yeah.
I don't like competing.
It's not something I enjoy,
and it brings out the best in some people.
It does not bring out the best in me.
- [Interviewer] How so?
- It makes me self-conscious.
Drag is about doing whatever you want
and no one tells you anything.
But competing in drag is about doing what you're told
and having it evaluated,
and that's not something I thrive at.
- [Interviewer] So you're not just mad that RuPaul
doesn't follow you back on Instagram?
- She doesn't follow me on Instagram?
Wait, I don't know, does she follow anyone
who does drag on Instagram?
- Answer the question.
- Okay.
I didn't know she didn't follow me on Instagram.
But Sharon Stone follows me so, whatever.
- [Interviewer] How does that feel?
- Great. Feels great.
Does it feel great? - She's lying.
- [chuckling] It doesn't it feel great. It hurts.
- Yep.
- Oh, it hurts that--
It hurts me that Sharon Stone follows me.
Sharon, stop it.
- [Interviewer] You and Katya Zamolodchikova
star in the web series "UNHhhh," or "UNHhhh"?
- Both were bad.
Yeah, it's "UNHhhh." Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Were there any other sounds
that you considered for the title?
- I wish we wouldn't have called it that.
We didn't consider any other sounds.
It's just confusing to say or spell.
We should have just called it "Trixie and Katya."
I mean, easier.
- [Interviewer] Which of the H's are silent?
- I guess all of them.
I didn't even make up the spelling.
- [Interviewer] Do you think you could stand
to add a couple more letters?
- Why not?
Honestly, I only started spelling it correctly
a couple years ago.
Katya had to be like, "You know, you're spelling it wrong
on Twitter and stuff."
And I was like, "It's a made up word, though."
- [Interviewer] You were ranked fourth
in New York Magazine's The Most Powerful Drag Queens
in America list.
Do you think that list was ranked fairly?
- No, this is the same magazine
[coughing] that took ugly pictures of us.
So, we can't trust them.
Why don't I rank their lighting equipment?
- [Interviewer] Do you think people outside
of the drag community really understand
what goes on within it?
- No, and I like it that way.
I think that they should understand what we present,
and I don't think they have to know
what goes on behind the curtain.
It's part of the magic of it.
I mean, you know, it's on stage for a reason.
This is what you're supposed to see.
- [Interviewer] Drag culture is full of shade.
Would you say you have to have thick skin to survive?
- Yeah.
I mean, shade usually comes from someone you like,
and it's like playful banter, which is actually,
it's kinda like a compliment.
If you walk into the dressing room
and you read everyone there,
it's 'cause you like everyone there.
If you're the one drag queen who didn't get
a playful ribbing, they probably don't like you.
- [Interviewer] Let's move on to pop culture.
Would you say you have a better wig collection
than this woman, Lady Bunny?
- A bigger wig collection, 'cause I think she has one.
But as far as iconic wigs,
I mean you can't really beat the Lady Bunny wig.
It is incredible.
I think Marco's Wig makes those.
He's from Italy. He's bomb.
- [Interviewer] Who's the best wig maker?
- Oh my God. Who's the best, best, best?
My favorite I think is the best is Zach Killian.
He does wigs for me.
He recently did a wig for Beyonce.
He just does sculptural,
like, really takes it to a different level.
He's amazing.
Is that the truth?
- [Jud] The truth.
- You're welcome, Zach.
- [Interviewer] What about this woman, Dolly Parton?
- Oh, do I have better wigs or a bigger wig?
- [Interviewer] Better wigs.
- Oh.
[chuckling] I mean.
I think I currently have better wigs.
I prefer early Dolly wigs, big sixties wigs.
These nineties and on, mullet wigs,
it's not my favorite Dolly.
- [Interviewer] Why is that?
- They're just a little more modest and breathy
and a little more real-looking.
I prefer big sixties televised Dolly hair, huge wigs.
I just think if you're gonna do it, do it.
- Truth.
- I'm lying a lot less than I thought I was going to.
- [Interviewer] Who would win in a sing off
between you and Dolly Parton?
- Dolly Parton.
I mean, Dolly Parton could sing the phone book.
I mean, you just can't beat the honesty, the timbre,
the power, not to mention this is a woman
well into the winter of her life,
and she's singing as beautifully as she ever did.
It's pretty wild.
I saw her at the Hollywood Bowl and I was blown away.
I've still not met her. I mean, is she here?
She's here, isn't she?
No, she would've come in by now.
I would love to do a song with her or interview her.
If I ever just get the chance even to just...
Fun fact though, everybody thinks because she's blonde.
she's like my Beyonce
but I'm actually more of a Loretta Lynn person.
And my favorite is June Carter Cash.
- [Jud] Telling the truth.
- And that's on period.
- [Interviewer] Are dating apps an acceptable way
to meet someone?
- Absolutely. Yes.
I've met almost all my boyfriends
on dating apps, different ones.
It's just how you approach it
- [Interviewer] Is Grindr overrated?
- I think Grindr is appropriately rated.
I think it's worth making fun of and it's ridiculous.
But you could meet your husband on Grindr.
- [Interviewer] Which app would you recommend?
- I think Tinder makes the most sense
because you have to mutually like each other
to start a conversation and then the icebreaker's done
'cause you already know the person likes you.
- [Interviewer] Is that how you met David?
- Yep. Tinder.
He was my third Tinder date.
- [Interviewer] Who messaged who first?
- I don't remember, but I remember his pictures
were him with a dog and then a picture of him
on a boat in Italy.
And I remember I, this is crazy,
but I remember seeing the picture being like,
I just felt like I needed to meet him.
Like there was just something
about him that I wanted to meet.
- [Interviewer] Based on experience,
should you hook up on a first date?
- Yes. I think you can and you don't have to
but I think you should.
It's better to hook up early than to move in too early.
- [Interviewer] What is moving in too early?
- I mean gay people is like,
we've been together three months.
We're moving in.
I'm like girl exchange, house plants,
do something, like finish your lease.
You know what I mean?
- [Interviewer] Have you ever hooked up with a friend?
- Of course.
- [Interviewer] What about a Drag Race co-star?
- No.
- She's telling the truth.
- There's so cuties, it's just not happened
but I've always had boyfriends.
- [Interviewer] You once said, "Hot people,
it doesn't mean they're good in bed.
Ugly people doesn't mean they deserve to live."
[Trixie laughs]
Do you still stand by these words?
- Hot people doesn't mean they're good in bed.
Ugly people doesn't mean they deserve to live.
Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Why is that?
- Well, I think hot people are often worse in bed, you know?
It's like they've never been an extra.
They were born into being a star.
You know, some of us have worked in catering.
And I think ugly people, well, they can still be bad people.
It's like I grew up poor and I used to always tell myself
that all rich people were bad.
But then I went out in the world and realized
there's a lot of really nice rich people
and a lot of poor people who were dick heads.
- [Interviewer] Based on that,
do you think this man is bad in bed?
Idris Elba?
- I don't think there's any way that he's bad in bed.
He is, [kisses fingers].
I mean, he can't be bad in bed.
There's just, there's no way.
And if he was bad,
I would be willing to put in the time to help him.
- Yep.
- He's gorgeous. Gorgeous.
Charles Miner on the office.
Are you kidding me?
- [Interviewer] What about this man?
Henry Cavill?
- Yeah, he's doing, he's doing great.
Although that CGI mustache was bogus, but he is.
I mean, he is beautiful.
That video of him taking apart a computer.
You kidding me?
- [Interviewer] Is that what does it for you?
- I walked around with an Apple logo on myself
just hoping he'd pull me apart.
No, leave that there.
Yeah. Thank you.
Yeah, you can take it.
He just looks like a newscaster
is about to take his clothes off.
Do you know what I mean? The forecast is hot.
Just hot.
- [Interviewer] And finally, what about this man?
- Who is that?
- [Interviewer] Oscar Isaac.
- What does he do?
- [Interviewer] He's an actor
- In what?
- [Interviewer] Star Wars, Moon Knight.
- I've actually not seen Star wars.
- True.
- I mean he's, I'm not saying I have a type, he's hot.
That beard that's like gray and like he's hot.
He's very hot.
He looks like he's about five, seven,
but we could make something work.
As I get older in drag, I've been wearing flats.
He's really hot.
Really, really hot.
Yeah. In a different way than Henry Cavill.
Like Henry Cavill's like porn hot.
This is like your husband who you have a cabin with.
You know?
- [Interviewer] What kind of cabin?
- You have a cabin in the woods, like Lake Arrowhead
you wear a lot of turtlenecks.
- [Interviewer] So how would you classify me?
Hot or ugly?
- Hot.
- Yeah. She's telling the truth there.
- How would you classify Jud?
- Jud?
Jud, I would not have sex with you.
- [Jud] Thanks very much.
- Was I lying?
- I don't know.
- So now when it comes to Jud's hotness
suddenly we don't look at the test results
and it's all up in the air.
- [Interviewer] Let's move on to your life.
Is it true Trixie Mattel wasn't the first drag name
you considered?
- That's true.
The other one was Cupcake.
And now there's a rapper named Cupcake.
So I'm glad I didn't pick that.
'cause we would've had to fight it out.
- [Interviewer] What kind of cupcake?
- I thought my shtick was gonna be like pink hair
and like always confection and like, you know
looking like baked goods.
I'm glad I didn't go with baked goods.
- [Interviewer] Do you think some Queens
in RuPaul's Drag Race cinematic universe
have weak drag names?
- Yes. Yes.
These people sound like
they're in the witness protection program.
You could pick any name in the world
you know like Rebecca Michaels, Beth Smith.
I'm like, okay, great.
- [Interviewer] Which is the worst one you've ever heard?
- Anything like Vanessa Kensington.
I'm like, okay, great.
See you at Sears.
- [Interviewer] Your last name
comes from your love of Barbies.
Is that because your life is plastic and it's fantastic?
- Yeah. That was the intent.
- [Interviewer] Do you think Barbies should evolve
to reflect real women's proportions?
- Yeah.
- She's telling the truth.
- Oh work.
- [Interviewer] Are you disappointed
you weren't cast in the new Barbie movie?
- Yes. Yes.
I'm disappointed I wasn't asked,
but let me tell you when it comes time to promote it
guess whose DMS they're gonna slide into.
- [Interviewer] Do you think you would be a better Barbie
than this woman, Margot Robbie?
- I mean, I'm always running into her.
That casting call, we're always called in
for the same parts.
You know, I was this close for I Tanya
but I tragically couldn't skate.
- Well.
- Oh, what was the question?
- [Interviewer] Do you think you would be a better Barbie
than Margot Robbie?
- No. I mean, you can't really compete with that.
I don't care who you are. - Truth.
- [Interviewer] Would your partner, David Silver,
make a good Ken?
- No.
- [Interviewer] Why is that?
- I mean, I think that, well, I mean you want Barbie
to look at Barbie and you want Ken to look like Ken.
I love David he's no, Ken.
- [Interviewer] Can you even have a Barbie movie
without the iconic "Barbie Girl" song in it?
- I think it's actually a little on the nose if they did.
It's giving kids bop, you know?
- [Interviewer] You have your own Trixie Mattel doll
coming out soon.
- Yes!
- [Interviewer] Is it just because
you want to play with yourself?
- I don't need a doll to play with myself.
- [Jud] She's telling the truth.
- You already knew that.
- [Interviewer] Do you feel like the doll
actually looks like you?
- I do.
I mean, maybe there's a little fudging of truth
in the midsection, but I think the face looks really good.
- True.
- I wanted to make sure that she looked like she had
a ton of makeup on, I was like, I want lines on her face.
I want big real lashes.
And we tried a bunch of different hair fibers
'cause I was like, it can't look like hair.
It has to look like a wig.
I want this to look like a wig.
- [Interviewer] You're a democratic socialist.
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Would you consider yourself a Bernie bro?
- I'm an aspiring Bernie bro.
- [Interviewer] How so?
- Well, I really loved Bernie, but I was afraid
if I voted for Bernie that my vote wouldn't count.
- [Interviewer] If Bernie were to run again
would you want to be his running mate?
- I think I would do like a fundraiser, but I'm not,
you don't want me in the oval office
- [Interviewer] Is it because you have too many skeletons
in your closet?
- I mean, I think by politician standards
I could still shoot someone and make it to that office.
You know?
What is one skeleton?
- [Interviewer] Have you ever shot somebody?
- I've never fired a gun.
- [Jud] She's telling the truth.
- [Interviewer] Okay. So no murder. Good.
- I never said I didn't murder
Said I never fired a gun.
- [Jud] She's lying.
- [Interviewer] Final question: at any point,
did you lie during this interview and we didn't catch you?
- I don't think so.
- Yep. She's telling the truth there.
- I mean, I don't really lie.
Maybe it's cause I'm in drag, I really don't lie.
- She's lying.
- Well, you'll have to tune in next time.
Am I free to go?
I'm double parked.
[dramatic music]