07 May From Queens to Crowds of Thousands: Trixie and Katya Visit CSUF
- Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova visited CSUF and shared humor, personal stories and advice with students.
- The duo encouraged students to embrace authenticity, confidence and self-acceptance while discussing the challenges of being openly queer and working in drag.
- They also reflected on ambition, burnout and making the most of college opportunities.
Cal State Fullerton students were welcomed to spend a night with Associated Students Inc. as drag royalty Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova came to share their chaos, courage and creativity with Titans.
Originally garnering fame from their appearance on season seven of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (RPDR), Trixie and Katya are no strangers to bright lights and camera angles. Multiple brand deals, over 150 million views on YouTube and 11 years later, the queens continue to chase success in media and other business ventures.
Winning season three of RPDR, Trixie is featured on VNSSA’s album “Emergency Loop,” expanding her cosmetic brand and performing her “Solid Pink Disco” DJ set worldwide.
Katya is a best-selling co-author of “Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Modern Womanhood” and co-hosts the shows “The Bald and the Beautiful,” the “Trixie and Katya Show,” and toured the solo stage, “Help Me I’m Dying.”
Despite preparing for their upcoming DJ and drag tours, the duo took their time to join Titans for a conversation. From talking body tights to not taking their craft too seriously, Trixie and Katya encouraged Titans to be fierce for themselves.
A Show to Remember
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Before the drag duo even stepped on stage, the Titan Student Union was filled with laughter and screams for the queens. After overcoming the fear of getting body makeup on ASI’s pink interview couch, Trixie and Katya fell into their rhythm of playing off each other.
ASI Student Programs and Engagement Programming Assistant Sofia Ayala moderated the conversation, keeping pace with Trixie and Katya’s humor and eliciting laughs from both the audience and the queens.
For students dealing with the stresses of college life, the interview was a comedic rest stop.
“It was like a strange comedic relief that I just needed around, like finals, especially ramping up for that,” said Monse Perez, fourth-year linguistics and American studies major. “I feel like they have a fierceness and also fearlessness that’s so contagious and inspiring.”
Students appreciated the authenticity and genuine flair Trixie and Katya brought to their humor. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
For others, being able to witness genuine yet hilarious entertainers stood out.
“Trixie and Katya have this ability to both be so hilarious, but also extremely genuine,” said Maviene Tran, fourth-year theater major. “It’s here and down–to–earth, and really being able to do both of those at the same time. They‘re just a riot to watch for multiple reasons.”
Confidence is Queen
Trixie and Katya approached the TSU stage with confidence, met with screams and cheering from the campus audience. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
As a child, Katya said she always wore a T-shirt on her head in hopes it would transform into the luscious locks she always dreamed of. Eventually, with the help of her parents, the T-shirt transformed into a pompom and later, her first wig.
It still took years for the duo to perfect their art and build the confidence to show their drag selves to audiences. According to the duo, being an openly queer and public individual takes an immense amount of physical and mental strength. But that never stopped their stride.
“You are. Period,” said Katya. “If you want to lose weight, improve your skills, improve your body or whatever, professionally, you have to accept where you are at this moment with a neutral outlook on the present.”
Katya compared a drag performer’s career to a heart monitor; full of highs where you feel your fiercest and lows where you feel like a complete mess. At the end of the day, it’s a “steady incline towards a perfect, polished princess,” said Katya.
From jokes, anecdotes, and banter, Trixie and Katya kept the room (and each other) laughing. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
“That’s the hard thing about drag… it’s like trying to frost a cake in a really hot room,” said Trixie.
For first-year public health major Chase Woodruff, the message of authenticity made an impression.
“I love seeing how brutally honest they are about being queer in the community and how it’s affected them but also caused them to have so many different opportunities in life,” said Woodruff.
Serious or Ourselves?
The duo shared vulnerable stories of success and honest advice to students. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
Trixie and Katya’s “UNHhhh” online show intro- “…the show where we talk about whatever we want. Because it’s our show, not yours!”- proved true throughout the conversation.
The self-described yin and yang know themselves too well. As Ayala asked questions, the queens took control of the conversation, sharing story after story.
“Whenever she’s getting in drag,” said Trixie, referring to Katya, “she starts saying stuff like, ‘I don’t want to do the show tonight. I’m old. I’m ugly,’ and I’m like, ‘So? Let’s get that coin, girl!’”
The audience was filled with students, alumni, campus staff and guests. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
Between the five different layers of foam, tights and body makeup, the two also shared vulnerable moments in the hard work and pitfalls of chasing stardom.
“I have gone through phases of my life where my relationship with work is nothing to admire. Work was my crack, you know? I would get to a point where I would be crying with stress about cross-dressing,” said Trixie. “I always had that bug in my brain that was like, ‘If you don’t do this, you are a loser.’ And like, if I turned on the TV and saw another drag queen doing the job, it would bother me all day that I didn’t have that job. That’s not good.”
Similarly, Katya discussed the emotional toll of measuring personal value through achievement.
“I remember thinking, ‘I’m never going to be the artist that I wanted.’ I basically wanted to be David Lynch. I was like, ‘I’m never going to be him. I’m never going to be him…How can I solve this problem?’ Because this is untenable,” said Katya. “If the point of my life is to achieve this level of whatever, that’s the goal, and it’s non-negotiable, that can’t happen. So, I had a f—— epiphany where I was like, life is not a game. You don’t win or lose, and ambition is nothing if it’s not motivated by desire.”
Stay in School, Kids
Students asked questions directly to the duo, touching upon topics of self-acceptance and authenticity. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
Though long out of college, Trixie and Katya reflected on mastering drag while earning their respective bachelor’s degrees, leaving Titans with words of wisdom.
“You guys are going to hate me for this,” said Trixie. “If I could go back in time, I would have paid attention in my gen eds and classes.”
Both discussed how much they wished they cared more about school while in college.
“Whether you’re rich, whether you’re poor, whether you’re a Fullbright, whatever; it sounds so corny, but just f—— choose the classes very, very wisely and f——go to them,” said Katya. “Sometimes they’ll surprise you.”
Various student groups and clubs got the privilege of meeting and taking pictures with the duo. / Credit: ASI Marketing, Communications and Design
As CSUF comes to the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, “Beyond the Conversation” with Trixie and Katya garnered a huge showing, filling up the Pavilion and overflowing in the Grand Staircase at the TSU.
With authenticity and fierceness, Trixie and Katya’s visit to CSUF delivered fresh perspectives, humorous stories and moments that highlighted their friendship.