Katya Conquers the Mile High City

Look out, Denver! The bright, red scare with the long blonde hair is making her way to the Mile High City. Katya Zamolodchikova, or simply Katya, will be at the Paramount Theatre August 30 performing her brand-new, one-woman show, Help Me I’m Dying.

This multi-media, multi-character, and multi-faceted live stage show is a fusion of stand-up comedy and storytelling from everybody’s favorite Russian wh*re who captured the hearts of millions after competing on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 and All Stars 2. OUT FRONT had the pleasure of catching up with Katya and talking more about the show, in addition to upcoming projects and life after Drag Race.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today, Katya! I have been a fan of yours since the beginning, so this is truly a pleasure.

Awesome! Thank you!

I would like to begin by talking more about your Help Me I’m Dying tour. What can audiences expect?

Well, let’s see. Thrills, chills, and spills, but no narrative logic or making sense [laughs]. It’s sort of like a character study of three different characters that I do. One being the sort of origin story of the Russian hooker, and then another one I do is a junkie alcoholic named Trish. She’s a bit hypersexual, so there’s little segments with her. Then it’s like me sort of without a character but just in drag talking about my life with video segments and parodies of different films and TV shows I love like Game of Thrones.

Have you always wanted to do a one-woman show?

I have. I wanted to do a show like this for a long time, so it’s been a long time coming. Even before I went on Drag Race. It’s like a dream come true to be able to do it on this scale and travel to so many places. It’s been pretty awesome.

What are you looking forward to the most about the tour?

Mostly that I don’t have to perform in a nightclub at 3 a.m. and get puked on by people. I’m going to be doing the puking this time!

Our readers have been warned! How did you come up with the concept for the show?

I kind of wanted to do something to reintroduce these characters. Especially for fans of Drag Race. We don’t really get to showcase a lot of what we actually do on the show; you know what I mean? Like my characters. People know me as, like, she’s a Russian wh*re. So, I want to give some backstory on these characters I have built over the years.

And speaking of Drag Race, thanks to the show, you have become one of the most well-known and beloved drag queens in the world. Did you expect the show to change your life this much? What did you originally expect?

Oh my God, no. It’s so funny; I was talking to one of the queens I worked with before the show in Boston, and I remember one night before Season 7 aired, I remember crying to her. I was like, ‘nobody is going to like me; this was a mistake; I shouldn’t have done it; I’m going to be humiliated.’ Well, you know, the exact opposite came true. I was, like, so pleasantly surprised to see how well-received I was. I was so anxious and horrified. I expected the worst.

If you never pursued drag, what direction do you think life would have taken you?

I’d probably be, like, an undertaker or doing autopsies. Chopping up dead bodies, possibly a serial killer. Believe it or not, I was going to grad school to be a mental health counselor, a therapist.

If given the opportunity, would you compete on Drag Race again?

Hell, no! Hell, no. I’m done. I did it twice. That’s it. No, thank you. I’d love to go on as a spy or fake character, but just the terms of having to compete again, it makes me want to sh*t myself right now. It’s awful.

[Laughs] I bet you’re not the only queen who feels that way! I want to ask you about Trixie Mattel. Did you two know each other before the show?

No, not at all.

How did your friendship develop into what it is today?

We bonded on the show a little bit, but we mostly became great friends afterwards, and we talked on the phone a lot. We sort of realized we had similar personalities, and we weren’t like the typical drag queens. We both kind of had the same anxiety and concerns about the show, and then we just sort of watched our popularity rise. Then we hopped on the train together.

I know Trixie shares her perspective about your friendship in her Moving Parts tour. Do you share your perspective in Help Me I’m Dying?

Yes, but obliquely. It’s in one of the video parodies I did. I won’t give too much away, but it’s a nice little nod to our friendship.

What do you cherish the most about Trixie, and what does she cherish the most about you?

I know she’s only friends with me because of my long, luscious legs! But the thing I like the most about her; she’s really patient. She’s in it for the long haul, and she’s willing to withstand a lot of bullsh*t, and she puts up with a lot of my crap. She’s very gracious and forgiving.

And congrats on UNHhhh being in its fourth season! Did you ever think the show would go this far?

My God, no. I didn’t, and it’s so much fun. I am continuously excited about it, and I really don’t lose interest, which is rare for me. It’s the most fun thing, and we actually just got a book deal, so we will be writing a book together.

Nice! What kind of book?

It’s going to be like Trixie and Katya’s guide to modern womanhood. It’s going to be funny.

What’s your number-one tip?

I would say, the best thing I ever learned is that Dawn dishwashing liquid will help take your makeup off in less than a minute. It’s soft on hands, and it cuts the grease.

Fabulous. Do you have a favorite episode of UNHhhh?

I like the episodes about shame. They’re more recent. Those are my favorites.

When you did The Trixie & Katya Show on Viceland, was it weird transitioning UNHhhh into a TV show?

Yes, it was. I don’t think it was done all that successfully. It probably could have been better adapted. I think what’s so successful about the web show, it’s freeform, and there’s no restrictions or parameters. I felt the TV show was kind of forced, and it lost a bit of magic. Also, the network is tough ‘cause it’s such a bro network. It’s like wongs, race cars, and then there’s us. It was weird.

Your hard work, fame and popularity also landed you on Vulture’s “The Most Powerful Drag Queens in America” list. What did you think about the article? [Laughs] I thought it was so weird! Those ranking things are so arbitrary, and the description for some of the queens in the ranking we so bizarre. They almost felt like reads in a way. I don’t understand the criteria for the ranking. Why don’t they just list our checking accounts, you know?

What number were you?

I was 13, and I was like, great. Sure. Wonderful.

If you don’t mind, I would like to talk a little bit about the hiatus you took from drag not too long ago. You did it for mental health reasons. How are you doing today?

I’m good! I have struggled a long time with substance abuse and all that, but I went totally cuckoo bananas. It was like a new thing that had happened. I didn’t know if I was going to quit drag totally, but I was so lucky to be able to take time off and get my head straight. Now, I feel great.

Do you know what exactly caused the relapse?

My life was changing so much with all the traveling and stuff. I went from a silent movie to an IMAX film overnight. At the time, I just took all the opportunities that I could, and I didn’t pace myself. I got wrapped up in it and was swept away.

Well, I am very glad you are doing much better!

What would you have said if I was doing awful? [Laughs].

I would still love you and wish you well!

Aww, thanks!

Of course! Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?

No, I think that about sums it up.

Perfect. Thank you again, Katya! We look forward to featuring you and promoting your tour in OUT FRONT Magazine!

Thank you! This has been great!

Photo by Magnus Hastings