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Meeting drag queen Katya Zamalodchikova’s taxidermy lizard wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card—but, now that it’s happened, it feels cosmically correct.
Known simply as “Katya” to his devotees, I recently chatted with the beloved RuPaul’s Drag Race veteran, co-host of the surreal YouTube series UNHhhh, and NY Times-bestselling author. Katya locked eyes with me from across the Zoom screen as we talked about his latest project: A video podcast with Grindr aptly titled, Who’s the Asshole? about sex, dating, and how to know if you’re being an asshole in romance.
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It’s easy to see why Grindr wanted to bag Katya for the pod, which centers around hookup culture and relationships but organically ventures into any number of life topics that Katya and his guests (which has included Orville Peck and Trace Lysette), want to dish about. As he told me, “I just love talking about sex. And I think that going into sex shops still has such a stigma around it, which is just so dumb. Our civilization has just really flopped on a lot of stuff, but especially sex-positivity.” He doesn’t miss a beat before adding, “Also, America should have had a wonderful and comprehensive railway system.”
That’s the thing about Katya: even his most left-field non-sequiturs manage to feel divinely inspired; you could put him on a rock in ancient Delphi with a mic, and he would easily out-philosophize the Oracle about any topic under the sun, from railways to Ozempic-induced diarrhea to the enduring allure of Moroccan rugs.
I spoke with the multi-hyphenate artist about his new pod, as well as everything else he’s obsessed with right now, from rustic furniture to travel-proof lube containers and more. Hoist your garters and get ready for the world, according to Katya.
The Daily Beast’s Scouted: Congratulations on Who’s the Asshole? It’s great to see you without Trixie [Mattel].
Katya: [Laughs.] Thank you!
Scouted: I’m kidding, of course, but can you tell me more about the decision to jump into a sex-positive podcast?
Katya: I mean, I just love talking about sex. I love exploring. I like talking about the things that people find hard to talk about. And especially as a person who was raised Catholic, and as a person who grew up with a lot of taboo around sex and sexuality. When I was growing up, I remember hearing clearly that “Your naked body was a shameful crime.” The mere fact that being naked was so filled with shame… that’s why I just love talking about anything that’s sexual or taboo. I love respectfully telling the Catholic church to fuck off.
Scouted: Yeah, it really did a number.
Katya: Although, what the Catholic church has done well over the years is preserve art well. So, I’ll give it that.
Scouted: What are some of your biggest red and green flags when considering dating or hooking up with someone?
Katya: Oh, easy. Punctuality, that’s a big one. For dating and relationships, it’s a red flag if someone says, “I’m over the bullshit, I’m over the drama,” because, guess what? That person is the instigator of the bullshit and the architect of the drama. I was recently told by a close friend, “You’re very loveable, but I just don’t see you in a relationship.” I was like, “OK. Werk.” [Laughs.] Best back-handed compliment ever.
Scouted: You’re just a rare bird, Katya.
Katya: You know what a rare bird is? A vulture.
Scouted: OK, I have a “Who’s the Asshole?” question for you: Is it rude to leave a date early if you immediately know it’s not a match?
Katya: In this day and age, and especially for women, I think it’s perfectly fine to leave. You can say, “You know what? I am about to blow ass. I just got on Ozempic, and there is about a quart of black diarrhea that is about to shoot out of my asshole, so I’m just gunna…” and then just dip. Who fucking cares. There’s a line in the movie Scrooge where Bill Murray’s character, during a fantasy sequence with his hardened lover, says something like, “Scrape him off, Claire. If you want to save somebody, save yourself.” I think that’s it. Time is limited. Life is short. If you find yourself in the room with an asshole, get the fuck out of there.
Given Katya’s titillating joie de vivre and discerning life choices, we asked him to open up about everything that is rocking his world right now, from sexual wellness and self-care staples to his biggest home decor splurges and more.
When it comes to skincare, less is more
As an artist who spends a lot of time in and out of makeup, Katya has some choice words about what skincare practices work for him. As he explained, “Skincare has been the bane of my existence. A friend who is a drag queen has finally got me on the [skincare] train. They said, ‘You look like the crypt keeper. We need to take care of this.’ Less is more. I try not to touch my face at all. Sleep, water, and vitamin C are important on the road—and then I also get my ripped off every once in a while.”
When it comes to moisturizers, Katya also keeps things simple. “I love CeraVe,” he said. This derm-loved lotion works with a variety of skin types and is gentle enough to use on your face and body.
Silicone lube and stainless steel sex toys
In the spirit of his new sex-positive podcast, Katya opened up about his favorite sexual wellness products. He said that he loves “a silicone lubricant in a non-spill container. It’s just a must on the road for self-care. Because if that shit spills in your luggage, you are fucked. It’s a wrap.” Überlube makes some trusty travel-size vials for its cult-fave silicone lube, but, when it comes to brands, Katya swears by the classics. “I love some good old-fashioned Wet Platinum silicone lube,” he said.
There’s one sex toy that reigns supreme in Katya’s heart and [redacted] right now, and it’s all about anal stimulation. “Oh my god, I love stainless steel butt plugs,” he told me, “Especially the ones that have a jewel [on the base]. I don’t know if I have told this story before, but I have a fear of wearing one while I go through airport security. I think I have managed to avoid that by now, but since I have a stainless steel hip replacement, it’s basically the same thing as far as TSA is concerned.”
If you’re new to butt stuff, consider copping this set of three graduated stainless steel butt plugs from Lovehoney.
Katya’s go-to for home decor inspiration
Katya has finger-lickingly good taste in the type of vintage decor and furniture that you would find in a 17th-century Romanian castle-turned-Ricardo-Bofill-studio. As he said, “Unfortunately, I am obsessed with—and it has to be the most prohibitively expensive home goods and furnishing site on planet Earth—this site called Blackman Cruz. If you want to drop $18,000 on an end table that’s about three inches high, it’s great. The stuff is so beautiful.”
If you want to get the Blackman Cruz look for less, shop for pieces that feature rustic, brut materials and have a folk art flair, such as this solid wood accent stool and slick marble end table from Wayfair.
Rugs, rugs, and more rugs
If you tune into The Bald and the Beautiful—Katya’s weekly podcast with Trixie Mattel—you likely know that he loves the aesthetic of Moroccan rugs. As he told me, “I’m always obsessed with rugs, oh my god. I love rugs so much. It’s so stupid. Oh, and wallpaper.”
Scope out Revival’s extensive Moroccan rug edit, or head to Amazon for budget-friendly picks (that look way more expensive than they are).
No kids or pets? Get a taxidermy lizard instead
A large portion of my conversation with Katya was psychobabble about how much we love being childless and pet-less—at which point he whipped out a taxidermied, American Girl doll-sized lizard. As he explained, “So, I don’t like pets, but this is a taxidermied… gila monster? It’s some kind of lizard. Do I need it? No. Should I have bought it? Absolutely not. Can I afford it? Probably not even that. But I gotta have it. There’s two of them, by the way.”
If authentic taxidermy isn’t exactly your thing, grab this surprisingly realistic plastic Komodo dragon instead.
There you have it, folks. If you’re gooning to absorb even more ageless, eclectic wisdom from Katya, check out his brand new podcast with Grindr, Who’s the Asshole?, as well as his ongoing weekly podcast with Trixie Mattel, The Bald and the Beautiful.
