“I’m very proud of my career. A lot of people get their career from the judges of ‘Drag Race’ saying they’re great. I had to go and build that reputation from the ground up.”

I’m always myself. Always. The only difference is that I come off as mean out of drag.

My grandpa was a country singer, and I started learning guitar from him, just at the kitchen table when I was younger, and I got really into it.

As drag queens and as comic people, we listen to our own artistic compass all the time.

I didn’t start drag because I thought it would be a ticket to anything. I did it for my own narcissistic fulfillment. When I started selling records, going on tour, doing TV. I never expected any of it.

To me, drag is about doing whatever you want, and nobody says anything. And ‘Drag Race’ is about doing what you’re told and having it evaluated. I hate being judged.

I was the poorest kid in my school, poorest kid in my town, poorest family. That stayed with me forever.

I remember being obsessed with Christina Aguilera’s ‘Stripped.’ That was her peak, and she is such an amazing singer. Plus, I was a little gay boy, and the music video for ‘Beautiful’ existed, so obviously I was affected.

I didn’t start drag because I thought it would be a ticket to anything. I did it for my own narcissistic fulfillment. When I started selling records, going on tour, doing TV. I never expected any of it.

Some of my favorite drag queens are women.

I’m not a competitor by nature, and I’m certainly not used to being evaluated.

People on a daily basis walk up to me, panic, and tell me something extremely graphic and violent about their life.

Any time there is an economic downturn or political strife, lipstick sales skyrocket. If you have a hard day, it’s this $14 thing that lifts your day. I think drag has that same lipstick effect.

People are slowly realizing that they’re looking at drag all the time. ‘Mrs. Doubtfire.’ ‘Real Housewives.’ Peewee Herman. Don’t let calling it drag make you uncomfortable.

I’m an optimistic realist. I kind of expect the worst but prepare for the best.

I always tell my mom that if she would have just bought me a Barbie when I was little, I would have gone into real estate.

Trixie Mattel is a product of bad things that happened to me, and it’s how I deal with things. It’s wonderful.

Building worlds is not enough for the deeper urging mind; but a loving heart sates the striving spirit.

Ever building, building to the clouds, still building higher, and never reflecting that the poor narrow basis cannot sustain the giddy tottering column.

If a builder builds a house and the house falls and kills some one in the house the owners may kill the builder.

My vocation is more in composition really than anything else – building up harmonies using the guitar, orchestrating the guitar like an army, a guitar army.

If you don’t have a mountain, build one and then climb it. And after you climb it, build another one; otherwise you start to flatline in your life.

If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.

You can build a lifestyle for yourself that doesn’t need to be fueled by booze and drugs to get things done.

Religion, it stops people from thinking because they think all the answers are in that one book; it impedes progress; it justifies crazy people. Flying planes into a building was a faith-based initiative.