“When I was on ‘Drag Race,’ it felt like a serious competition going on between drag queens and then Katya and I were also there.”

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.

In 2009, I didn’t like that Yamaha signed such a young and competitive teammate [Jorge Lorenzo]. But now everything is different. We are more mature. Everyone knows his role and position. Things are clear.

You really are never playing an opponent. You are playing yourself.

In a society dominated by the fact of commercial competition, money is necessarily the test of prowess, and wastefulness the sole criterion of power.

I never thought about competing in the Olympic Games when I was growing up.

I think for me, the most fun competition that I’ve had was my first Worlds.

I’m very, very amateur, which is funny because I’m not in the amateur leagues.

In America you’re conditioned to regard everything as a contest. You have to make the Ten Best Dressed List, win this, win that. It drives me nuts sometimes. Who cares, for Christ’s sake?

I love tennis! I’ve always felt like this because it is such a classy sport with a great, competitive flair to it.