The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie and Katya
Episode Title: Irene The Alien's Ephemeral Visit to the Terrestrial Realm with Katya
Date: September 30, 2025
Overview
With Trixie away in Turkey getting “hair plugs and a tummy tuck” (“airing her out” according to Katya), Katya flies solo as host and welcomes Drag Race alum Irene Dubois—aka Irene the Alien—for a lively, irreverent, and occasionally heartfelt chat. Expect signature chaos, candor, and comedy as Katya and Irene discuss everything from the realities of Drag Race (including the trauma of being first eliminated), fashion and performance art, anal health, iconic movies, and, of course, Lana Del Rey.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Trixie’s Absence & Irene’s Introduction (02:00–03:12)
- Katya humorously fills in for Trixie, detailing her “hair plugs and tummy tuck” trip to Turkey.
- Irene’s grand entrance:
- Katya: “While Trixie’s in Turkey getting her jaw rewired, we have a special guest—Drag Race alumna you know and love. It’s Irene the Alien. Nay Dubois. Welcome to the pod.” (02:56)
- Irene: “Thank you for having me. It’s my pleasure to be here.” (03:10)
2. Drag Life, Water Hardness, and the Alien Brand (03:12–05:01)
- Discussions on LA’s hard water vs. Seattle’s, shower sliminess, and the woes of cleaning (“I am a very resourceful person, but one thing I cannot do very well is clean, so I outsource that.” — Irene, 04:47).
- The challenge of sticking to one’s drag persona/brand over time (“At this point, I’ve painted myself into a corner.” — Irene, 05:02)
3. Outfit Realness, Drag Economics & Violet’s Dress (05:36–07:16)
- Irene wears a borrowed $50 sequined dress and recounts acquiring a ‘painted-on’ Violet Chachki dress for $200 (“I bought it off a girl who bought it off a girl who bought it off Violet. By the time it made it to me it was only $200.” — Irene, 06:35)
- Reflection on body types and drag fashion struggles.
4. The RuPaul’s Drag Race Experience: Regular Season vs. All Stars (09:10–14:42)
- Irene describes the rough treatment as a regular season contestant (“We were treated sort of like cattle.” — Irene, 09:17) compared to the relative civility on All Stars.
- Humorous take on post-show storage: “Our matrix tubes we’re kept in when we’re not on camera.” (09:46)
- The trauma of first elimination: confidence shattered, boyfriends leaving, friends turning (“Everything positive you think about yourself just gets flushed down the toilet.” — Irene, 10:32)
- Katya and Irene discuss the nuances of being eliminated first vs. second, and why the 'pork chop' legacy has a certain cachet (“At least, you make an impression.” — Katya, 12:13)
- Irene’s emotional toll, culminating in a cathartic mushroom trip breakdown (“I cried so violently and viscerally that I got nauseous and I was dry heaving on the beach.” — Irene, 14:05)
5. Drag Race Talent Shows & Performance Art (21:20–27:14)
- Both hosts weigh in on the anxiety-inducing nature of talent show challenges and the rigidity versus unpredictability of drag competition.
- Irene’s infamous glass-of-water act (“I thought I’d really gag them and do something subversive and the complete opposite of a lip sync.” — Irene, 23:49)
- They analyze how Drag Race sometimes fails to appreciate performance art and anti-humor, with audience tastes differing by city (“San Fran, Brooklyn, Chicago, and London liked it.” — Irene, 27:42)
6. Prop Escalation, Runway Floors, and The Realities of Filming (28:14–36:51)
- Katya and Irene compare the increasing extravagance of Drag Race props and set pieces over time.
- Gritty insight into the literal hazards of performing (“Everyone who saw the finale of my All Stars season will know that I definitely feel like it is greased, the floor.” — Irene, 34:21)
- The slippery, often unsafe main stage, and lack of rehearsal: “Why didn’t I get to rehearse this?” (35:44)
7. Runway Presentation: Pure Fashion or Comedy Bits? (38:39–44:30)
- Katya laments “bit-heavy” runway presentations, advocating for classic modeling (“Let the outfit speak.” — Katya, 43:37)
- They critique memorable Drag Race contestants (e.g., Utica) whose lack of confidence undermined spectacular runway looks.
- Modeling as an underappreciated skill (“Watching someone be not confident is uncomfortable.” — Irene, 43:40)
8. Movie & Pop Culture Opinions (47:08–51:45)
- Favorite films: Irene’s is Alien ("The first [Alien] is amazing...the rest up to Romulus are...a hard watch sometimes." — Irene, 47:44)
- Tim Burton: Both critique his later films—“Nightmare Before Christmas: bad movie. Talk about it—beautiful visuals, story so slow, pacing abysmal.” (Irene, 49:40)
- Brief but passionate thoughts on other movies (Beetlejuice, Mars Attacks) and pop culture icons.
9. Lana Del Rey, Tumblr, and Queer Nostalgia (51:47–55:01)
- Irene’s Lana fandom: “Right after I started having sex, which was bottoming in college. Sad, because it was always terrible. Singing about men who aren’t respectful and have unrequited love. Born to die.” (51:48)
- Candid talk about self-harm, adolescence, and the role of Tumblr.
- Discussion about Lana’s vocal timbre and her potential for a classic rock covers album.
10. Quickfire Questions & Candid Confessions (55:02–61:42)
- Irene’s dream “other” professions: “Proctologist” (56:30), “Gynecologist” (56:40)
- On Texas vs. Seattle: “Texas sucks ass.” (58:05)
- Her claim to Drag Race herstory: first queen to quote Sun Tzu ("When your opponent is at their weakest, that’s when you strike." — 58:33)
- Rapid-fire: Taco Bell order, cheese and its digestive effects, favorite curse word ("cunt", 61:22), favorite sound (not specified), most hated sound ("Styrofoam", 61:15).
- On allyship: “It’s my responsibility as a cis-gendered male-presenting, he/him pronoun having person in this day and age.” (60:14)
- Sincere moment: “Seeing how this administration’s policies are affecting the mental health of the trans people in my life.” (60:35)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On being typecast in drag:
Irene: “At this point, I’m like, I have painted myself into a corner.” (05:02) - On first elimination trauma:
Irene: “Everything positive you think about yourself just gets flushed down the toilet.” (10:32) - On Drag Race production:
Irene: “We were treated sort of like cattle on regular Drag Race and on All Stars, they were more like, thank you for being here.” (09:17) - On catharsis:
Irene: “I cried so violently and viscerally that I got nauseous...I had to call my mom and be like, I just need you to sort of trip sit for me.” (14:05) - On anti-humor at Drag Race:
Irene: “They thought I was trying to make them belly laugh, but I was more trying to be anti humor.” (27:30) - On pop culture:
Katya: “Nightmare Before Christmas: bad movie. Talk about it—beautiful visuals, story so slow, pacing abysmal.” (49:40) - On Lana Del Rey fandom:
Irene: "Right after I started having sex, which was bottoming in college. Sad, because it was always terrible. Singing about men who aren’t respectful and have unrequited love. Born to die.” (51:48) - On the politics of allyship and drag:
Irene: “It’s my responsibility as a cis gendered male presenting...person in this day and age.” (60:14) - On sensitive topics (with characteristic deadpan humor):
Katya: “I have friends who are anal explorers of the most Olympic spelunkers...they gotta worry about diapers before they turn 50.” (31:29)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Trixie’s Turkey adventures & show open: 02:00–03:10
- Alien branding and LA life: 03:12–05:01
- Violet Chachki’s dress & fashion talk: 05:36–07:16
- Drag Race behind the scenes:
- Regular season vs. All Stars: 09:10–14:42
- First elimination trauma: 10:32–14:42
- Talent show challenge deep dive: 21:20–27:14
- Performance art on Drag Race: 23:49–27:42
- Drag Race mainstage, slipperiness, and show mechanics: 34:21–37:00
- Runway presentation debate: 38:39–44:30
- Movie talk: 47:08–51:45
- Lana Del Rey, Tumblr, and queer subculture: 51:47–55:01
- Rapid-fire personal Q&A: 55:02–61:42
Final Thoughts
The episode blends humor, insider Drag Race gossip, vulnerable confessions, and absurd pop culture tangents with trademark irreverence. Irene proves a perfect match for Katya’s rapid wit, delivering both deep feels and laugh-out-loud moments.
“You did your best.” — Irene imagines God greeting her at heaven’s gates (61:34)
For Listeners
If you love candid drag industry insights, dark-humored banter, and pop culture deconstruction, this episode is jam-packed with moments you won't want to miss.