It is pretty obvious to everyone who has seen RuPaul’s Drag Race that Katya Zamolodchikova aka Brian McCook is an awesome person. She’s the queen for the people. Always gives her best to connect with fans, always puts on a great show to help people take a vacation from their own life.

But what most people don’t know what a great human Brian is outside the world of drag. One evening with him has taught me so much and helped me see life from a different perspective in so many ways, but I want to focus on one aspect here. His incredible generosity.

It was two days before Halloween, everyone in Manchester was out on the streets in costumes getting drunk and thanks to a lucky coincidence Brian and I crossed paths and wandered around the gay village for a while.

A boy walked up to us (maybe 10 years old) and said “Trick or treat!” Brian started digging in his backpack and took out two tiny crucifixes…a bit odd but that’s what happens when you trick-or-treat before Halloween.

Later we ended up in a small Fish and Chips shop where Brian insisted on getting me something to eat and drink. I wasn’t hungry, so I ended up with leftover chips. Overall our meal cost around five or six pounds, I guess but Brian tipped at least twenty pounds, maybe more and then handed me the change because “he didn’t want it”.

When we got back outside we handed our leftovers to two homeless guys (admittedly that was my idea but just because it seemed so ungrateful to waste the food that he had bought for me when someone else really needed it).

You know those people who will sometimes walk around at night and try to get guys to buy roses for their dates from them? Well, one of these ladies walked up to us with just two plastic roses left and Brian got them both, once again paying way too much.

The last incident I want to talk about happened in a small park. Technically we were in a hurry but still Brian stopped to admire the beauty of the place and then we picked up trash that was lying around because “the place was to beautiful to be so dirty”.

Witnessing and taking part in all those acts of kindness opened my eyes because since I am in a place where I don’t have too much money to spare at the moment I have become way too selfish and egocentric. And I feel bad about that but I’m trying to get better and more open toward my surroundings again.

I just want the whole world to know what a great human being Brian is. He got a chance to “turn his life around” (maybe not the best wording) and became famous and to an extent rich thanks to RuPaul’s drag race but still he is incredibly down to earth and gives back to those who are less fortunate. It is so beautiful to see someone that kind and selfless.

It makes you want to stand on a rooftop and scream to let the world know how amazing Brian is or alternatively look at yourself and search for a way to make this planet a little nicer every day. I think the power to do that is within all of us, whether it be giving money, food or just picking up someone else’s trash. Even smiling at a stranger or paying them a compliment can do so much! We just need to be reminded how simple it is to make a difference. And that’s why I’m incredibly hppy that someone with a soul as good as Brian’s gets a platform and an audience to inspire them and make them better people.