Matty Maggiacomo’s Pride Walk and Talk Drops Surprise Guest

Not so subtle hints point to Mara Thonner’s return for Peloton’s Pride finale

The 2026 Matty Maggiacomo Pride: Walk and Talk went on demand Wednesday, June 24, and Peloton had billed it with a “special guest” instead of naming one outright. The mystery did not last long. (Open the class here.)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Matty Maggiacomo (@mattymaggiacomo)

Matty’s own Instagram all but confirmed who was walking through that door. A recent post showed him captioned “MARA PRIDE…LOADING…” alongside Pride flag emojis, a clear signal that his drag persona, Mara Thonner, was set to make her seasonal return.

Matty Maggiacomo’s Pride Walk and Talk: A Schedule Mystery

This class had an odd path onto the calendar. We noticed that Peloton initially grouped Matty’s Walk and Talk with its Pride Week 4 programming when the schedule was posted to Instagram, an apparent mistake from Week 3 (as they posted Week 4 early). Then, when Week 4 did roll around, Matty’s class was omitted.

The reason for the removal from the Pride list remains unexplained, but we knew the class was still coming thanks to Matty’s own IG posts of his weekly schedule.

Where Mara Came From

Mara Thonner is not a new addition to Matty’s Pride rotation. The character has appeared in Peloton’s Pride programming every year going back to 2022, building a following among members who look forward to her specific brand of enthusiasm each June, and each appearance has come with its own look. In 2022, Mara led a 30-minute Pride Walk in a rainbow-fringed bodysuit topped with an orange wig that matched the occasion. By 2023, she had shifted into a hot pink latex look with matching gloves for another 30-minute Pride Walk, leaning fully into a glam, exaggerated drag aesthetic.

The 2024 installment took a campier turn with a leopard-print catsuit and a sculptural feathered headpiece for a 30-minute Camp Walk, a name that doubled as a wink to drag’s own relationship with camp as a style. Most recently, in 2025, Mara appeared as a Statue of Liberty-inspired figure in teal and gold for a 30-minute Pride Pop Walk, spikes and torch included.

Matty has spoken about Mara’s origins before. In Peloton’s At the Next Table series, he described 2020 as a painful year personally, and said that creating Mara became a way to inhabit a different version of himself during a difficult stretch. Our episode review covers that conversation in full, including how the character has since become part of how Matty shows up for Pride Month on the platform.

What Happened in the Class

This year’s Pride: Walk and Talk turned the guest reveal into the entire premise. Matty opened the class teaching solo, then a glass of glitter water, courtesy of Mara, sent his storyline into sudden GI distress. Mara stepped in to finish teaching the class herself. Helper Bee Sarah was one of the first to take the class On Demand she shares, “It was production magic where Matty appeared first and then was talking to Mara (because) members were in studio.” Ok, wow! It’s giving Benny and Stranger Things with this level of creative detail!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Matty Maggiacomo (@mattymaggiacomo)

For part of class, Matty and Mara even appeared on screen together, a split-frame effect that let the two trade off without ever breaking the class’s momentum. Members in the studio audience were present for the in-person filming, and the editing team handled the handoff cleanly, resulting in a smooth transition that did not feel gimmicky.

We love this annual tradition that Matty and his team at Peloton bring us (and he tagged apparel fave Brittany Allen in his IG post).

Which year of Mara has been your favorite?

The Clip Out is an independent Peloton news site with reporting, analysis, and community insights. We deliver breaking updates, feature reporting, and expert context on the stories driving the community and the industry.

Our weekly podcast offers deeper conversation and perspective, and you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, TuneIn, and YouTube Music. You can also follow us on our socials on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, BlueSky, and YouTube.

See something in the Peloton universe that you think we should know? Visit us at theclipout.com and submit a tip.