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Raven is not to be confused with Raven van Dorst

Raven, also professionally known as David Petruschin,[2] is an American drag performer, makeup artist, comedian and one of the contestants of the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Raven would later return to compete on the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, alongside Jujubee, forming team Rujubee, but controversially came in second place again.[3]

Raven co-hosts Fashion Photo RuView with Raja[4] and is the host and judge of her own show Painted with Raven[5] on the WOW Presents Plus service.

Since season nine of Drag Race, Raven has also served as RuPaul's makeup artist[6]; her work has garnered 3 Primetime Emmy nominations with one win in 2020 for an episode of season twelve.[7]

Drag Name Origin[]

He used to be a gogo boy and went by the name of Phoenix because he likes winged creatures.

When he started doing drag in 2002, he was deciding whether to be Raven or Phoenix. His friends suggested Raven is more unique and androgynous. He also didn't want a female name that people would call him when he is out of drag in the public.

Track Record(s)[]

Raven
Statistics USA Season 2 USA All Stars
Season 1
Ranking: 2nd Place
(Runner-Up)
2nd Place
(Runner-Up)
Maxi Challenges Won: 2 (Eps. 7, 8) 0
Mini Challenges Won: 3 (Eps. 1, 4, 5) 2 (Eps. 2, 5)
Times as Team Captain: 0 0
Times in Bottom: 2 (Eps. 2, 3) 3 (Eps. 3, 4, 5)
Episode Eliminated: Episode 11 Episode 6

Memorable Quotes[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2[]

  • "My name is David. In drag, when I've got on tits and tights, I go by Raven."
  • "I don't carry a purse, I stick it all in my tits."
  • "I like to be that mysterious, dark, ice queen. I think I have a look that people might be a little intimidated by."
  • "Nicole got picked last because this is a sexy contest and she's not sexy."
  • "To be in a room full of men, I can't fucking wait!"
  • "Nicole's gone, praise the lord."
  • "She had no country, she don't own no country, she's as big as a country." (referring to Mystique)
  • "I'm not getting married. 'Cause I'm a bitter bitch."
  • "I'll have it hanging out for you then." (offering to show off her butt to Terri Nunn)
  • "Everyone thinks you're pretty? I do think you're pretty, I think you have a beautiful face... for radio." (reading Tatianna)
  • "Her interview was shit, her look was shit, her book cover was shit, her trying to launch and sell the book to the judges was shit, she's shit." (about Tatianna)
  • "I'm a man in a dress."
  • "I was giving Michelle Pfeiffer bitch. When I was looking at myself in that mirror, I was like "I look fucking good"."
  • "If I were to win RuPaul’s Drag Race, it will help to show people that drag’s cool. Cause it’s fucking cool. Drag is cool."
  • "Nicole cannot bring sexy back."
  • "I was able to spread my cooch and air it out!"
  • ''Can we get someone over please? She can't breathe, literally. (talking about Tyra Sanchez after RuPaul announced that she won)

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 1[]

  • "This bitch is kinda bitter!" (about Chad Michaels)
  • "Mimi Mother-fucking Imfurst walks up in this bitch. Why?"
  • "Jujubee is here! And she's looking hot in some red hair!"
  • "At this point, I couldn't give a shit because I'm trying to win!"
  • "I got a sassy attitude, wit, humor, I am an all star!"
  • "Well guess what Mimi? We did."
  • "You, Mimi Imfurst. Mimi Imfurst was number third in the voting? I could not believe it."
  • "Of the shit that I've seen, you don't have that many." (referring to Mimi's fans)
  • "Out of 50 motherfucking bitches that have been here, how did you manage that?" (referring to Mimi's casting on All Stars 1)
  • "They're both killing it, gonna be a tough one to call. I am glad I am not RuPaul." (referring to Latrice Royale and Tammie Brown's lipsync)
  • "I'm giving them the essence of Raven... SEX." (during her lipsync against Team Yarlexis)
  • "Yara Sofia, you give us diarrhea!" (reading Yara)
  • "I do not wanna have to lipsync against Juju, but I'm gonna fight for my spot to stay in this competition." (before her lipsync against Jujubee)

Extras[]

  • "Yeah. Manila." (when asked by Raja during The Pit Stop if there had been any queens throughout Drag Race herstory who failed to win despite being deserving)

Trivia[]

  • David is of Russian descent.[8] Contrary to popular belief, he is not Jewish or black.
    • He was raised Mormon[9], and is still an official member, but is inactive and has openly displayed disinterest in the faith.[10]
  • David came out as gay to his mother on Mother's Day.[11]
  • David has two dogs named Blu and Binki.[12]
  • David was inspired by his mom to do makeup, as he always watched his mom do her makeup.[13]
  • Before gaining a full drag career, David worked for MAC cosmetics and as a freelance makeup artist.[13]
  • David's favorite number is number 2. It can be speculated that Raven likes the number 2 for multiple reasons; he started drag in 2002, he was on Season 2 and ended up runner-up and was again runner-up on All Stars.
  • David does not wear underwear.[14]
  • Raven is the first queen of the RuPaul's Drag Race franchise to win 2 challenges in a row.
  • Raven is the first queen to place runner-up twice, as well as the only queen to do so without sharing the position (e.g. joint 2nd/3rd).
  • Raven was nominated for a "Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)" for RuPaul's Makeup in Season 10.[15]
  • Raven won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Contemporary Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) for RuPaul's Makeup In Season 12.[7]
  • Raven is the second RuGirl to win an Emmy, after Delta Work.[16]
  • David, for Raven, owns over 32 sets of contact lenses with different colors and styles.
  • Raven's inspirations include Madonna, Cher[17], Courtney Love, Debbie Herry & Terri Nunn.
  • It can take up to 3 hours to transform from David to Raven.
  • In Vanity Fair's 100 Years of Drag Queen Fashion article, Raven was used to represent the 2000s.[18]
  • Raven shares her birthday with River Medway and Janey Jacké.
  • She is best friends with Drag Race contestant Jujubee.[14] This is evidently shown through their relationship throughout All Stars 1, where they combined to become team Rujubee. They also cried for each other in such an emotional lipsync that RuPaul saved them both from elimination.
  • Throughout her seasons on the show, Raven has lipsynced a total of six times.
  • Raven was Mathu Andersen's first and only choice to take on his legacy.
  • Raven's first-ever international tour was a U.K. tour in spring 2017, with Jujubee.
  • Raven was the first contestant to win her first challenge after placing in the bottom 2 twice. She would be followed by Coco Montrese in Season 5 and Heidi N Closet in Season 12.
    • Of the three, she is the only one to win multiple challenges and to not win her first challenge in the episode immediately after her second bottom 2 placement.
  • Raven is the only Drag Race Alumni that RuPaul follows on Instagram.
  • Raven is known for wearing more nude colours when getting in drag, specifically beige. A commenter on YouTube once pointed this out, describing Raven as a “nightmare in beige”.
  • Raven is the third/fourth/fifth/sixth queen to reach the finale and be critiqued in every competitive episode of the season, alongside fellow All Stars 1 finalists Shannel, Jujubee, and Chad Michaels.
  • Raven appeared on "Celebrity Family Feud" as part of a team with RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, and Latrice Royale.[19]
  • Raven is the third queen, following Alyssa Edwards, and Katya, to make two appearances on What's The Tee?[20]
  • Raven is the first Drag Race queen to appear as a guest on Snatch Game three times, on All Stars 2, Season 13, and Season 14.
  • Raven is the first Drag Race alum to guest judge a Season of Drag Race that was hosted by RuPaul, appearing on Episode 7 of Drag Race UK Season 4.[21]
  • Raven appears in two episodes of All Stars 8; on the judge's bench during the mini challenge in episode 1 and during the design challenge walkthrough in episode 8.
  • Raven was the first queen to be entered into the Season Pass of RuPaul's Drag Race Superstar, entering in November 2021. Her tag introduced was "Chic".

Controversies[]

In 2020 and 2021, Raven faced controversy over her makeup, with many fans noticing its darkening over the years. Many fans accused Raven of Blackface and Blackfishing in order to appear darker than she really is. During the this time, people took notice to Raven's skin tone appearing similar to RuPaul's, with one person saying "Raven's in this episode it's so nice to another black queen in the werkroom" on Twitter.[22] Alexis P. Bevels said on IMHO: The Show of UK Season 2, Episode 7 "She brought out Raven who entered in dark mode,"[23] which quickly went viral. One Reddit user commented, "Are we gonna talk about how this is just modern day blackface or..? Raven is Russian by the way"[24]

Gallery[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 1[]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 1 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1 Looks[]

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race 1[]

RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race 1 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 3[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 3 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 7[]

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 7 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 2[]

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 2 Looks[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 4[]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 4 Looks[]

Videos[]

Filmography[]

TV[]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2007 America's Next Top Model Themself Cameo [25]
2010 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 2 Themself Contestant, Placed 2nd [26]
Drag Race: Untucked! Themself
2010-2012 RuPaul's Drag U Themself 12 episodes [27]
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 4 Themself Episode: "RuPocalypse Now!" (Zombie) [28]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Season 1 Themself Placed 2nd [3]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked! Themself
The Soup Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham
2013 Drag My Dinner Party Special [29]
RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 5 Themself Episode: "Lip Synch Extravaganza Eleganza" (Archive footage), Episode: "Reunited!" (Audience)
2014 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 6 Themself Episode: "Countdown to the Crown" [30]
2015 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 7 Themself Episode: "Countdown to the Crown" [31]
2016 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Season 2 Themself Episode: "All Stars Snatch Game" [32]
RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 8 Themself Episode: "Keeping It 100" (Special guest) [33]
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 10 Themself Episode: "10s Across the Board" [34]
2019 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 11 Themself Episode: "Whatcha Unpackin?" (Special guest) [35]
RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Season 1 Themself Episode: "Posh On A Penny" (Special guest) [36]
2020 RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 Themself Episode: "You Don't Know Me" and "Choices 2020" (Special guest) [37]
Celebrity Family Feud Themself Guest contestant [19]
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Season 2 Themself Episode: "Lockdown Supersheroes" (Special guest) [38]
RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 13 Themself Episode: "Snatch Game" (Special guest) [39]
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under: Season 1 Themself Episode: "Talent Show Extravaganza" (Special guest) [40]
RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Season 3 Themself Episode: "Great Outdoors" (Special guest) [41]
2021-present Painted with Raven Themself Host/Judge [5]
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 14 Themself Episode: "Snatch Game" (Special guest) [42]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Season 7 Themself Episode: "Legends" (Special guest) [43]
RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under: Season 2 Themself Episode: "Snatch Game" (Special guest) [44]
RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Season 4 Themself Guest Judge [21]

Web Series[]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 World of Wonder Game Show Themself Winner [45]
Ring My Bell Themself Guest [46]
2013-2015 Transformations Themself Episode: "Raven", Episode: "Raven - 100th Episode!!" [47][48]
2014-2017 Be$tie$/Couple$ for Ca$h Themself Guest [49][14]
2014-present RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView Themself Co-host with Raja [4]
2016 Hey Qween! Themself Guest, Episode: "Raven" LOOK AT HUH! [50]
Hot T Themself Season 2, Episode 7-8 [51]
2018 M.U.G. Themself Guest, Co-host [52]
2019 Wet n Wild Themself Mini-series [53]
2020 Fashion Photo Ruview: STFH Edition Themself Co-host [54]

Music Videos[]

Year Title Artist Ref.
2010 "Jealous of My Boogie" RuPaul ft. Tyra Sanchez & Jujubee [55]
2011 "Diamond Crowned Queen" Raja [56]
2012 "Responsitrannity" RuPaul [57]
"Queen" Xelle [58]
2012 "Feed Me Diamonds" MNDR [59]
2014 "Animal" Berlin [60]

Others[]

Year Title Notes Ref.
2014 RuPaul's Drag Race: Dragopolis 2.0 Mobile game (Voice) [61]
2017-present RuPaul's Drag Race Creative producer, makeup department [6]
2018-present RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Creative producer, makeup department [6]

Awards and Nominations[]

Year Award Category Results Ref.
2017 WOWie Awards Best Lips AKA The Pucker Up Award Winner [62]
2018 Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards Best Contemporary Makeup - Television and New Media Series Nominated [63]
2018 70th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Make-up for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic) Nominated [15]
2020 72nd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Winner [7]
2021 73rd Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Contemporary Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Nominated [64]
2022 Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards Best Contemporary Makeup - Television and New Media Series Nominated [65]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Drag Race UK fans are accusing Raven of wearing "blackface" | PopBuzz — October 8, 2021
  2. PGN June 11-17, 2010 edition | Issuu — June 10, 2010
  3. 3.0 3.1 'RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race' cast announced | Entertainment Weekly — August 6, 2012
  4. 4.0 4.1 RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView with Raja and Raven - Episode 1 | YouTube, WOWPresents — February 26, 2014
  5. 5.0 5.1 RuPaul's Drag Race: Raven to Host New Makeup Artist Competition Show | ScreenRant — March 16, 2021
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 How VH1’s ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Makeup Artist David ‘Raven’ Petruschin Makes RuPaul’s Look Werk | The Wrap — August 18, 2021
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 2020 - 72nd Emmy Awards - Outstanding Contemporary Makeup For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) - 2020 | Emmys — 2020
  8. The Ice Queen Cometh: Emmy-nominated Drag Race Star Raven Brings Her Dramatic Act to San Antonio’s Main Strip | San Antonio Current — February 4, 2019
  9. RUPAUL’S DRAG U EP. 8, THERAPY SESSIONS – MEET RAVEN’S AMAZING MOM. PLUS, JUJUBEE & MANILA’S SASSY SISTERS! | Waybackmachine, Logo — August 16, 2011
  10. Episode 237 - Raven Returns - RuPaul: What's the Tee? | SoundCloud — January 8, 2020
  11. RuPaul's Drag U - A Family That Drags Together | WOW Present Plus — August 15, 2011
  12. David Petruschin | Facebook — December 25, 2018
  13. 13.0 13.1 10 Wild Facts You Never Knew About Raven the Drag Queen | Cade Hildreth — January 22, 2023
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 BESTIE$ FOR CA$H: Raven & Jujubee | YouTube, WOWPresents — June 29, 2017
  15. 15.0 15.1 2018 - 70th Emmy Awards - Outstanding Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special (Non-Prosthetic) - 2018 | Emmys — 2018
  16. Raven & Delta Talk #EmmysForDragRace 🏆 | YouTube, Logo — August 21, 2018
  17. Raven is Just Honored to Have Her Face Stolen | W Magazine — November 23, 2021
  18. 100 Years of Drag Queen Fashion | YouTube, Vanity Fair — October 12, 2016
  19. 19.0 19.1 Here’s when RuPaul, Raven and Latrice Royale will be appearing on Celebrity Family Feud | Gay Times — February 15, 2020
  20. RuPaul: What's the Tee? | SoundCloud — 2015-2020
  21. 21.0 21.1 RuPaul takes shocking absence from RuPaul's Drag Race UK panel as Raven, Michelle Visage fill in | Entertainment Weekly — November 3, 2022
  22. Drag Race UK fans are accusing Raven of wearing "blackface" | PopBuzz — October 8, 2021
  23. IMHO Drag Race UK Series 2 Episode 7 Review! Lockdown Supersheroes! | YouTube — March 1, 2021
  24. Post by u/glossolalia_ | Reddit — 2020
  25. RAVEN on AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL | YouTube, IceQueenFan — December 1, 2018
  26. 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Exclusive: Meet the season 2 cast and watch them werq! | Entertainment Weekly — October 20, 2009
  27. Drag U: The "Glamazonious" Professor Raven | Huffpost — June 17, 2011
  28. 'RuPaul's Drag Race' opens with the Ru-pocalypse | Chicago Tribune — January 30, 2012
  29. Drag My Dinner Party Teaser Trailer | YouTube, WOWPresents — October 24, 2013
  30. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6 Countdown to the Crown recap | Channel Guide Magazine — May 12, 2014
  31. RuPaul's Drag Race - Countdown To The Crown - LogoTV | YouTube, RuPaul's Drag Race — May 6, 2014
  32. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 2 Snatch Game recap | Channel Guide Magazine — September 1, 2016
  33. ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 8 Premiere: Keepin’ It 100 | Observer — March 7, 2016
  34. ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Premiere: Tens Across the Board | The New York Times — March 23, 2018
  35. RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11, Episode 1 Recap: Whatcha Unpackin? | IN Magazine — March 1, 2019
  36. RuPaul’s Drag Race recap: Queens face Twiggy in fashion challenge | BBC — October 17, 2019
  37. Watch Raven return to Drag Race to help Jaida and Jackie's shady debate | Entertainment Weekly — April 24, 2020
  38. RuPaul finds 'the Susan Boyle of Drag Race UK' in season 2 trailer | Entertainment Weekly — January 7, 2021
  39. Snatch Game w/ Paris Hilton, JVN, Patrick Starrr, & MORE! 🎬 | YouTube, RuPaul's Drag Race — March 7, 2021
  40. Drag Race Video Rucap: Elektra Shock ‘You’ve gotta have your own back’ | Q News — June 14, 2021
  41. BBC iPlayer - RuPauls Drag Race UK - Series 3: Episode 3 | BBC — October 7, 2021
  42. Snatch Game w/ Lil Jon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ilana Glazer & More! 🤩🏁 RuPaul’s Drag Race | YouTube, RuPaul's Drag Race — March 12, 2022
  43. Secret queen revealed on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7: 'I do identify as a winner, suck it!' | Entertainment Weekly — May 20, 2022
  44. Drag Race RuCap: Snatch Game Is Here & These Celeb Impressions Are Definitely A Choice | Pedestrian — August 20, 2022
  45. World of Wonder Game Show - RuPaul's Drag Race Edition | YouTube, WOWPresents — October 18, 2013
  46. Raven - Ring My Bell | YouTube, WOWPresents — March 20, 2013
  47. James St. James and Raven: Transformations | YouTube, WOWPresents — August 13, 2013
  48. James St. James and Raven: Transformations 100th Episode | YouTube, WOWPresents — March 18, 2015
  49. Raja & Raven - Be$tie$ for Ca$h | YouTube, WOWPresents — July 4, 2014
  50. Raven LOOK AT HUH! On Season 2 of Hey Qween with Jonny McGovern | YouTube, Hey Qween — August 15, 2016
  51. Raven on Hot T: Celebrity Gossip & Hollywood Shade S2 Episode 7 | YouTube, Hey Qween — July 28, 2016
  52. M.U.G. with Naomi Smalls and Raven - Raven's MUG | YouTube, WOWPresents — February 26, 2018
  53. Wet n Wild Presents: You Glow Girl | YouTube, WOWPresents — October 8, 2019
  54. Fashion Photo RuView: STFH Edition | World of Wonder — June 23, 2020
  55. RuPaul's Jealous Of My Boogie (featuring Tyra Sanchez, Raven and Jujubee | YouTube, RuTube — May 4, 2010
  56. Raja - Diamond Crowned Queen | YouTube, RajaVEVO — October 7, 2011
  57. RuPaul Responsitrannity music video | YouTube, RuTube — October 25, 2012
  58. XELLE ft Mimi Imfurst Queen Official Music Video | YouTube, XELLE Music — December 20, 2012
  59. MNDR - Feed Me Diamonds (Featuring Raven) (Official Video) | YouTube, Ultra Records — December 12, 2012
  60. BERLIN - Animal (Official Video) | YouTube, Berlin — February 14, 2014
  61. Dragopolis 2.0 Has Arrived! | Logo TV — December 4, 2014
  62. See The OFFICIAL Winners List From The WOWIE Awards 2017 Voted By YOU | World of Wonder — December 8, 2017
  63. Guild Awards Nominations Announced! | Make-up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild — January 5, 2018
  64. 2021 - 73rd Emmy Awards - Outstanding Contemporary Makeup For A Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) - 2021 | Emmys — 2021
  65. Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards Nominations: ‘House Of Gucci’, ‘The Suicide Squad’ & ‘Legendary’ Among Leaders | Deadline — January 11, 2022

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