Carmen Carrera Biography

Carmen Carrera (born Christopher Roman on April 13, 1985 in Elmwood Park, New Jersey), is an American reality television personality and drag performer, known for appearing on the third season of the Logo reality television series RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as its spin-off series RuPaul's Drag U. Although self-identifying as male during the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race, on May 1, 2012 ABC News reported that Carrera had begun to self-identify as transgender.

RuPaul's Drag Race

Known for being one of the "Heathers" (a clique composed of Carrera, Raja, Manila Luzon, and Delta Work; taking its name from the popular cult film, Heathers), Carrera is the second contestant in the history of the show (after season 3 cast mate, Shangela) to rejoin the cast after being eliminated. In episode ten, Rupaul-a-Palooza, Carrera was eliminated for her performance while singing a reggae-inspired cover of RuPaul's song "Superstar." Judges Michelle Visage, Santino Rice, and Billy Brasfield voted to re-invite Carrera to the competition in episode 12, Jocks in Frocks. Subsequently, Carrera was eliminated in that episode after styling a muscular male athlete in her own signature, "nude" style of drag.

Career

The November 2011 issue of W features a series of fictional products in realistically styled advertisements as part of an issue-wide art project. Carrera is featured in the series as the face for the fictional fragrance La Femme. In 2011, Carrera, along with third season Drag Race contestants Manila Luzon and Shangela Laquifa Wadley, appeared in a television commercial for travel-related website Orbitz.

Carrera has also been active in AIDS awareness and activism. After being featured in a Gilead Sciences ad titled "Red Ribbon Runway" with fellow Drag Race co-stars Manila Luzon, Delta Work, Shangela Laquifa Wadley and Alexis Mateo, the dress she was featured wearing was auctioned off by Logo in commemoration of World AIDS Day. Proceeds from the auction were donated to the National Association of People with AIDS.

Carrera appeared as a "drag professor" in two episodes of the second season of RuPaul's Drag U. Notably, in the episode 80s Ladies, she gave singer Stacey Q a confidence-boosting makeover.

In an episode of the ABC news program Primetime: What Would You Do? that aired on May 4, 2012, Carrera played the role of a transgender waitress working in a New Jersey diner. An actor playing a customer berates Carrera's character due to his past experience of being served by her when she had previously presented as male, prompting other customers to come to Carrera's defense. Her appearance in the episode is also the occasion on which Carrera publicly revealed that she is transgender.

On June 11, 2012, Carrera appeared in an episode of the TLC series Cake Boss, "Bar Mitzvah, Beads & Oh Baby!", in which she unknowingly participated in a prank involving "Cousin Anthony" Bellifemine, the cousin of "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro, who was set up with a date with Carrera. The punchline of the joke had Buddy tell Anthony that "...that's a man, baby!" Carrera, however, originally agreed to appear on the program to promote equality for the transgender community, not aware that she would be involved in a joke. Following the airing of the program, Carrera complained about the situation: Buddy has since apologised for the incident, saying that "I owe an apology to the entire LGBT community. It was absolutely not my intention to upset or offend her, or anyone within the community, and I was wrong to use the words I did. I am a supporter of gay rights and equality, and while I regret this situation and my choice of words, I am thankful to have received this feedback and the opportunity to learn from this mistake. I hope that Carmen accepts my sincere regrets." The following day, on June 12, 2012, TLC announced that "Bar Mitzvah, Beads & Oh Baby!" has been pulled from rotation indefinitely; the network has plans to re-edit the episode for future broadcast.

Personal life

Carrera, who is of Puerto Rican and Peruvian ancestry, presently resides in New Jersey with her partner Adrian Torres and step-daughter. She has been in a domestic partnership with Torres since 2009. In January 2013, Carerra announced she and Torres ended their relationship in October 2012. During filming of the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race, Carrera had self-identified as a gay male. As of May 2012, Carrera now self-identifies as a heterosexual female.