Rainbow Rising
All photos courtesy Dirty Sugar Photography Political satirist Randy Rainbow talks about life beyond his spoofs and what it’s like to offer levity during intense times CHRIS AZZOPARDI | Contributing Writerchris@qsyndicate.com There are far worse things happening in the world, clearly, but political-parody sensation Randy Rainbow does have a bone to pick with some folks.
And this time, it’s not with Marjorie Taylor Greene, not even with Donald Trump. “I’m throwing my team the hell under the bus,” he joked on camera, after jumping on Zoom last minute when he was reminded of our interview, which was “on everyone’s calendar but mine.” “I was getting ready to take a bubble bath,” he said, “but I’m happy to be with you.” At the time of our interview in April, Rainbow was making his press rounds to chat about his debut memoir, Playing with Myself.
The humanizing book recounts his life growing up as an imaginative and misunderstood boy before he became known for his playful digs at right-wing figures by reworking famous Broadway songs to poke at the sheer insanity of those making really terrible political decisions.
Through the book, we meet Nanny, his adoring late grandmother; we go back to the video that launched his viral career, when he pretend-called Mel Gibson; we learn about his comedy-meets-Broadway origins and how it became a full-blown career, earning him now four Emmy nominations and famous fans such as Patti LuPone and even, yes, Carol Burnett.
