Playing with Myself

February 7, 2022
In this rollicking debut, comedian Rainbow recounts his coming out—but “more like in the ‘eighteenth-century aristocratic debutante presenting herself to society’ ” kind of way. Growing up in the 1980s in Commack, N.Y., Rainbow adored musical theater, and, by his teenage years, worshipped a new god: Barbra Streisand. Packing his narrative with well-timed zingers, Rainbow recalls chasing his Broadway dreams in Manhattan, juggling a variety of part-time jobs (including as a host at Hooters), and steadily making his way into the performing world. Combining his love of theater and comedy, Rainbow eventually created his blog, The Randy Rainbow Bloggity Blahg-Blahg, where he sharpened his flamboyant comic pieces, playing a “hopefully lovable, part gossip girl... part vapid social media star” version of himself who wound up in such unlikely (fictional) circumstances as dating “homophobic” actor Mel Gibson. As he recounts, his videos garnered him thousands of acolytes, among them Carol Burnett, Rosie O’Donnell, and his idol Streisand—each of whom he writes of with gushing admiration. Though Rainbow’s campy on-screen comedy doesn’t always translate well to the page, his gift for striking a well-honed phrase (“I was in the prime of my twinkdom and was not about to let these gorgeous gams of mine go to waste”) will have readers cackling. Fans are sure to be heartened and tickled by this entertaining account.

March 1, 2022
Debut memoir from the popular comedian, actor, and writer. In his debut memoir, Rainbow ("my very real last name") shares his memories, beginning with his star turn in a backyard production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on his eighth birthday. Growing up on Long Island with a "showbiz-positive family," the author depicts a flamboyant childhood influenced by his grandmother and her celebrity fascinations. "My eight-year-old childhood bedroom," he notes, "looked more like the men's room at a gay bar in Hell's Kitchen." Rainbow's engagement with ballet classes and musical theater provoked relentless schoolyard bullying until a family move to Florida introduced him to the unique strengths to be found in coming out and celebrating his obsession with his "lord and savior," Barbra Streisand. As his parents' relationship deteriorated, Manhattan beckoned. In between auditions, Rainbow worked as the "jovial gay boy at the host stand" at Hooters. Honing his stand-up comedy skills, he started a blog, which branched off into a series of comedic video sketches that satirized, among other topics, a fictional relationship with Mel Gibson and a tryout for American Idol. When Rainbow began delving into political parodies, particularly his skewering of the chaotic 2016 presidential campaign, his fame exploded. "For the first few years of Trump," he writes, "I basically lived inside a giant green screen." Still, he admits that his career has been a constant hustle and that the isolating cross-country tours "ain't for sissies." Rapidly paced comic absurdities fill the remainder of the book, as the author provides anecdotes about his struggles to remain upbeat and social media relevant in the fickle entertainment world despite multiple Emmy nominations. In the concluding chapters, the author openly discusses the public backlash from past controversial comments on Twitter, which he attributes to "sloppy efforts as a young comedian" to be funny. Buoyant and campy throughout, Rainbow's revelations and lighthearted banter will entertain fans and newbies alike. A chatty autobiography brimming with heart and humor.

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Starred review from March 15, 2022
Rainbow (yes, that is his real name) rose to viral video fame through roasting the Trump administration via parody songs and skits, and in his first memoir, he drops names, sprinkling his signature wit throughout. Starting as a Broadway-obsessed youth and a pretty decent young actor, Rainbow describes making it to New York City and experiencing life as an aspiring actor/comedian who isn't really getting any work except a desk job, until one day he gets a great idea for a sketch and puts it on YouTube. Rainbow focuses on the highs but doesn't shy away from the lows, addressing the controversies that have affected his career and his own brush with cancel culture. Overall, expect the same sunny content that Rainbow is famous for. Filled with the kind of anecdotes that anyone raised on a steady diet of Sex and the City and Broadway musicals will eat up with a spoon, Rainbow's memoir is pure, indulgent fun. Fans of Rainbow (there are millions, and they include big-name celebs, presidential candidates, and Broadway superstars) will want this book immediately, as will anyone who enjoys a good, dishy celebrity memoir.

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