Randy Rainbow

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Randy Rainbow
Born
Huntington, New York, U.S.
OccupationComedian, singer, YouTuber
Years active2010–present
Known forPolitical satire, parody music
Political partyDemocratic
Websiterandyrainbow.com

Randy Stewart Rainbow is an American comedian and singer, best known for videos published on YouTube, in which he spoofs interviews with famous figures and parodies musical numbers with a political focus.[1][2]

Early life[]

Randy Rainbow was born to a Jewish family in Huntington, New York. He grew up in Commack, New York. When he was 10 years old, his father, Gerry Rainbow (né Ribner),[3][4][5] a musician and talent booker,[6] moved the family to Plantation, Florida. Rainbow credits his grandmother as his greatest comedic influence. In a 2017 interview with The New York Times, he recalled "It was really my grandmother who was the biggest influence because she'd talk back to the celebrities and politicians on TV. She was a combination of Joan Rivers, Elaine Stritch, Betty White, and Bea Arthur rolled into one." After dropping out of community college in his early 20s, Rainbow moved back to New York to pursue a theatrical career. It was then he began blogging and making comedic videos.[1]

Career[]

Blog[]

Rainbow created his blog, The Randy Rainbow Bloggity BLAHg-BLAHg, to document his theatrical experiences and "kvetch about my day-to-day as a single homo in the city."[7][8]

Celebrity videos[]

In his early work, Rainbow stages fake phone conversations with famous people by editing real audio clips of those celebrities. He posted his breakout video, "Randy Rainbow is Dating Mel Gibson" in 2010. It received more than 60,000 views in one week and has since surpassed 170,000 views. Subsequent videos include "Randy Rainbow Calls Lindsay Lohan", "Randy Rainbow Calls Dr. Laura", "The Morning After Chelsea's Wedding", "Randy Rainbow Gets a Job (from Rachel Zoe?)", "Randy Rainbow Kicks It with Kanye West", and "Randy Rainbow Spends Christmas with Mel Gibson". Michael Urie appeared as himself in "Randy Rainbow Getting Married?" Tituss Burgess appeared as himself in "Randy Rainbow Stars in a Show!" Brent Corrigan appeared as himself in "Randy Rainbow Makes a Sex Tape (w/Mel Gibson)". Rainbow's cat Mushi also plays a prominent role in his videos.[9]

Rainbow's videos have been featured on a number of blogs. Popular LGBT blogs Towleroad and Queerty have reposted many of his videos since "Randy Rainbow is Dating Mel Gibson".[10][11] His Lohan clip was featured by Perez Hilton.[12] Rainbow made a guest appearance in Tituss and the Tightass Band, a 2010 benefit concert for The Trevor Project at New World Stages.[13] He also made a guest appearance in the third annual Living for Today benefit concert at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.[14] Rainbow appeared on the cover of Out Front Colorado.[15]

Political videos[]

Rainbow gained a larger audience and shifted focus during the 2016 American presidential campaign, with a series of spoof interviews and musical parodies skewering the election process and the candidates, especially Donald Trump, who became Rainbow's primary subject following his nomination by the Republican party and subsequent election. Among the musical parodies he has done about politics are:[16]

Title of parody Release date Original song Original show, movie, or artist
Braggadocious 26 Sep 2016 Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Mary Poppins
The Nasty Woman 24 Oct 2016 The Lonely Goatherd The Sound of Music
Alternative Facts 24 Jan 2017 Jellicle Cats Cats
Fact Checker, Fact Checker 6 Feb 2017 Matchmaker, Matchmaker Fiddler on the Roof
You're Making Things Up Again, Donald 22 Feb 2017 Making Things Up Again The Book of Mormon
Unpopular Apr 29 2017 Popular Wicked
The Russian Connection 15 May 2017 The Rainbow Connection The Muppet Movie
The Covfefe Broadway Medley 2 Jun 2017 Various
Before He Tweets 5 Jul 2017 Before He Cheats Carrie Underwood
The Room Where It Happens 21 Jul 2017 The Room Where It Happens Hamilton
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Korea? 25 Sep 2017 Maria; Rocket Man The Sound of Music; Elton John
Desperate Cheeto 11 Oct 2017 Despacito Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee
She Was 16 Going On 17 (Roy Moore Was 32) 11 Dec 2017 Sixteen Going on Seventeen The Sound of Music
All About His Base 29 Jan 2018 All About That Bass Meghan Trainor
Stand By Your Man (Donald Trump) 14 Feb 2018 Stand by Your Man Tammy Wynette
You Can't Stop His Tweets 9 Apr 2018 You Can't Stop the Beat Hairspray
Rudy and The Beast 7 May 2018 Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast
A Very Stable Genius 16 Jul 2018 Major-General's Song The Pirates of Penzance
If You Ever Got Impeached Aug 27, 2018 If I Only Had a Brain The Wizard of Oz
Omarosa 4 Sep 2018 Oklahoma! Oklahoma!
Kavanaugh 24 Sep 2018 Camelot Camelot
Just Be Best 15 Oct 2018 Be Our Guest Beauty and the Beast
Trump's Favorite Things 5 Dec 2018 My Favorite Things The Sound of Music
There Is Nothin' Like a Wall 14 Jan 2019 There Is Nothing Like a Dame South Pacific
The Donald Trump Cell Block Tango (Part 1) 28 Jan 2019 Cell Block Tango Chicago
Cruella DeVos 5 Apr 2019 Cruella de vil 101 Dalmatians
Barr! 29 Apr 2019 Belle Beauty and the Beast
Just Impeach Him 28 May 2019 Breathin Ariana Grande et al.
Suckers 22 Jul 2019 Sucker The Jonas Brothers
Cheeto Christ Stupid-Czar 29 Aug 2019 Superstar Jesus Christ Superstar
GIULIANI! (Here He Goes Again) 17 Oct 2019 Mamma Mia ABBA
He's Just a GURL Who'll QUID PRO QUO! 22 Nov 2019 I Cain't Say No Oklahoma!
That Don! 20 Jan 2020 Gaston Beauty and the Beast
No Rules For Donald 18 Feb 2020 New Rules Dua Lipa
Any Dem Will Do 3 Mar 2020 Any Dream Will Do Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
The Coronavirus Lament 14 Mar 2020 Adelaide's Lament Guys and Dolls
Social Distance 22 Mar 2020 Go the Distance Hercules
Andy 6 Apr 2020 Sandy Grease
A Spoonful of Clorox 25 Apr 2020 A Spoonful of Sugar Mary Poppins
Distraction 19 May 2020 Tradition Fiddler on the Roof
The Bunker Boy 7 Jun 2020 The Jitterbug deleted from The Wizard of Oz
Cover Your Freakin' Face 29 Jun 2020 Put On a Happy Face Bye Bye Birdie
Poor Deplorable Troll 6 Jul 2020 Poor Unfortunate Souls The Little Mermaid
Gee, Anthony Fauci 22 Jul 2020 Gee, Officer Krupke West Side Story
Kamala! 17 Aug 2020 Camelot Camelot
I Won't Vote Trump 13 Sep 2020 I Won't Grow Up Peter Pan
If Donald Got Fired (featuring Patti LuPone) 7 Oct 2020 If Momma Was Married Gypsy
How Will You Vote? 30 Oct 2020 That's How You Know Enchanted
Don't Tell Donald He's NOT RE-ELECTED TODAY! 17 Nov 2020 Getting Married Today Company
Rudolph the Leaky Lawyer 15 Dec 2020 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry
Sedition! 8 Jan 2021 Tradition (repeated by popular request) Fiddler on the Roof
Seasons of Trump 19 Jan 2021 Seasons of Love Rent
Marjorie Taylor Greene 3 Feb 2021 Evergreen A Star Is Born
Mr. Biden, Bring My Vaccine 9 Mar 2021 Mr. Sandman The Chordettes
Ted and Lindsey 5 Apr 2021 Kansas City Oklahoma!
Clang, Clang, Clang Went Josh Hawley 10 May 2021 The Trolley Song Meet Me in St. Louis

Controversy[]

In August 2020, critics of Randy Rainbow circulated a collection of about 60 tweets posted between 2010 and 2016 on social media, highlighting his history of transphobic and racist statements.[17] Rainbow apologized on August 20 in an interview with The Advocate.[18]

Personal life[]

Rainbow is openly gay and Jewish.[19] He was born on Long Island, lived in Queens for 17 years and has been residing in Manhattan since July 2019. He has also lived in Florida, where he attended school, including community college.[20][21]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
2016 GOP Dropout Randy Rainbow 6 episodes
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race Special Guest Episode: "Breastworld"
2020 Better Things Andrew Episode: "New Orleans"
2020 Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Celebration Performer
(song: "By the Sea")		 Television Special

Discography[]

In August 2012, Rainbow released two original songs: a jingle that he wrote for Chick-fil-A from when he worked there[22] and "An Old-Fashioned Wedding," plus a parody of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" called "Born This Gay." On November 8, 2019, he released a Christmas EP called Hey Gurl, It's Christmas![23] It features seven tracks, including a studio version of "Trump's Favorite Things." The title track is an original song.

In June 2021, he announced the Pink Glasses Tour, which is set to start on September 17, 2021 in St. Louis.[24]

Awards and nominations[]

Rainbow was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Best Short Form Variety Series in 2019,[25] 2020,[26] and 2021.[27]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Morris, Bob (June 23, 2017). "YouTube Star Randy Rainbow Brings Sass to His Trump Bashing". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  2. ^ "Randy Rainbow Has Built A Viral-Video Empire From His Queens Apartment". www.wbur.org. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  3. ^ "Gerald (Gerry) Rainbow, Class of 1953 - Monroe High School - Classmates". www.classmates.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  4. ^ "Obituaries - Levitt Weinstein Memorial Chapels & Cemeteries". www.levitt-weinstein.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "Gerald Ribner". Obituaries. tributes.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  6. ^ "In an Ugly Election Year, Randy Rainbow Uses Musical Parody to Bring on the Laughs". Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Voss, Brandon (July 26, 2010). "Mel Gibsons Rainbow Connection". Advocate.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  8. ^ "RandyRainbow.com". Therandyrainbowblahg.blogspot.com. March 20, 2013. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  9. ^ "Randy Rainbow". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  10. ^ Mandell, Sean (July 20, 2016). "Randy Rainbow Spells It Out: 'We Got Trump Trouble, America'". Towleroad. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  11. ^ "Randy Rainbow News and Photos". Queerty. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  12. ^ "ICYMI: Will & Grace Cast Sparked Even More Reunion Rumors With This Broadway-Style Hillary Clinton Support Song!". Perez Hilton. November 1, 2016. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  13. ^ Hetrick, Adam (October 30, 2010). "Tituss Burgess Performs Trevor Project Benefit Concert Oct. 30". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  14. ^ Hetrick, Adam (October 22, 2010). "Jill Paice and Kate Jennings Grant Added to Living for Today Concert". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  15. ^ Compton, Julie (October 13, 2016). "Comedian Randy Rainbow brings humor to tense election year". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  16. ^ "Randy Rainbow Videos". YouTube. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  17. ^ Bollinger, Alex (August 19, 2020). "Randy Rainbow's racist & transphobic tweets resurface. There are dozens". LGBTQNation. Archived from the original on August 25, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  18. ^ Artavia, David (August 20, 2020). "Randy Rainbow on Emmy Nom and Resurfaced Racist, Transphobic Tweets". Archived from the original on August 25, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  19. ^ "Randy Rainbow Is the Gay Jewish Crooner of the Christmas Season". www.advocate.com. December 13, 2019. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  20. ^ mike (July 15, 2019). "Randy Rainbow Moves To Upper West Side". I Love The Upper West Side. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  21. ^ Robinson, AuthorPam (July 17, 2019). "Huntington Native Randy Rainbow Nominated for Emmy". HuntingtonNow.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  22. ^ "WATCH Randy Rainbow Serves Chick fil A to Sarah Palin". www.advocate.com. August 2, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  23. ^ "Randy Rainbow — Recordings". Randy Rainbow. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  24. ^ "@RandyRainbow". Twitter. June 7, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  25. ^ "Emmys 2019: List of Nominations". Variety. July 16, 2019. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  26. ^ "72nd Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners". Emmys.com. Emmy's. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  27. ^ Lieber, Sarah Jae (July 13, 2021). "HAMILTON, Cynthia Erivo, Bernadette Peters & More Earn 2021 Emmy Nominations - See the Full List!". Broadway World. Retrieved July 17, 2021.

External links[]

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