In his Own Words

By Gregg Shapiro

Some of the best and most memorable memoirs are the ones where it not only feels

like the writer is speaking directly to you, but also that they are taking you into their confidence. As if you, the reader, have entered into an agreement with the writer and they are sharing personal details with you, and you can hear their voice clearly in your ear.

In the cleverly titled Playing with Myself (St. Martin’s, 2022) by Randy Rainbow, Rainbow’s speaking (and occasionally singing) voice rings forth from the pages, complete with his humorous parenthetical commentary. The book title is fitting not just because Rainbow (who spent his formative years in South Florida) was an only child, but also because of his seamless one-man operation when it comes to his exceedingly popular (millions of hits on YouTube) parody videos which he writes and performs on his own.

As for the personal and more serious material, Rainbow is unhesitant in being completely forthcoming. He shares intimate details about his difficult relationship with his father, the devastating loss of his grandmother whom he called Nanny, as well as the heartbreak of having to put down his cat Mushi during the pandemic. Rest assured, it’s not all sadness. Randy’s marvelous interactions with his mother, who is one of the most positive forces in his life, are a delight to read about. Additionally, if you don’t already adore Carol Burnett and Patti LuPone (and really, who doesn’t?), after you read about Rainbow’s colorful experiences with both women, you will love them even more (if that’s even possible).

Additionally, as an indication of Rainbow’s expansive generosity, the entirety of chapter 14, titled “It’s Not Easy Being Green Screen,” is basically a step-by-step guide to how he creates his videos. In other words, Playing with Myself is a how-to, as well as a memoir, making it THE must-read of the summer (and beyond).

For many people, gay and straight, Randy Rainbow was also a ray of light and joy during the pandemic. Shining brightly through the seemingly impenetrable dark storm clouds, Rainbow burst forth with colorful parody songs and videos that provided endless sources of much-needed laughs. While the new administration may not get as many zingers, there are still plenty of targets for Randy’s barbs. His multitude of devoted fans and followers look forward to Rainbow’s brilliantly executed audio/visual treats, as catchy as they are thought-provoking. Shortly before his Fort Lauderdale concert date, Randy was gracious enough to answer a few questions.