If you are fortunate enough (or unfortunate enough) to be born with a name like Randy Rainbow, you may seem destined to be a show business star. Though his German ancestors had a family name in the old country of Regenbogen, his birth certificate is officially colorful and exotic, even if that elusive pot of gold took decades to materialize.
For a shy, introverted boy who was gay, he was teased and bullied as a lad and it took decades for him to emerge as a beautiful butterfly from his cocoon to become the writer, comedian, video producer, singer, actor, editor and talented technician he is today. To bathe in his genius, plan to attend “Randy Rainbow for President” at New Haven’s Shubert Theatre on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. for an evening of inspired parody and shtick courtesy of the man himself with all the red, white and blue humor of the times.
Randy Rainbow has raised political parody to an art form. In his New York apartment, he originates videos with his unique ideas, with songs and commentary about people he admires like Barbra Streisand and politicians he deems unworthy to hold office. His creativity and characterizations are clever and on target, hysterical and hilarious, all the product of his imagination and world view.
Growing up on Long Island and later southern Florida, Randy Rainbow’s father was an entertainer and entrepreneur and both his grandmother and mother encouraged his love of musical theater. This show business loving family provided him with ballet lessons and opportunities to stage backyard musicals. He escaped bullying by classmates with musical summer camps and later by entertaining on cruise ships, while he waited to grow up and gain confidence. Moving to New York, he took odd jobs in restaurants and as a receptionist, notably for a talent agency.
During the pandemic, he felt he was “needed” and made his breakthrough on YouTube, creating a video about being Mel Gibson's love interest, based on Mel’s personal family rants. His decision to create skits about Donald Trump was a big boost to his meteoric rise in popularity and launched his career to new heights. To him, Trump is a “project,” great for his career but not so much for the country. His new best selling book “Playing With Myself” tells many of these stories.
Randy Rainbow doesn’t consider himself a political pundit. He feels he has to go from "truth,” what he feels is right, and dress up in a wig and costume and use his "secret sauce” to live out his childhood dreams. To see him at the Shubert Theatre is to have a “communal experience" in person, as he follows his path in life. He is opinionated and proud of it, providing levity, comfort and joy to people, growing in courage over the years, now with Podcasts where he kibbitzes with his idols and heroes. There is even talk about a show coming to Broadway so be on the lookout for a possible big announcement.
For tickets ($49.40 and up, with two special VIP packages available), call the Shubert Theatre, 247 College Street, New Haven at 203-624-1825 or online at www.shubert.com.
Hop on the campaign bandwagon and vote for Randy Rainbow who has clearly come a long way since his first job in the Big Apple as a server at Hooters. With his trademark pink cat eye glasses firmly in place, he is set to deliver a heaping bowl of stylized shtick uniquely his and his alone.
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