I want to thank the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Randy Rainbow's Playing with Myself before publication. Although I am grateful to the publisher, the following review is completely mine.

If you're like me, Randy Rainbow helped you get through four years of the Trump Administration. I'm also really hesitant when I see someone like Mr. Rainbow writing a book because I'm afraid it's going to be self-aggrandizing. This book is not one of those tomes at all. I really enjoyed learning about Randy from his upbringing to his stint on a cruise ship. From his musical theater background and friendship with Josh Gad to his stint as a Hooter's host. Randy Rainbow has lived a very interesting life, and he discusses it all in this heartwarming and hilarious autobiography.

Of course, most of us are interested in how became the internet celebrity he has. And he discusses his earliest idea of being Mel Gibson's boyfriend to the process he uses to create his viral videos today. From an artistic perspective, you really get to see his process, which I think will be great for anyone interested in creating internet content.

In the book Rainbow writes, "(Just as an aside . . . I hate to steal the crown and have armies of gay writers trolling me on Twitter, but could I—Randy Rainbow—be the gayest person in history ever to write a book? Discuss amongst yourselves.)"

I would have to say the answer to this question is a resounding YES. And frankly, we wouldn't want to have him any other way.
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And if you're wondering, Randy Rainbow is his real name by birth. The Gay Gods have clearly spoken.

Randy Rainbow, a musical comedian who you have definitely seen on your social media feeds before, absolutely shines in this memoir. He is brazenly honest about his life and his comedic wit is sprinkled throughout every chapter. Rainbow is a true role model for anyone who doesn't feel like they fit in with the "regular" crowd and encourages others to embrace their authentic selves. While this memoir had me laughing out loud, it did feature some more serious chapters as well. So prepare yourself for the emotional rollercoaster that this book is.

The one and only Randy Rainbow (yes, that's really his name) has written a tell-all that's just dripping with big names. I love it! I could actually hear his voice as I was reading. No, there is nothing shocking in the life of Mr. Rainbow, but I quite enjoyed learning about his journey from childhood to the here and now. I highly recommend it.

I'll admit that I wasn't a Randy Rainbow fan until I received the review copy of Playing With Myself, but I definitely became a fan while I read. This ones not for all audiences, though, it's pretty liberal and can be a tad "crude," I suppose- nothing that offended me, but I can't see anyone's aunt "Karen" really loving this one. That said, this book is FUNNY, quick, and totally endearing. Randy discusses his childhood and how he found his comedy niche- he addresses his Twitter "controversy" (which I had no idea about but felt he handled well)- and living in New York during the covid-19 pandemic. I found his life to be very interesting and I loved anytime he brought up his grandmother, "Nanny," or his cat. This book is a great balance of humor and heartfelt and while his song parodies (I've fallen down his YouTube rabbit hole since reading this) certainly lean liberal politically, he didn't get preachy or judgy in this book. The book has great flow and id definitely recommend it.

Gurrrrrl, what a glittering, sparkling, and fantastic book!

When I spotted this book on the NetGalley ARC list, I could hardly believe it. My son introduced me to Rainbow’s videos during the Pandemic. Each time a new video dropped, he would immediately send me the link. Randy’s (yes, I want to be on a first name basis with him) creativity and humor provided smiles and laughter, which were greatly needed during the difficult times we were all experiencing.

In PLAYING WITH MYSELF, Rainbow opens up about the struggles he overcame in order to fill the shoes of his name (which REALLY IS his legal name). His love of everything Broadway, not only in his videos, but also in the way he writes so fondly about the songs, shows, and albums.

He does not like song parodies, even though he has gone viral with his expertise in this category. The outline he provides of his creative process is overwhelming. His ability to pull Broadway songs from his head to correspond to current events and the research he does in order to write the lyrics is incredible. His ability to bring all of the pieces together (information, music, lyrics, scripts and video) is masterful, especially since all of this work is completed in his apartment.

Steven Sondheim was quoted by Lin-Manuel Miranda saying, “He’s good as anyone writing lyrics now, and what he’s doing is harder.” After watching his videos and listening to his songs, this is an obvious observation.

Rainbow opens up about difficult times in his family life and struggles when returning to New York while also being able to add typical Rainbow remarks. His ability to expose himself (no pun intended) as a character and as a man is moving, and make me like him as a person even more (thus our first name status).

I enjoyed this book. I didn’t really know much about Randy Rainbow until Covid struck and I started watching and anticipating his videos. It was fun to learn about his childhood and how he has persevered in his career. This is funny and sad but always up lifting.. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an early copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC Playing By Myself by Randy Rainbow in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed catching up on his life before his viral videos! If you don't know about Randy, you should check him out on YouTube - he is spoof video royalty, rewriting hilarious lyrics to musical theater showtunes. My favorite is probably Seasons of Trump. Randy's humor- and sarcasm-filled tone resonates clearly in this memoir, including really funny chapter titles. I could hear his voice in my mind as I read, and I could see him in his signature cat-eye glasses. I bet the audiobook (he narrates!) will be fantastic! Not only did I laugh, I also teared up at time. This memoir is honest, sentimental at times, but mostly light and fun.
If you're a Randy fan or a Broadway fan or a satire fan you'll enjoy this fun read that comes out April 19th. I loved it, I honestly loved it *sung a la Olivia Newton-John*

What a delightful memoir! The author describes the book as a look at "the person behind the persona." It has all the quick wit and creativity of his viral videos, and some unexpectedly touching passages about his mother, grandmother, and cat. I definitely recommend this quick and fun read.

Randy Rainbow has been a bright spot on the darkness of the last six years. I don’t think I could have found any humor in the previous presidency without him and he continues to delight to this day. If you have not seen his videos, get thee to YouTube posthaste. My favorite is A Very Stable Genius but there are so many gems.

There’s a lot of name-dropping in this book, cataloguing all of the famous people he’s worked with and met, but it wasn’t obnoxious at all. I found it very entertaining and fun. And Randy, gurl, you deserve every bit of success. 💋

Also this book made me legit sob. TW if you’ve lost a pet because his story about sweet Mushi was a really tough one for me.

This book comes out on the 19th of this month so pre-order now!!

And yes, that’s his real name.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the advanced copy!

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This is the BEST memoir on the market. I laughed, I cried...a lot! I love Randy Rainbow even more than I did before reading Playing With Myself. Beautifully, and honestly written, it is hysterical! I loved reading about his Nanny, and his Mom..it's shocking about his father...you'll have to read it. Randy Rainbow is one of the most talented of comedians, singers, and performers of this decade. READ THIS BOOK! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the epub. I LOVED IT!!!

Normally I reserve five-star ratings for books of exceptional literary merit, but Randy Rainbow's memoir, "Playing with Myself," earns five stars for the sheer humor and entertainment value. The provocative title perfectly encapsulates his approach to his political parody videos: a bit risque, and a whole lot of "play time" with multi-tracks, costumes, wordplay, riffing on beloved and familiar musical show tunes. I have been a fan of Randy Rainbow's since he began poking fun at the Trump Administration, but I had always been curious about his background, and what led him to that point.

Unlike many memoirs from show biz personalities, Rainbow doesn't carefully curate what he's willing to share. He puts it all out there, recounting his growing-up years with an emotionally abusive father (whose death elicited another show tune from Randy: "And I felt ... nothing ..." from A Chorus Line. He describes his socially awkward, overweight teen years, the sanctuary theatre and the stage afforded, and his eventual coming out as gay (or rather, being told he was gay). He is remarkably candid, balancing his breezy, self-deprecating humor with occasional gravity, such as the uncomfortable lessons learned when some jokes, made early in his career when he was still experimenting to find his style, came back to haunt him decades later. Finding a way to overcome his initial defensiveness, and graciously accept accountability, revealed him to be empathetic and caring.

Randy Rainbow's writing is very capable and humorous, while still being light-hearted, with many laugh-at-loud moments, reminiscent of his YouTube videos. He really drew me in and I finished it in a weekend. He is also humble and quick to credit with a grateful heart the many people--mother, grandmother, friends, show biz legends--who nurtured his talent and career along the way.

I am really looking forward to the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Holy Moly, I loved this book from Randy Rainbow. I discovered Randy around the time most of the world did, when he was creating the amazingly funny Trump parodies on YouTube. This was a dark time for a lot of us. We were (and are) so divided by politics and every day I dreaded seeing what new drama would be playing out on the news. Add in the pandemic and the fatigue of being home day after day and worried about the health of our families and it was a really dark time. (Not that today is any better- Randy keep the videos coming!) Randy's videos gave us a reason to chuckle, a reason to sing along. It was a little rainbow (I had to) in a very dark storm.

I enjoyed this memoir and even though I read it, I could hear Randy's voice throughout. I loved learning about his home life and growing up as a gay youth trying to figure out his place in this world. I laughed out loud at his highs and teared up in a couple of points as well (Bless the great grandmothers and cats). I knew absolutely nothing about the "Cancel Randy Rainbow" explosion and I'm really glad I did. It was a horrible experience and it just puts a bold emphasis on why issues aren't all black and white. People have many layers and it seems like the world just wants to hear one tiny piece of information and that suddenly becomes the whole of a person. I am on the fence on cancel culture. We do it too quickly and we don't take time to research and understand the full picture in these cases. However, once in awhile someone has done something so horrific and inexcusable that I can understand....not really 'cancelling someone'...but showing your stance by not supporting that person's work financially. That is your personal decision.

I read this book very quickly and found it extremely enjoyable. If you are a fan of Randy's or even just generally enjoy entertainment memoirs, this is a great one to read.

Randy Rainbow is all that. I have been a fan for awhile, enjoying his brilliant, hilarious, and spot-on political videos. This is a cleverly written autobiography. I really enjoyed it, and recommend!

If you have kept your sanity during Covid, Randy may have been a reason. It is interesting to meet the person behind the videos. Loved reading about mom and grandmother. I was surprised to see how long his career was. If you read the book, you get his real name! Only thing that I didn't like....no pictures! I need to see your lovely ladies. I want to see Snow White and your room! I think we need a Randy picture book.
Thanks NetGalley and Randy for keeping me smiling!

Just like Randy Rainbow himself this book will make you laugh, think and maybe shed a tear or two. This memoir shows how a gay chubby theater nerd came to entertain the masses. He owns his own quirkiness and name drops all over the place. I am a fan but was thrilled to find him so much more than his public persona. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and truly look forward to see where he goes from here.

I can't stress enough how much I love Randy Rainbow! From his early videos of being Mel Gibson's boyfriend to his fabulous send-ups of show tunes at the expense of whatever horrible politicians, press secretaries, and lawyers (I could go on), I've been a fan (and a subscriber). That said, I think this book will appeal to people who appreciate his work and people who have always felt a little like they didn't belong where they are (but know they must belong somewhere!).

I also like to imagine someone stumbling upon this book, not knowing who the hell Randy Rainbow is (I mean, is that even a real name? YES, it is!), and discovering the one thing that has been missing in their lives.

This memoir gives the reader a look at the early life of Randy Rainbow: his relationships with his parents and grandmother, his big move to NYC. Then it is almost all wonderful name dropping and amazement, but in a "pinch myself, I can't believe this is my life!" sort of way. Despite any challenges, Mr. Rainbow finds a way to see the silver linings. I'm sure this isn't always the case; the loss of his sweet cat, Mushi (during the pandemic, for goodness sake), speaks to that, as does his relationship with his difficult father, but he carries on.

5 big, happy, melodious stars for Playing with Myself!

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Randy Rainbow is certainly a very interesting individual and extremely talented. I enjoy watching his videos and parodies very much. I thought it might be fun to read his autobiography. Playing With Myself, published by St. Martin's Press.

I discovered that you can get too much of a good thing. While his short vocals and parodies are fun and clever, the book is very repetitive and was tiresome for this reader.

I didn’t know who Randy Rainbow was until the former presidency was in effect. Within a few weeks of the election, I was in the hospital with such an awful panic attack that I thought I was having a cardiac issue. Thankfully, I wasn’t and a few days after that event my husband introduced me and our teens to Rainbow’s videos and they were so wonderfully funny and a guaranteed source of laughter (a limited and precious commodity at the time) during that shitshow of a presidency and the pandemic early days. As a result, my entire family and I adore him. I truly do thank him for helping so many of us through the DJT years and the pandemic. Randy Rainbow is a treasure of a human.

I really appreciated learning more about Randy’s early life, younger life, and present day. I loved reading his story and hope it becomes an audiobook, with Randy narrating.

Do you grok Randy Rainbow? Gurl, where have you been? Open your laptop and go to YouTube – NOW!
I am not a celebrity junkie. I don’t care who’s married, or divorced, or how many children they have. In fact, I stay away from such news, because if I admire an artist, I don’t want to find out that they’re jerks IRL. I am a fan of musical theater, though, and I love Randy Rainbow’s videos, in which he creates new lyrics for Broadway tunes, so I took a chance on *Playing,* even though I risked learning that James Corden is a secret pickpocket.
Come to find out that Mr. Rainbow only has praise for everyone. (A little suspiciously so, but maybe that’s me. I don’t like nearly as many people as Randy does.) He even became friends with Anthony Scaramucci. As Mr. Rainbow concludes from that episode, “Life is weird.”
The book is, in part, a true memoir: Rainbow describes a problematic childhood (with the name “Randy Rainbow,” his parents might as well have written “please bully me” on his birth certificate), but never with self-pity or bitterness. I particularly appreciated his loving portrayals of the women in his life, beginning with his mother and grandmother. He also details the labor-intensive process of putting together his latter-day, highly polished videos. It’s even harder than it looks, and it looks hard.
Extra points for his occasional use of Yiddish, including one word that most non-Jews will have to look up.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I was honestly thrilled with it.

First, thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for advance copy.

Next, why was this memoir so amazing. I could relate to all of the topics Randy talked about. It was like we lived the same life or had way too many of the same experiences. Going into this book I was a bit skeptical because one, I’ve never heard of this guy and second, I didn’t want to be let down by another funny persons memoir—but, this book was literal perfection.

This is a quick read even for the moderate reader once you finish the first chapter you will not want to put this book down.