![]() ![]() “Did the president just do a singsong in the Rose Garden like Jackie Mason? Seemingly seconds later, he’s been Randy Rainbowed.” “He speaks out about how upside-down and crazy things are,” says singer-actress Lorna Luft, another fan who contacted him on Twitter and is now a friend. Three days after Roger Stone was arrested in January, Rainbow posted “The Donald Trump Cell Block Tango,” a video parody of a number from the musical “Chicago.” In a world on hyperdrive, he delivers near-instant gratification: Within minutes of Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s appearance before members of Congress, for instance, Rainbow was taking song requests from fans on Twitter. Competitors like the Capitol Steps strive to put the mock in democracy as fast as possible, but with multiple writers and cast members, they can’t equal Rainbow’s speed. ![]() Think of him as a modern-day Gilbert and Sullivan, or the millennial version of the piano-playing Mark Russell or Tom Lehrer - the key difference being that his get-it-out-fast production marathons and savvy use of social media bring his commentary to the public quickly, directly and with no filter. Rainbow, with his snappy riffs on the politics of the day, is a prominent part of this new and influential group, but he offers something distinct: a very old tradition of musical satire updated for the YouTube age. have become as influential as the Walter Cronkites and David Brinkleys of yore. We are now Entertainment Nation, and society’s jesters - Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Trevor Noah, Bill Maher, etc. It’s no secret that in 21st-century America, power over public opinion doesn’t reside exclusively with editorialists or news anchors. These DIY productions are funny and oh-so-topical and include clever video manipulation of news footage to create sassy mock interviews with prominent political players - mostly of the Trumpian variety - topped off with costumes ordered online. Hundreds of thousands watch the short videos he produces every 10 days or so, featuring show tunes and pop songs he has refashioned with biting new lyrics. But millions share his splashy, over-the-top digital life: Since 2016, Rainbow, a Broadway hopeful who fled from cattle-call auditions, has found his own spotlight through the Internet, emerging as a YouTube sensation who dispenses musical-comedy salve for a divided nation. ![]() In real life, the 37-year-old leads a solitary existence in an orderly apartment adorned with oversize photographs of Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. In a topsy-turvy era, is it surprising that a political commentator should dress in sequins, feather boas and pink cat-eye glasses? Because that’s Randy Rainbow (yes, it’s his given name). ![]()
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