Want viral video that’s gay and funny? Meet web star Randy Rainbow
MIKEY ROX | Contributing Writer mikey@paperroxscissors.com
- RANDY GUY | Internet comedian Randy Rainbow makes videos about, for instance, his romance with Mel Gibson.
Web sensation Randy Rainbow keeps good company. He has dated Mel Gibson. He attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. He’s BFFs with Lindsay Lohan. And if you’re dim enough to believe any of that, he has a bridge to sell you.
Truth is, Rainbow doesn’t know any of those people. But his hilarious videos — which use audio clips of celebrities, like Gibson’s infamous hate-spewing voicemails and Dr. Laura’s racially charged radio show segment — might convince you otherwise.
Quite possibly the LGBT community’s hottest commodity since Ricky Martin popped out the closet, the NYC-based blogger talks about his Broadway roots, his appearance on PerezHilton and how you can stalk him on Facebook (phone number included!). Warning: That call may be monitored or taped for nefarious purposes.
Visit Rainbow Rainbow on his blog at TheRandyRainbowBlahg.com.
Dallas Voice: I just re-watched a few of your now-famous videos and they’re even funnier the third time around. Where did your gift for comedy come from? Randy Rainbow: I come from a very funny, very silly family, so that helps. I’m also something of a comedy junkie. I’ve been observing and absorbing it in every medium since I was a kid. I think humor is the most important thing in this life.
Your blog primarily caters to a Broadway-minded crowd, so what made you sort of veer off that track and pursue mainstream celebs in your bits? The heart of the blog has always been Broadway, as I’ve always been a big show queen. Over the years, though, it’s strayed and become more all encompassing because my interests and opinions extend beyond just theater. The new website I’m working on will include lots of Broadway, but won’t be quite as concentrated. There’s just too much material out there to pass up.
You’ve received a good amount of press from the gay blogs, like Queerty and Towleroad. How have things changed now that a massive audience has found you? Any interesting opportunities — or propositions? Well, I’m still single, if that’s what you’re getting at. But yes, the exposure has been incredible. New and exciting opportunities are popping up almost every day.
Tell us about the day your Lindsay Lohan video was featured on Perez Hilton. The last time I wrote about Perez, I have called him a self-loathing sloth. I had no idea it was coming! Luckily, I’d washed my hair that morning, but otherwise, there was no preparation. All of a sudden, I had like 40 new e-mails in my inbox and I knew something was up. Perez had subscribed to my YouTube channel when the Mel Gibson thing really hit, so I was hopeful he’d post something of mine eventually.
You’re obviously very good at building a personal brand (I don’t believe for a second that your legal name is Randy Rainbow). For all those gays out there just trying to make a fake name for themselves, what advice can you give? First of all, how dare you?! Believe it or not, Randy Rainbow is the name on my birth certificate. It sounds like the gayest of all stage names, but it is in fact nothing but the truth. Trust me — I would not make that shit up. It’s working out great for me now, but it was a very traumatic childhood.
You know your phone number is still on your Facebook page, right? You’re kind of famous now and some crazy gay is totally gonna stalk your life if you don’t remove it. You’ll never know who it is, either, because I’ll — er, he’ll — block the calls. I didn’t realize that, but thank you for bringing it to my attention. Come to think of it, I have been getting a lot of missed calls from undisclosed numbers.
You’re all over the Internet and your fans are waiting for your next comedic masterpiece. Whatcha got for us? I’m gonna continue crankin’ out the videos. I’m even starting to get some fancy guest stars, so look out for those. Stay tuned for the new website. We’re hoping to officially launch at the beginning of the new year. Lots of other fun stuff is in the works, and I’ll certainly keep you posted. For now, everyone should check my blog regularly, subscribe to me on YouTube, follow me on Twitter and friend me on Facebook. I will sleep with anyone who does. My phone number is listed.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 29, 2010
