Quick Take
- Narration: Randy Rainbow narrates his own memoir with the same theatrical flair and comic timing he brings to his viral videos, warmth and wit in every line.
- Themes: showbiz perseverance, queer identity, political satire
- Mood: Funny, tender, and unexpectedly moving
- Verdict: A memoir that earns its laughs honestly and delivers more heart than most comedy books dare to.
I started listening to this one on a Friday evening, expecting something breezy and funny, a palate cleanser after a heavy reading week. What I got was that, but also considerably more. By the time Rainbow’s mother made her cameo appearance midway through, I had completely surrendered to the thing. There is something disarming about a person who makes you laugh and then, without warning, makes you feel something you were not prepared to feel.
Randy Rainbow built his fame on Broadway-inflected political parody, skewering figures like Donald Trump with the kind of precise, show-tune weaponry that only someone raised on Sondheim and Streisand could deploy. But Playing with Myself is not a book about politics. It is a book about the kid who wore pajama bottoms on his head to become Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, who carried a purse in second grade, and who somehow turned all that childhood strangeness into a career. The memoir covers that journey with honesty and considerable humor, and Rainbow reading it himself makes the difference between a good book and a genuinely intimate experience.
Our Take on Playing with Myself
Rainbow’s voice as a narrator, his actual speaking voice, not the performed one, is looser and more vulnerable than his public persona. He is funny throughout, obviously, but the chapters about his early years in New York, his first job hosting at a Hooters location (as the book explains, not every Broadway dream starts in the wings of a theater), and his long, slow climb toward viral relevance carry a genuine undercurrent of anxiety and longing. One reviewer described it as the story of someone who had a dream and the struggles and sacrifices they make along the way. That is accurate. What the review does not fully capture is how specifically Rainbow renders those struggles, the bad apartments, the bad gigs, the sense of being perpetually out of place even among people who were also out of place.
Why Listen to Playing with Myself
The author-narrated format here is not just a nice touch, it is essential. Rainbow’s comic timing is calibrated to the millisecond. His description of chapter titles like “Yes, It’s My Real Name, Shut Up!” lands differently when you hear the exact inflection he puts on it. The special appearance from his mother, who turns out to be as funny as he is, adds a dimension that no print reader can access. Listeners who know his work will recognize his voice instantly; those who come in cold will find him easy to warm to within the first twenty minutes.
What to Watch For in Playing with Myself
The book does not follow a straight chronological path through Rainbow’s life, which works more often than it doesn’t. The chapter structure, each section named for a specific object or phrase from his life, keeps things from feeling like a standard rise-to-fame narrative. That said, some listeners may wish for a bit more depth on the political satire work that made him famous. The chapters on creating “A Spoonful of Clorox” and “Cover Your Freakin’ Face” are entertaining but move quickly. If you came specifically for the inside mechanics of his green-screen operation, you may leave wanting more. What you will get instead is a portrait of the person behind the shtick, which turns out to be the more interesting subject.
Who Should Listen to Playing with Myself
This one is for listeners who enjoy performance memoirs written by people who actually have something to say beyond the applause, fans of David Sedaris or Tina Fey’s Bossypants will find familiar territory here. It also works well for anyone who followed Rainbow’s work during the Trump years and wants to understand the person behind the parody. It is not a book for listeners seeking political analysis or a comprehensive account of his career. But for those who want something funny, warm, and unexpectedly honest about what it costs to insist on being exactly who you are, Rainbow delivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Randy Rainbow’s narration make this memoir worth listening to over reading?
Yes. His comic timing and vocal inflections are integral to the humor, and the special appearance from his mother is an audio-exclusive experience that adds real warmth.
How much of the book is about his political satire work versus his personal life?
The memoir skews heavily toward his personal life, childhood, identity, early career struggles. His political videos are referenced but not the central focus.
Is this appropriate for listeners who are not familiar with Randy Rainbow’s videos?
Completely. Rainbow provides enough context that the memoir works independently, though knowing his work adds an extra layer of pleasure to certain passages.
Is Playing with Myself suitable for listeners who want something lighthearted but not entirely fluffy?
Yes. It is consistently funny but also deals honestly with the costs of pursuing a creative life, including the emotional weight of being misunderstood for years before finding an audience.
