Playing With Myself is a wickedly funny memoir that will leave you inspired and hopeful.  

 

Laughter is the best medicine, and Randy Rainbow has been my (much needed) supplier since the early days of the 45 presidency.  What’s not to love: Broadway tunes, eccentric costumes, and a proper roasting of the most outlandish things happening in the world? Count me in. 

 

Rainbow, yes that is his real name, is fairly new to the big time.  But his talent was recognizable early on and nurtured heartily by both his mom and nanny (grandmother).  From a chubby gay kid to a man with chiseled cheek bones with sellout crowds, Rainbow gives us an inside look that took me from verklempt to laugh out loud entertained.  

 

And OH the name dropping.  Seriously.  So many names.  Carol Burnett, Stephen Sondheim, Patti Lupone, Bernedette Peters, Josh Gad… has he no shame?!!!  Nope.  And I’m glad he didn’t.  It was totally appropriate and fully fun.  (Also, if I was friends with all of those people, I would *totally* name drop too.)  

 

Be forewarned… this is a short, easy read.  But you’ll absolutely get sucked down the Google/YouTube rabbit hole, rewatching old parodies and looking up all the “flying monkeys” he mentions.  Plan to read this one when you have plenty of time and data.  It’s a full experience.

 

Go grab your copy.  I read the physical book, but I love when the audiobook is narrated by the author.  I can see that version being the total package.  

 

Many thanks to @randyrainbow and @stmartinspress for the #gifted book and glasses.