ABOVE: Randy Rainbow, photo via Rainbow’s Facebook page.
Comedian Randy Rainbow apologized for a series of decade-old racist and transphobic tweets Aug. 20, advising “there is not a racist or intolerant bone in my body.”
The Emmy-nominated entertainer drew widespread condemnation for more than 60 since-deleted tweets after they resurfaced this week. According to Variety, they utilized “stereotypes of Black, Latino, Asian, Jewish, transgender and lesbian people as punchlines” and were mainly from 2010-11.
Rainbow, who is openly gay and hosts “The Randy Rainbow Show” on YouTube, has garnered international acclaim for his musical parodies targeting the Trump administration and more. His memoir was announced earlier this month.
Following an unusual bout of social media silence, Rainbow discussed the resurfaced tweets with The Advocate Aug. 20.
“Haven’t been able to address my old jokes from 2010 until now,” he shared with a link to the feature. “Posting this with only love in my heart and my sincerest apologies.”
Haven’t been able to address my old jokes from 2010 until now. Posting this with only love in my heart and my sincerest apologies. ♥️https://t.co/H3G2vOoOVG
— Randy Rainbow (@RandyRainbow) August 20, 2020
Rainbow advises in the interview that “I am in no way a racist. I am in no way transphobic. I’m a gay Jew who was brought up in a very open, accepting family. There is not a racist or intolerant bone in my body.”
Some of his apology can be read at the link above and via the text below:
Twitter has recently reminded me about 10 years ago, in my maiden quest to be funny, I tweeted some jokes that were completely offensive and insensitive to look back on them now, especially with no context or nuance and through the prism of where we are in 2020 with racial inequality and the fight for social justice, which I’m proudly a part of.
In light of issues that are now at the forefront, which I’m passionate about and have spoken up about over the years, these tweets just sound racist and awful. I’m embarrassed by them. They make me sick to my stomach, in fact, and I deeply apologize to anyone I offended.
Rainbow, who shared he’s being threatened and harassed, also noted the tweets resurfaced “in the midst of a very contentious election.” He advised “it’s no coincidence” and that his goal remains to use his “platform for good.”
You can read Rainbow’s full interview with The Advocate here.
