They took risks, defied expectations, spoke out, redefined cool and made us proud to call them members and allies of our community.

Randy Rainbow

Song parodies are nothing new. Nor is sketch comedy about politics. But nobody does it quite like Randy Rainbow. It’s hard to put a finger on what it is precisely that makes his work so special. Is it the clever way he twists news footage so that public figures appear to be impassively blinking as he asks them outrageous questions? Is it the way he’ll suddenly burst into the most perfectly chosen pop song or showtune with its lyrics twisted to affect a laser-focused critique of his target (often seemingly directly to their faces)? Is it his sudden transformations — changing as if by magic from conservative anchorman attire into a warehouse full of wigs and hats and cat-eye glasses? Whatever the ingredients, Rainbow’s YouTube videos took a huge turn with the 2016 Presidential Election — transitioning from light skewering of celebrities to blistering takedowns of Trump and company. Thus a Carrie Underwood hit became “Before He Tweets,” Kellyanne Conway spin met Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway kitties in “Alternative Facts,” and the dire state of our international diplomacy got the Rodgers & Hammerstein treatment in “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Korea?” Throughout it all, Rainbow’s mellifluous voice, virtuosic timing and hilarious sass shine. Would somebody give this guy a TV show already?

Check out our last honoree

Want more inspiration? Check out our People We Love section to learn about past year’s People We Love. Also from our archives, read Looking Back on the Heroes of Marriage Equality.

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Last modified: October 22, 2018