Randy Rainbow on Satire, Donald Trump, and the “Cuomosexual” Craze

Summary

Podcast Summary: Randy Rainbow on Satire, Donald Trump, and the “Cuomosexual” Craze

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Chris Cuomo Project
• Host: Chris Cuomo
• Episode: Randy Rainbow on Satire, Donald Trump, and the “Cuomosexual” Craze
• Release Date: November 12, 2024

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Chris Cuomo Project, host Chris Cuomo welcomes renowned satirist Randy Rainbow to discuss his journey in political satire, his unique approach to humor, and the infamous “Cuomosexual” moment that catapulted him into the national spotlight.

Randy Rainbow [00:23]: "Randy Rainbow. That's all I need to say. And you're like, oh God, that guy's so funny."

Chris introduces Randy as a significant influence, especially highlighting his rise during the pandemic and his ability to make audiences laugh at divisive subjects.

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Randy's Rise and Impact

Randy Rainbow delves into how his work gained popularity, particularly during challenging times like the pandemic and the Trump administration. He credits his ability to find humor in controversial topics as key to connecting with audiences seeking escapism.

Randy Rainbow [05:03]: "I didn't just want to sit and say, this is bad. How can I turn it on its ear?"

Randy explains that his satirical take on sensitive issues provided a fresh perspective, allowing people to laugh at what they might otherwise find unacceptable.

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The Evolution to Purpose-Driven Satire

Initially, Randy's content was purely for performance and personal expression. However, as his audience grew, he felt a responsibility to ensure his satire resonated meaningfully without pushing a specific agenda.

Randy Rainbow [11:41]: "Books were a way of introducing myself... sort of ground that and kind of come through as a real person."

Randy emphasizes the transition from a performer to someone who uses humor to address deeper societal issues, highlighting the balance between entertainment and responsibility.

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The “Cuomosexual” Moment and Its Aftermath

One of the pivotal moments discussed is Randy’s viral “Cuomosexual” video, which plays on humor to critique political figures. This led to mixed reactions, impacting both his personal life and public perception.

Randy Rainbow [20:13]: "I posted it while dealing with my dying cat... didn't realize until later when the shit hit the fan."

Randy recounts the unexpected fallout from the video, including media attention and personal backlash, yet acknowledges its role in broadening his influence.

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Social Media and Modern Politics

Chris and Randy explore the pervasive influence of social media on political discourse, the amplification of minority opinions, and the challenges of navigating online interactions.

Randy Rainbow [35:28]: "Social media is an exaggerated affect. We know it is."

They discuss how platforms magnify extreme views, making it harder to maintain balanced conversations and increasing political polarization.

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Personal Reflections and Relationships

Randy reflects on his personal relationships, particularly with the Cuomo family, and how these dynamics have shaped his work and public interactions.

Randy Rainbow [24:51]: "Andrew raised me... until this moment where what should have been mine... gave to him."

The conversation touches on familial bonds, perceived betrayals, and the complexities of intertwining personal relationships with public personas.

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Coping with Backlash and Maintaining Integrity

Randy shares his strategies for handling negative feedback and trolls, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and not overthinking his content.

Randy Rainbow [16:23]: "I trust that I have that mechanism in myself... I just have to trust what pours out of me."

He discusses the exhaustion of engaging with online negativity and the importance of staying true to his instincts to maintain his creative integrity.

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The Future of Satire and Comedy

Looking ahead, Randy contemplates the evolving landscape of comedy and satire, the potential for cross-media opportunities, and the impact of current political climates on his work.

Randy Rainbow [38:20]: "You can do whatever you want because you have nothing but Runway in front of you."

They explore possibilities for expanding his reach while staying aligned with his purpose-driven approach to humor.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with mutual admiration between Chris and Randy, acknowledging each other's contributions to their respective fields. Randy emphasizes the necessity of humor in bridging divides and fostering understanding in a polarized society.

Randy Rainbow [68:47]: "I love the people who make us laugh and we need it more than ever. Just as I need you."

Chris and Randy sign off with a shared commitment to using their platforms to create meaningful, entertaining content that resonates across diverse audiences.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Randy Rainbow [00:23]: "Man, it's not easy to be funny today."
• Randy Rainbow [05:27]: "You got me through Trump. I'm still getting you through Trump."
• Randy Rainbow [16:23]: "I need to trust my instincts."
• Randy Rainbow [24:51]: "Andrew raised me."
• Randy Rainbow [35:17]: "It's stifling. I figure I might as well not do it."
• Randy Rainbow [43:19]: "You do it beautifully."
• Randy Rainbow [53:19]: "That's the way he is."
• Randy Rainbow [62:33]: "The love is coming."

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Key Takeaways

• Authenticity in Satire: Randy emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's voice, even when addressing controversial topics.
• Impact of Social Media: The conversation highlights how social platforms can amplify both positive and negative interactions, affecting public discourse.
• Balancing Personal and Public Life: Navigating personal relationships with public personas can be challenging but is essential for maintaining integrity.
• The Role of Humor in Politics: Humor serves as a bridge to discuss and critique political issues, fostering a more engaged and reflective audience.
• Coping with Backlash: Trusting one's instincts and filtering out online negativity is crucial for sustained creative output.

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This episode offers an in-depth look into Randy Rainbow’s approach to satire, his personal and professional challenges, and his unwavering commitment to using humor as a tool for social commentary. Through candid discussions and insightful reflections, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the complexities behind successful political satire in today’s media landscape.

Transcript

[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

Randy Rainbow. That's all I need to say. And you're like, oh God, that guy's so funny. Or I love when he did this. Or I hated when he did that. Man, has he made an impact. And I needed to get him on the podcast to talk about why he does what he does and how he finds those spaces. I'm Chris Cuomo. Welcome to the Chris Cuomo Project. Man, it's not easy to be funny. It's not easy to be funny today. How did Randy Rainbow grab us during the pandemic? How did he make us see Trump a different way? How did he make it okay to do something that's not okay anymore, which is to to laugh at what you disagree with? That's the genius. And guess what? Randy Rainbow's got a new book out called Low Hanging Fruit. It's my nickname in college. No, it wasn't. Here he is.

[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

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[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

Nothing shows you care.

[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

And look, let's be honest.

[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

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[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

When did it dawn on you that Randy Rainbow was a thing?

That's a loaded question. You mean like for the public?

Oh, yeah. When did it hit you that we all knew who you were?

It still hasn't hit me. I didn't get it because I got known in my living room and it really quadrupled during the pandemic. So I didn't know. It wasn't until when I started doing tours and going and seeing people in person and actually feeling the energy instead of just reading comments on my phone. Then I said, oh, shit, something happened here.

You were, you know, in a really bad period, right Pandemic. How many people have told you, Randy Rainbow, you kept me going during the pandemic. How many people have told you, oh.

That'S the number one thing I get. And I so appreciate that because I've just. I've been doing, you know, what I love to do and making myself feel better, frankly. It's very selfish what I do, but that's what I hear is, you got me through. You got me through Trump. I'm still getting you through Trump. You got me through the pandemic. You know, whenever there's a national or global tragedy, I really thrive. So. But it's really nice to hear that because I'm just doing what I have always done my whole life to make myself feel better. And when I was a little kid getting bullied on the playground and dealing with a tumultuous home life, I would turn to humor and to music. And the fact that I have been able to use those tools to make people feel better at a time when they're struggling with whatever it is that's, you know, real. Some, like, real Destiny type Oprah shit.

Making the world a better place.

I. It's, you know, it's great, you know.

Look, and not everybody is going to like it, but that's part of it.

You know, not everyone likes me.

No, I'm saying what you. What you do often will play to divides and play to controversies. And that's good. Otherwise you wouldn't be interested.

Yeah.

If you just gave one side. Right. And I know you're not. You're coming at it from a humanistic level. But everything fades. Otherwise, there's a relevancy to what you do because it keeps playing in and out of where we are and what's okay to say, what's okay to joke about what isn't. How much of that is conscious and how much of that is just vibe from inside Randy, where, like, this is what I have to talk about.

It's all vibe. I mean, do you. When you watch my video, you get me. So I have no doubt that you understand where it's coming from, but do you immediately see a political person?

No, I think part of the genius is you tap into the relatability of the universal experience.

See, he gets.

You know what I mean? That, like, that's. That's what you're going for. And when someone's really good at it the way you are. We think. Yes. That's what I would have said, too. Yeah, that's exactly how I would have rhymed it. Yep. That pay that joke is perfect. That's exactly how I see it. But none of us could come up with it the way that you do, which is why it resonates. And what. Because I could tell you when it was exactly that you blew up online and what it was. But that's not. That's not what's important. What's important is for you, the registering of it. Like did. When you. Because you were starting. You started before the pandemic and you were doing these. And did you ever believe that this would become a thing not just for you, not because you like it, not because it was performance value for you, that. But I'm going to be relevant in the American conversation?

No, absolutely not. I mean, I started in 2009, 2010, making these videos, and it was really just, as far as I was concerned, just a showcase to get whatever talents I thought I had seen by people I thought I would be plucked. And it was really just about performance, and I needed something to perform. So I started writing for myself. But. But then I started, you know, working myself into the headlines. Forrest Gumping myself, so to speak, into whatever the headline was. And I just followed the bouncing ball of whatever that was. And when I first started, the first video I did was Randy Rambeau was dating Mel Gibson. That is my golden oldies. I don't know if you're familiar with that. We're no longer dating. I don't want to talk about it. But that was sort of how this gimmick started. You know, it was the thing that people. Those were the good old days. That's what everyone was talking about. And everyone was. It was the polarizing con conversation, and everyone was up in arms over it. And I just thought, how can I. I want to do something about this, but I don't want to just say it the way everyone else's. Yeah. You know, as a gay Jewish person, all of the anti Semitic, homophobic stuff, it was. It was horrible. But I didn't just want to sit and sit in front of the camera and say, this is bad. How can I turn it on its ear? And I said, oh, well, I'll. I'll go the opposite direction and I'll. I'll fall in love with him and I'll date him. And that's sort of how this, this satire was born. And then I just, you know, and then Trump came along and. And I kept doing it, and it just seemed every, you know, once it became about Trump and about the pandemic and people were really looking for escapism. It became more and more important to other people, which was a surprise to me. I mean, I'm not surprised because like I said, music, comedy, musical theater specifically, was always how I escaped. But the fact that people kind of found that in me was just thrilling.

Playing with myself and low hanging fruit, which oddly could go together in the same sentence in a way that would be probably bad for me to repeat.

I don't know what you're talking about.

They are different. Randy's.

How do you mean they're different?

Randies.

You're absolutely right. But how do you mean?

We were talking to me, right? Because whenever you put something out into the world, you are leaving it up to everybody else's interpretation. Right. It doesn't really matter how you meant it, but I believe that. And your book, of course, a bestseller, was a really interesting look into the origins of why you do what you do. This is different because you have, I wouldn't call them ambitions, but you have realized your power and now you see a point of purpose to it, that it matters to you, why you're doing it and where it resonates and on what levels. That is a big burden. On top of just trying to be entertaining, now, you have very specific purpose that drives you, not an agenda. Although you do say my gay agenda. Pressing issues from your gay agenda. But am I right, first of all? And if so, how do you see.

The evolution when you say a burden? You mean to this responsibility of people saying these nice things to me?

No, but that, you know, oh, I want this to matter in a different way. It doesn't matter that it's. 50 million people saw it. That's cool. But that was the old metric. The new metric is that things matter to me and I want to make sure that they're coming through the right way.

Yeah, well, I mean, the books really are a way. They are a different me. I think they're closer. I mean, there's some campy stuff in there that's kind of in my character, my Persona. But the books were a way of kind of introducing myself because when people started coming up to me at my shows and saying thank you, and they were being very generous with sharing things about how I helped them through, not only with the pandemic and with Trump, but personal things. And he helped get me through cancer and this and my father died, and I thought, that's so nice, but I felt like kind of a fraud a little bit because they didn't really know who I was. This was very two dimensional in the videos. It's a scripted, heightened, two dimensional Persona version of me. So the books have been a way to sort of ground that and kind of come through as a real person. So I felt a responsibility to be more real through the books.

How hard is that?

It hasn't been hard at all. After going years of people not knowing who I was and thinking I was for better or worse. You know, people say nice things. I don't have to tell you. They say nice things thinking they know who you are. And they say shitty things thinking they know who you are. And I was craving being honest and being real and introducing the real me. So it's been a pleasure to come out. It's been a real release to write those books. Books.

What do you want people to understand about you? What matters most to you for them?

Oh, my God.

Well, I think I only ask hard questions.

I know I should have known this.

This is why I never did entertainment reporting.

I thought we were going to do like musical theater trivia or something. They told me it was going to be all easy. No, I know.

I know.

You are. You are the best.

I interviewed Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts in place of Diane Sawyer. I worked at ABC News for I know you're career. Diane was a big mentor to me. She still is one of my favorite people. Best person I've ever seen do my job, and one of two. She's the best storyteller I've ever seen. Geraldo Rivera is the best live broadcaster I've ever seen in my life to this day at 81 years old. So she can't do this interview. The movie was called the Mexican, right? So I fly out to Los Angeles and I'm doing some drug busts. I'm doing some drug reporting out there. And meth was the big drug. That. And I sit down with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. I don't know them. I don't do entertainment. And he and I had a mutual friend, this guy I went to college with. I say hello, make the connect the dots. He's cool. Julia Roberts comes in. I ask him Brad Pitt, three questions in a row. Because we had been sitting down, she had taken a little bit more time getting ready. So she sat in like, while we're doing the interview, I asked him three questions in a row. One question. Then the couple follows up. She gets up and leaves because I hadn't asked her a question yet.

[Chris Cuomo]

And I got.

[Randy Rainbow]

Yeah. And then he did me a favor. He could see that I had no fucking idea what I had just done. So he got up and Went and got him, got her sit back down. And we completed the interview. And when we came back, Diane's producer was there with me, who's this great guy and a legend in the business. And he was like, if you're going to talk to these people, you have to understand how to talk. He was like, you cannot sit across from a store like that and not be looking at her and be looking at him. I was like, but I was talking to him. So I'm looking at you because I'm talking to you. When I'm talking to her, I look at her. And I didn't know any of these things. So I only ask the kinds of questions that I think are interesting.

I like that you do.

And you are not just an entertainer. And that would be plenty, by the way, especially what we need. We need imagination to take us somewhere else more than at any other time in my life right now. And you've been part of helping hold back the distress. But I am and always have been, as you know, very impressed with how you create ways to discuss what people don't really want to be talking about and that they want to just be angry about when they hear and you make them laugh things. How hard is that for you to do? How important for you is it that you get it right and that it hits and lands the right way?

I mean, I don't overthink it like that. And I can, I can sit and think about it for hours, but if I did, I wouldn't put anything out. So I just try always to go from my gut. I mean, it just. I trust that I have that mechanism in myself. It comes from growing up in a turbulent household where the parents were fighting all the time. And I can trust that I know where to go to release the tension. At least I think I do. You know, no one is happy all the time, but I don't. I never show my videos to anyone before I release them. I don't. I don't run them by anyone. I'm the only one who has eyes on them. Which when I think about it, is insane because I'm a worrier and I'm anxiety ridden and I think, overthink everything. Victoria knows, and so that's crazy. But something in me knows that I just have to just trust what kind of pours out of me. I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. I mean, when people say that, oh, you like, you were nice enough to say that. I'm saying what people are thinking or saying it the way they want. I don't know. It's all instinct. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. Which is frightening because then you wind up on a couch and Chris Cuomo is talking to you and I'm like, how did I get here? How did any of this happen? Why is anyone listening to me? But it just speaks to the power of trusting your instinct.

First of all, I can give you at least five reasons off the top of my mind.

I want six.

One. All right, I'll add one. One is you just have it, okay? First of all, you just have it. You have the quality of what makes people watchable. And it's ineffable and it's hard to nail it down. And people have it different ways. So that's the biggest one. The second thing is that you're a step quicker than the rest of us. And there. I'm sure there can be jealousy among different entertainers about that. But it is nice to have somebody who gets it in the way that you wish you got it. Okay? You make people laugh at things that are. People are limiting to hostilities. And there's an absurdity to that. You help us understand that without doing this. This is how I see you. And it's not just because I walked around the house singing Mama Yu Quiero all the time when I was a kid.

That comes to mind.

But in the suit with the tie. Yeah, with that I'm. I know how funny this is look on your face. And the chiquita banana head top, that is the beautiful combination that you provide. And I have seen an adaptability which was going to be my last point. But I'll add one for you. You are able to adapt to zeitgeist in a really broad range of things. And to hear you say, I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. Well, then you must have some smart ass friends that you hang around with because you are able to get a pulse vibe on the really broad palette of things. And the sixth one I'll give you is you have a great jaw.

Thank you. That's the one I was waiting for. I'm glad I asked for.

I saved my last.

Well, I mean. Well, thank you for that. I mean, are we, you know, of course there was. Are we going to talk about my homosexual moment?

Oh, please. One of my favorite words ever by the.

Well, I. I want to go on record as saying you were my first cuomosexual experience.

No, Andrew was.

No, that's not true.

Liar. I saw you were all over him.

We have to cut.

Disgusting. No, it was disgusting.

Were you jealous? I hope you were jealous.

Of course I was. Like, this guy should be with me all day.

I was you so long.

And you were just drooling over him.

Well, here's the funny thing about that. It started with you. You never wrote, you never called. But you were my first homosexual moment. Now that video came out, which was one of the. That I think kind of exploded me during the pandemic.

Certainly in my heart it did. Oh, God, the Andrew thing. I was like, boy, are you unworthy of this guy's attention.

Oh, really? There was jealousy among the Queen brothers. Yeah.

Randy Rainbow loves me, loves me.

He wrote about me in his book.

I was like, he doesn't love you. He doesn't. Like he's confusing you with somebody else. Like Darth Vader.

No, I did. I do. I love my Cuomo's. And I was, you know, I mean. But the funny thing with that video. Cause that I didn't realize what an impact that had. First of all, as I write in my book, my cat was dying when I made it. And so I posted it. And then I was dealing with my dying cat while isolating. So I really didn't understand until later when the shit hit the fan and the New York Post was calling my house, asking me if I had a comment.

Sorry about that.

And I said, I'm not actually dating the Cuomo brothers. But that was really the first. But that's kind of a. I like. That's a good example of that video because it kind of is. It shows all the elements. Because when I do a video, it is a heightened reality. It is coming at it from different angles. And as much as it was a love song to your brother, who I really appreciated his leadership during that time, it was also poking fun at the people fall, you know, like myself, who were falling all over him as the love gov and everything. So. But I. But a lot of people didn't get that. That there. That there are two kind of dynamics to it.

Well, the problem is our politics, which is not what you want to be a part of. And you know, you can have your own opinion, everybody does. And you have a beautiful way of demonstrating how you want to play with ideas. But that's not good enough for people in our politics. And social media has only turbocharged this magnified. Minorities rule our dialogue. And if you are not with them, you are against them. And so you like a guy that they have decided not to like or been told not to like or something they've been told not to like or to fear. Even worse, you've got a problem. Now you have pushed through that and you have transcended it, in my, my opinion, which is good because we need that. Andrew never will because he's a player in the game. And even getting, you know, having to resign and getting dumped by his own party, he's still a Democrat and for whatever reason, he will not leave the fucking party, which is, you know, I'm not a fan of the parties. I never have been. Not because I'm a journalist. I just think that they're a problem in our politics. You should not have a binary system. You're asking for zero sum. You're asking for opposition. If there's team Randy and team Chris, not only does Team Chris lose, but people on Team Chris can't like Team Randy. And that's not what our politics should be. So Andrew, you know, is very much in that. And that was going to be some of the reaction, even though it was hilarious what you did. And the irony is you were being affected by Andrew. You did the song as an expression of that moment, but you affected Andrew by being a subject of a Randy Rainbow song. It burnished Andrew's image and gave him dimension of likability that he did not have before.

Really? You think my video.

100%.

Get the hell out of here.

The Lovegov thing, The media didn't know what to do.

Well, you know, I'm in the urban dictionary as coining the term cuomosexual. I did not coin it. I heard it. I had heard it before, I have to be honest with you. But I think I musicalized it and kind of. I gave it new life.

Well, I created it.

Did you create it?

I've never said that. I probably said the worst three times in my life.

You make that it gave him.

Look, love gov. Andrew is not a lovable political figure. That's not what he is. He's a doer. He's a mechanic. He doesn't need people to love him the way most politicians do, which is weird for him. But there's an explanation. He was not made to be a number one. He was my father's number two. He ran things for my father since he was 18. So he was always conditioned to be. Be a hammer and to be a heavy. And number one is not the heavy. Number two is the heavy. Number one is oh, Randy. We'll take care of it. You're a good guy. Appreciate you coming here. And then I come in and I crush you and say, how dare you ask him for that. You'll never get it now. And you think I'm the problem. But it was always number one. So Andrew then became that. So love, gov. Cuomosexual. The only thing that was legit was the Cuomo brothers because we've always been like this. Andrew raised me.

Yeah.

Until this one moment where what should have been mine, which was your respect and praise, you gave to him.

You know, this is really close to.

A Cain and Abel, Romulus and Remus moment ever. I mean, you almost broke the brother's part.

Really, I have that kind of praise.

Because when he kept sending me the clip, I couldn't hate him. I mean, he raised. So I had to, you know, started having a problem with Randy Rainbow. And it started off with, like, little shots at first, but he's not that talented, you know. You know, I think I've heard that before.

Well, that's all right.

So I was saying little things. You were. But then when he would play it around me, you know, he'd be. It was like his ringtone, basically. You know, for a while.

See, I had no idea. I'm sitting there in my fucking living room. I don't know that I'm.

You know, I almost came to the living room. I tell you, you were going to get like a.

You know, you would have been welcomed with open arms. Well, you know. And then Christina, during that moment, interviewed me for her magazine, the Purist.

Yes. Well, actually, you've betrayed me twice, by the way. No, one more.

[Chris Cuomo]

Just.

[Randy Rainbow]

I'm glad that I just remembered.

I do.

A bag of silver, please. I was talking to Christina, and at the end of our conversation, she. I think she asked me to choose between. That was her final question for the interview. Choose between Andrew and. What's your name? Chris. And I said something very diplomatic because, you know, I didn't want to upset anybody. But at the end of it, she said, oh, Chris wanted to get on the phone and talk to you, but he's out fishing with our son. So you couldn't even be bothered to hang around. I was horrible with those facocta fish.

I wasn't fishing with my son. I wouldn't talk to you. And I'll tell you why. Randy Rainbow, you were.

You didn't get on the phone.

That's right. That's right. Because I hurt also.

Oh, so you did that on purpose.

I hurt also. Okay.

Do you wanna talk about how just.

Because I got all this going on doesn't Mean, there's not sensitivity.

There's a lot going on. And we'll talk about your hurricane coverage later, but I would like to discuss the fact that shortly thereafter, after the cuomosexual moment, I created a video for your birthday.

Yes.

Did I receive flowers? Did I receive a call? Did I receive a tweet? You followed me on Instagram, but now you don't follow anyone on Instagram.

That's right.

What's up with that?

I follow no one.

You could follow fucking me.

I'll follow Randy Rambo. You want to be the one? I'll tell you what.

I'll follow you if you do that right now.

Do it right now. Well, this. Make up for it. I'll follow you.

I will write a song about you right now, Christopher.

Right now, Randy Rainbow is who I'm following. Not even.

This is good.

First follow back. All right. There you go.

You did it. Really?

That's right.

Oh, my God. I know, but you're not getting off that easy.

You're the only person I follow. I don't know.

This is a lot of pressure now because I'm going to be checking every day.

One.

Stop it, Chris. You don't have to do that. It's going to.

And you know what? I'm going to keep fucking with you. I'm going to keep deleting it and then refollowing him. Every time he gets pissed off, I'll be like, I still follow you. What are you talking about?

You're going to know I'm in the check every day. You're going to fuck with me.

It's the only guy I follow. Randy Rainbow. Some would say. Jesus, if you're going to just follow one person. But I go with Randy Rainbow.

That's going to raise a lot of eyebrows.

So what do you do if we have the sequel?

[Chris Cuomo]

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[Randy Rainbow]

Do you leave it alone or do you dive in with both hands?

Well, I mean, that's been the question people have been asking me for almost a decade now is what are you going to do? What are you going to do if he wins? What are you going to do if he loses?

It's good that they're asking, by the.

Way, why I hate that question.

Well, because if they didn't think you were relevant, they wouldn't give a shit what you were going to do.

Yeah, but I don't like being tied to any one specific subject.

You know, that's the second time I've heard that from somebody.

Well, this is the question that they ask all of the political commentators.

Tell you what, though, when Alec Baldwin started doing Trump, right? He wanted to do it once, okay? And he was like, I don't want to get known for this. Hey, man, feed the need. And not just that they want it. Give them more. It's relevant. Randy, you're not just funny. You're funny and you're talented and you have incredible musicality. But. But there's more than that. Otherwise, look, I wouldn't be talking to you if you were just a great entertainer. I would call you and I'd say, I love you and I'll promote your book whenever you want because I believe in it. But there's value there. Look at the comments. People pick up stuff that you're putting out there for them to think about, to weigh, to unweigh. It's a gift in that.

But how does that tie to the Trump part of it?

Well, that's what's gonna be relevant, of course.

And that is my answer.

So they wanna know if you're in on what's relevant.

Always. But that's. I mean, in 2010, it was Mel Gibson.

How do you deal with blowback, by the way?

Not well. I write about it in books.

Why don't you deal with it?

Well, because it aggravates me. I don't think that it hurts my feelings. Like, for instance, if I hear from these people who say, how dare you say something that I. That's not in my script. You're not supposed to say. Some people said to me, you know, there's a specific video where I sort of poked fun at everybody. And Joe Biden had it the easiest, you know, the lightest. As far as, you know what I said, like, I called him the old guy. Well, they said, take that part out and then I'll share your video. When it comes to, like, telling me how, well, you know, how do I have to change my art? And then it will be acceptable to you. I. That aggravates me. So I don't think that it hurts my. I'm past the point of it hurting my feelings. I don't. I don't think. I'm sure there's part of that in there, too, but I don't think that I internalize it. I don't think. I take it personally. I just resent the fact that I have to share the planet with some of these people. I wanna laugh about everything. I'm trying to have a good time. And I think Joe Biden would have been the first person to laugh at my little joke that he has to be in bed by Wheel of Fortune. That was the joke. And they said, you are a traitor to your nation. And I don't go for that. And plus, it's very hypocritical because they're cheering and applauding when Trump. I call him a piece of shit and a con man and a fucker and a this and that and yeah, yeah, yeah. But then I say Joe Biden has to be in bed by 8pm and they clutch their pearls.

I don't go for that Zero sum. They enjoy that. You make the other side lose, but you cannot touch them. And look, this is somewhat new for the left, right? The same people when, you know, when Piss Christ came out and Giuliani said, we're taking that down, that's disrespectful. There's no art value in that. It was the left who was saying, no, no, no, no. That's not how art works. And offense is an affect. And now it is the left that is starting to talk about some shit that's a little scary from the American perspective. Now, I'm not talking about identity. Identity is a boogeyman by the right, okay? To make you invest yourself in things that don't concern you. Oh, but it concerns my kids. No, it doesn't. You want your kids to be open, intolerant. The left talking about aoc, the other of all people. We got to figure out what to do about people being able to say things are just blatantly untrue and disinformate. Like, what. What would we do? And I never thought I'd hear a lefty say that. Like Hillary Clinton. Misinformation, disinformation. You know, we gotta think about it. You know, there's gotta be a legal mechanism or a civil pen for what people say. Well, yeah. You know, people are saying stuff that's just wrong. And I mean, it's, it's scary because you know what comes next. You guys, do you think about these things? Like shit. I wonder if people try to stop me doing what I do.

I constantly think about it, but I keep it in its own compartment because if you keep. If you think about that too much, you just don't. You don't grow.

You don't like to be overwhelmed by the negative.

No. And it's, it's stifling. And I figure I might as well not do it. I'll go work in an office if people are going to tell me what to do and what to say.

You're not going to work in an office.

No, I damn well will not work in an office.

I'm going to work and not with those nails.

Thank you. I did Them for you.

I like the shade, by the way. Matches my couch.

Well, I wanted something a little masculine. I know this is a very masculine. I like it podcast. But, yeah, I don't like to dwell on it. I don't think about it too much, but it is. I am sensing that it's. To some extent, I feel like the pendulum is swinging. Don't you think that because enough people are getting sick of it. Certainly in the comedy world, like you mentioned.

I agree. Until this new. Talk about censorship. But they're not talking about comedy yet. Comedy is always an early victim of any type of social engineering. But they're talking about political dynamics right now and misinformation that creates division. The problem with that is, you know, as an old guy who's been doing this a long time, it's not the negative that creates the division. It's the vacuum of the positive. And it's a distinction with a difference. If there's not a balanced, positive vibe out there. Right. Even Harris. No. She's not an equal offender to Trump. I'm not saying she is, but she doesn't have an equally powerful positive pitch the way Obama did. Okay. And not just black for black, but he was a giant of charisma. So his counter to McCain, which was, everybody's trying to kill us. Everybody's trying to kill us. You need me to keep people from killing us. Was. I don't believe in just the worst of humanity. I believe in the best of humanity. There's something transcendent about that. That's how you avoid division. Right now you have Harris saying, this guy's a threat to fucking democracy, and he's saying everything in the world sucks. That's where you get the division. One of the blessings of what you do. And I sense that it bothers you a little bit that I see such significance in your work, but good.

Really? What are you saying?

I want to make you uncomfortable. I still have a grudge, but it matters because it.

I'm going to do a Bea Arthur slow burn to camera. Every time you bring this up, I love that. My camera, by the way. Is she here? I. She's one of my greatest inspirations.

Oh, I loved her. I love that whole genre. You know, we just lost Norman Lear, you know, and I was thinking about this. You would have been great as a character in a Norman Lear.

This is what I tell people. Well, that's another problem I have is that, you know, you get pigeonholed when you do anything political.

You can only be rainbow.

Yeah. Because not Everyone gets me the way you do Christopher, and they think this is what he does. And I hear from people who are in significant positions of power to place me in something somewhere else in show business. But it surprises me that it does not occur to people you would have.

Needed, well, you can do whatever you want because you have nothing but Runway in front of you. But like a Curb youb Enthusiasm. That's what I said today would have been a good. Would be a good. Like that kind of platform where you come on and are yourself. You're Randy Cohen, you know, you're Randy Randy. And there's an interaction where you're not being your character. And that, you know, breaks that fourth wall for people a little bit. But you'll find those I wouldn't be so quick to abandon. What matters, though, is this the original headscarf that you had when you first started doing this, or is this just an article of content that was. This isn't even really you, is it.

That that was added in post.

It's a rendering. So you wouldn't even wear this on your head.

That isn't.

You're that hair conscious.

You know something? I don't like this line of questioning. There's a bite.

There's a bitterness in me.

No, I know there is, and I don't like it. But you've made up for it. But to. But talk about Norman Lear. What did you think I would be good on?

Here's why. What was the genius of all in the Family of the Jeffersons, of Good Times, Okay. Was things that were painful, things that were outrageous, things that were objectionable, caricatured. And I heard Carol O'Connor discuss it once, Archie, for you young people. And someone said to him, you created the lovable bigot. And he stopped the guy. Now, Peril O'Connor, to the uninitiated, was almost exclusively a stage actor. Okay? So. So was Gene Stapleton, Edith. That's why Norman picked them, because he always knew those people could project things that he needed on that soundstage. So he said, no, no, no, no. Not lovable. You laugh at him, not with him. And there is catharsis in that. That was what triggered me on what you do. There is catharsis. You make me laugh at things that could just make me angry or just make me want to cry, but you'll give me a way to laugh at the same thing, and there is value in that.

Thank you. And to that, I feel a responsibility not to just go do, like, a scripted sitcom when I think that there is more of a responsibility that I have to, you know. Although I would like to do those sorts of things. But yeah, I feel that.

Do you get offer. How many. What kind of offers do you get and which do you like and which do you not? Because you do your own touring.

I do, yeah. Well, the last eight years has been all. All about the touring, which I hate. And there's a whole chapter in the book about touring. Have you ever had to tour for anything?

No. I'm a news guy. I know. I just go from disaster to disaster.

I know, I know. Talk about champagne problems. I don't want to.

No. It's the best part of the gig. Now. Has it made me a dicey proposition in my personal life? Yes. Not easy to be married to me. Not easy to be my friend. Not easy to be my sibling. Really not easy to be my sparring partner. But you can't look at the worst that humanity has to offer on a regular basis and not have it fuck up your ability to calibrate things that should be really upsetting to human beings. But being a witness to history is absolutely what makes this job worthwhile for me. I would not have come back from when I got Shit can by cnn. I would not have come back if it weren't for that component of being able to help people understand what matters that's happening around us. Especially when it's bad. Especially when it's bad because people lose themselves in trying times because they get really self protective and scared. And it's really easy to like what we're seeing in the Middle East. It's really easy to see the source of violence as the problem. But often that's a really short sighted view or analysis of what's happening. So I can get past that for people like, yeah, this rocket just came from here and did this in Northern Israel. But this group is doing it for this reason. And here's what was supposed to happen and it didn't. And here's now what this dynamic is. Otherwise there'll be another thousand of these in the next four months. That's the upside. The upside to you in limiting some of your opportunities is that you get to concentrate on what may matter. I think that you could probably put together a character that was in a different offering that could be as impactful. But it wouldn't be easy.

No, I don't think so. But I think there is that Curb youb Enthusiasm moment in me.

Yeah. Of you being Randy.

Well, I think I'm in an interesting time sort of just in Like, I feel kind of like an Elder Statesman of YouTube. I started, you know, and when everyone started with the YouTube videos, in this kind of pocket of life, when I have, I have. I bitch about it a lot in this book where I have agents who, you know, want me to create content constantly. You know, you have to feed the beast. And that's like. I'm not good with that. I don't. I mean, you. You're very good at it. I mean, you've got the. The sub stack and the flapjack.

But I'm not. I'm not an artist. You have to be moved.

I do. I'm a lazy. I mean, I'm an artist and I need to be sort of. Yes, but you gotta feel it.

It's not like, go write a column.

Yeah.

You know what I mean?

[Chris Cuomo]

It's not like.

[Randy Rainbow]

But they don't like that.

Suge Knight has just said this. What do you think about it? You know, you gotta feel it, you know?

Yeah. That's what I tell them, but they don't like that.

Yeah, that is a champagne problem.

What about. I just. I know you also. You respond to comments, too. I watch those segments. Those are my favorite comments. Where does that come from? From you. Is that a place of anger? How do you respond at this stage?

So I'll tell you where.

To the trolls.

Okay. This is one of the beauties of this format. This format works on my psyche as well as it does the subject. Sitting on your couch in your house. You get way too casual with things. I'll tell you why I am that way. When my father got elected, I was 12, okay? And we were in Hollis, Queens, and we were very normal. And I went to a very normal school in a good community. That was a little rough. Wasn't like today. And when he won, I automatically became somebody who thought they were special, even though I did not think that I was. I didn't even know what the fuck he'd been elected to. I was 12. You know what I mean? Like, I didn't really know that much. And I was fighting all the time, and it was a problem. And I was getting bullied all the time. Except in my neighborhood, you couldn't get bullied. You had to fight because it would never end. It wasn't the way people think of bullying, which is you go home and you tell your parents. I wasn't going to tell my parents, you know, or at the time, I was living with my grandparents, I didn't even speak English. So it was. You had to fight. So I changed my natural character. I am not a hard guy by nature. I know that. But I don't know who the other guy is anymore. Like, he never got a chance to develop. I became a fighter. I became good at fighting. I lifted weights, and I got to be a big dude. I used to be much bigger than I am now, and I back away from nothing now. That is fucking exhausting. And very diminishing returns as a strategy. Because the whole reason in social media, it's one thing if a guy. I'm walking down the street with you and somebody says something about your nails that I don't like, they're going to have a problem if I'm there. But online, Malcolm Gladwell was sitting where you are, and he says to me, oh, no, you misunderstand these people online. Which ordinarily I'd be like, I don't misunderstand anything. But Malcolm Gladwell tells you, you misunderstand it. You probably do. And he says, they just don't know how to communicate. They want to get a rise out of you. They want a connection. And that's the way social media teaches us to do it. That if I say Randy Rainbow is fill in the blank nasty shit, there's a much better chance that I'll get a response than if I say, this is my favorite video. And I was like, oh, shit, he's right. And then I started doing what he said, which is, I don't do this all the time. I like to slap people around. You get what you ask for with me, but when someone says something nasty, if I engage with them and say, look, I don't like the way you're saying this, but I understand the point you're having. Whether or not I understand or whether or not they have a good point, they change like this. He was right. They just want the connection. Even if they're nasty bastards, they still want to be relevant and they want to have a conversation with you. And they will drop the tone like that. And so I respond because I refuse to have anybody think they're putting it on me. If you want it for me, you'll get it from me. And again, that is exhausting. I'm too old.

Yeah.

To be that way. I've had too much therapy to be that way. But there is a part of me that sees it as survival. Like, that's what you do.

So you are. You are a responder to the trolls. Every time.

I know. Not every time. Very, very, very rarely. By volume in person is a different prospect. Yeah, but you Know what happens, Randy? In person.

And does that happen a lot?

No. But the reason why is a bad reason. I am much bigger than people think I'm going to be.

Yeah.

Women don't care. If women have a bone to pick with me, they come right up into my face because they assume that you're a human being and a male and whatever has changed in society. Men should not hit women. Right. So they. They come up and they say whatever they're going to say. They're angry, they're upset, they're disappointed. Whatever it is they say, they don't care. Men don't. Men see me and they think twice because we're simple animals.

Yeah.

And they're just bullies. If they have real conviction, then they come and they say whatever they want to say. But they're almost always polite. All that Fredo shit. Whatever they want to say about my brother, about me, 100% to me, almost never, ever. And, you know, and I've made my mistakes, and I've gotten into situations I shouldn't have gotten into, and they're expensive, and I've learned. And the more I learned and the more I ignore, which is a little tricky, because I do need to feel where people are, the better for people around me, because it takes you out of that warrior mode, and the less you are that way, the better it is for the people you take care of. But I also do something different than you, Randy. You know, I'm in the Thunderdome, of course, you know, and I choose that. I signed up for that. And I do not begrudge journalists or TV people, whatever you want to call them, who don't do that, because it's way too. It's. You're asking for it. And I get why people. You know, people say, why didn't you give Trump a hard time? Why didn't you say this to her? Why did. Because it's going to come for you, and it's going to be ugly online, and your bosses are going to get nervous, and someone's going to come up to your wife or your husband, and they're going to say something, and someone's going to grab your kid. You know, stuff happens.

Wait. I have two questions, please. One, this sort of what we're seeing online, I know you always say that this is not the. This is not the world. Social media is not the world. I find myself trying to convince myself of that all the time because I feel like I. I'm. I'm so engulfed in it. Is it becoming the world, though?

Slowly as we align.

Do we need to stop letting it do that?

Well, I don't know how you stop anything, but.

Meaning that the people who are running. It's sort of the. The loudest.

The platforms. Look, they have the ability to moderate content. We know they do. Because they figure out where to put ads on your material, right?

Yeah.

You know, like, I want to sell this. This is the right place to put it. I'm not going to put it on this guy's. I'm putting on it so they know. They know what's coming in and they know how to value it. All right, so we could do better, but I'm very careful about that now. I don't care about them as much, even though they're not really private businesses. Instagram is not Taco Bell. Okay. And they're not Yankee Stadium. They do have a responsibility. We got to figure it out. We're not there yet. And that's okay. That's okay. Identifying a problem matters. You don't have to just slap on a solution. We know that social media is an exaggerated affect. We know it is. How do we know 100 different ways? First way you know is nobody puts their real name, and that tells you what you need to know right off the bat. Oh, well, I don't want to have my speech. Chill. No, you don't want to be held to account. That's what you don't want. And it's an exact. Now, the problem is the media covers it like vox populi. So you'll get a call from a writer who will say, do you have any response to what people are saying online? And you'll be, what people? Who the fuck. How many? What are you talking about? Who's saying what? Nobody's saying anything. And that's the mistake. We magnify it in the media, and now our politics is dominated by it. How do we know? Because when you go and have one of your shows, people come up to you, I guarantee this. And come afterwards. You know, so funny what you do. I don't even understand what's happening anymore. People say that to you all the time. I guarantee it. And they're right, because that's not the way life works.

Yeah.

You don't just hate people you disagree with anywhere else in your life, Right? Only in our politics. And it's a magnified minority. I know it is. Is it getting out of hand? 100%. Why? Because it works so well for the parties. Yeah, they love it. They love that. People fear that Trump is going to be A despot. So it's so much easier than selling them your tax plan. And on the right. Forget it. I mean, that's all he talks about is how fucking scary everybody else is. They love. You know, I'm surprised, like, if you came at him enough, consistently enough, he would put you up there and make you some kind of animal of to be feared, you know. And it works. Yeah, it works. So what's the remedy again? And it's not gratuitous. You make us laugh at these things. There is.

I've never heard from him now. You think I would ever.

Would you say, I'll tell you what, you do a nice video about. I'm not telling you to, but you do a nice video about him, you'll hear from that guy within 48 hours.

If I, If I did. If you did a video, like a comment section about.

I was wrong about Trump.

Oh, that'll. That'll really.

He wouldn't fall. I'm not telling you to do it, but I'm telling you that's the way.

I'm gonna have to come move in with you because that's the way he is.

That's the way he is. That guy is the epitome of the person's good to me. They're good. It could be Attila the Hun.

Yeah.

You know.

No, I know because that's was. I grew up with him in my house. My father. I mean, this is another conversation for another couch. But my father was Donald Trump. So that, that narcissism and that sort of, if, if he gets the love he, you know, from whoever it comes from didn't matter. And the second you had any kind of grievance or pointed out something he did wrong, that the cl. The claws would come out.

How did that. So how do you choose to live your life because of how you grew up.

With that kind of father, you mean?

Yeah, like your father, your mother, the people who are around you, what has that informed in you about what choices you make and how you live as Randy?

Well, I mean, my father was instrumental in teaching me how not to be in the world. And I think it's a very interesting kind of correlation to Trump because it really, behaviorally and everything about him is Trump. So in some ways that kind of has been very helpful in my comedy because I'm almost talking to my father. But, yeah, I don't know. I mean, I'm sure a whole other host of ways it's fucked me up quite a bit.

But isn't getting fucked up Inevitable, I guess, isn't it? What gives you your talent?

Yes, of course.

Right? I mean, what comedian is untouched by the darkness of life?

No, it's true. I heard you talk. Can I ask you a Trump question? I have to know about the Trump call. Did you talk about this, your Trump call?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's how you know about it, right?

But I mean, did you talk about it beyond what I saw? Because I felt like I didn't get enough information.

So that was by sign?

Yes. So you called him. I want to know.

So here's what happened. What happens when. I'll tell you the whole story.

Does he take your call? He doesn't pick up when I call.

He will always take my call because he respects the family. And I know that sounds like a Sopranos line, but he's from New York. He knows my father. He knew my father. He knew my mother. Our mothers went to the same beauty parlor. He knows my brother. He respects what my brother achieved. He respects what my father achieved. So in his mind, there's cachet. So even if he disagrees, even if he hates you in the moment, there is a bond of acknowledgement that he will respond to. So I've never had him not talk to me. I've had him contact me with other people to yell at me about things. So I asked his daughter in law to get him on the phone with me because I wanted to tell him that the lack of attention of people trying to kill him is shameful. And I wanted people to know that. I reached out to a guy who I do not like what he is campaigning on or how he's doing it. But I feel for his family and I feel for the fact that people are way too chill with someone trying to kill someone running for office. And it's wrong and I'm reaching out to him. And I knew I was going to get hit with this. Cuomo apologized. I didn't apologize. I didn't try to kill him. You know, I didn't tell anybody to try to hurt him. I never would. But that's fine. They want to take it that way. They can take it that way. That's what I wanted, was for people to see. I don't care that you see this as weakness. I don't care that you see this as me being nice to a bad guy. He doesn't deserve to die for his ideas in America. And I think he's disqualified himself from office many times over. That's not my call. That's for people to decide. But that's why I called him and I said, I'm not going to ask any fucking questions. I'm not recording it. I'm not asking for an interview. I don't want any access. I don't care. So. And I really don't. I really don't care. So I called him. I said exactly what I said I was going to say. That's all I said. And he had things to say to me which were responsive to that. And he was grateful. Surprised.

Is there an awkward moment at all or. No, we just know.

Nope.

Okay, look, because I just.

He knows what he said about me.

Yeah.

And I know what he said about me and he knows what I've said about him and I know what I've said about him. So the beef is there. He did it, not me. He decided to weaponize me. I never created something out of him. He is who he is. He created something out of me that affected my wife, affected my kids. And I told him at the time not to do it and that it was wrong and he did not give a shit. That's on him. That's all on him. But I'm never going to run away from what matters. So that's why I called him. And people were pissed off. And that made my point. You're pissed off that I called Trump to say people shouldn't be trying to kill you and people should care that people are trying to kill and that pisses you off. That's a problem. That's a problem. AOC saying people vandalized my office. It's fucked up. People vandalized her office. Her saying nothing when a colleague of hers in Congress because she just doesn't like her. The Republican Luna, they send a legit bomb threat to her house where her one year old is and that you don't say anything about. That's fucked up. There's something fucked up about that and that's why I did it. Now, was it also a little bit of a litmus test? Yeah, it was. Did I want to see how many people would think that I had been red pilled or that I was now a Trumper? I'd say one out of three.

And does that get under your skin at all? Doesn't that aggravate you?

No. Here's the difference from where I'm coming from versus what I understand from your perspective. I feel disappointed in myself when I have been unable to get people to see things the way I think they should. Not they're going to decide what they decide. But when I Try to do something and make something clear and it winds up just feeding what is unclear. I'm disappointed in myself. And when people say, I think you're a Trumper now, it just makes me feel like I haven't been effective at what I was trying to do. And that's disappointing to me. I almost never have feelings about the person. I have a blessing of a very high indifference curve to people. It takes a lot for me to give a shit about somebody I care about people writ large. Like somebody's on the side of the road, I stop by trying to help. But how you feel about me is irrelevant to me until we get to a very high level. But reciprocally, I am very, very sensitive to what I say to other people. Now I'm not talking about some jackass on social media. They say something stupid, I'll say something stupid back just so that people will jump on them and they'll think about it next time. But I care a lot, a lot about what my, the people who I, the family I choose say about me. Like if they don't, like, I have a bunch of really smart people in my life. If they don't like what I'm putting down on the show, I change it, I rethink it. I'm very sensitive to that. Like if, if Christina, you know, were to say, man, I saw that Randy thing, I liked it, but I didn't like this. I'm definitely not doing it that way again. So the ones who are close, I follow, right? The ones I don't know, I don't know. So that's the way I process it. Because I can't do the gig otherwise. If I fall in with who likes me, I'm fucked. Yeah, because I'll never satisfy them. We just did a segment about people who attacked me for saying that Hillary Clinton is wrong to say we should find some legal remedy for misinformation and disinformation. Now to me that's like a no brainer idea that we should not touch ideas. Okay? But because she's a lefty and I said something negative about what she said, that means I'm anti her. That means I'm now a Trumper and they jumped all over me. I can't play that game. It's harder for you because you have such popularity. I don't really have popularity. I don't have fans.

I beg to differ.

I'm telling you, it's fickle. Like if people don't, like, I know this is like unbelievable, but if you were to put Out a dude. Okay. They still are Randy Rainbow fans. I say something that they don't agree with, that's it. And then I can say something they do agree with and they come back. So you learn the fugacious nature of that following. You know how it comes in and out. You have to learn not to attach to it. Yeah, but that's why people pick sides in my business. Because they want the love.

Right.

The love is coming. If you pick a side. If I pick a side. This podcast has 10 times what it has on YouTube. If I declare, you know what I am a trumper. You know what? I am the lion of the left. I would be 10x inside of 6 months. I don't want that. I would rather enjoy guys like you that help diffuse all that bullshit than participate in it.

Yeah, I find myself really being turned off to sort of the. The living in a vacuum, in an echo chamber. I don't. I'm resisting. I don't. I don't like hearing everything that I agree with. I just don't think it's healthy. And I don't want to. I'm afraid of being surprised. I think I have some ptsd, but, like, shit, I don't know what's going on over there. It's. It's. It's. I'm. My pendulum is swinging in that department.

Well, you have to. As an artist, you have to be. You have to know.

Well, also that. Yeah.

You know, you gotta have that texture, that substrate of understanding what's moving people to figure out when you want to jump on and off. The pendulum.

Yeah.

And I think you do it beautifully.

Thank you.

Now, tell me if I have read the first book and I believe. Well, I get it. I know the guy. I don't need this book. Why am I wrong?

Well, I think if you read the first book, it's sort of more of a chronological memoir. This is. If that was the main course, this is probably a bad thing to say, but I don't care. This is sort of like the dessert, but it's not empty calories. This is sort of more humorous essays. There's personal moments in it, but it's a mix of everything. It's a fruit cocktail of things. So there's some political, Campy political commentary. There's a lot of complaining about a lot of shit. Just. We haven't even touched on most of the topics in there. But I have a lot of shit on my mind, and let's give it.

Give me some. What are your top five concerns?

Well, it's A lot. It's a lot about social media, you know, get ready with me videos. Have you done?

Oh, yeah, I heard it. I heard the audiobook. There's an audiobook also?

You listen to the audiobook?

Yeah, I was listening to it before you came.

Wow.

I gotta take it or left it.

He really likes me, Chris.

So you said. Why did the. But you watch them, you said.

I do watch them, and that's why.

YouTube is putting them in your queue.

I know. I don't like any of it. I have to break free of this spell that I'm under that we all are. But I fear it's too late.

Why? If it's not making you see yourself in an unhealthy way, and it is an empty departure from the things that are nagging, who cares?

Okay, well, you've changed my mind. I feel better about it. I don't know. I have. I. I don't know. I don't. I just don't. I think what I really talk about is sort of the state of and of show business, and I kind of think that all of that is kind of being considered the entertainment industry now.

It is.

And I'm a little bit of a snob about my show business.

You should actually have talent. You're one of those.

I do think so. I mean, I like, you know, I. When I was a kid and now the people that I looked up to had abilities that were that far exceeded my own, and I liked it that way.

The influencer is what fucked us up.

It's the influencers. And I say it with love and respect, and I think a lot of them have a lot of gifts. And if you're contributing something to an audience, that's a value better on you, you know, all good for you.

But I think that you're not wrong about that. In fact, look, I don't really matter that much on social media, but I go to influencers because I like fitness. I watch, like, three things. I watch people showing me how to do exercises that I don't normally do.

Makeup tutorials.

I watch makeup tutorials if my wife's not around, if I watch hot rods.

Is that a car?

Yeah, like cars, restorations and all that kind of stuff. I watch fishing, offshore fishing. And I watch guys, almost always guys, sometimes women, fixing hooves.

Hooves.

Hooves. I just learned how to say it.

What is a. What is a hoof?

Like a hoof, like a cow hoof or a horse hoof?

They fix them.

The farrier.

And this is what you're spending. You're not busy enough.

They clean out the hoof. They're satisfying. They fix it. It's got an ulcer or an asthma on it. They call and they carve it out and they put this powder on it and they put a block on it so the thing can walk and it's fixed and it walks away.

And you love watching that.

I love it because they are making things better. And so I get it. And I reach out to influencers in the fitness space, boys and girls, and say to them, if they're not showing their ass the whole time or the guy's just showing off his body, like he's actually trying, I say to him, this is great content. Thank you. Because I know they don't get rewarded for it. If you're not showing off your ass or your abs the whole time, you don't get the following. And we're feeding the wrong thing. We're feeding the wrong thing.

Yeah.

So I feel you on that. I'll check that box with you.

Okay.

What else is something that people have to learn from you in this book about?

Well, there's a lot of sex talk. I know that you were disappointed that there wasn't enough sex in the last book. There are pictures.

Pictures is what I wanted.

Drawings. And so in that regard, I do. There are some personal revelations in there. I don't want to give it all away here, but I talk about just.

Asking you to tee it up any way you want to. I'm sorry for asking the talk.

No, there's like to talk about your book. In fact, now that I'm. I'm reminded of it, and there is a reference to you that you might appreciate.

Wait, where am I? I didn't see it. There's no appendix in this. You got lazy.

Calm down.

Index.

There's. I think there's at least one reference.

Am I in the acknowledgments?

No, no, you're not acknowledged.

And there's this picture that's completely photoshopped. I got this.

You know, it's a tasteful nude.

The. The nude that was going around to that porn guy that kept showing up in all these different memes. Remember that guy?

Which one is that?

The one where, like, you would, like, say, oh, happy birthday.

Oh, and the guy with the sitting on the bed.

Yeah.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Randy, I love you and I love what you do.

Thank you. It's likewise.

He is funny, he is deep, and he's an artist, and I love the people who make us laugh and we need it more than ever. Just as I need you. Thank you for subscribing and following here. The Chris Cuomo Project. Thank you for checking me out at 8p and 11p every weekday night on News Nation. We're building and we're building because of you. So thank you. Want this without ads? I get it, I get it. Go to the substack. Five bucks a month. You get the podcast first, you get it ad free. You get all my long Covid content and you get my looks at philosophy on the walk and talks, which you can use and help you get a little bit more movement and a little bit more brain food as well. What do you say? Let's get after it.