Chairman of the Board

Background:

“I know that I go by 'Carrot Top' and I have big hair and I do props and I'm kind of silly. Of course, for these guys who write jokes for these shows (like “The Daily Show”), I'm an easy target. I keep that in the back of my head. I don't think it's the props, because I sure haven't invented prop comedy. I think it's the fact that I do something different and that I actually have some success with it. That bothers a lot of people, especially comics. Comics don't like to see other comics do well. It's our nature: Human beings like success but they hate successful people. But some of the jabs are kind of funny like on “King Of The Hill” when the kid wanted to be Celery Head. I found it kind of flattering. But Craig Kilborn was just rotten.” Scott 'Carrot Top' Thompson

Scott 'Carrot Top' Thompson is an American comedian known for performing flamboyant prop comedy acts as well as for his bright red hair. He used to sell out over 200 concerts a year, and in 1994, he was awarded the American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic. Carrot Top has appeared in many TV shows, films, documentaries, and commercials. He received a Razzie nomination for his acting in the 1998 film “Chairman of the Board.” Other acting credits include “Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!” (1998, V), “Now That's Funny” (2005, V) and “Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular” (2007, TV).

Carrot Top launched his first book, “unk In The Trunk: Some Assembly Required,” which is a guide to building some of his goofy props from his comedy routine, in October 1996.

Carrot Top is a fan of comedian George Carlin. He is a dedicated bodybuilder and exercises even while on tour. He is friends with comedian Rodney Carrington and has appeared in many of his music videos. He has homes in Los Angeles, California and Orlando, Florida.

Shy Boy

Childhood and Family:

Carrot Top was born Scott Thompson on February 25, 1965, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. His father, Larry Thompson, was a rocket scientist who worked on the Gemini and Apollo missions. He graduated from Cocoa High School in 1983 and then studied at the Florida Atlantic University-Boca Raton in Boca Raton, Florida from 1986 to 1989. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing. He recalled, “ Younger in life I was always kind of quiet and shy and I think I kind of grew into myself as I got older, I became more of a class clown as I got to junior high. My way of fitting in was through jokes and making people laugh. I wasn't the jock (I know, it's hard to tell) or the good-lookin' stud. I was just a very skinny red-headed freckled guy. My way of making people like me was to make 'em laugh.”

1-800-CALL-ATT

Career:

Carrot Top had his first standup comedy routine while still a freshman at Florida Atlantic. He followed it up two months later with a performance at an open mike night on campus. He made his television debut in 1990 in the pilot episode of “The New America's Funniest People” (ABC, 1990-1994), a TV show that presents home videos of weird people doing all kinds of funny things. In 1992, he appeared as himself in the TV movie comedy “Spaced Out!,” along with Jonathan Winters, Bonnie Hunt and Susan Norfleet.

Carrot Top has made a number of self appearances on television, such as “Space Ghost Coast to Coast” (1996), “The Chris Rock Show” (1997), “ Sin City Spectacular” (1999), “Donny & Marie” (1999), “ Happy Hour” (1999), “ The Man Show” (2001), “Weakest Link”(2001), “ Politically Incorrect” (2 episodes, 2001-2002), “Scrubs” ( 2002), “ The Daily Buzz” (2002), “ The Wayne Brady Show” (2003), “Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon” (2004), “George Lopez” (2004), “ Just for Laughs” (2005), “Cold Pizza” (2005), “ MADtv” (2005), “ Family Guy” (2006), “ I've Got a Secret” (2006), “Reno 911!” (2006), “ Last Comic Standing” (2007), “Gene Simmons: Family Jewels” (2007-2008), “The Bad Girls Club” (2009), “ Criss Angel Mindfreak” (3 episodes, 2006-2009), “ The Girls Next Door” (2009) and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2011). He appeared in talk shows like “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” (1998), “Late Show with David Letterman” (2003), “Howard Stern” (2003), “ The Tony Danza Show” (2004-2005), “ Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (2007), “Howard Stern on Demand” (2007), “The Jay Leno Show” (2009-2010), “ The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (1993-2011), “Live with Regis and Kelly” ( 2004-2011) and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” (2006-2011). Between 2002 and 2004, he appeared in 30 episodes of the syndicated panel game show “Hollywood Square.” Carrot Top also appeared as himself in the films and documentaries like “Pauly Shore Is Dead” (2003), “The Bros.” (2006, directed and written by Jonathan Figg), “ Heckler” (2007), “The Hangover” (2009, directed by Todd Phillips), “ Close But No Cigar: Bob Zany” (2010) and “I Am Comic” (2010). He was one of the roasters in “Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav” (2007).

Carrot Top served as the continuity announcer for Cartoon Network from 1995 to 1999, for which he also produced and starred in an early morning show called “Carrot Top's AM Mayhem” for two years (1994-1996).

Carrot Top served as a spokesperson in commercials for 1-800-CALL-ATT during the early 2000s. The work has earned him national attention. He also appeared in TV commercials for ESPN SportsCenter (2000) and Burger King restaurants (2009).

Carrot Top made his acting debut in the 1996 direct to video action/drama film “Hourglass,” opposite C. Thomas Howell (also directed the film), Sofia Shinas and Anthony Clark. There he portrayed a clerk. It was followed by a role as morgue truck driver in the direct to video “Pure Danger” (also 1996), again directed by and starring C. Thomas Howell. After making a guest appearance in an episode of the HBO sitcom “The Larry Sanders Show” called “The Roast” (1997), he was cast in the leading role of Edison, opposite Courtney Thorne-Smith as Natalie Stockwell, in the Alex Zamm directed comedy film “Chairman of the Board” (1998). The film was poorly received by critics and moviegoers alike, and Carrot Top was nominated for a 1999 Razzie Award for Worst New Star for his performance. The same year, he co-starred with Justin Cooper, Don Rickles, George Kennedy, Betty White and Brian Doyle-Murray in “Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!,” a direct to video sequel to the 1993 theatrical feature “Dennis the Menace.” There he played the role of Sylvester. Two years later, Carrot Top played Dr. Eugene Splicer in the television series “N.Y.U.K.,” opposite Dan Lauria and Anna Nicole Smith. He then appeared in the 2003 TV series “ ComiXspotlight,” the 2005 direct to video “Now That's Funny,” starring Smothers Brothers, Andy Dick and Tom Green, and the 2007 TV film “Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular,” where he played Ghost of Christmas Future. He also provided the voice of Shorty in the direct to video “ Tugger: The Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly” (2005) and made a guest appearance in an episode of “Cubed” (2010).

As of 2011, Carrot Top becomes a headliner at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas and performs various comedy gigs when his show is not playing. His comedy routine contains dozens of props stored in large trunks on stage.

Carrot Top will appeared as himself on the upcoming documentary “The Best Band You've Never Heard” (2011), directed and written by Chuck Fusca.

Awards:

• American Comedy: Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic, 1994