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Prop Buffoon
Background:
“Nobody can steal my act. I’ve challenged comics to write me a prop and they can’t. Comedians have done plays on words, but writing a visual joke is something else. A rubber chicken isn’t enough. I have to write my own material, make my own props, because no one sells what I do – like the paper-cup-and-string-telephone with a third cup for call waiting. I’m happy not only that I have my own style, but I’ve been an original from the very start.”
Comedian Scott Thompson, better known as “Carrot Top,” stood out from the rest thanks to his visual comedy. He was later awarded the Entertainer of the Year and the Comedian of the Year from the National Association of Campus Activities, as well as an American Comedy Award.
Carrot Top, however, did not fare well in the movie industry. He took part in several mediocre projects, like Hourglass (1995) and Pure Danger (1996), and received a Razzie nomination after starring in the comedy Chairman of the Board (1998).
The red-haired humorist is also famous for his appearance in the 1-800-CALL-ATT commercials. The friend of comedian Rodney Carrington published the retrospective of his property inventions “Junk In The Trunk: Some Assembly Required” (1996) and was featured in “Carrot Top” (2001), a performance art/graphics collage book by iconographer Ryan McGinness.
Science Root
Childhood and Family:
Born Scott Thompson on February 25, 1967, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Carrot Top is the son of rocket scientist Larry Thompson, one of the astronaut trainers for the Gemini and Apollo programs. His brother Garret is a member of the Virginia Air National Guard.
“What happened? Yeah, I was dropped on my head or something. It is interesting, yeah, coming from a family that was all engineering-based, but there’s some kind of underlying cleverness in the show with all the props and stuff. There’s a little bit of engineering in there. They are proud of me. It’s fun for my family to be so straight like that and to come out to a show like this and see dildos on helmets and stuff.” Carrot Top on his career choice
While studying Marketing at the Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Scott performed at a campus open microphone night. Doing well on his first performance, Scott then began using some props on his next standup attempt. Scott, who for a moment quit comedy out of frustration, once worked as a bank courier, bread deliveryman and office-cleaning man before eventually returning to the stage. Later, he used the stage name “Carrot Top,” which referred to his red, big hair.
Chairman of the Board
Career:
After having several low-paying jobs, Scott ‘Carrot Top’ Thompson accepted an offer to perform at the 1987 New Years Eve celebration in a club. Because many clubs rejected his comedy style, Carrot Top gradually built a fan base through college tours. He was finally spotted by a talent manager while performing in North Carolina and received a weekly performance job for a number of clubs nationwide. Advancing to TV, Carrot Top was then seen in the pilot episode of “America’s Funniest People” (1990) and the special program Spaced Out (1992).
Before long, the rising comedian was awarded the Entertainer of the Year and the Comedian of the Year from the National Association of Campus Activities in 1993, as well as an American Comedy award for Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic (1994). Trying the big screen, Carrot Top appeared as a clerk in the mediocre action drama Hourglass (1995) and played the morgue truck driver in the indifferent Pure Danger (1996).
A performer at the Caesars Palace 30th Anniversary Celebration (1996, TV) appeared in an episode of “The Larry Sanders Show” (1997) before having his first significant role in the comedy movie Chairman of the Board (1998, as Edison). However, his acting as the inventor-turned-company-executive was given a Razzie nomination for Worst New Star. Also in 1998, the comedian took the part of Sylvester in the straight-to-video release Dennis the Menace Strikes Again.
Carrot Top next performed in the comedy series “Sin City Spectacular” (1999), had the role of Dr. Eugene Splicer in the introductory series “N.Y.U.K” (2000) and was credited as the writer in Laughing Out Loud: America’s Funniest Comedians (2001, video). He also appeared as himself in the mini documentary series “I Love the ‘80s” (2002), took part in the standup series “ComiXspotlight” (2003) and guest starred in the sitcom “George Lopez” (2004). In 2005, Carrot Top voiced Shorty in the animated family film Tugger: The Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly (2005, video).
On stage, the comedian entertained an audience at the Naval Base in Ventura County as part of the Spirit of America Tour in 2005. He currently gives live performances in Las Vegas. Carrot Top, who invented such comical props as a Whitney Houston microphone-with-bong and a New Orleans revelers’ life jacket-with-Mardi Gras beads, was recently seen in a two-night show at the Avalon Ballroom of the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort.
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