Tom Green facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Green
Green in 2013
Born	Michael Thomas Green (1971-07-30) July 30, 1971 (age 53) Pembroke, Ontario, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States
Occupation	Comedian actor podcaster filmmaker
Years active	1986–present
Spouse(s)	Drew Barrymore ​ ​ (m. 2001; div. 2002)​
Musical career
Labels	A&M Ceiling Fan ViK.
Associated acts	Organized Rhyme MC Face

Michael Thomas Green (born July 30, 1971) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and show host. He is also a filmmaker, podcaster, and rapper.

Tom Green became famous for creating and hosting The Tom Green Show. This show aired on Canadian television and later on MTV from 1994 to 2000. It was known for its silly pranks and funny, energetic style. The show even inspired other popular series like Jackass.

Green has also acted in several Hollywood movies, including Road Trip (2000), Charlie's Angels (2000), and Stealing Harvard (2002). He also directed, co-wrote, and starred in the movie Freddy Got Fingered (2001). From 2006 to 2011, he hosted an internet talk show called Tom Green's House Tonight from his home. He also returned to performing stand-up comedy in 2010.

Early Life and Education

Tom Green was born in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada, on July 30, 1971. He is the older of two sons. His mother, Mary Jane, worked as a communications consultant. His father, Richard Green, was a computer systems analyst and a retired army captain.

Tom grew up near a Canadian Army base called CFB Petawawa. He also lived in Gloucester, Ontario, which is now part of Ottawa. He went to Henry Munro Middle School, Colonel By Secondary School, and Cairine Wilson Secondary School. After high school, Green studied television broadcasting at Algonquin College and finished his studies in 1994.

Career Highlights

Starting Out (1986–1999)

When Tom Green was 15 years old, he began performing stand-up comedy at local clubs. One of these clubs was Yuk Yuk's.

While he was a student at Algonquin College, Green hosted a call-in radio show. This show was on the University of Ottawa's campus radio station, CHUO. In the early 1990s, Green was also a rapper in a group called Organized Rhyme. He used the stage name "MC Bones". Their song "Check The O.R." was nominated for a Juno Award in 1993. It also won the MuchVibe Best Rap Video award in 1992. Later, in 1998, he released music as MC Face.

The Tom Green Show Begins

Green soon got his own TV show on public-access television. This means it was a local channel that anyone could make a show for. The first version of The Tom Green Show aired from 1994 to 1996. It was an hour-long show with no commercials on Rogers Television 22 in the Ottawa area.

The Tom Green Show was a variety show. It had guests in the studio and bands playing live music. In 1996, the CBC hired him. He reported from the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. During a road trip, he even had the roof of his car sawed off to make it a permanent convertible! These reports gave him national attention for his funny and wild pranks. In 1997, the show was picked up by The Comedy Network in Canada.

Becoming Famous (1999–2003)

The Tom Green Show on MTV

The Tom Green Show became even more popular when MTV picked it up in January 1999. This made him famous in the United States and around the world. The MTV show was similar to his original show. Green hosted it with his friends, Glenn Humplik and Phil Giroux. Many of the funny skits involved his parents, who often seemed surprised by his actions.

The show often used surprising humor. For example, Green once secretly hung his own artwork in the National Gallery of Canada. It stayed there for days! He also once sang to and kissed actor Pierce Brosnan at a press conference.

Green also wrote a song called "Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song)". He made the music video on his show and asked his audience to request it. The song quickly became a number one hit on MTV's Total Request Live.

Green's fame made it harder for him to surprise people on the street. He started focusing on older people and those who didn't speak English. In March 2000, he was diagnosed with cancer, so he stopped making new episodes of his show. Even so, his popularity led to him being on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in June 2000.

Cancer Treatment and Break from MTV

In early 2000, Tom Green was diagnosed with cancer. He received successful treatment. He made a one-hour MTV special called The Tom Green Cancer Special. This show documented his journey and even included footage of his surgery. The special was praised for showing a more serious side of the comedian. During this time, he also started raising money for cancer research.

There was a false rumor that The Tom Green Show was canceled because of a skit where Green dressed as Adolf Hitler. However, Green has always said this never happened. He wrote in his book, Hollywood Causes Cancer, that the rumor likely started when some teenagers were caught doing a similar prank and used his name. Green has stated that he would never do such a mean-spirited joke.

Movies

Because he was so famous, Green got roles in several Hollywood movies. These included Road Trip, Charlie's Angels, and Stealing Harvard. He also wrote and directed Freddy Got Fingered. In Road Trip, he continued his unique style of comedy, like a memorable scene where he put a mouse in his mouth.

Freddy Got Fingered won five awards at the 2001 Golden Raspberry Awards. These awards are given to the worst movies of the year. Tom Green actually showed up to accept his awards, which was very unusual! He said he wanted to win a Razzie, so it was a dream come true. He even played the harmonica on stage until he was pulled off.

Marriage to Drew Barrymore

In July 2000, Tom Green became engaged to actress Drew Barrymore. They met because Barrymore was a fan of his show and asked him to be in Charlie's Angels. Green and Barrymore got married on July 7, 2001. Barrymore also appeared in his 2001 movie Freddy Got Fingered.

Before their wedding, Green and Barrymore often joked with the media about their plans. On November 18, 2000, Green hosted the TV show Saturday Night Live. He brought Barrymore on stage and joked about getting married at the end of the show. It turned out to be a funny stunt.

Barrymore and Green filed for divorce on December 17, 2001. Their divorce was finalized on October 15, 2002.

Back to MTV

In 2003, Green hosted a short-lived late-night talk show on MTV called The New Tom Green Show. The show had a traditional talk show format with a monologue, segments, and guest interviews. Green has said that David Letterman was one of his early inspirations. The show was canceled after less than three months due to low ratings.

After MTV (2004–Present)

His Book

On October 12, 2004, Green released his autobiography, Hollywood Causes Cancer: The Tom Green Story. In the book, he talks about his career in Hollywood, his marriage to Drew Barrymore, and his experience with cancer.

Music Career Continues

In 2005, Green returned to rap music. He started a group called The Keepin' it Real Crew. On December 6, 2005, he released his second solo album in Canada, called Prepare for Impact. This album included funny songs and also more serious ones about his time in Hollywood.

He has performed with many popular rap artists. In January 2008, he released another rap album called Basement Jams online. In May 2019, Green released a new album called The Tom Green Show LP. It featured his song "I Wanna Be Friends With Drake".

More Mainstream Appearances

In the 2000s, Green started to focus on more mainstream entertainment. He often contributed to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He would travel across America looking for interesting people to bring back to the studio.

Green performing with the USO in Afghanistan, 2011

Green has also visited troops in places like Kosovo and the Persian Gulf as part of USO tours. In 2006, he appeared in commercials for the Canadian Cable Public Affairs Channel. He encouraged people to vote in the federal elections.

During the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Green was a comedy reporter for The Tonight Show. He would search the Olympic village with athletes for "free stuff."

Green has hosted many special events. These include the 2005 Canada's Walk of Fame ceremony and the Canadian Live 8 concert. In November 2008, he hosted an environmental game show called Go For The Green! on the Discovery Planet Green network.

He has also been a contestant on reality game shows like Wanna Bet? and The Celebrity Apprentice. On The Celebrity Apprentice, he raised money for a cancer research foundation. He was also a guest diner on Hell's Kitchen.

In July 2011, Green got attention for saying he invented planking back in 1994. He also writes columns for The Huffington Post.

Return to Film and TV

In 2005, Green starred in a children's TV movie called Bob the Butler. He also made guest appearances on various kids' shows. Since then, he has appeared in independent films like Shred (2008) and Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale.

In 2013, Green was on an episode of Workaholics and the Canadian TV series Seed. He was also in the 2014 movie Trailer Park Boys 3: Don't Legalize It. Green has also appeared on the Canadian game show Match Game.

In January 2019, Tom Green was a houseguest on the American reality show Celebrity Big Brother. He finished in 6th place and was voted America's Favorite Houseguest, winning $25,000.

Interviewer (2006–Present)

Since starting his web show in 2006, Green has interviewed many guests. He has also worked on various podcast projects. In 2013, he brought his live show back to television. He prefers to be an interviewer who listens well rather than trying to be funnier than his guests.

Tomgreen.com: The Channel (2006–2011, 2015)

Green, Thora Birch, and Neil Hamburger at The Channel in 2006

On June 5, 2006, Green started hosting a live talk show from his living room in Hollywood. It was first called Tom Green Live! and later Tom Green's House Tonight. The shows were broadcast live on TomGreen.com.

Green often called his live streaming show "Web-o-Vision" or "The National Internet." He also joked that it was "The highest rated, longest running, and only talk show on the Internet."

Tom Green's House Tonight usually aired live on weeknights. Green would take live phone calls and Skype video calls from viewers around the world. Sometimes, he would get prank calls, which could be frustrating. The show also included many video clips from his past and present.

In 2007, "Tom Green Live" won the TV Guide "Online Video Award" for Best Web Talk Show. In 2008, Tom Green's House Tonight won a Webby Award for "Best Variety Show".

Green in 2006

As the host, Green often played the serious role while interviewing guests. He has interviewed many famous people. These include Adam Carolla, Val Kilmer, Pamela Anderson, and Tony Hawk. The longest show, where he interviewed Steve-O, lasted 3.5 hours.

When he didn't have guests, Green would do unusual shows. He once played the saxophone for an hour or had a week dedicated to karaoke. In 2011, Green stopped his live online show for a while. During the summer of 2015, he brought his web show back, hosting it daily from his studio.

Tom Green Radio (2013–Present)

From January to mid-2013, Green started an audio podcast called Tom Green Radio. It was available on his website and iTunes. Guests included Bryan Callen and Steve-O. In August 2015, Green restarted his podcast on Play.it.

Tom Green Live on AXS TV (2013–2014)

On September 25, 2013, it was announced that Green would host a new live weekly talk show called "Tom Green Live" on AXS TV. The show was similar to his web show, with a main guest and a long discussion. Fans could also call in using Skype. The show ran for three seasons and ended in November 2014.

Stand-up Comedy (2010–Present)

Green in 2012

In his comedy shows, Green performs traditional stand-up comedy and also includes rap performances. He talks about social media, technology, his career, and society. He often meets with audience members after his shows.

Green has said that he started doing stand-up comedy at age 15. He stopped when his TV show began, but he always wanted to go back to it. In September 2009, he performed stand-up shows in Los Angeles. In January 2010, he started his first world stand-up comedy tour. He has toured in Canada, the United States, England, Scotland, and Australia.

In August 2012, Green's stand-up performance from Boston aired on Showtime. It was called "Tom Green Live" and was later released on iTunes, Netflix, and DVD. He also performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in August 2012.

Webovision (2010–Present)

In 2015, Tom Green began broadcasting from a studio in Los Angeles on his YouTube channel. In 2024, Amazon Prime announced three new projects with Tom Green. These include a comedy special, a reality series about his farm life, and a documentary about his career.

Washington Capitals "Unleash the Fury" Video

Since 2007, a video of Green screaming "Unleash the Fury" has been used at Washington Capitals hockey games. This video is played during late-game rallies to energize the crowd. In 2010, new footage was added where Green wore a Capitals jersey and acted out scenes from his movie Road Trip.

Personal Life

Tom Green was married to actress Drew Barrymore from July 7, 2001, to October 15, 2002. In 2010, Green said he had not seen Barrymore since their divorce. However, Barrymore has spoken highly of him. On September 25, 2020, they met and spoke for the first time in 15 years when Green was a guest on Barrymore's talk show.

In 2009, when he was a contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice, Green played to help the Butch Walts and Donald Skinner Urologic Cancer Research Foundation. He has said he would not be alive today without Donald G. Skinner.

On February 21, 2019, Green became a citizen of the United States. On July 18, 2021, Green announced that he had moved back to Canada. He now lives on a large property in Central Frontenac, Ontario, after living in Los Angeles for many years. On December 22, 2024, Green announced on Instagram that he was engaged to his girlfriend, Amanda Nelson.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

Selected Singles and Music Videos

See Also

In Spanish: Tom Green para niños