Actor, comedian and television personality Tom Green was born on July 30, 1971 in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. He began his career as a rapper, with a short stint for the group Organized Rhyme. He became known for his comic antics, however, during his stay at Algonquin College, where his radio show with friend Glenn Humplik became a cult hit among listeners in Ottawa. In 1994, the first version of The Tom Green Show was launched on Ottawa television; it was later picked up by Canada’s The Comedy Network, and finally, by MTV in 1999.

This proved to be vital for Green’s success in the United States. The show was essentially a variety show, with guest interviews and bands; however, the show gained a reputation for its wacky stunts on unsuspecting celebrities—including, most notably, those involving her then fiancé, Drew Barrymore—as well for its somewhat risqué comedy sketches. The popularity of this show led to some Hollywood roles, with appearances in Road Trip, Charlie’s Angels, and Freddy Got Fingered, which he also directed.

In 2000, Green was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which forced him to stop production of his television show. He was cured shortly—and his ordeal became the subject of an acclaimed television special. He returned in 2003 with a nightly talk show on MTV, The New Tom Green Show, although its success was short-lived.

Green eventually pursued more mainstream success, leaving behind the more controversial aspects of his humor. He became an occasional contributor to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, conducting man-on-the-street interviews. He returned to rapping in 2005, through the album Prepare for Impact. The following year, he signed a deal with ManiaTV.com, for which he hosted an Internet-only talk show, Tom Green Live; this later evolved into Tom Green’s House Tonight, when he struck out on his own. More recently, he took a slot on the second season of The Celebrity Apprentice.