You might know Tom Green from films in the early 2000s where he played supporting roles. From then, he moved on to writing, directing, and producing. But did you know he also had a few pranks under his sleeve?
In 1999, Tom Green hung his own piece of art at the National Gallery of Canada. It was there for days, and no one knew it wasn’t part of the exhibits. Days later, he returned to vandalize the piece while onlooking patrons watched in horror.
Who is Tom Green?
Michael Thomas Green was born on July 30, 1971, in Pembroke, Ontario. He grew up in a Canadian Army base and finished a degree in broadcasting at Algonquin College in 1994.
At the age of 15, he started performing stand-up comedy at Yuk Yuk’s comedy club. He became friends with Glenn Humplik, and they started hosting The Midnight Caller Show from 1993 to 1996.
Green rose to mainstream media by the late 90s. His show called the Tom Green Show was picked up by MTV in 1999. It didn’t take long for him to be recognized in the United States. His humor paved the way for his career. He starred in several movies, including Road Trip, Charlie’s Angels, Freddy Got Fingered, and Stealing Harvard. Green continued with this brand of comedy. (Source: IMDB)
Tom Green was married to Drew Barrymore for about a year before he filed for divorce. Although Drew Barrymore spoke highly of him, they saw each other again in September 2020 when he guested on Barrymore’s Eponymous Talk Show. (Source: LA Times)
What Was The Story of the Painting?
Tom Green was known for his humor. So when MTV picked up his show, he had maximum exposure and used that fame to create elaborate pranks. Some of these pranks include having a Subway employee make him one of the tallest sandwiches he’s ever made. But the most notable was the prank at the National Gallery of Canada.
Green made a painting called Tiger Zebra. He sneakily hung it in the National Gallery. The staff did not notice the addition to the exhibit, and it was just there for several days. A while later, Green returned to the gallery and defaced his art. Everyone present at the gallery was shocked.
Watch what happened here. (Source: Entertainment Central Pittsburgh)
Where is Tom Green Today?
In 2000, Tom Green was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He was able to beat cancer that same year. He even produced a one-hour MTV special called The Tom Green Cancer Special. This show completely documented the time leading up to his surgery which even included graphic content. During this time, he also started Tom Green’s Nuts Cancer Fund to raise money for cancer research. For years until the mid-2000s, he spoke to several students to help educate them about the disease. (Source: New York Daily News)
Today, Tom Green is in good, if not great, health. He has several shows in production and is currently voice acting in other films as well. Needless to say, he is quite active in the film industry despite his brush with cancer. (Source: IMDB)