Tom Green, the man who pioneered cringe comedy and is now a farmer
The comedian rose to fame for his crude pranks and shock humor, which influenced shows like ‘Jackass.’ Now he runs a farm in his native Canada and has returned to the screen with three documentaries that offer a glimpse into his new life
Tom Green, 53, is, or at least was, one of the most essential figures in American pop culture. Without him, shows like Jackass (2000), Punk’d (2003), or the controversial Joe Rogan podcast — currently the most listened-to podcast in the world — might never have existed. (Though some might argue the world wouldn’t have missed much.) Green was at the heart of a culture defined by media exhibitionism, pushing both humor and the patience of his targets to their limits. He was the “class clown willing to do anything for a laugh, no matter how humiliating, degrading, or dangerous.” A lanky Canadian who revolutionized comedy from his parents’ living room, with work defined as “true punk-rock comedy.”
