Whitmer Thomas | |
---|---|
Birth name | Whitmer Alexander Thomas |
Nationality | American |
Years active | 2008–present |
Genres | Musical comedy, anecdotal comedy, observational comedy |
Notable works and roles | Stone Quackers The Golden One The Older I Get The Funnier I Was |
Whitmer Alexander Thomas is an American comedian, actor and musician. [1]
He is best known for his voice role on FXX animated comedy Stone Quackers (2014–2015), and his work with LA-based comedy troupe Power Violence. [2]
Thomas's hour-long comedy special, The Golden One, premiered on HBO on February 22, 2020. [2] An accompanying album, Songs from the Golden One, was released via Hardly Art Records. [3] Thomas's sophomore record, The Older I Get The Funnier I Was, was released on October 21, 2022. [4]
Whitmer Thomas was raised in Gulf Shores, Alabama. [5] His mother, Jenny Henderson, founded the musical duo Syn Twister with her twin sister Jude Hammock. [6] The previous occupation of Thomas's father, Whit Thomas, is unclear; as of 2020, he is employed as a paralegal. [7] Thomas has one older brother, Johnny. [6]
As a three-year-old, Thomas was abducted from his family home. [8] The abduction was thwarted by Thomas's father; the perpetrator, who had been stalking Thomas since the day of his birth, subsequently died in prison. [8]
Throughout his youth, Thomas was an avid skateboarder and avowed fan of Blink-182. [9] He shared these interests with Clay Tatum: a childhood friend and future member of Power Violence. [9] Tatum later directed The Golden One, a comedy special that details much of Thomas's early life.
Thomas's parents separated when he was enrolled in the fourth grade. [10] Both his mother and father battled with substance addiction; whereas Whit ultimately achieved sobriety, Jenny succumbed to complications arising from her alcoholism in 2009. [10]
Thomas did not attend college. Instead, he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career shortly before his mother's death. [11]
Thomas launched his comedy career at the age of eighteen in 2008. [11] Having moved to Los Angeles, he was joined by his childhood friends from Gulf Shores, Alabama: Clay Tatum and Jeramy Ritchie. [12] The trio joined forces with their new roommates, Budd Diaz and Rodney Berry, to form the comedy troupe Power Violence. [12]
For over four years, Power Violence performed every Sunday night at Santa Monica Boulevard. [12] Thomas and his associates screened self-produced comedy videos and performed original bits featuring elaborate props and stunts. [12] These performances attracted coverage from Time Out LA and Vulture . [12] [13] The official Power Violence Facebook page has been defunct since 2018. [14]
In 2014, Thomas and former Power Violence collaborator Clay Tatum became the executive producers of Stone Quackers. [15] This FXX animated series concerned the surreal misadventures of two ducks. [15] Thomas and Tatum also voiced the co-protagonists, Whit and Clay, who were based on their teenage selves. [15] Stone Quackers was created by Ben Jones and cancelled after one season. [16]
Thomas also became a prolific television actor in the mid-2010s. Notably, he lent his voice to guest roles on Tuca & Bertie and Close Enough . [1] Thomas also appeared in the critically acclaimed live-action series GLOW , The Walking Dead and The Good Place . [1] In 2019, he played a major supporting role in Sword of Trust , Lynn Shelton's final film as director. [1]
As a solo stand-up comedian, Thomas rose to prominence in 2015. Thomas's Tom DeLonge impression, an intrinsic part of his act, was featured on the Put Your Hands Together and the You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes podcasts. [17] The bit caught the attention of Blink-182's bassist and co-vocalist Mark Hoppus; Thomas and Hoppus now play together in a semi-active comedic cover band, Snake Plissken and The I Thought You Were Deads. [17]
Thomas found further viral success with "Big Baby" and its sequel, "Big Baby Christmas", in 2020. [18] [19] These musical skits see Thomas singing nonsensical lyrics while an Instagram filter de-ages his face. They were produced in response to Tom Papa's #LiveFromHome challenge for quarantined comedians; [20] Thomas was nominated to participate by his friend Rory Scovel. [20] Across YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, the 'Big Baby' music videos have accrued over one million views. [20]
Thomas has also toured the world with Sketchfest, and the New York and Melbourne International Comedy Festivals. [21] In 2016, Thomas opened for Bo Burnham on the Make Happy tour. [9] Burnham later executive-produced The Golden One, Thomas's autobiographical stand-up special, in 2020. [9]
The Golden One, Thomas's debut comedy special, was filmed at the Flora-Bama Lounge in 2019. [7] Thomas performed at the Lounge in honour of his aunt and late mother, whose new wave duo Syn Twister behaved as the house band and local celebrities. [9] The resultant recording premiered on HBO on February 22, 2020. [2]
The special concerns Thomas's early life in Alabama, the emotional arc of which centres on the redemption of his absent father Whit. [9] Thomas also mines various childhood traumas for laughs, such as his failed abduction, the death of his mother, and the subsequent estrangement of his aunt. [9] The jokes and autobiographical stories are interspersed with pre-recorded vignettes and original songs.
The Golden One's title originates from the last words Thomas's mother uttered before her premature death. [6] Accordingly, the show encompasses themes of grief, loss, addiction, familial love and existential dread. [6] "Hurts to Be Alive" and "The Golden One", the lyrics of which were directly lifted from Thomas's early hardships, have received particular critical attention. [11]
The hour-long recording was co-directed by Thomas and Tatum; among its executive producers are Bo Burnham, Christopher Storer, Olivia Gerke, and Ravi Nandan and Inman Young for A24. [22]
The special features nine original songs, all of which were written and performed by Thomas. [22] The show concludes with a cover of Syn Twister's "He's Hot". [11] An accompanying soundtrack, Songs from the Golden One, was released on CD and vinyl in February 2020. [3] Individual music videos for "Partied to Death", "Dancing with My Dad" and "Dumb in Love" have been uploaded to Thomas's YouTube account. [23]
The Golden One currently[ when? ] holds a 100% approval rating from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. [24] Songs from the Golden One has also garnered critical acclaim and a 7.7/10 rating from music publication Pitchfork. [11]
March 2022 saw the release of Thomas's EP, Can't Believe You're Happy Here, on Hardly Art Records. [25] The six-track EP was produced by Melina Duterte (Jay Som), [25] and features contributions from Christian Lee Hutson and Al Menne of Great Grandpa. [25] The release of Can't Believe You're Happy Here coincided with a music video for "Don't Have A Cow", which was uploaded to YouTube. [25] Raphael Helfand of The Fader noted that "the record sounds crisp and clean while maintaining a distinctly DIY undercurrent". [25]
Can't Believe You're Happy Here is a folk record that engages with themes of toxic masculinity, self-doubt and existentialism. [26] Thomas notes that the EP was informed by numerous influences, including self-reflection precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, YouTube countdown lists, and his friendship with Hutson. [26]
Thomas's second album, The Older I Get The Funnier I Was, was released on October 21, 2022. [4] As with the preceding Can't Believe You're Happy Here EP, the record was produced by Melina Duterte. [27] Other contributors to the record include Al Menne, Christian Lee Hutson, and Harrison Whitford. [27]
A music video was released for the lead single, "Rigmarole", in August 2022. [27] Thomas has explained that the song is about "trying to shake depression with routine and ultimately accepting I've got no choice but to sink into it". [27] According to Pitchfork , the remaining songs on the album explore themes like Thomas's people-pleasing tendencies and relationship with his father. [28]
Thomas toured North America with Al Menne in support of The Older I Get The Funnier I Was. [27] Thomas also performed a new stand-up routine, Big Baby, at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles throughout the final quarter of 2022. [29] The show featured stories and songs lifted from Thomas's youth, and also engaged with concepts of loneliness, insecurity and Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. [29] Alternative comedian Conner O'Malley performed as Thomas's opening act. [29]
Thomas also appeared in numerous films and television series in the early 2020s. He played substantive roles in Am I OK? , a comedy drama that premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and Clay Tatum's supernatural comedy The Civil Dead. [30] Thomas has been confirmed to appear in two 2023 television series: Slip and #1 Happy Family USA. [30]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | Boulevard Zen | Elliott Anderson | Film debut |
Green Valley | Store Clerk 1 | ||
2010 | Suicide Dolls | Cameron | |
On Holiday | Peyton | ||
2011 | Uncle Kent | Party Guest | |
0s & 1s | Corey | ||
2014 | Jerked | Whit | |
2015 | Tooken | Joe | |
2019 | Sword of Trust | Jake | |
2020 | Deported | Ross | |
A Dim Valley | Albert | ||
The Immortal Jellyfish | Denny | ||
2021 | Homebody | Tom | |
Kendra and Beth | Robbie | ||
2022 | The Civil Dead | Whit | |
Am I Ok? | Ben | ||
Moon Manor | Forest | ||
2024 | Friendship | TBA | Upcoming |
2026 | Weapons | TBA | In production |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Palisades Pool Party | Josh | TV movie |
2008–2011 | Poor Paul | Patricia | 13 episodes |
2012 | Ben and Kate | Toad | Episode: "21st Birthday" |
2013–2014 | Pound House | BBQ Guest / Skater Friend | 2 episodes |
2014 | Workaholics | Stoner Kid | Episode: "Timechair" |
Crazy House | Whitmer Keaton | TV movie | |
2014–2015 | Stone Quackers | Whit (voice) | 12 episodes |
2015 | Gothball | Whit | Miniseries, 2 episodes |
Questionable Science | Matthew McConaughey | TV series | |
2016 | Sing It! | Garrett McKinley | Episode: "Let's Sell Out!" |
Nuclear Family | Barista | Episode: "Underwritten Female Character: The Movie" | |
2017 | Super Deluxe Digital | Jake | Episode: "RIP Friends" |
You're the Worst | Flynn | Episode: "Dad-Not-Dad" | |
The Walking Dead | Gunther | Episode: "Some Guy" | |
2018 | Ghosted | Lukas | Episode: "Hello Boys" |
Townies | The Meanest Boy in Town | Episode: "The Killer Instinct" | |
GLOW | Justin | 2 episodes | |
The Good Place | Gatorbait | Episode: "Everything Is Bonzer!" | |
2019 | Sunnyside | Brian | Episode: "Multicultural Tube of Meat" |
2019, 2022 | Tuca & Bertie | The Deli Guy (voice) | 2 episodes |
2020 | Kwaczala | John Lennon | Episode: "You Know What, Guys" |
Close Enough | The Gooch (voice) | Episode: "Skate Dad/100% No Stress Day" | |
2021 | Shrill | Joe | Episode: "Ribs" |
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson | Brian | Episode: "They said that to me at a dinner." | |
2022 | Search Party | Pat | Episode: "Song of Songs" |
Three Busy Debras | Radio DJ / Chompitos | 2 episodes | |
2023 | Slip | Elijah | 5 episodes |
Big Mouth | Camus Boy / Weed Boy / Sad Boy #1 (voice) | Episode: "A Finger in Time" |
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor and comedian. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, his accolades include nominations for three Grammy Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2023, Sandler was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Stewart Graham Lee is an English comedian. His stand-up routine is characterised by repetition, internal reference, and deadpan delivery.
Fania Borach, known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedian, illustrated song model, singer, and actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. She is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series The Baby Snooks Show.
Zachary Knight Galifianakis is an American comedian and actor. He is known for his role as Alan in The Hangover trilogy (2009–2013). On television, he starred in the FX series Baskets (2016–2019), which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2017. He also hosted the Funny or Die talk show Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis (2008–2018).
David Cross is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and director. Cross is best known for his stand-up performances, the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995–1998), and his role as Tobias Fünke in the Fox/Netflix sitcom Arrested Development. He has been described as “one of the defining figures of cult Gen X comedy”.
Lee Gordon McKillop, known by his stage name Lee Mack, is an English comedian and actor.
Thomas Papa Jr. is an American comedian, actor, and radio host. He hosts the Sirius XM Satellite Radio show Come to Papa and, in July 2019, he and Fortune Feimster started hosting the Sirius XM show What a Joke with Papa and Fortune. Papa hosted the show Baked on the Food Network and was the head writer and a performer on the radio variety show Live from Here, hosted by Chris Thile, where he delivered the "Out In America" segment.
The Mighty B! is an American animated television series created by former SNL cast member Amy Poehler, Cynthia True, and Erik Wiese for Nickelodeon. The series centers on Bessie Higgenbottom, an ambitious Honeybee girl scout who believes she will become The Mighty B if she collects every Honeybee badge. Bessie lives in San Francisco with her single mother Hilary, brother Ben and dog Happy. Poehler provides the voice of Bessie, who is loosely based on the character Cassie McMadison, who Poehler played on the improvisational comedy troupes Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City before she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.
Robert Pickering "Bo" Burnham is an American stand-up comedian, musician, actor, filmmaker, and YouTuber. Burnham's work combines elements of filmmaking with music, sketch, and stand-up comedy, commonly with a dramatic or tragic twist that is often left open to interpretation.
Stuart Goldsmith is an English actor, stand-up comedian and former street performer. He has presented the Comedian's Comedian podcast since 2012.
Aisling Clíodhnadh O'Sullivan, known professionally as Aisling Bea, is an Irish comedian, actress and screenwriter. She created, wrote and starred in the comedy series This Way Up on Channel 4. As a stand-up comedian, she won the So You Think You're Funny award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2012, being only the second woman to win the award in its then-25-year history. She also appears regularly on light entertainment comedy panel shows such as QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
Loose Tapestries is an alternative music project consisting of Sergio Pizzorno (Kasabian), and comedian Noel Fielding. It was formed in 2012 to provide music for Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy. Their first album, Loose Tapestries Presents the Luxury Comedy Tapes, was released on 2 March 2012 as a digital download, and made available as a very limited edition of 500 records for Record Store Day on 21 April 2012. Kasabian touring members Ben Kealey and Tim Carter also worked on the album, while some of the designing was handled by regular Kasabian collaborator Aitor Throup.
Nikki Glaser(born June 1, 1984) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, podcaster, radio host, and television host. She was the host of the television series Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, which premiered on Comedy Central and Much on February 9, 2016. She is the star of the 2022 reality show Welcome Home Nikki Glaser? on E!. She hosted the Reality TV dating shows Blind Date (2019) on Bravo and FBoy Island (2021-) on HBO Max & The CW and its spinoff Lovers and Liars on The CW. She was announced as the host of the 2025 Golden Globes on 28 August 2024.
Live & Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection is a 2003 album compiling songs by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.
Stone Quackers is an American adult animated television series created by Ben Jones. The series premiered October 27, 2014 on FXX as part of their Animation Domination High-Def block.
ADHD Shorts is an interstitial program that is part of the Animation Domination High-Def block.
David Andrew Burd, better known by his stage name Lil Dicky, is an American rapper, comedian, and actor. He first received recognition after the music video for his 2013 song "Ex-Boyfriend", became a viral hit—earning over one million views on YouTube in 24 hours. His 2014 single "Save Dat Money" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and preceded his debut studio album, Professional Rapper (2015).
Cum Town was a comedy podcast that was hosted by New York City-based comedians Nick Mullen, Stavros Halkias, and Adam Friedland, and produced between 2016 and 2022. During its run, it was consistently one of the most popular podcasts on Patreon and concluded as one of the top 25 comedy podcasts on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In July 2022, it was succeeded by Mullen and Friedland's spin-off podcast and interview show The Adam Friedland Show.
The Civil Dead is a 2022 American comedy film directed by Clay Tatum, from a screenplay by Tatum and Whitmer Thomas. The cast features Tatum, Thomas, Whitney Weir, Budd Diaz, Robert Longstreet, Christian Lee Hutson, and Teresa Lee.