Roots of his success

His hair has grown long without the discipline of a comb. It is unruly and curly without apology. It is bright, bright red.

Scott Thompson's hair is all natural, a force of its own, and it has taken over his head. It could take over his life. This hair is an obvious joke and Thompson has cashed in on it. Thompson is the comedian known as Carrot Top.

``I wish more people knew my name,'' Thompson says, ``Except for bill collectors.''

With that hair, though, there's no doubt that Thompson is Carrot Top.

``It's not a great look,'' he concedes, ``But it's my look.''

When he was a kid growing up in Cocoa, Thompson's hair was short, a bit wavy and very red. Predictably, some of the other kids teased him. Thompson became a jokester so he could fit in.

``I was always the class clown, for sure,'' he says. ``Yeah, but I had an opening act so it was a lot easier.''

After graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a marketing degree, Thompson made the obvious choice (?) and started a career in stand-up comedy. He let his hair grow out, thinking it might be funnier to have big hair. He had no idea how big it would become.

Thompson became a prop comic, carrying several trunk loads of goofy stuff to the shows. His manic, silly act was popular enough for him to work 200 bookings a year. His success has allowed Thompson to buy a stylish home in Winter Park, complete with an orange tile roof.

This month his first movie, Chairman of the Board, will be released on video. And in his latest film, Thompson plays several different characters in Dennis the Menace Strikes Again which will be released directly to video on the same day as Chairman of the Board. Thompson is hoping for a ``Carrot Top'' weekend promotion at the video stores.

Despite the success of Carrot Top, Thompson is still asked if he ever considers dying his hair blond or brunette. Some women have even suggested that he could be really cute with ``normal'' hair. Despite the suggestion, Thompson is going to stay with the Carrot Top look.

``It's taken years to get to like my hair,'' he says. ``I like it now more than I ever have.''

So Thompson says his thick hair will stay unruly and bright red as long as it works for his act. Even when he gets old and gray, he has another joke planned. How does ``Cotton Top'' sound?