Carrot Top overdosed on prescription medication in 'suicide attempt' amid alleged extortion plot

Carrot Top had overdosed on prescription pills Friday amid a reported suicide attempt that left the comedian hospitalized.

The comedian, 61, had ingested the medication at his home in Las Vegas, sources linked to the probe told TMZ on Monday.

The Rockledge, Florida-born entertainer, whose real name is Scott Thompson, 'remains hospitalized and under close medical care,' his representative told the outlet Sunday, two days after first responders transported him from his home in Las Vegas to a hospital.

Carrot Top's representative told the outlet that the comic 'is now awake, breathing on his own and continuing to improve, surrounded by his family and those closest to him.'

The latest on the entertainer's condition comes amid an alleged extortion attempt aimed at the entertainer from a one-time opening act who has denied the claims.  

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Carrot Top for further comment on the story.

Carrot Top, 61, had overdosed on prescription pills Friday amid a reported suicide attempt that left the comedian hospitalized. Pictured this past March in Las Vegas 

The Florida-born entertainer, whose real name is Scott Thompson, 'remains hospitalized and under close medical care,' according to his rep. Pictured in 2024 in Las Vegas 

A Clark County Fire Department representative told the outlet that first responders had arrived at Carrot Top's home at around 4:20 p.m. Friday following a report that the performer had been 'not alert.'

A private ambulance and a Las Vegas city ambulance went to his home, a source told TMZ, with the private ambulance transporting Carrot Top to a medical facility. 

In the statement to the outlet, Carrot Top's representative said the comic has been reading 'stories from people about how his comedy helped them through difficult periods in their own lives.'

His representative said in the statement that 'hearing those stories and feeling that support has meant a great deal to him during his recovery.

'Scott and his family remain deeply grateful for the extraordinary kindness and continue to ask that his privacy be respected.' 

Prior to the incident on Friday, Carrot Top was asked to pay $500,000 by singer Brian Evans or risk having a sexually explicit recording leaked, his lawyer previously claimed.

Evans denied the allegations in a statement on Sunday, telling TMZ, 'I never threatened - ever - to post any video anywhere in exchange for a settlement … the video they are discussing - as I made very clear - was deleted a long time ago in accordance with the prior settlement.'

In a filing made on September 3 and obtained by The Daily Mail, Thompson's lawyer claimed Evans had threatened that the comedian either pay half a million or have sexually explicit content with Thompson in it put on a USB drive and sent to a court's legal docket. 

The comedian, whose real name is Scott Thompson, was hospitalized on Friday after he tried to take his own life only hours before a scheduled show in Las Vegas; seen in 2007

In an email sent by Evans to Thompson's lawyer, he did not specifically detail what the recording entailed and claimed it was 'not a threat.'

He added on Sunday to the outlet that he's sorry Carrot Top 'apparently did something to hurt himself.'

'I do not consider Scott to be a bad person ... based on what I know - but he made a few decisions that were not good ones. That is not a reason to hurt himself,' the statement continued. 

'Finally, it’s not my fault … that Scott did what he did. We don’t even actually know what he did. He survived and I am glad about that. Scott is still young and has a big life ahead of him. It’s not my intent to bring this guy down. It’s the opposite.'

Evans then elaborated that $500,000 needed to be sent to him 'in immediately available funds' for 'resolution of all claims against Scott Thompson....'

He had previously explained: 'Given the existing posture of the case and the coverage already in print, I expect the press will report the motion and will use its own imagination about what the USB is. That is a foreseeable fact about third-party reporting of a public docket. It is not a threat.' 

Evans said in his email that he does 'not control the public docket' and does 'not control the press.' 

It is not clear if it was a demand or a bona fide offer of settlement, per the documents reviewed by the Daily Mail. 

A representative for Thompson, Jami Schlicher, told Daily Mail in a statement: 'A federal court recently declared Mr. Evans a "vexatious litigant" and described his filings as "serial" and "spurious"'; Thompson seen in 2025 in Las Vegas 

The entertainer had been 'stories from people about how his comedy helped them through difficult periods in their own lives,' his rep said. Pictured in 2007

However, in response to Evans, Thompson's legal team called the case a 'malicious threat' intended to 'expose' the star. 

'This is not settlement communication,' his lawyers wrote. 'On its face it is a malicious threat to expose Thompson to disgrace, and to expose a secret affecting him, with intent thereby to extort money under the guise of litigation conduct.' 

A representative for Thompson, Jami Schlicher, told Daily Mail in a statement: 'A federal court recently declared Mr. Evans a "vexatious litigant" and described his filings as "serial" and "spurious." 

'In dismissing one of his cases with prejudice, the court went even further, stating: "It appears this entire case is designed to harass Defendants." The court's findings and Mr. Evans's litigation record speak for themselves.'   

Evans, who is representing himself, told the Daily Mail, 'I never threatened - ever - to post any video anywhere in exchange for a settlement.' 

He also said that it is 'not the black and white story portrayed.' 

Following Thompson's hospitalization, fans and other celebrities such as Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett took to social media with kind wishes for Carrot Top amid his tough times.

Garrett uploaded an Instagram photo as he posed with Carrot Top and former co-star Ray Romano. 

Carrot Top 'is currently recovering, surrounded by his family and those closest to him,' his rep said; seen in 2019 

Following Thompson's hospitalization, fans and other celebrities such as Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett shared a touching tribute on social media on Saturday

'Oh my beautiful, talented friend @carrottoplive. We're ALL thanking our lucky stars that you're ok,' the actor penned in the caption

'Oh my beautiful, talented friend @carrottoplive,' Garrett said. 'We're ALL thanking our lucky stars that you're ok.

'Please take this time to remember how appreciated and loved you are by so many. (Except Ray. It's a long story, just trust me.) We're here for you. We need you okay. YOU need you okay.'

Garrett added, 'Whatever it takes we're here for you. You're getting a second chance for a reason. Use it wisely. We need folks like you around. Show yourself grace. We Love you.' 

On Saturday, police were seen arriving at Carrot Top's Las Vegas home, following his reported suicide attempt the previous day, which occurred just hours before a scheduled comedy show at Las Vegas' Luxor Hotel and Casino, TMZ reported.

An eyewitness observed three police cars parked outside Thompson's Las Vegas residence and provided photos to TMZ.

Thompson's latest social media post was shared on Thursday, and promoted his scheduled Friday show. 

He posted a 2018 poster of himself posing against an orange utility terrain vehicle and added the caption, 'Just your average Thursday commute to the Luxor. TBT.' 

Thompson, known for his high-energy prop routines, rose to prominence in the 90s.

On Saturday, an eyewitness observed three police cars parked outside Thompson's Las Vegas residence and provided photos of them to TMZ; seen in 2024 in Las Vegas 

He insisted, 'I'm completely sober. I don't smoke marijuana and I never have. I don't think I have been drunk since high school, literally'; seen in 2001 

Nearly one year ago, in November 2025, he sparked concern from fans when he was spotted looking disheveled while at a Las Vegas grocery store.

An insider later commented to the Daily Mail, 'He didn't ever think he was going to be photographed shopping, so he let his guard down – [he was] not in any makeup or anything.'

In a 2022 interview with Metal Life Magazine, Thompson spoke about his clean lifestyle.

He insisted, 'I'm completely sober. I don't smoke marijuana and I never have. I don't think I have been drunk since high school, literally.

'I have friends like Gene Simmons, he's never had a drop of booze – zero. I'm not that pure. I definitely have a little Crown on the rocks right before a show.'

After a show, he said he comes home, watches TV and has a 'glass of red wine.

'I'm definitely not the drug guy. I'm actually more of a nerd than anything else,' he told the outlet.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org