Carrot Top Returns to Stage for First Time After Suicide Attempt
A month after the comedian (real name Scott Thompson) was hospitalized following a suicide attempt, he returned to the stage at Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 19 to a warm welcome from his audience.
“Thank you so much,” Thompson said on stage, per videos shared on social media, as fans greeted him with a standing ovation. “God bless all my fans and my family, my mom, my brother, everybody here tonight.”
Naturally, the longtime comedian didn’t miss a beat in getting some jokes about his mental health struggles as he addressed it, quipping, “I would have done this a long time ago if I could get this kind of love.”
The 61-year-old’s voice broke as he received shouts of praise and support from the audience.
“It’s been a rough month,” he admitted. “Trying to figure out what is appropriate for a night like tonight.”
Known for his use of prop comedy, the Chairman of the Board star admitted it was difficult for him to determine what would be funny in his first show back.
“It’s been a month of trying to figure out what was appropriate,” he said, before pulling out a noose. “I figured this would be not appropriate. Not.”
But Thompson—who was released from the hospital Sept. 26—emphasized that it was a delicate line to walk to get back to his regular routines.
“I don’t know what to talk about,” he added. “It’s the first time in my career I have no idea what to talk about. What is there to talk about?”
As he continued to struggle through his monologue, a photo of an elephant with Thompson’s signature red hair was plastered on the wall behind him.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
“I think we’re going to talk about being in Las Vegas,” he continued. “And having a show in Las Vegas.”
Thompson—who has held a residency in Las Vegas since 2005—had previously addressed the “outpouring of love” he received in wake of his health crisis in a statement he shared earlier this month.
“While I haven’t been able to respond to everyone individually, please know that I’ve felt your love and appreciate each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart,” he added. “Thank you for being there for me during this time. It truly means the world to me!”
As he put it, “Every message, text, and kind thought has meant more to me than you know.”
Thompson is set to continue his regular cadence performing at Luxor for the rest of the year. Following his suicide attempt last month, the resort expressed love and support for the comedian amid his recovery.
“Scott is a beloved member of the Luxor and MGM Resorts family, and we are relieved to hear that he is recovering,” the hotel told KLAS in a statement last month. “We are thinking of him and wish him strength as he receives the care and support he needs.”
For a deeper look at Thompson’s comedy career, keep reading…
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Becoming Carrot Top
Carrot Top was born in Rockledge, Florida, in 1965. But before he got his iconic moniker, he was known as Scott Thomspon. As for the story behind his stage name?
“Unfortunately, I had something to do with that,” he told Allison Kugel during a 2022 appearance on her Allison Interviews web series. “It’s a blessing and a curse. Why I did it? I don’t know. I thought the name Scott Thompson was kind of boring. Well, not kind of, it is.”
That’s why when he decided to pursue a career in comedy in the late 1980s, he wanted a name that would stick.
Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images
“Being a stage performer, I always thought I should have something fun,” he explained. “Queen Latifah was taken, and so I thought, ‘Gosh, I need something better.’ I went up to the stage one night and said, ‘Bring me up as Carrot Top.’ They said, ‘Carrot Top? Are you sure?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’m pretty sure.’ And that was it.”
He added, “I was ‘Carrot Top’ forever.”
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The Price of Fame
Carrot Top had his big break during a 1991 appearance on Comic Strip Live followed by a performance on Star Search, a talent competition show that originally aired from 1983 to 1995 before Netflix rebooted the series in 2026.
But his 1992 appearance on Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show marked a turning point in the comedian’s career, catapulting him into mainstream stardom.
But as the performer climbed the ranks of Hollywood, he learned that with success came public scrutiny.
Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
"If you read what people say about you, it will kill you," he told Esquire in 2015. "Don't do that. But I know some people say I'm hideous, the most disgusting, ugliest guy in the world. And then some people say, 'Oh my God, he's f--king beautiful.'”
“I've always been love or hate,” he added. “That's fine. Thank God I've had more love than hate."
Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic
Silencing the Noise
While the challenges that come with fame may ebb and flow, the entertainer previously shared his determination to stay focused on his craft.
“There’s a lot of responsibility that goes in with. If you're going to be famous, it's more about the job,” he said during a November 2023 appearance on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast. “Being famous is silly. But you don’t really find out until you probably are. And then you're like, ‘This is silly.’
Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic
It’s also important to have a sense of humor when living in the public eye. As he jokingly added, “And I’m not famous. I’m recognizable in a lineup.”
Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images
His Changing Look
Yes, Carrot Top’s unmissable hairdo is in fact natural.
After all, he told Bill Maher during a 2023 appearance on the Club Random Podcast that his locks are “all mine.”
Though he used to rock a fire red curly afro back in the day, he now rocks a “dreaded” look, which he shared was a reflection of his mental health.
“It’s dreaded because I dread every f--king day of my life being Carrot Top. So, I dread it,” he said before adding of his words, “That’s actually funny.”
Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Keep Memory Alive
As for why he prefers for his locks to grow wild? Well, after Shania Twain asked him why he doesn’t put on a hat to cover his hair, he recalled to NPR in 2022 that “I said, No, I like my hair! I don’t wanna be stuffed into a hat.”
“I like being Carrot Top, I don’t have a problem with being Carrot Top,” he added. “I don’t mind being me.”
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Building a Legacy
Though Carrot Top has had a residency at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for the past 21 years, he wouldn’t consider himself one of the greats just yet.
“That means you’re old,” he told NPR in 2022, “because you can’t be an icon or a legend unless you’ve been around for a long time.”
Denise Truscello/Getty Images for One Drop Foundation
But as he continues to climb his way there, he's dedicated to helping the young comedians coming though the door behind him.
“You just got to go do it,” he said. “Bite it, go for it and get as much stage time as you can. So you can kind of figure out what it is you are going to talk about when you get up there.”
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
What Comes Next
Before Carrot Top was hospitalized in Las Vegas in September 2026, he shared insight into the future of his career, telling NPR that what would come next for him was “Probably a nap.”
But in the meantime, he shared his desire to keep performing at the Luxor.
“This is all I know,” he said. “I don’t have anything else. I’m just this. When this is it, I’ll just go sit somewhere and ponder how much fun I had.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
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