Tom Rhodes

Tom Rhodes (born January 14 1967) is an American comedian, actor, host, and travel writer. When Comedy Central began in the early 1990s, Rhodes became the first comedian spokesperson they signed. Much of his commercial success came during this time. He was later the star of NBC's Mr. Rhodes, Dutch Yorin Television's Kevin Masters Show starring Tom Rhodes and Yorin Travel. In addition to venues in the United States, Rhodes has also performed in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Jakarta, Bali, London, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Lausanne, Vancouver, Stockholm, Sydney, Melbourne, Basel, Geneva, Copenhagen, and Toronto. His podcast Tom Rhodes Smart Camp (All Things Comedy) is a festival of ideas (Smart Bestie), knowledge, stories (Smart Ramble), books (Smart Books & Movies), and adventures. Co-hosted with Ashna Rodjan, the podcast often features conversations with comedians and individuals (Smart Talk) he meets while traveling. He writes for the HuffPost Travel section and often documents his travels on his YouTube page. He has released seven comedy albums, the most recent being The Honkey Motherland in 2020, and two DVDs which feature his performances and interviews with locals across the world. Rhodes was introduced to stand-up at age 12 when his father took him to a local D.C. comedy club to see his Uncle Bob perform. Because Rhodes was wearing a Washington Redskins jacket, another comedian pulled him up onstage and interviewed him as if he were the Redskins football coach. He claims this was the moment he fell in love with stand-up comedy. He also idolized his favorite Uncle Bob, who influenced his sense of humor and the way he talked. Rhodes had a chance meeting with Jay Leno at a jazz club called Cheek to Cheek in Winter Park, Florida. He was not old enough to get in the club at the time, so he waited by the backstage door for the opening act to walk out. When they did, he stuck his foot in the door and watched Leno's show through a crack in the curtain behind him. When the show was over, Leno discovered him and, impressed with his curiosity, took him backstage and let him ask questions about comedy and what it takes to be a comedian. Part of the advice Leno gave was that great comedians should be living in New York or Los Angeles to better seize performing opportunities on stage and TV. On his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Rhodes reminded Leno about this meeting, which Leno recalled.