Contact:
- Tom Booth, President, Tucson Dance Foundation: (480) 907-8082, ttomtam@mac.com
Tucson Dance Foundation Website: www.tucsondancefoundation.org
Tom Wilson Websites: http://www.tomwilsonusa.com, http://www.bigpopfun.com/ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001855/
Video—Tom Booth sings the Back to the Future song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwY5o2fsG7Y
Iconic Screen Bully and Veteran Comic to Tickle Tucson’s Funny Bone in Support of Dance Arts
Tom Wilson Comedy Show at Omni Tucson National to benefit Tucson Dance Foundation Friday, September 17
Best known for his iconic role as alpha bully “Biff Tannen” in the Back to the Future trilogy, Tom Wilson is recognized by today’s youth for providing voice to numerous Spongebob Squarepants characters. Meriting his own Wikipedia entry, the character of Biff Tannen has also topped various lists citing the top screen bullies of all time. Prior to his tormenting of the McFly family through the generations in the classic 1980’s movie series, Tom began his career in standup comedy at the world famous Comedy Store on Sunset Strip improvising onstage with the likes of Richard Pryor, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey. Tom has opened for Rodney Dangerfield, Three Dog Night, Fleetwood Mac, Missing Persons and The Tubes. Along the way, he also appeared in twenty five feature films and made countless TV appearances, most recently playing the part of Mark Cheviron in 2009 release “The Informant” directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Matt Damon. Currently, Tom is in the midst of filming for the new Disney show, “Billion Dollar Freshmen,” set to air in 2011. Incongruent to the bully persona whose favorite insult was “butthead”, Tom also enjoys a career as a painter, featured in numerous California galleries, including the two Disneyland galleries.
Tucson Dance Foundation Golf Tournament organizer Tom Booth is thrilled to bring funnyman Tom Wilson back to Tucson, explaining “Tom Wilson helped get our first annual golf tournament off to a great start, so much of our feedback from the event focused on how much attendees enjoyed his entertainment. We count on this event to fund a lot of the great things that Tucson Dance Foundation provides for young Tucson artists and we wanted it to have a little something extra beyond the average tournament. Tom Wilson’s show and high energy hosting of our live auction really fits the bill. It allows us to expand the participation beyond golfers as we invite the non-golfers to come and join Phase II of our event; the Comedy/Dinner Show and Live Auction featuring items that will appeal to both golfers (a fully installed putting green from Southwest Greens of Tucson) and non-golfers. We knew after last year’s show turnout that a larger venue was needed and Tucson National’s newly remodeled ballroom offered us a beautiful venue that ensures everyone a great seat.”
The dinner/comedy show begins at 6pm at the Papago Ballroom at Omni Tucson National. The cost is $60 per/person and includes dinner. Reservations can be made by registering online at www.tucsondancefoundation.org or call tournament chair Tammy Eggerman at 742-7605. Those who golf can enjoy both the dinner show and a full day of golfing event beginning 12pm. The cost for golfers is $150 which includes Eeggees bag lunch/golf/dinner/show. The Tucson Dance Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization which provides Tucson area youth an enriched educational experience through the study and performance of the art of dance including music and theater. Proceeds from last year’s tournament helped fund dance workshops including Jazz great Suzi Taylor and Ballroom expert Radomir Pashev.
From recent interview of Tom Wilson:
We are excited to have you back in Tucson. Last year was a tremendous success in both raising funds and awareness for the Tucson Dance Foundation – and a great show and golf tournament. What are your memories of last year?
I had such a great time last year, not only doing my show and having fun with the audience, but it was also wonderful to go to the Dance Academy and meet so many energetic dancers. And of course, the javelina that walked across the golf course behind me while I was performing. That pig.
The students at Tucson Dance Academy have talked all year about getting to meet you, hear about your work on the SpongeBob SquarePants show, the over 100 movies you have filmed and what it takes to be in the arts for a lifetime. What are some of the main suggestions you make to young people who want to do “what you do”?
The main thing I try to get across to young people about a life in the arts is how very “normal” it is. Sounds crazy, huh? Yes, it’s an unusual thing to do for a living, but the ways that people become successful are the same as in every other job. Keep your feet on the ground, work hard, be persistent and never quit. Unlike most television shows about show business, it isn’t just for the crazy or lucky, and not only for people who want to spin a magical jackpot wheel and become famous. Those people almost always fail. Show business is for talented and determined people who aren’t afraid to work very hard and be very patient. Just like most other things that are worth doing.
You are a family man, a regular guy with wife, kids, and a mortgage. How do you deal with the perception that, because you are in movies and TV all of the time, that your life is different, and somehow better, than the rest of us?
Yes, I have four kids, all smart, great, and beautiful and a wife of twenty five years. That’s marriage in show business, so it counts as 87 regular years – it’s like dogs. The perception that people in show business have better and more special lives is a convenient lie that the media uses to sell product and manufacture a glamorous fantasy world. As we see over and over, those sad few who actually believe they are better and special are almost always the ones who end up very troubled and in rehab or near suicide. We’ve all seen it over and over, but the sad circus keeps producing people falling from the high wire for our entertainment. The fact is, most people in show business have families, go to work to make a living, sometimes hate what they do, and sometimes love what they do. Sort of like everybody else, as far as I can see.
Anyone can come to your show on Friday, September 17th at the Omni Resort – besides a great dinner, what can they expect to see and experience at a Tom Wilson Stand-Up act?
Everybody is welcome to come! The show comes with my personal guarantee – If you don’t have a great time, it’s clearly a YOU problem. I guarantee it. My act is a fun exploration of my life, songs, stories, and all sorts of family and life situations that I think everybody can relate to. I even sing my Back To The Future song, which now has over three million YouTube hits.