Vinny Thomas
Born1996 (age 27–28)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
Years active2020–present
Websitewww.vinnythomas.com

Vinny Thomas is an American actor, writer, and comedian. He is best known for his viral videos on Twitter and TikTok. His work has been recognized by Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter, Vulture, USA Today, and Just for Laughs. He is a cast member on the Apple TV+ comedy series Platonic.

Life and career

Thomas was raised in Denver, Colorado, where he trained in improvisational comedy at the Bovine Metropolis Theater and Rise Comedy.[1] He moved to Chicago in 2018 to pursue a comedy career. Thomas trained at The Second City and was a member of the house improv group Twisty.[2]

After the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Thomas gained wider prominence for self-produced videos posted to Twitter and other social media sites.[3] In particular, his video as an extraterrestrial member of the fictional Intergalactic Federation reviewing Earth's application for entry went viral.[4][5] In other videos he has appeared as various creatures and exaggerated characters including a warthog, a fly, and a Southern attendee at the Kentucky Derby.[6][3][7] His videos sometimes respond to current events such as one video where he posed as a female condor that reproduced asexually, based on an actual instance that was reported on in October 2021.[8] In one parody video released in 2022, he posed as a Mars Inc. spokesperson announcing the changes to the green M&M's costume: "So you’re welcome, feminists, the green M&M is no longer a perfect 10."[9] One video where he impersonates a pigeon at a Pride parade urging attendees to throw him bread was named to Vanity Fair's list of 2021 Best Performances.[5] He was also recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as one of six notable social media comics.[7]

Since 2021, he has regularly contributed guest writing for Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!.[10]

Thomas appeared in his first television acting role as a recurring cast member on the Apple TV+ series Platonic (2022–) starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne.[11]

One of his Tweets was the solution to a New Yorker crossword puzzle question on July 12, 2022.[12] Thomas was named to USA Today's 2022 list of 10 up-and-coming comedians you need to know and Vulture's list of Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2022.[13][14]

Thomas was a performer in the 2023 CBS Showcase.[15] He appeared in the television miniseries Ahsoka (2023) as Jai Kell, a character originally voiced by Dante Basco in the animated series Star Wars Rebels.[16][17]

Accolades

References

  1. ↑ Garron, Taylor (2021-03-05). "Vinny Thomas Lies to His Uber Drivers". Vulture. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 Hipes, Patrick. "Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Sets 2021 New Faces Showcase Lineup". Deadline. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 Chan, Goldie. "Telling Hilarious Stories With Vinny Thomas". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  4. ↑ Alexandra, Rae (2020-12-08). "Watch One Comedian Sum Up Why the Extraterrestrial 'Galactic Federation' Hates Earth". KQED. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Best Performances of 2021". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  6. ↑ Iovine, Anna (2020-10-08). "Comedian hilariously imitates the fly on Mike Pence's head". Mashable. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  7. 1 2 Sun, Rebecca (2021-11-01). "The 6 Social Media Comics Hollywood Is Watching (or Should Be)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  8. ↑ Valentine, Claire. "6 Comedians On What Actually Made Them Laugh This Year". Nylon. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  9. ↑ Bollinger, Alex. "The internet explodes in laughter as M&Ms announces new "inclusive" characters". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  10. ↑ "'So Long, Broke People Of Earth!': Comedian Imagines Space Travel With The Bezos Bros". NPR. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  11. ↑ Petski, Denise (2022-06-29). "'Platonic': Alisha Wainwright, Guy Branum Among Five Set To Recur In Apple Comedy Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
  12. ↑ Agard, Erik (2022-07-12). "The Crossword: Tuesday, July 12, 2022". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  13. ↑ Ryan, Patrick (2022-08-03). "10 up-and-coming comedians you need to know". www.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
  14. ↑ "The Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2022". Vulture. 2022-09-06. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  15. ↑ Petski, Denise. "Paramount Global Unveils 12 Performers For 2023 CBS Showcase". Deadline. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Who is Jai Kell? The 'Ahsoka' Character Exposes a Harsh Star Wars Truth". Inverse. 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  17. ↑ "Ahsoka Brings Star Wars Rebels Character We Didn't Expect Into Live-Action". ScreenRant. 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
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