Rockledge-born comedian Carrot Top, whose real name is Scott Thompson, attempted suicide last week, days after a court filing accused him of sexual misconduct, his attorneys confirmed, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Thompson, known for his wild red hair, was born in Rockledge, grew up in Cocoa Beach and graduated from Cocoa High School in 1983. He has lived in Winter Park for years and has headlined a residency at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas since 2005.
According to the Sentinel, the allegation surfaced in a Sept. 14 filing in a Broward County lawsuit. In that filing, 25-year-old Zachary Defazio accuses Thompson of giving him alcohol at his Winter Park home when he was 19 and engaging in sexual conduct with him while he was too drunk to consent. Defazio says the two met on the dating app Grindr in 2021, when Thompson was in his mid-50s, and that Thompson used a photo showing only a torso that made him appear much younger.
Defazio’s allegations were filed as part of a separate lawsuit brought by Brian Evans, a Hallandale Beach recording artist and songwriter who says he was once Thompson’s opening act. Evans, who is representing himself, filed the suit Aug. 6. He claims Thompson sent him an unsolicited sexually explicit video in 2022 or 2023. Evans entered a settlement with Thompson in 2024 and is now trying to void it, saying PTSD and depression kept him from fully understanding the deal. He is also seeking additional damages.
Defazio wrote that he came forward after Evans’ case went public to support him.
Thompson’s attorney, Ronnie Bitman, alleges Evans has attempted to extort the comedian. Bitman’s filing includes what he says is an email from Evans offering a $500,000 settlement and stating that if Thompson refused, Evans would submit the video to the court, where it would become public.
Evans denied the extortion claim in an email to the Sentinel on Tuesday and said Thompson’s attorneys are the ones pushing that narrative to the media. He also denied his lawsuit had anything to do with Thompson’s suicide attempt.
Thompson was hospitalized in the Las Vegas area on Sept. 18. His spokesperson, Jami Schlicher, said Monday he is awake, breathing on his own and continuing to improve, surrounded by family. She declined to comment on the allegations and asked that his privacy be respected.
In a Sunday filing, Thompson’s attorneys asked the court to restrict details of the case from public view.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.
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