Comedian Carrot Top's lawyer filed an emergency court motion alleging a former friend extorted the performer for millions of dollars in the days before his September 18 suicide attempt, and is now asking a judge to stop the man from filing anything else.
Attorney Ronnie Bitman moved in a Florida court to impose what he called "immediate gatekeeping procedures" on Brian Evans, a onetime friend of Scott Thompson, the 61-year-old comedian known worldwide as Carrot Top, who has been representing himself in an ongoing lawsuit against the performer. The motion, obtained by USA TODAY, asks the court to strip Evans of his ability to file new documents without a judge's prior approval, including revoking his electronic filing access.
The filing paints a picture of a man allegedly leveraged by someone he once trusted. Emails submitted alongside the motion show Evans demanded millions of dollars from Thompson between 2024 and the days immediately preceding the suicide attempt, according to the motion. Evans allegedly threatened to expose a sexually explicit video of Thompson and other "private, personal secrets" unless the comedian paid up.
Bitman did not mince words in the filing. He described Evans as a "serial filer who abuses the Court system" and warned the court that standard remedies would not protect his client.
Bitman wrote in the motion:
"A public filing can become national news almost immediately. This has been Evans' modus operandi in repeatedly extorting Mr. Thompson with the threat of exposing him to ill repute, false allegations, and salacious materials."
The attorney argued that the damage from each new court filing is irreversible. Once private material hits a public docket monitored by national media, there is no taking it back. Bitman put it plainly: "The threatened injury here, continued publication of intensely private material on a docket monitored by national media, cannot be repaired after publication."
Evans originally sued Thompson roughly two years ago to reverse a prior settlement deal between the two. The specific terms of that settlement have not been disclosed. USA TODAY reached out to Evans for comment; no response was reported.
Thompson attempted suicide on September 18, leaving him hospitalized. His publicist, Jami Schlicher, issued a statement to USA TODAY on September 21 confirming the comedian's condition.
Schlicher said Thompson "remains hospitalized and under close medical care" but is "breathing on his own and continuing to improve, surrounded by his family and those closest to him." She added that Thompson has been sharing "moments of humor with the medical staff caring for him", a detail that tracks with the prop comic's reputation for relentless energy even off stage.
Schlicher also noted the outpouring of fan support:
"Many messages from fans have been shared with Scott, including stories from people about how his comedy helped them through difficult periods in their own lives. Hearing those stories and feeling that support has meant a great deal to him during his recovery."
Thompson's family asked that his privacy be respected.
Thompson has held a comedy residency at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas since 2005, the second longest-running show in Vegas history, behind only Wayne Newton. His Friday night performance was canceled after the hospitalization, and his Saturday and Sunday shows followed.
Fox News reported that Thompson had been seen at a Las Vegas bar around 2 p.m. on Friday, hours before his scheduled 8 p.m. show. An MGM Resorts spokesperson said Thompson "is a beloved member of the Luxor and MGM Resorts family" and expressed relief that he is recovering.
Thompson rose to fame in the 1990s with a high-energy act built on his signature red hair, rapid-fire delivery, and inventive prop comedy. At 61, he remained one of the most recognizable acts on the Las Vegas Strip. The New York Post reported on the hospitalization the same day it occurred, confirming the cancellation and Thompson's representative's statement requesting privacy.
The allegations in Bitman's motion raise a straightforward question about how courts handle self-represented litigants who allegedly use public filings as leverage. If Bitman's account is accurate, Evans turned the judicial process itself into a pressure tool, filing documents he knew would attract media coverage, then using the threat of more filings to extract money from a man already under severe emotional strain.
Whether the Florida court will grant the emergency motion remains unknown. No ruling had been reported as of the article's publication on September 22. The case number and specific court have not been publicly identified.
Several key questions remain unanswered. What were the terms of the original settlement Evans is trying to reverse? What exactly is on the alleged sexually explicit video? And why has Evans, who is representing himself, apparently faced no consequences for what Bitman describes as serial abuse of the court system stretching back years?
Courts exist to resolve disputes, not to serve as instruments of coercion. If Bitman's filing holds up, this case is a cautionary example of what happens when one party treats the docket like a weapon and no one steps in to stop it, until someone ends up in a hospital bed.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or chat at 988. The Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential support, text 741741.
