Name Tom Whitman Music director The Other America | Role Filmmaker Movies Sexy | |
Education University of California, Los Angeles | ||
Tom Whitman
Tom Whitman IV (born January 15, 1971 in Honolulu, Hawaii) is an American event producer, club promoter, filmmaker and philanthropist living in Los Angeles, California. Tom is considered one of the most successful club promoters in L.A.’s gay nightlife scene. He is best known for producing more than 200 events a year in Los Angeles as well as being named one of OUT Magazine’s “100 People of the Year 2008.” He is also known for his work in television at MTV Networks and his short films The Rape of Ganymede and Sexy.
Contents
- Tom Whitman
- Television production
- Film production
- Theater production
- Event production
- Current events
- Past events
- Philanthropy
- Community work
- Other entrepreneurial work
- Awards
- References
Born in Hawaii as the son of an Air Force officer, Tom spent much of his younger years moving around Europe. After his family moved to California, Tom attended UCLA where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communication. Since that time, he has lived primarily in Los Angeles, and part-time in New York City.
Whitman began his career at MTV Networks, working primarily at Nickelodeon and MTV for eight years, with much of his work focused on live television award shows and concert shows. In 2000, he left to form his own event production company Tom Whitman Presents, and is currently one of the highest profile event producers in the gay community, producing and promoting more than 200 events each year.
Television production
Tom Whitman worked as a producer/director in television and film for nine years, predominantly with MTV Networks and Nickelodeon. He has produced concert shows with performances by NSYNC, Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Backstreet Boys and many others. He has written and directed television segments with people such as Mariah Carey, Elton John, and more. Whitman has worked in production on shows which include Nickelodeon’s The Big Help, Kid’s Choice Awards, The MTV Movie Awards, VH-1 Honors.
Film production
Tom Whitman was the writer/director on the animated 16 mm short film “The Rape of Ganymede” and the award-winning 35 mm short film “Sexy"(Sexy Animated Short), both of which premiered in Los Angeles at Outfest and have played in more than fifty countries on six continents.
Theater production
As co-producer of Mommie Queerest, Tom had early success in theater production. The show won the LA Weekly “Pick of the Week,” as well as the winner of an LA Weekly Theater Awards Best Director for Chris Kenney, and 2 nominations for Best Actor (Comedy) for Brooks Braselman and Jamie Morris.
Tom was also the co-producer of The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode – A parody production based on the popular 1980’s sitcom The Facts of Life with screenplay by Jamie Morris. The show features Brooks Braselman and Jamie Morris and is currently touring major cities in the United States.
Tom produced "Mostly Broadway" starring David Burnham at Ultra Suede and at Elevation, Mammoth Gay Ski Week.
Event production
In 2000, Tom Whitman took his experience as a TV and film producer-director for MTV Networks and translated it into event promotion and production to form his company Tom Whitman Presents, Inc. Since then over 500,000 pairs of feet have danced through the doors of his parties.
His promotions range from weekly events at West Hollywood nightspots to large annual dance and sporting events. His weekly events include the celebrity-frequented Cherry Pop, voted LA Weekly’s best Gay Bar Event in 2008, to Sanctuary at the Abbey, to the huge Sunday nightclub event, SIZE U at Here lounge. TWP also produces a handful of annual events including Wonderland - the largest LA Gay Pride event and ELEVATION -the Mammoth Gay Ski Week in Mammoth Lakes, CA, which is one of the largest gay ski weeks in North America, and ELEVATION - the Utah Gay Ski Week in Park City, UT.
Musical performers at Tom Whitman Presents events have included Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child), Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Jewel, Blu Cantrell, American Idol’s Kimberley Locke, American Idol’s Tamyra Gray, Kristine W, Thelma Houston, Kim English, Frankie J, Ari Gold, Gioia Bruno, LMFAO, Salt n' Pepa, Cazwell, Kandi, Porcelain Black, (Expose), Pepper Mashay, Pat Hodges & The Sweet Inspirations, Levi Kreis, Debby Holiday, American Idol’s Kimberly Caldwell, Boomkat, Shoshana Bean, Wicked’s Megan Hilty David Burnham and Eden Espinosa.
Other performers have included Brazilian dance troupe The Girls from Ipanema, performance artist Flava, the Eye of Newt Circus, Stiltworld, Hawaiian dance troupe Flowers of Leilani, aerial group Vertigo Posse, aerial group Hollywood Aerial Arts. Tom Whitman Presents has produced events with the best nationally and internationally recognized DJs, including superstar DJ/remixer Manny Lehman, Tony Moran, Chris Cox & Barry Harris, Brett Henrichsen, Roland Belmares, Escape, Paul Heron, Pagano, Joe Bermudez, Kimberly S, Paulo, Jamie J Sanchez, Josh Peace, Scotty K, Paul Goodyear, Randy Bettis, Wayne G, Dan DeLeon, and DJ Corey Craig.
Current events
Past events
Philanthropy
Tom Whitman has produced charity events for many LA based charities, including AIDS Project Los Angeles, The Trevor Project, GLAAD, HRC, Outfest and others. He joined the Board of Directors of AIDS Project Los Angeles, the second largest AIDS service organization in the country, in 2006.
Community work
Tom Whitman is on the Board of Directors of AIDS Project Los Angeles and has produced events for APLA as well as other local and national non-profit organizations, including HRC, The Trevor Project, The LA Gay & Lesbian Center and organizations involved in the fight against Proposition 8. He also started a grass-roots organization, the Gang of 100, mentioned as “25 Things to Love About Gay LA” in Frontier’s Magazine. The Gang of 100 is an informal group of men and women in the gay community in Los Angeles that utilize their social connections to make a difference through various fundraising events for a variety of Los Angeles-based non-profits. The Gang has raised almost $250,000 in 2008 alone benefiting organizations such as AIDS Walk LA, APLA, The Trevor Project and many others.
Other entrepreneurial work
In 2008, Tom Whitman and Alexis Hadjopulos started the vintage furniture and accessories company ALTO Furniture, LLC, under the nickname and website thisisnotikea.com. Since then, This Is Not Ikea has opened a retail outlet on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles.