Tom Rhodes

Tom's father David was a decorated Vietnam war veteran. In 1968, he was selling insurance and driving a cab in D.C. when he enlisted in the army for U.S. Army Flight School. It was the last year he could qualify at age 29. David had three little boys and a wife to support at the time and never expected to serve. His logic was that peace talks had started in Vietnam that year and his flight training would take a year to complete. Instead, he ended up with one of the most dangerous jobs as a Huey helicopter pilot, flying supplies and troops into landing zones during combat. He earned a Purple Heart for his wounds and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroics before he returned home with a 50 percent disability. According to Tom, his father was a great influence on his sense of humor and had a way of spinning horrific war stories into something funny.

Rhodes was born in Washington DC to Sara Rhodes (née McCollough), from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and David B. Rhodes III, an insurance salesman from Washington DC. On his podcast with his Uncle Bob, Tom explained that since his family is from DC, that they have "a certain amount of blackness to the way they speak" and that he takes a lot of pride in that. His family moved to Oviedo, Florida in January 1980. Tom’s parents divorced during his childhood.

At age 17, Tom took a fake ID and auditioned at the only comedy club in Orlando, The Funny Farm. Throughout his junior and senior years, he did shows every weekend in Orlando and branched out to one-nighters all over the state of Florida. After graduating from Oviedo High School in 1985, Tom went on the road.

Rhodes said that his time on Comedy Central was a positive one. "They were just starting out [as a station]," he said. "They didn't have these signature shows like South Park, Politically Incorrect, and The Daily Show. It was really like being a junior filmmaker; I could do whatever I wanted! They loved me!" Rhodes explored this creative license when he hosted and wrote Viva Vietnam: A White Trash Adventure Tour. Viva Vietnam was a docu-comedy and Tom's first television travel show. He chose Vietnam because the country had just opened up for tourism in the early 1990s and he had always been interested in Vietnam due to his father David, a decorated Vietnam war helicopter pilot veteran. He wanted to bring humor to something that was otherwise bleak in American history. Viva Vietnam aired in 1995 on the 20th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Rhodes explored the country, pulling stunts such as setting up a Slip N Slide on China Beach.

Rhodes shot two Comedy Central Presents, which aired in 2001 and 2009, respectively. Both specials were filmed at The Hudson Theatre in New York City. Featured comics are allowed to choose their own unique backgrounds for their episodes. For the first one, Rhodes chose Leonardo da Vinci's study overlooking Florence, Italy. For his second, Rhodes requested a background featuring the great monuments of the world, including Colossus of Rhodes (the inspiration for the title of his third CD), to be bunched together.

Rhodes had a relationship with Dutch actress Anniek Pheifer, and moved to the Netherlands with her. The relationship ended, but it jumpstarted his involvement in Dutch television. He hosted the talk show Kevin Masters Show starring Tom Rhodes. The show ran on Dutch Yorin television for two years beginning in 2002. The producers of the show wanted an American to host the show and give his take on Dutch culture. The name Kevin Masters was a generic one to use until they found an actual host. Tom's audition for the show featured his normal stand-up routine and was selected as the best by producers. Rhodes was akin to David Letterman in the Dutch late-night talk show world. In addition to Dutch celebrities, Tom interviewed American celebrities, as well. Since there is no censorship on Dutch television, Rhodes was able to smoke marijuana with Tenacious D at an Amsterdam coffee shop and Steve-O stapled his scrotum to his leg in full uncensored nudity. Rhodes lived in the Netherlands for five years.

As of 2009, Tom Rhodes has been producing his own podcast, Tom Rhodes Radio, which features conversations with comedians, Tom's family and friends, and unique people he meets on his travels. The episodes are casual conversations between Tom and his guests with a comfortable feel. The podcast is an extension of the interviews Tom has done for his television shows and travel DVDs. Episodes are released on iTunes at least once or twice a month.

David B. "Dusty" Rhodes III died at age 70 on November 3, 2009, after suffering injuries sustained in a crash from a drunk driver. David Rhodes was bedridden for three months from his injuries of four broken ribs, a broken arm and leg, and pins placed in his vertebrae. He was buried in Arlington Cemetery on November 30, 2009 with a full military funeral, an honor he received from his service in Vietnam and in the Air Force.

Tom Rhodes is featured in the 2010 book ¡Satiristas!: Comedians, Contrarians, Raconteurs & Vulgarians written by Paul Provenza, Host of Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza, which features photos by San Francisco photographer Dan Dion. The book also includes interviews with George Carlin, Eddie Izzard, Trey Parker, and Matt Stone.

He became a travel writer for The Huffington Post in 2011, documenting his various travels.

Tom had a younger sister named Laura Beth Rhodes Goldstein, who died from stage four breast cancer on April 20, 2011. He was very close to his sister. On Tom Rhodes Radio (recorded before she died) Laura told Tom that he was the closest thing she had to an actual sister due to the helpful advice he gave her about life and dating. Since Tom's sister always wanted him to get married, Tom married Ashna Rodjan at his sister's bedside the day before she died. Tom said that though she was very sick, Laura was able to clap and say "Congratulations." In December 2018, Tom announced on his podcast that Ashna was divorcing him. The pair recorded a podcast on Dec. 30, 2018, titled, "Our Last Day Together" discussing their divorce and desire to remain great friends who love each other.