A representative from the U.S. State Department congratulates and offers a partial payment to an informant, whose information lead to the neutralization of a terrorist in the Philippines.

An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants (CI), and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information without the consent of the other parties with the intent of malicious, personal or financial gain.^[1] However, the term is used in politics, industry and academia.^[2][3]

Criminal informants[link]

Informants are commonly found in the world of organized crime. By its very nature, organized crime involves many people who are aware of each other's guilt, in a variety of illegal activities. Quite frequently, confidential informants (or criminal informants) will provide information in order to obtain lenient treatment for themselves and provide information, over an extended period of time, in return for money or for police to overlook their own criminal activities. Quite often, someone will become an informant following their arrest.^{[citation needed]}

Informants are also extremely common in every-day police work, including homicide and narcotics investigations. Any citizen who aids an investigation by offering helpful information to the police is by definition an informant.^{[citation needed]}

The CIA has been criticized for leniency towards drug lords^[4] and murderers^[5] acting as paid informants, informants being allowed to engage in some crimes so that the potential informant can blend into the criminal environment without suspicion,^[5] and wasting billions of dollars on dishonest sources of information.^[1]

Informants are often regarded as traitors by their former criminal associates. Whatever the nature of a group, it is likely to feel strong hostility toward any known informers, regard them as threats and inflict punishments ranging from social ostracism through physical abuse and/or death. Informers are therefore generally protected, either by being segregated while in prison or, if they are not incarcerated, relocated under a new identity.

Labor and social movements[link]

Corporations and the detective agencies that sometimes represent them have historically hired labor spies to monitor or control labor organizations and their activities.^[6] Such individuals may be professionals or recruits from the workforce. They may be willing accomplices, or may be tricked into informing on their co-workers' unionization efforts.^[7]

Paid informants have often been used by authorities within politically and socially oriented movements to weaken, destabilize and ultimately break them.^[8]

Politics[link]

Informers alert authorities regarding government officials that are corrupt. Officials may be taking bribes, or participants in a money loop also called a kickback. Informers in some countries receive a percentage of all monies recovered by their government.^{[citation needed]}

Lactantius described an example from ancient Rome involved the prosecution of a woman suspected to have advised a woman not to marry Maximinus II: "Neither indeed was there any accuser, until a certain Jew, one charged with other offences, was induced, through hope of pardon, to give false evidence against the innocent. The equitable and vigilant magistrate conducted him out of the city under a guard, lest the populace should have stoned him... The Jew was ordered to the torture till he should speak as he had been instructed... The innocent were condemned to die.... Nor was the promise of pardon made good to the feigned adulterer, for he was fixed to a gibbet, and then he disclosed the whole secret contrivance; and with his last breath he protested to all the beholders that the women died innocent."^[9]

Criminal informant schemes have often been used as cover for politically motivated intelligence offensives.^[10]

Jailhouse informants[link]

Jailhouse informants, who report hearsay (admissions against penal interest) which they claim to have heard while the accused is in pretrial detention, usually in exchange for sentence reductions or other inducements, have been the focus of particular controversy.^[11] Some examples of their use are in connection with Stanley Williams, Cameron Todd Willingham, Gerald Stano, Thomas Silverstein, Marshall "Eddie" Conway, and a suspect in the disappearance of Etan Patz.^{[citation needed]}

Terminology and slang[link]

Slang terms for informants include:

• cheese eater^[12]
• dog — Australian. May also refer to police who specialize in surveillance, or police generally.
• fink — this may refer to the Pinkertons who were used as plain-clothes detectives and strike-breakers.^[13]
• grass^[14] or supergrass,^[15] — rhyming slang for grasshopper, meaning copper or shopper^[16] and having additional associations with the popular song, "Whispering Grass", and the phrase snake in the grass.^[17]
• narc — a member of a specialist narcotics police force.^[18]
• nark — this may have come from the Romany term nak for nose or the French term narquois meaning cunning, deceitful and/or criminal.^[19][20]
• nose^[21]
• pursuivant (archaic),^[22]
• rat,^[12][23] informing is commonly referred to as "ratting."
• snitch^[24]
• snout^[25]
• spotter^[26]
• squealer^[24]
• stool pigeon^[27]
• tell tale or tell-tale^[28][29]
• tittle-tattle^[27]
• trick^[30]

The phrase "drop a dime" refers to an informant using a payphone to call the authorities to report information.^{[citation needed]}

List of famous informants[link]

• W. Mark Felt, a.k.a. "Deep Throat," former Deputy Director of the FBI
• Sammy Gravano, former underboss of the Gambino crime family
• Henry Hill, Lucchese crime family associate
• Frank Lucas, New York drug dealer turned informant
• Joseph Valachi, soldier in the Genovese crime family
• Salvatore Vitale, former underboss of the Bonanno crime family
• James Carey, Irish terrorist

See also[link]

• Agent provocateur
• Aguilar–Spinelli test
• Counter-terrorism
• Espionage
• Hollywood blacklist
• Pentiti
• Plea bargain
• Turn state's evidence
• United States Marshals Service
• Whistleblower
• Witness Protection Program

References[link]

Mark Whitacre
Born	(1957-05-01) May 1, 1957 (age 55) Morrow, Ohio
Charge(s)	Wire fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, price-fixing[1]
Penalty	>10 yr. in federal prison camp (but served ca. 8½ yrs. for good behavior)[2]
Status	Released December 21, 2006[2][3][4]
Occupation	COO and President of Operations of Cypress Systems, Inc.[2][3][4]
Spouse	Ginger (Gilbert) Whitacre (married 1979)[5][6]
Children	Three adult children[6]

Mark Edward Whitacre (born May 1, 1957) came to public attention in 1995 when, as president of the BioProducts Division at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), he was the highest-level corporate executive in U.S. history to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whistleblower. For three years (1992–1995), Whitacre acted as an informant for the FBI, which was investigating ADM for price fixing. In apparent retaliation for his role as an informant, ADM investigated Whitacre's activities and, upon discovering suspicious activity, requested the FBI investigate Whitacre for embezzlement. As a result of US$9.5 million in various frauds, Whitacre lost his whistleblower's immunity, and consequently spent eight-and-a-half years in federal prison. He was released in December 2006. Whitacre is currently the chief operating officer and President of Operations at Cypress Systems, a California biotechnology firm.

Early life and education[link]

Whitacre was born on May 1, 1957 and grew up in Morrow, Ohio.^[5] He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Ohio State University,^[5] and earned a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University (1983).^[5][7]

Career[link]

Whitacre was an executive at Degussa and Ralston Purina prior to joining ADM, where he was President of the BioProducts Division from 1989 until August 9, 1995.^[5]

After leaving ADM in 1995, Whitacre was hired as the CEO of Future Health Technologies (FHT), which soon thereafter FHT was renamed Biomar International. Biomar was a startup medical biotechnology company founded by a Cornell scientist, T. Colin Campbell. According to Lieber, author of Rats in the Grain, Whitacre resigned from Biomar one week prior to pleading guilty to fraud in October, 1997, because he knew that incarceration was included in the plea agreement.^[8]

In December 2006, after his release from federal prison, Whitacre was hired by Cypress Systems Inc., a California biotechnology company, as the President of Technology and Business Development.^[2] In March 2008, Whitacre was promoted to the company's Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President of operations.^[3][9]

Legal issues[link]

ADM price-fixing[link]

In 1992, during an ADM-initiated investigation of corporate espionage and sabotage, Whitacre informed an FBI agent that he and other ADM executives were involved in an illegal multinational lysine price-fixing scheme.^[10][11] Whitacre's wife pressured him into becoming a whistleblower after she threatened to go to the FBI herself.^[12]

Over the next three years, Whitacre worked with FBI agents to collect information and record conversations with both ADM executives and its competitors.^[5] ADM ultimately settled Federal charges for more than US$100 million and paid hundreds of millions of dollars more to plaintiffs and customers (US$400 million alone on a high-fructose corn syrup class action case).^{[10][13][14][15]}

Whitacre embezzlement[link]

A few years into the price-fixing investigation, Whitacre confessed to his FBI handlers that he had been involved with corporate kickbacks and money laundering at ADM.^[5] Whitacre was later convicted of embezzling US$9 million; some of this criminal activity occurred during the time he was cooperating with the FBI.^[1][16]

Sentencing and release[link]

Represented by high profile lawyer, John M. Dowd, Whitacre pleaded guilty, without a trial, to tax evasion and fraud and was sent to prison on March 4, 1998.^[1] Although some officials in the FBI and the Department of Justice opposed the length of the penalty, Whitacre was sentenced to ten and a half years in Federal prison—three times longer than his price-fixing conspirators. In December 2006, he was released on good behavior after serving eight and half years.^[17][18]

Differing perspectives[link]

Kurt Eichenwald[link]

In his 2000 book, The Informant, Kurt Eichenwald, a former New York Times reporter, portrays Whitacre as a complex figure: while working for the FBI as one of the best and most effective undercover cooperating witnesses the U.S. government ever had, Whitacre was simultaneously committing a US$9 million white-collar crime.^[19] According to Eichenwald, preceding the investigation Whitacre was scammed by a group in Nigeria in an advance fee fraud, and suggests that Whitacre's losses in the scam may have been the initial reason behind his embezzlement activity at ADM.^[6]

Eichenwald writes that Whitacre lied and became delusional in a failed attempt to save himself, making the FBI investigation much more difficult.^[19] The Informant details Whitacre's bizarre behavior, including Whitacre cracking under pressure, increasing his mania, telling the media that FBI agents tried to force him to destroy tapes (a story that Whitacre later recanted), and attempting suicide.^[19] Two doctors later diagnosed Whitacre as suffering from bipolar disorder. Eichenwald concludes that Whitacre's sentence was unjust because of his mental instability at the time.^[20]

Eichenwald, two prosecutors, an FBI agent, and Mark Whitacre (during his incarceration) were featured on a September 15, 2000, episode of the radio program This American Life about the ADM case.^[21] Eichenwald referred to Whitacre's sentence as "excessive and a law enforcement failure" because Whitacre never received credit for his substantial cooperation in assisting the government with the massive price-fixing case.^[21]

Eichenwald's account of Whitacre has been called into question by the syndicated columnist Alan Guebert,^[22] following the disclosure in August 2007 that Eichenwald paid his sources on another story.^[23]

James B. Lieber[link]

In his 2000 book, Rats In The Grain, attorney James B. Lieber focuses on ADM's price-fixing trial and presents Whitacre as an American hero overpowered by ADM's vast political clout.^[17] Rats In The Grain presents evidence that the U.S. Department of Justice often subjugated itself to ADM's political power and well-connected attorneys in prosecuting Whitacre. Lieber reveals that, in 1996, "ADM CEO, Mr. Dwayne Andreas, told The Washington Post that he had known about Whitacre's frauds for three years” and speculates that Whitacre was fired and turned over to the Federal authorities only after ADM learned he had been working as an FBI mole. If he knew about Whitacre's embezzlement for three years, Lieber asks, why didn't Andreas fire Whitacre immediately? Lieber surmises: “There were only two logical explanations for Andreas' behavior: either he did not think the funds were stolen (in other words, they were approved) or he didn't care."^[24] Based on the fact that other ADM executives committed crimes such as financial fraud by a former treasurer and technology thefts by others, Lieber concludes that fraud was well-known and widespread at ADM during the 1990s.^[17] Lieber suggests that ADM would have not turned Whitacre over to the authorities if he had not been a mole for the FBI.^[16]

Like Eichenwald, Lieber concludes that Whitacre's lengthy prison sentence was excessive and unjust when one takes into account Whitacre's cooperation in the much larger price-fixing case.^[20][25]

Lieber also poses this question: "Where will the government obtain the next Mark Whitacre after potential whistleblowers observe how Whitacre was treated?" ^[24][26]

Clemency and pardon support[link]

Appeals for Whitacre's full pardon or clemency to the White House are supported by several current and former justice department officials: Dean Paisley, a retired 25-year veteran and former FBI supervisor on the price-fixing case; two other FBI agents involved with the case; a former Attorney General of the United States; one of the former Asst. U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted Whitacre; two prosecutors from the Canadian Department of Justice; several Senators and Congressmen; Cornell University and Ohio State University professors; Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew; Chuck Colson; and numerous top executives of corporations.^{[2][9][22][27]}

In 2008, more than ten years after the original conviction, Paisley and two other FBI agents went public with praise for Whitacre. Paisley concluded that "Whitacre's fraud case was minuscule as compared to the ADM case Whitacre cooperated with.”^{[2][7][9][28]} "Had it not been for the fraud conviction," Paisley said, "he would be a national hero. Well, he is a national hero."^{[7][27][28][29]} Paisley added, "Without him, the biggest antitrust case we've ever had would not have been."^[7][28][29] On August 4, 2010, in a Discovery Channel documentary, Undercover: Operation Harvest King, several FBI agents stated that "Whitacre got a raw deal."^[30] In addition, official letters from the FBI in support of a Whitacre pardon were published in Floyd Perry's September 2009 book, Mark Whitacre: Against All Odds.^[31]

Discovery Channel TV documentary[link]

A Discovery Channel TV documentary titled, Undercover: Operation Harvest King, which documents Mark Whitacre's role in the ADM price fixing case aired several times during 2009 and 2010, where Discovery Channel interviewed the three FBI agents whom handled the Mark Whitacre/ADM case (i.e., Dean Paisley, Brian Shepard and Robert Herndon), along with Mark and Ginger Whitacre.^[30] The 45-minute documentary is archived.^[32]

Feature film[link]

The Informant! is a Warner Bros. feature film released on September 18, 2009. Produced by Jennifer Fox and directed by Steven Soderbergh, the dark comedy/drama film stars Matt Damon as Whitacre.^[33] The screenplay by Scott Z. Burns is based on Kurt Eichenwald's book, The Informant, with most of the filming done in Central Illinois (Moweaqua and Decatur).^[34]

Personal life[link]

Whitacre married his high school sweetheart, Ginger Gilbert, on June 16, 1979.^[4][5][6]

Whitacre became a Christian during his incarceration, and since his prison release during December 2006, he has been often interviewed by the Christian community-including the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN)-about redemption, second chances, and the importance of his faith.^{[4][35][36][37][38][39]} Forbes reported that Whitacre was guest speaker at the Quantico FBI Academy during 2011 about second chances.^[4][39]

See also[link]

• Antitrust

References[link]

Footnotes[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Lieber, James B. (2000), Rats in the Grain, New York: Four Walls Eight Windows, ISBN 1-56858-142-4, Lay summary 
• Eichenwald, Kurt (2000), The Informant, Broadway Books, Inc., ISBN 978-0-7679-0327-1, Lay summary 

Coverage in the news media[link]

• England, Scot (2009-10-29), "FBI declares Whitacre a national hero", Decatur WAND NEWS 17, http://www.wandtv.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=4256195&h1=In%20Depth%20Coverage%3A%20Mark%20Whitacre%2C%20national%20hero%3F&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=157933&LaunchPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&rnd=97691013, retrieved 2009-12-26 
• Greenwald, John; Curry, Tom; McWhirter, William (1995-07-24), "Harvest of Subpoenas", Time, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983204-1,00.html, retrieved 2009-09-21 
• Henkoff, Ronald; Rao, Rajiv M.; Jaynes, Madeline (1995-09-04), "So who is this Mark Whitacre, and why is he saying these things about ADM?", Fortune Magazine, http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1995/09/04/205874/index.htm, retrieved 2009-09-21 
• Greenwald, John; Donnelly, Sally; McWhirter, William (1996-10-28), "The fix was in at ADM", Time, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985379,00.html, retrieved 2009-09-20 
• Lubbock Avalanche (1996-12-29), "ADM's lawsuit could hurt company", Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/122996/adms.htm, retrieved 2009-09-21 
• Krebs, A.V. (2000-08-16), "Must reading", The Progressive Populist (Ampersand Publishing Co.), http://www.populist.com/00.16.krebs.html 
• Glass, Ira (2000-09-15), "The Fix is In", This American Life (PRI) (186), http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=168, retrieved 2009-09-20 
• France, Mike (2000-09-25), "Pulp Nonfiction at Archer Daniels", Business Week, http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_39/b3700042.htm 
• Calderone, Michael (2007-08-10), "Kurt Eichenwald resigns from Portfolio", The New York Observer, http://www.observer.com/2007/kurt-eichenwald-resigns-portfolio, retrieved 2009-09-21 
• Guebert, Alan (2007-08-19), "ADM case still making headlines", Globe Gazette, http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2007/08/19/business/doc46c7c21b69686043977334.txt, retrieved 2009-09-21 
• Cain, Tim (2008-03-19), "Don't expect 'Informant' hobnobbing", Decatur Herald and Review, http://herald-review.com/articles/2008/03/19/columnists/cain/1030816.txt 
• Ackerman, Ruthie (2008-03-27), "Whitacre's Star Rises Again", Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/2008/03/25/whitacre-adm-cypress-face-markets-cx_ra_0325autofacescan03.html, retrieved 2009-09-21 
• Cain, Tim (2008-04-06), "Behind the inside man: Mark Whitacre, talks about 'The Informant', his time in prison and moving forward", Decatur Herald and Review, http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/04/06/news/local/1031549.txt 
• Muirhead, Sarah (2008-06-02), "Whitacre paid ultimate price", Feedstuffs Magazine: pp. 1, 42, 43 
• Cain, Tim (2008-07-03), "The 'other' Whitacre chronicler", Decatur Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2008/07/04/go/news/1033846.txt 
• Discovery Channel (2009-03-10), "Mark Whitacre - Operation Harvest King", Discovery Channel, Undercover, http://investigation.discovery.com/tv/undercover/episode-guide/episode-guide.html 
• CPR (2009-09-18), "The Fix Is In", Chicago Public Radio: pp. [6] 

External links[link]

• January 8, 2010 PBS TV Interview with the real informant, Mark Whitacre
• Mark Whitacre's official website
• Re-entry Success Stories including Mark Whitacre
• Government video excerpt which includes actual FBI undercover footage shot by Mark Whitacre
• 9/18/2009 This American Life (NPR) on ADM price fixing case
• Two-part Booknotes interview with Kurt Eichenwald on The Informant, February 4, 2001, and February 11, 2001.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2010)

The Guns are a four-piece rock band from South Wales. The current line-up consists of Alex Wiltshire (vocals and guitar), Adam Turner (lead guitar), Tom Coburn (bass guitar) and Chris 'Stix' Davies (drums). The band have stated that they would like to remain independent^[1] and have turned down numerous record deals as a result of that. As of 2012, The Guns have released two EPs, and two albums.

History[link]

Early years (2005 - 2007)[link]

After the once popular South Wales band When Reason Sleeps, which contained the frontman for fellow Welsh band The Blackout, Sean Smith, broke up, lead singer Alex Wiltshire set out and recruited Adam Turner on lead guitar, Tom Coburn on bass guitar, and Kob on drums. The Guns were formed, and after a small amount of gigs, they were asked by Pontypridd band Lostprophets to support them during their Liberation Transmission tour, The Guns accepted the offer and went on to play on the main stage at The Full Ponty 2007. Also, during this period The Guns had started work on their debut album With The Guns, and had released a self-titled 3 track CD available through their Myspace and at gigs.

With The Guns (2007 - 2009)[link]

After touring with Lostprophets, the band worked on With The Guns (produced by Richard Emanuel at The Lodge Productions studio), and in late 2008, shortly after completion of With The Guns, Andrew Robinson left the band and in early 2009, Michael Leigh Gregory was recruited to replace Robinson on drums. With The Guns was released on iTunes on 17 July 2009. The album was released independently by The Guns.

Fuck The Demon Outta Me (2011 - Present)[link]

The Guns began work on their follow-up album in 2008, and the band announced on their Myspace page the title of their next album, If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It. They soon began touring, playing many shows, including their first Cardiff show in over a year, and shows with The Blackout, Funeral For A Friend, Bowling For Soup and CKY. In early 2010, Michael Lee Gregory was replaced by Rhian Williams and the band's music video for "Gordon's And Lemonade" began to appear on UK music channel, Lava TV. The Guns released the single "Treacle & Pie" on iTunes on 28 June 2010, with pre-order sales getting it to #58 after just its third day of availability. On November 21 2011, The Guns released the now renamed "Fuck The Demon Outta Me" on iTunes, with 200 hand numbered physical copies made available through their bigcartel store. The first single featured on the album is "Missing Girls", a music video for which was released through the band's official website.

Media interest[link]

The Guns have attracted frequent interest from the media, including four appearances on ITV 1's The Guestlist. Music magazines Kerrang! and Rock Sound have been following The Guns' progress during records, as well as live performances, and have given positive feedback about the band. The Guns also have given interviews and received articles in newspapers including Metro and the Western Mail. It was in the Western Mail that it was reported The Guns are currently being filmed for a documentary or possibly a film which has been pitched to UK television channels Channel 4 and MTV, although no further details have been revealed.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• The Guns (2006)

1. No No Know
2. Überwoman
3. Colder

• With The Guns (2009)

1. It's On Like Donkey Kong
2. No No Know
3. You Can Eff Right Off
4. Kings And Queens
5. Better Off Walking
6. Gordon's And Lemonade
7. North Or South
8. Überwoman
9. Third Strike
10. This Old House
11. Listen Up
12. A Year And Two Studios Ago

• Treacle & Pie (2010)

1. Treacle & Pie
2. Colder (Live)
3. No No Know (Acoustic)
4. Sometimes (Acoustic)

• Fuck The Demon Outta Me

1. Daughter Of A Bad Man
2. All Aboard
3. Treacle And Pie
4. Answers
5. Voodoo Boogie
6. You Drive And I'll Eat This
7. Missing Girls
8. Moan Kill You To
9. Nighty Night Creepin'
10. Stranger Than You

Singles[link]

• "Gordon's And Lemonade" [taken from the album With The Guns] (2009)
• "It's On Like Donkey Kong" [taken from the album With The Guns] (2010)
• "Treacle & Pie" (2010)
• "Missing Girls" [taken from the album Fuck The Demon Outta Me] (2011)

Videos[link]

• "Gordon's And Lemonade" [taken from the album With The Guns] (2009)
• "It's On Like Donkey Kong" [taken from the album With The Guns] (2010)
• "Missing Girls" [taken from the album Fuck The Demon Outta Me] (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Guns official website

• [1]

Jack Black
Jack Black, Los Angeles, California on October 4, 2011
Background information
Also known as	Jables, JB
Born	(1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 42)[1] Santa Monica, California, United States
Genres	Rock, comedy rock, heavy metal, hard rock, acoustic rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, actor, comedian
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboard
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Epic, Sony BMG
Associated acts	Tenacious D, Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Probot, Foo Fighters, Meat Loaf, Ronnie James Dio
Website	www.tenaciousd.com

Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969)^[1] is an American comedian, actor and musician. He makes up one half of the comedy and satirical rock duo Tenacious D. The group has three albums as well as a television series and a film. His acting career is extensive, starring primarily as bumbling, cocky, but internally self-conscious outsiders in comedy films. He was a member of the Frat Pack, a group of comedians who have appeared together in several Hollywood films, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe award. He has also won an MTV Movie Award, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award as well as hosting the 2006, 2008, and 2011 Kids Choice Awards.

Early life[link]

Black was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of two satellite engineers, Judith (née Cohen), who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, and Thomas William Black.^[2][3] His mother is Jewish and his father converted to Judaism (Black attended Hebrew school).^[4][5] On The Tonight Show, he said his surname may have come from the occupational name Blacksmith.^[6] Black's parents divorced when he was 10; Black moved to Culver City with his father and frequently visited his mother’s home. As a child, Black appeared in a commercial for the Activision game Pitfall! in 1982,^[7] which was later shown during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and again on The Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien. When Black entered high school, his parents enrolled him at the Poseidon School, a private secondary school engineered specifically for students struggling in the traditional school system.^[8] Black also attended the Crossroads School, where he excelled in drama. He later attended UCLA but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue a career in entertainment, at which point his father discontinued his financial support.^{[citation needed]} Fellow UCLA alumnus Tim Robbins later cast Black in Bob Roberts. He also had recurring roles on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show.

Career[link]

Acting career[link]

Black's acting career began with prime time television. He played roles on shows including Life Goes On, Northern Exposure, Mr. Show, Picket Fences, and The X-Files. Black appeared in the unaired TV pilot Heat Vision and Jack, directed by Ben Stiller, in which he played an ex-astronaut pursued by actor Ron Silver. He was accompanied by his friend who had merged with a motorcycle, voiced by Owen Wilson.

Black later took on small roles in Airborne, Demolition Man, Waterworld, The Fan, Mars Attacks!, Tim Robbins' Dead Man Walking, and others. He had a small role in True Romance as a security guard, but the scene was deleted. In 2000, he appeared in High Fidelity as a wild employee in John Cusack's record store, a role Black considers his breakout.^{[citation needed]}

His career soon led to leading roles in films such as Shallow Hal, Nacho Libre, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, Year One and Gulliver's Travels. He received particular praise for his starring role in the well-received School of Rock, earning critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Musical Or Comedy.^[9] In a rare move, he starred in a dramatic role as the obsessed filmmaker Carl Denham in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong, a performance he based on Orson Welles. He voiced the title role in Kung Fu Panda, which grossed $20.3 million on its opening day, June 6, 2008, and Kung Fu Panda 2; it is a role he considers his favorite, with a performance enhanced with the tutoring of co-star and two time Academy Award winner, Dustin Hoffman. On September 13, 2009 before nominees for best rock video at MTV Video Music Awards Black led the audience in a Satanic prayer in which he told the audience to throw up their horns.^[10] His next film, The Big Year, a competitive birdwatching comedy co-starring Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and JoBeth Williams, was released in October 2011. He is referred to in the media as a member of the Frat Pack,^{[citation needed]} a group of comedy actors who frequently work together, which also includes Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Steve Carell.

He guest-starred on The Office along with Cloris Leachman, Jessica Alba, and Steve Carell in a movie within the show. He also guest-starred in iCarly, in the episode iStart a Fan War.

Black has appeared numerous times on the "untelevised TV network" short film festival Channel101, created by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, starring in the shows Computerman, Timebelt, and Laserfart. He also provided an introduction for the unaired sketch comedy Awesometown, donning a Colonial-era military uniform. In the introduction, he claims to be George Washington (and takes credit for the accomplishments of other American Presidents such as Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln). Black also guest starred in the Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" show Tom Goes to the Mayor, as a bear-trap store owner. Black also guest-starred on Dan Harmon's show Community.

Black hosted the 2006 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards on April 1, 2006 and hosted it again March 29, 2008, and April 2, 2011. He also appeared on the MTV video music awards on August 31, 2006. Black has made five appearances on Saturday Night Live: three times as a host, once as a musical guest (with Kyle Gass as Tenacious D), and another appearance with Tenacious D, not as a host or musical guest. He produced and appeared on VH1's Internet video show Acceptable.TV.^[11]

Black voice acted for The Simpsons episode "Husbands and Knives", which aired November 18, 2007, voicing the friendly owner of the rival comic book store, Milo. Black took part in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? celebrity edition along with Denis Leary, Jimmy Kimmel and others and was handed the prize of US$125,000 in October 2001.^[12] On December 14, Jack Black hosted the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards. He provided the voice of the main character, roadie Eddie Riggs, in the heavy metal-themed action-adventure video game, Brütal Legend. In 2009, at the Spike Video Game Awards, he earned the Best Voice award for the voice of Eddie Riggs in Brütal Legend. In April 2009, Black also starred in an episode of the children's show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" on Nick Jr. vocalized funny kid songs such as "It's Not Fun to Get Lost", "Friends" and "The Goodbye Song". He was also voiced as Po on Kung Fu Panda.

Music career[link]

Jack Black with Kyle Gass of Tenacious D.

Black, also known as JB or Jables, is the lead singer for the rock comedy band Tenacious D. Along with Kyle Gass, they have released three albums, a self-titled debut, the follow-up, The Pick of Destiny, and Rize of the Fenix. One of their songs "The Metal", from their album "The Pick of Destiny" was used in the music video games "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" and "Brütal Legend". "Rock Your Socks" from the album "Tenacious D" was played in the music videogame "Rock Band Unplugged", and "Master Exploder" from "The Pick Of Destiny" went on to be used in music video games "Guitar Hero Van Halen" and "Rock Band 2", along with their song "Tribute" from "Tenacious D". "Master Exploder" and "The Metal" featured in the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. The film, directed by Tenacious D veteran Liam Lynch, features recurring characters such as Lee the superfan and Sasquatch. Tim Robbins cameos as does Dave Grohl and Satan. Ben Stiller also makes an appearance as a worker at Guitar Center, and also another appearance in the music video for "Tribute".

Tenacious D helped the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation^[13] to raise awareness and funds in San Diego on June 16, 2007. Tenacious D can be seen performing in the Pauly Shore film Bio-Dome where the duo is performing its song "The Five Needs" at a "Save the Environment" party. Black was also a guest star on an episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show entitled "Ellen the Musical", alongside Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and teenage singer-actress Olivia Olson. On the show, besides singing, he discussed his then-upcoming film Nacho Libre with the host.

Black has also appeared on Dave Grohl's Probot album, providing vocals for the hidden song "I Am The Warlock", and Lynch's Fake Songs album, providing vocals for the song "Rock and Roll Whore". Black performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" in the last sequence of High Fidelity. He lent his musical abilities to the Queens of the Stone Age song "Burn the Witch" with rhythmic stomps and claps, some performed with his eyes closed. He also provided vocals for The Lonely Island's track "Sax Man" from the album Incredibad.

Black has also recorded a duet on Meat Loaf's new CD Hang Cool Teddy Bear. The song is called Like a Rose. Meat Loaf has also played Black's father in the Pick of Destiny movie. Hang Cool Teddy Bear also features Hugh Laurie, Kara Dioguardi, Brian May, Steve Vai & Patti Russo, produced by Rob Cavallo.

Black performing in 2006

Black has appeared in music videos of Beck "Sexx Laws"; Foo Fighters "Learn To Fly", "Low", and "The One"; The Eagles of Death Metal's "I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)"; Sum 41's "Things I Want"; Dio's "Push"; and Weezer's "Photograph." In October 2010, Tenacious D appeared at BlizzCon 2010, a convention hosted by the game designers, Blizzard Entertainment.

Personal life[link]

In January 2006, Black became engaged to Tanya Haden. She is the daughter of the jazz double bassist Charlie Haden, and sister of violinist and singer Petra Haden. Haden herself is an accomplished cellist. Both attended Crossroads school and met again 15 years after graduating, at a friend's birthday party. Black proposed marriage around Christmas 2005. They married on March 14, 2006, in Big Sur, California.^[14] Their son, Samuel Jason "Sammy" Black, was born on June 10, 2006, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.^[15] On May 23, 2008, Black and his wife had their second son, Thomas David Black.^[16] Black is an atheist, but is still considering sending his children to a Jewish school.^[17][18]

Filmography[link]

Television work[link]