For those of us just beginning to wrestle with the privacy settings on our Facebook pages, we have an unlikely trailblazer, and it’s Tom Green. He’s old enough to remember a world where answering machines and Atari consoles were considered high technology, but young enough that these days he spends much of his time coming to grips with — and taking advantage of — every technological advance that’s come down the pike.

Since he launched his cable-access TV show in Canada a quarter century ago, Green has been gearing up in a big way, including an Internet talk show that’s taped in his living room. Next up? A Web-based comedy network, which will be “a home not only for my show, but for other people who want to do something that’s different.” Green is currently in talks with the sponsors and investors that will fund the project.

“Everyone’s sort of famous in their own way now,” Green says. “I don’t think people have necessarily come to grips with the fact that…that kind of lack of privacy is not something that’s natural. Putting yourself out there like that can make you kind of crazy. It’s going to have serious impacts on our world and society. (But) everything I’ve done I’ve done completely on purpose,” says Green. “I’ve been so immersed in the Web for so long, I’ve started to poke fun at it, find some of the pitfalls and kind of make fun of it. That’s what comedy is.”

Oh, right, comedy: Tom Green will turn his attention to stand-up at 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The Houston Improv, 7620 Katy Freeway. For information, call 713-333-8800 or visit www.improvhouston.com. $20 to $22.
Fri., Jan. 21, 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 22, 8 & 10:30 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m., 2011

This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2011.