Thomas Peter "Tom" Shadyac (born December 11, 1958) is an American comedian, director, screenwriter, producer, author and occasional film actor. Shadyac, who was the youngest joke-writer ever for comedian Bob Hope, is widely known for writing and directing comedy films, most notably Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty. In 2011 he departed from past comedic work to write, direct and narrate the documentary I Am, in which he explores his abandonment of a materialistic lifestyle following a 2007 bicycle accident.