Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister bet everything on the film that made him famous – namely, Ice Cubethe cult classic “Friday” – because he legally changed his name to honor his unforgettable character.
TMZ obtained Tommy’s death certificate, and although the cause of death has not yet been officially determined … we noticed a very interesting nugget. His full name is Tommy Debo Lister, very different from his reported birth name … Thomas Duane Lister Jr.
It is interesting for several reasons. Obviously, Tommy is most famous for playing Deebo in the “Friday” franchise – and, no, we didn’t misspell … but it looks like Tommy did. In any case, it is quite clear that he loved the character – so much so that he made it part of his identity in real life … opting for this instead of “Tiny”, his old public nickname.
Your manager, Cindy Cowan, tells TMZ that he made the change in a Los Angeles court about 6 months ago – because he felt that his fans and the general public simply knew him from “Friday”.
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As we said … the cause of Tommy’s death is pending now – it’s listed as “postponed” in the document, which just means they’re still testing.
Keep in mind, however, that many in Tommy’s immediate circle believe it was COVID-19. He was incredibly sick in his last days – evident in several different videos in which he participated – and had already contracted the virus earlier this year.
As the medical team works to close that front – there is one last thing we should note about Tommy’s death certificate. He says he was married to Felicia Lister.
If you know, you know … I have to love it.
TMZ revealed the story … 62-year-old Tommy died suddenly last year at his home in the Los Angeles area. When paramedics arrived, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
RIP, Deebo.