The master of surprise is crying foul.

Ottawa comedian Tom Green says he never agreed to participate in a weekend fundraiser for CHEO in Carleton Place.

"All of this information is bizarre," he told the Sun in a conference call with his publicist, Ann Gurrola. "I want to set the record straight to say that I was never booked to go to any event at CHEO, and certainly if I had been, I would have shown up."

Green was advertised as a featured guest at the Dance & Cut fundraiser for CHEO last Saturday night at the Carleton Place arena. When he failed to show up, organizer Darlene Brown said she received a fax that the comedian was sidelined with strep throat.

Green, who's been shooting a film in Los Angeles for the past six weeks, said he only learned about the incident when his parents called on Monday with media reports of his apparent no-show.

"I wouldn't be messing around with that kind of thing. I don't think that's funny," he said.

Brown said a local woman, whom she would not name, personally arranged for Green to appear at the fundraiser.

'SCAMMING'

"She has spoken to him directly on this issue," Brown said yesterday. "I know this woman personally and I know there's no way she would be doing any scamming."

But Green and Gurrola vehemently deny any knowledge of the event or the organizers.

"Our office was never contacted regarding this event," Gurrola said.

She said that all of Green's public engagements are handled through her office and it's "completely not possible" that he could be booked by another party.

Before Green called the Sun yesterday, Brown reported the comedian would be donating money to CHEO to make up for Saturday -- something Green and his publicist also denied.

"I'm just confused by it," Green said.

"The reality of it is that I come home to Ottawa quite often and I don't want people in the city to think that I'm messing around with the Children's Hospital telethon or issues like that," he said. (More on Tom Green