About Jay Maynard
Born 1960. Jay Maynard is an American programmer, computer scientist, computer programmer and system administrator.
Jay Maynard (born July 27, 1960) is an American computer programmer, system administrator and the volunteer project maintainer for Hercules, a free emulator of IBM mainframe hardware. He is known for his self-made electroluminescent costume based on the film Tron, which resulted in his nickname Tron Guy.
Internet fame Maynard created a revealing electroluminescent costume, inspired by the film Tron, that he could wear at the science fiction convention Penguicon in 2004. He has said that he "hasn't missed a Penguicon, and doesn't intend to". He created a web page of photos of the costume, and of himself wearing it. His page of photos quickly gained a lot of attention on the Internet, after it was posted on Slashdot and Fark.
In 2006, Maynard appeared in a music video entitled "We Are the Web", for the website of the same name. The video advocates the concept of network neutrality. In it, Maynard appears alongside several other Internet celebrities, including Leslie Hall and Randy Constan. He was also parodied in the 2008 South Park episode "Canada on Strike". His likeness appeared alongside those of such other Internet celebrities as Gary Brolsma, Star Wars Kid, Chris Crocker, and Tay Zonday.
In 2010, Maynard was banned from seeing the film Tron: Legacy in his iconic Tron suit in his local movie theater because of the illuminating lights on his suit.
On June 8, 2011, Maynard appeared on America's Got Talent. He received a "no" vote from all of the three judges and did not make it past the audition round. Howie Mandel had him restart his introductory speech over several times, so it was left unclear what his act was going to be.
In 2011, Maynard appeared in Duck Products' "Stuck On Duck Video Project", The video was featured in Wired Magazine as a "genius idea"
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Important facts
People in Jay Maynard's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jay Maynard's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Jay Maynard?
American Internet celebrity
When was Jay Maynard born?
Jay Maynard was born on 27 July 1960 in United States.
What is Jay Maynard's occupation?
Jay Maynard is a programmer, computer scientist, computer programmer and system administrator.
What nationality is Jay Maynard?
Jay Maynard is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jay Maynard. https://biography.guide/jay-maynard/
MLA: "Jay Maynard." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jay-maynard/.
Chicago: "Jay Maynard." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jay-maynard/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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