Ron White
{{Short description|American comedian (born 1956)}}
{{For|other people named Ronald, Ron, or Ronnie White|Ronald White (disambiguation){{!}}Ronald White}}
{{use American English|date=January 2020}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Ron White
| image = Ron White01.jpg
| caption = White in 2010
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|12|18}}
| birth_place = Fritch, Texas, U.S.
| medium = Stand-up
| nationality = American
| genre = {{csv|Country comedy|observational comedy|satire|blue comedy}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.tatersalad.com}}
| footnotes =
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{marriage|Lori Brice|1981|1993|end=divorced}}
- {{marriage|Barbara Dobbs|2004|2008|end=divorced}}
- {{marriage|Margo Rey|2013|2017|end=divorced}}
}}
| children = 1
| years_active = 1978–present
}}
Ronald Dee White (born December 18, 1956) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and author, best known as a charter member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Nicknamed "Tater Salad", he is the author of the book I Had the Right to Remain Silent But I Didn't Have the Ability, which appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Biography
White was born in Fritch, Texas on December 18, 1956.{{cite web | title = Ron White- Profile | url = http://comedians.about.com/od/comediansmz/p/ronwhite.htm | access-date = 2010-06-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110717103746/http://comedians.about.com/od/comediansmz/p/ronwhite.htm | archive-date = 2011-07-17 | url-status = dead }}{{cite news |last=Shields |first=Mel |date=2004-04-18 |title=Comic's Happy to Be the Main Attraction Now |page=Sunday Ticket 49 |work=The Sacramento Bee |quote=White was born in Fritch, Texas...}} He joined the U.S. Navy at age 17 and served on the auxiliary rescue and salvage ship USS Conserver near the end of the Vietnam War era.Ron White, [https://books.google.com/books?id=lr0gnS7A-PoC&dq=%22ron+white%22+comedian+navy&pg=PT43 I Had the Right to Remain Silent... But I Didn't Have the Ability] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501072404/https://books.google.com/books?id=lr0gnS7A-PoC&pg=PT43&dq=%22ron+white%22+comedian+navy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HiChUKXKAYaI0QH8sIG4DA&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAw |date=2016-05-01 }}, 2007, Chapter 3 Before pursuing comedy professionally, White briefly lived in Mexico, where he bought a pottery factory.Mark C. Anderson, [https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/entertainment/theater/blue-collar-comedy-bad-boy-ron-white-totes-scotch-and-surprising-sensitivity-to-salinas/article_f08c9800-4de0-5707-b05f-70b5773d9acc.html Blue-collar Comedy Bad-Boy Ron White Totes Scotch and Surprising Sensitivity to Salinas] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130208132639/http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/2012/jul/26/fade-white/ |date=2013-02-08 }}, Monterey County Weekly, July 26, 2012
From January 2000 through March 2003, White toured with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy as part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour – a show that sold out across the United States in over 90 cities and grossed over $15 million. He made seven guest appearances on Blue Collar TV. In 2005, The WB Television Network aired the pilot for The Ron White Show, a variety show that combined a number of celebrity cameos, cartoons, and sketches. He taped several episodes of The Gong Show with Dave Attell as one of the celebrity judges. White has appeared in the TV shows Kath & Kim, Reno 911!, 12 Miles of Bad Road, the films Sex and the City 2 and Horrible Bosses, and a cameo in a Rascal Flatts music video, "Why Wait".{{cite web | title = IMDB Ron White | website = IMDb | url = https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1247387/ | access-date = 2018-06-30 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180913110900/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1247387/ | archive-date = 2018-09-13 | url-status = live }} He was one of the executive producers of the 2013 documentary Bridegroom.{{cite news |last1=Hesse |first1=Josiah M. |title=Ron White on gay marriage, marijuana and opening acts -- including Josh Blue |url=https://www.westword.com/arts/ron-white-on-gay-marriage-marijuana-and-opening-acts-including-josh-blue-5816893 |access-date=23 October 2023 |work=Westword |date=May 13, 2013}}
White was known for drinking Scotch as part of his act, as well as smoking cigars or cigarettes. He stated during his You Can't Fix Stupid show, "Somebody asked what I was drinking. If the company that made the stuff I was drinking was paying me, I'd have it in their bottle and not mine. But it's the kind of scotch that people drink that are going to die penniless. It's good though!"{{cite web | title = Ron White – Scotch Whisky |website = YouTube| date=May 15, 2008 | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBakSHttTGU | access-date = 2016-11-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160702054334/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBakSHttTGU | archive-date = 2016-07-02 | url-status = live }} In 2009, Comedy Central released White's stand up DVD Behavioral Problems.
In 2010, Ron White and producer Michael Blakey formed Organica Music Group (OMG), a label that promotes both emerging and established musicians and comedians. OMG indicated that it would release all of White's future DVDs and CDs.{{cite web | title = Comedian Ron White and Acclaimed Music Producer Michael Blakey Partner to Form Organica Music Group | date = May 27, 2010 | url = http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Comedian-Ron-White-Acclaimed-Music-Producer-Michael-Blakey-Partner-Form-Organica-Music-1267639.htm | access-date = 2010-06-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100531025250/http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Comedian-Ron-White-Acclaimed-Music-Producer-Michael-Blakey-Partner-Form-Organica-Music-1267639.htm | archive-date = 2010-05-31 | url-status = live }} In November 2015, White announced that he was running for President of the United States as an independent candidate in 2016.[http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/11/blue-collar-comedian-ron-white-running-for-president/21263485/ " 'Blue Collar' comedian Ron White announces he's running for president"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112234722/http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/11/blue-collar-comedian-ron-white-running-for-president/21263485/ |date=2015-11-12 }}, AOL News. November 11, 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015. In 2016, White starred as Phil, veteran road manager for the fictional Staton-House Band, in the Showtime series Roadies.
In January 2020 White announced plans to retire from stand-up at the end of the year, with his last show on New Year's Eve 2020, the conclusion of his slated nationwide tour. He said he planned to retire in Texas. However the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted his touring schedule for 15 months. White's return to stand-up began in Florida, one of the only states open at the time, where he worked 25-minute shows. When White returned to touring full-time in September 2021 he planned to continue his final tour and retire in the fall 2022. However White continues to tour with dates extending into 2025.{{Cite news |title=Tour - Ron White |url=https://tatersalad.com/tour/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250118064540/https://tatersalad.com/tour/ |archive-date=2025-01-18 |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=Ron White |language=en-US}}
Personal life
White was married to Lori Brice from 1981 to 1993 and they had one son, Marshall. He was later married to Barbara Dobbs from 2004 to 2008. In 2013, he married singer Margo Rey; as of 2017 the two are no longer together, with White claiming that they were never legally married. On August 6, 2019, a ruling came down in L.A. Superior Court where a judge sided with Rey and declared the couple was in a common-law marriage under Texas law.{{cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/735/000108411/|title=Ron White|website=Nndb.com|access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117174519/http://www.nndb.com/people/735/000108411/|archive-date=January 17, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=Daniel Goldblatt |url=http://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/entertainment/ron-whites-marriage-deemed-legal-221044635.html |title=Ron White's Marriage Deemed Legal, Estranged Wife Can Go After Him for Spousal Support |website=Yahoo.com |date=2013-10-13 |access-date=2020-04-13}}
White stopped drinking alcohol in early 2021.{{cite news | url=https://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/how-notorious-comedian-ron-white-quit-drinking-and-why-will-smith-will-be-a-joke-forever/ | title=How Comedian Ron White Quit Drinking and Why Will Smith Will be a Joke Forever | newspaper=Los Angeles Magazine | date=May 5, 2022 }} He credits the consultation of a hypnotherapist and the use of ayahuasca with his abstinence.
Awards and recognition
White received the Armed Forces Foundation's "Patriot Award" in March 2009 for his work in raising money to help wounded soldiers.{{cite web | title = The Armed Forces Foundation Honors Ron White at Annual Congressional Gala | url = http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/11757732-1.html|website=Allbusiness.com}} April 27, 2009, was designated "Ron White Day" in the State of Texas by Texas legislative officials.{{cite web | title= State of Texas Honors Comedian Ron White | date=April 27, 2009 | url= http://www.stagetimemagazine.com/standup/?p=2341 | access-date= 2012-08-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924105606/http://www.stagetimemagazine.com/standup/?p=2341 | archive-date= 2015-09-24 | url-status= live }} He also held benefit shows for Hurricane Katrina relief.{{cite web | title = Austin Hurricane Relief | url = http://www.austintexas.org/newsletter/Sept05/index.html | access-date = 2010-06-25 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101206232515/http://www.austintexas.org/newsletter/Sept05/index.html | archive-date = 2010-12-06 | url-status = live }} He was Grammy-nominated for Best Comedy Album in 2007 & 2014.
Comedy releases
Besides the Blue Collar Comedy Tour CDs and films, White has released seven solo projects to date.
=Solo works=
- Tater Salad a.k.a. Busted in Des Moines (1990) (CD)
- Drunk in Public (2003) (CD)
- They Call Me "Tater Salad" (2004) (DVD)
- You Can't Fix Stupid (2006) (DVD and CD)
- Behavioral Problems (2009) (DVD)
- A Little Unprofessional (2013) (DVD and digital download)
- If You Quit Listening, I'll Shut Up (2018) (Netflix)
He has appeared on the following compilation albums:
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie (2003) (DVD)
- Ron White, Jeff Foxworthy & Bill Engvall: Live from Las Vegas (2004)
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again (2004) (DVD)
- Redneck Comedy Roundup (2005)
- Redneck Kings of Comedy (2005)
- Comedy Central Presents Southern Gents of Comedy (2006)
- Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One For The Road (2006)(DVD)
Discography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Title
! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details ! colspan="4"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:45px;"| US Comedy ! style="width:45px;"| US Country ! style="width:45px;"| US ! style="width:45px;"| US Heat |
| scope="row"| Tater Salad a.k.a. Busted in Des Moines
|
|— |— |— |— | |
| scope="row"| Truckstop Comedy
|
|— |— |— |— | |
| scope="row"| Drunk in Public
|
| 2 | 11 | 83 | 2 |
|
| scope="row"| You Can't Fix Stupid
|
| 1 | 2 | 14 |— | |
| scope="row"| Behavioral Problems
|
| 1 | 13 | 51 |— | |
| scope="row"| A Little Unprofessional
|
|1 |44 |— |— | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{wikiquote}}
- [http://www.tatersalad.com/ Official website]
- {{IMDb name|1247387}}
- [http://organicamusicgroup.com/ Organica Music Group, Ron White and Michael Blakey's record label]
- [http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_470_-_ron_white/ WTF Podcast Episode 470: Ron White]
- [https://audioboom.com/posts/5853314-s02ep17-doug-stanhope-ron-white/ Radio Labyrinth 217: Ron White Doug Stanhope]
{{Blue Collar Comedy}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Ron}}
Category:20th-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American male comedians
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:Capitol Records artists
Category:Male actors from Texas
Category:Military personnel from Texas
Category:People from Fritch, Texas