Ronald Dee White (born December 18, 1956)[1] 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.[1][2] 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.[3] Before pursuing comedy professionally, White briefly lived in Mexico, where he bought a pottery factory.[4]
White is 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!"[7] 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.[8] In November 2015, White announced that he was running for President of the United States as an independent candidate in 2016.[9] 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 2024.
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.[10][11]
White stopped drinking alcohol in early 2021.[12] He credits the consultation of a hypnotherapist and the use of ayahuasca with his abstinence.[12]
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.[13] April 27, 2009, was designated "Ron White Day" in the State of Texas by Texas legislative officials.[14] He also held benefit shows for Hurricane Katrina relief.[15] 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)
^Shields, Mel (April 18, 2004). "Comic's Happy to Be the Main Attraction Now". The Sacramento Bee. p. Sunday Ticket 49. White was born in Fritch, Texas...
