 Fame & Fortune: Comic Ron White
'Blue Collar' drinker's finances are
set, so he parties on
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Ron White sure is productive for a man rarely seen
on stage without a glass of Scotch.
Or maybe he's just lucky.
The veteran stand-up comic thought it was silly when
his friend Jeff proposed a tour of all blue-collar-type comics,
fearing that audiences wouldn't want to see four comics do the same
type of material. By now we all know how wrong he was.
The Jeff in question, of course, was Jeff Foxworthy,
and the tour that followed was the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, an endeavor
that made its four participants -- also including Larry the Cable
Guy and Bill Engvall -- four of the most successful comics not just
of our time, but in some ways, in comedy history. The best-seller
lists and accolades the four have racked up together and separately
have been mind-boggling. They dominated last year's Billboard comedy
charts -- all four were in the top six among best-selling comedy
artists -- and White has had several individual successes, including
over 1 million copies of his DVD, "They Call Me Tater Salad," sold.
His latest CD, "You Can't Fix Stupid," debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's
Country Albums Chart -- just missing knocking Carrie Underwood out
of the top spot -- and No. 14 on the overall albums chart.
Bankrate spoke to White about the appeal of Blue Collar
Comedy and some of the sillier situations he's had to endure in
show business to get to that level of success.
Bankrate: Do you find audiences in different parts of the country receive you differently?
Ron White: Maybe in Manhattan that might be the case. We've done things in New York and my albums sell there, but I seem to struggle a little bit when I go into the little clubs and stuff. I don't know how to work those rooms. But when I play in a big venue in New York, even on Long Island, the shows sell very well and the response is very, very good, as good as it is anywhere. If there is one place I have a harder time doing stand-up, it's in those little bitty, tiny New York clubs.
Bankrate: Is there ever a reason for you to do those? Is that even an issue at this point?
Ron White: Well, it's
certainly not an issue, but if you're coming in to do 'Letterman,'
then you have to go around and do those clubs so they can time your
set. But I don't really do talk shows anymore either. So, no --
it doesn't matter at all.
Bankrate: Tell me one thing about Jeff Foxworthy that people would be surprised to learn.
Ron White: He's so true
to his own nature on stage; they pretty much know him. You really
don't get another Jeff Foxworthy when you get off stage. I don't
think they would be surprised if he was gracious or generous. He's
just such a great guy.
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