Crack open the single malt. April 27, 2009 is officially Ron White Day.
The “cigar-smoking, Scotch-drinking funnyman,” as resolution author Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, called him, was present and dissolute this morning to receive this honor from the Texas House of Representatives.
White (who stuck around to have his photo taken with half the House and their staffers) seemed moved when he announced from the dias, “I find it odd that they make you guys work on Ron White Day.” After taking some swipes at Gov. Rick Perry (“When I was traveling abroad, people would ask me what country I was from and I would say Texas. Then it dawned on me that Texas is no longer a country. I don’t know if some of you know that or not”) he recommended that the reps “go home and drink.”
Small government conservatives will be glad there was no fiscal note attached to the resolution. Stoners may note that the House was honoring a man who got busted for pot possession on his own plane.
See below the fold for the full resolution.
WHEREAS, Comedian Ron White is visiting the Texas Capitol on April 27, 2009, and it is indeed a pleasure to welcome this illustrious star of stage and screen; and
WHEREAS, A native of Fritch, Mr. White moved to Deer Park with his family in elementary school; after a brief stint in the Navy as a teenager, he embarked on a series of jobs, including selling storm windows in Arlington, before finding his niche as an entertainer; he paid his dues in small comedy clubs for 13 years, honing his act, until his friend Jeff Foxworthy asked him to join a new venture; and
WHEREAS, The Blue Collar Comedy Tour became a blockbuster; featuring Mr. Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, and Mr. White, it played to sold-out crowds in more than 90 cities during 2000-2003 and grossed in excess of $15 million; the film of the tour played in theaters and later became the highest-rated movie ever on Comedy Central; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Mr. White released his first solo comedy CD, Drunk in Public, which sold more than 500,000 copies, and Comedy Central aired his first one-hour comedy special, They Call Me Tater Salad; the companion DVD has reached multi-platinum status in sales, and Mr. White scored another hit with his subsequent special for the WB network, The Ron White Show; and
WHEREAS, Mr. White returned to Texas to film You Can’t Fix Stupid at the Majestic Theater in Dallas in 2006, and the one-hour program earned the third-largest audience in Comedy Central history, with 4.5 million viewers; the CD of the same name immediately reached No. 14 on Billboard magazine’s pop chart and reigned in the top spot on its comedy chart for nine consecutive weeks; Mr. White was also nominated for two Grammy awards that year for You Can’t Fix Stupid and Blue Collar Comedy Tour – One for the Road; his book Ron “Tater Salad” White: I Had the Right to Remain Silent … But I Didn’t Have the Ability debuted at No. 15 on the New York Times bestseller list; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, Mr. White has been a popular guest on all the major late-night talk shows; he has recently worked on a sitcom pilot for HBO and an independent film, Demoted, in addition to a forthcoming stand-up special; this gifted entertainer continues to bring laughter and mirth into the lives of countless fans, and although a vicious Internet rumor claims he now resides in Atlanta, the Lone Star State has clearly inspired more of his material, which fills us all with pride; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby recognize April 27, 2009, as Ron White Day and extend best wishes to this esteemed Texan for continued success in his endeavors; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. White as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
This article appears in April 24 • 2009.
