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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Comedian Ron White is visiting the Texas Capitol on |
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April 27, 2009, and it is indeed a pleasure to welcome this |
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illustrious star of stage and screen; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Fritch, Mr. White moved to Deer Park with |
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his family in elementary school; after a brief stint in the Navy as |
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a teenager, he embarked on a series of jobs, including selling storm |
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windows in Arlington, before finding his niche as an entertainer; |
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he paid his dues in small comedy clubs for 13 years, honing his act, |
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until his friend Jeff Foxworthy asked him to join a new venture; and |
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WHEREAS, The Blue Collar Comedy Tour became a blockbuster; |
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featuring Mr. Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, and Mr. |
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White, it played to sold-out crowds in more than 90 cities during |
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2000-2003 and grossed in excess of $15 million; the film of the tour |
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played in theaters and later became the highest-rated movie ever on |
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Comedy Central; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2003, Mr. White released his first solo comedy |
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CD, Drunk in Public, which sold more than 500,000 copies, and Comedy |
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Central aired his first one-hour comedy special, They Call Me Tater |
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Salad; the companion DVD has reached multi-platinum status in |
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sales, and Mr. White scored another hit with his subsequent special |
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for the WB network, The Ron White Show; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. White returned to Texas to film You Can't Fix |
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Stupid at the Majestic Theater in Dallas in 2006, and the one-hour |
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program earned the third-largest audience in Comedy Central |
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history, with 4.5 million viewers; the CD of the same name |
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immediately reached No. 14 on Billboard magazine's pop chart and |
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reigned in the top spot on its comedy chart for nine consecutive |
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weeks; Mr. White was also nominated for two Grammy awards that year |
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for You Can't Fix Stupid and Blue Collar Comedy Tour - One for the |
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Road; his book Ron "Tater Salad" White: I Had the Right to Remain |
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Silent . . . But I Didn't Have the Ability debuted at No. 15 on the |
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New York Times bestseller list; and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, Mr. White has been a popular |
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guest on all the major late-night talk shows; he has recently worked |
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on a sitcom pilot for HBO and an independent film, Demoted, in |
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addition to a forthcoming stand-up special; this gifted entertainer |
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continues to bring laughter and mirth into the lives of countless |
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fans, and although a vicious Internet rumor claims he now resides in |
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Atlanta, the Lone Star State has clearly inspired more of his |
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material, which fills us all with pride; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize April 27, 2009, as Ron White Day and |
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extend best wishes to this esteemed Texan for continued success in |
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his endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. White as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |