While traveling in his tour bus last week, comedian Ron White took time to do a phone interview with The Smoky Mountain News, providing a short glimpse of the personality of the man nicknamed “Tater Salad.”

Even though White has driven all over the country for stand-up gigs, Sunday, Oct. 19, will be his first time to perform at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

White is best known as the cigar smoking and scotch drinking funnyman who appeared on the “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” from 2000-2003 with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy. The tour was filmed and released in theaters and later appeared on Comedy Central with high ratings.

In 2006, White was racking up the accolades with two Grammy nominations, a second CD, DVD, a one-hour special on Comedy Central, and a book release.

“Don’t bring your kids,” is how White describes his style of stand-up.

“Successful comedians are true to their own nature,” White said. “Basically that’s who they are and not who they are trying to be. For example, if I did Christian comedy, I’d be full of s——. My nature is OK, and a lot of people like me.”

Born in 1956 in Fritch, Texas, White started out as a salesman selling mostly windows and doors. As a hobby, he performed stand-up.

At the age of 23, a friend who had a nightclub in Dallas asked White to perform one night.

“I knew I had some weird gift despite my learning disabilities,” White said. “And it may look like I am a one-trick pony, but my trick keeps getting better.”

After realizing he had several dates lined up for future performances, White quit his sales job to pursue comedy full-time.

“The happiest I’ve been in 22 years was when I was traveling 800 miles a day in my Nissan truck from gig to gig for $500 a week,” White said.

With a wide range of fans, the comedian feels it’s mainly the middle class that is drawn to his routine, and, according to White, he has more female fans than male.

When asked about things he has had to give up while pursuing his career, White acknowledged he didn’t want to make things out to be a “George Strait song,” but shared that the hard times he has gone through have given him his stand-up material.

“If I was a church mouse, my stories wouldn’t be funny,” White said. “I have no regrets, and all that I have been through is what it took to get me here.”

White says he his close with his family, but the comedian acknowledges there have been “prices to pay.”

Being true to his nature is important to the stand-up, and White admits it can take a long time to learn and develop. His notable cigar and scotch bit evolved from a beer and cigarette when the comic didn’t know what to do with his hands early in his career.

The bit has become part of his signature and, at times, has turned into a reason for the comic to not speak while on stage, making audiences laugh while essentially doing nothing.

Claiming the stage is where he lives, White’s advice to comics is to “be on stage every night, write every day and be original.”

Recording a new album and DVD, White is ready to add more to his “Tater Salad,” repertoire. The comic got the nickname “Tater Salad,” from a joke he shares that starts with “I got thrown out of a bar in New York City ...”

White acknowledged it’s a joke the audience wants him to do the majority of the time, and he’s reluctant to do the bit stating he’s “moving on.”

“It’s a long piece like Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run,’” White said. “It’s intricate, structured, intentional, and not by chance.”

The comic may be working on new material, but he has made his mark in the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) circuit with his bull named Scene of the Crash. The bull’s name originated from a joke about a “guy in a plane” that White has told during his stand-up.

White’s favorite bull rider is Justin McBride, who rode Scene of the Crash in 2007 and made PBR history by successfully staying on the bull for eight seconds, earning $200,000.

Music is also an important part of White’s life.

The comedian makes it a goal to find live music after his performances, adding he “likes to support the arts.” White claims there is not a lot of polka in his personal music selection, but he was recently “misted up” by a Robert Plant and Alison Krauss concert. His CD collection includes AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, The Doors and Dwight Yoakam.

When it comes to the upcoming election, White prefers to keep his political views to himself, pointing out he “hates it when celebrities give voice to their political agendas.” White did admit his favorite movie stars were John Wayne and George Clooney, and if he could be anybody else it would be Philip Seymour Hoffman due to his acting capabilities.

The comic relaxes by playing golf and enjoys his “beautiful” tour bus, which features a state of the art audio system.

Going by other nicknames like “Tate,” “s—- hook,” and “Ron,” the comic looks forward to performing in Cherokee while wearing black, smoking a cigar, and sipping scotch.

WHO: Comedian Ron White

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

WHERE: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel

HOW MUCH: Tickets start at $30

WHAT ELSE: For more information visit www.harrahs.com