They call him "Tater Salad," and he can't fix stupid. He's been asked to remain silent, but he can't do that, either. He has behavioral problems, is drunk in public and is a little unprofessional. He's a blue collar king of comedy, and he's coming for three shows in two nights at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville.

Cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking, expletive-throwing Ron White never expected to become a cultural phenomenon when he first started out.

"I'm surprised I even hit it big," the Texas funnyman says with a snort. "I never really saw that in my future. I saw it happen to Jeff (Foxworthy), but it would never happen to me. That wasn't even my goal."

White, who was performing alongside the already popular Foxworthy, had gotten used to opening for the comedian and wasn't expecting to become a household name -- until he joined forces with two other comedians, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy, on the now well-loved Blue Collar Comedy Tour.

The tour was the first time White stood on the national comedy stage, and after its great success, he would maintain his popularity with guest appearances on television in "Blue Collar TV" and "The Gong Show With Dave Attell," appear in movies and pen a New York Times best selling book, "I Had the Right to Remain Silent ... But I Didn't Have the Ability."

Now firmly lauded as a king of comedy, White looks back on his early career with a mix of pride, amusement and chagrin.

"Most of the lean times were really early in my career," he says. "The struggle was really with all the travel. You have to be the type of person that it was fun for. I thought it was a scam, it was so much fun. I didn't have to do the daily grind. But at one point, yes, I almost quit -- moved to Mexico, bought a pottery factory."

Life on the road, while strenuous, was a blast, according to White. However, it did have its downsides. "If you live on the road all the time, you're not accountable for anything. You have nothing to do. You drink for free. It's a party. If you take the party out, it's just the road. It was my heaven, but it was a struggle."

It was a struggle that White just recently chose to share with the person closest to him.

"What she does is that she brings the party," he says of his wife, singer/songwriter Margo Rey. "We always want to go for live music after the shows, and now I get to always hear Margo's voice."

After two failed marriages, White wasn't expecting this past love interest to come back into his life. He had first met Rey 27 years ago while she performed with an all-girl band in Texas. "I was performing with Alex Reymundo, and he invited me to come see his sister's band." White went to a performance and was happily blown away.

"She had a voice I had never even considered."

The two reconnected a few years ago, and in 2013 they were married. "We have great fun," says White. "She's an absolute blast. I do have to say, I have to go on before her. She's too great. I flat can't follow her."

White's show will be performed at the Walmart AMP in Rogers Saturday and followed by the music of Margo Rey. While audiences can expect to enjoy the relaxing and fun rhythms of Rey's music, the comedy show is a whole different story.

"The audience can expect to get beat up -- I don't piddle," says White. "I'll go out and bust you for 110 minutes then turn you loose. If you're easily offended, don't go."

Although White will be bringing his somewhat crass brand of comedy to Northwest Arkansas, he will also be promoting an important message. A Navy veteran, White is a champion for Salute to the Troops and armedforcesfoundation.gov, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans, active-duty personnel and military families.

"The problems these soldiers are facing are monumental," he says. "They've been blown up -- they're still blown up. Our country is still at war, and they need our support. I would ask that people support -- donate, help them out."