Passage I

Will Rogers, the Cowboy Philosopher

Over the course of the first three and a half decades of the twentieth century, a Cherokee cowboy and trick roper named Will Rogers became one of the most beloved celebrities in the United States. A working cowhand who left the hard life of the range to become a stage comedian, newspaper columnist, radio commentator, author, and movie star, Rogers won the admiration of a public who relished his sarcastic quips, often directed at pretentious people and their hypocrisy. He was a humorist who cloaked his insights in the homely garb of folk wit.

To achieve success, Will Rogers had to ride a rough trail. The son of a Cherokee rancher, Will spent his early years working on his father's cattle ranch in what was then Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). He honed his ranching skills, becoming a fine roper and rider, though he would later spoof the cowboy image in some of the films he starred in.

[1] Eventually, Rogers became a success in New York as a lasso-twirling comedian who's droll, folksy monologues had an effect on audiences. [2] Although Will's father wanted his son to stay on the family ranch, Will wanted to experience other ways of life. [3] Joining a Wild West show, he circled the globe and then began a career on the stage, performing rope tricks. (7)

In todays world, Will Rogers would of probably become a talk show host. (10) In his own time, he gained fame as a social critic who used his cowboy persona as a means to reach audiences with his shrewd, commonsense remarks on politics and everyday life. Gradually, he grew into the role of homespun sage and philosopher, much like that of the kindly old captain he played in his last film, Steamboat Round the Bend.

At the heart of Rogers's humor was a respect for every human being. Nevertheless, there was a sharp edge to his wit. Proud of his Native American roots, he ridiculed the snobbery of those who bragged about their illustrious forebears: "Live your life so that whenever you lose, you're ahead."