Rodney Allen Rippy -- the chubby cheeked kid in those '70s Jack in the Box ads -- is in critical condition after a motorcycle crash ... TMZ has learned. 
According to his publicist, Rodney was thrown 10 feet in the air when he wrecked his dirt bike in North Carolina on Monday -- but he didn't go to the hospital until today when he had trouble breathing. Rodney -- who's now 42 -- suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung. We're told he's recovering in the trauma unit.
Besides Jack in the Box, Rodney had a small role in one of the greatest movies of all time ... "Blazing Saddles."
All growed up, Rodney belted out a "Jack" jingle when we spotted him earlier this year. Smaller cheeks, but still super cool.
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Get well soon, Rodney. Getting too old for those dirt bikes, man.
OMG!! Rodney Allen Rippy. I remember him. What I don't remember was that I am 2 years older him!! I feel old.
seems like alot of us are in the age group that remembers him when we were kids ...
i remember when there was the news story when he was little that he had died right after the jack in the box commercial and it became huge headlines what happened.
way before the internet and it was amazing how it spread like wildfire.
Wow, did Harvey himself write this one? I can't imagine anyone else on the TMZ staff is old enough to remember those commercials or Blazing Saddles! Usually you guys act like something that happened 3 years ago is ancient history.
Now isn't this ironic. A few days ago I was listening to the angry Samoans "get off the air Rodney" and found out that he had played their song about him because he wasn't aware that it was about him and someone mentioned that the funny thing is that he is still on the air today. I assume it's him because of the equipment in the background as I am too lazy to check and verify.
This really gives me a chuckle. I wonder which DJ will play the song or what comic will feed off of this situation.
May 12 2009 isnt earlier this year. It is actually last year. Rodney i wish you a speedy recovery
get well soon Dude...ur an ICON my friend!!! I think we all wish you well!!!
