Fast Company: The Dirtiest Mind in Business

How Filth Met Opportunity and Created a Franchise by Ellen McGirt, January 28, 2008 Mike Rowe has drawn a crowd. Again. This time it’s on a chilly December night in Florence, South Carolina, at a local joint called J. Michael’s Grill and Raw Bar. In between autographing beer naps and posing for pictures, Rowe, the craggily handsome star of the Discovery Channel’s hit series Dirty Jobs, is officiating an ill-advised drinking contest between one of the show’s crew and a friendly waiter. The crew is enjoying a rare night off, and by the time Rowe joins them, the challenge–be the Read More

Seven Dirty Habits of Highly Effluent People

By Mike Rowe, January 28, 2008 Most public speakers are wildly overpaid, and I am no exception. I used to think I could justify my ridiculous fee by putting a lot of careful thought into each appearance, so I called my first presentation “Egalitarianism in the Modern-Day Workplace,” and talked at length about “the changing face of the contemporary proletariat vis-à-vis the digital divide.” People listened politely, but during the Q&A, all of the questions gravitated toward animal husbandry, exploding toilets, and artificial vaginas. “What hurt worse, Mike, the monkey bite or the ostrich kick?” “What was the grossest day Read More

I’m curious Mike…

From the MRW Water Cooler Q. What are your feelings on education? Did you start school with an idea of what you wanted to be or a degree you wanted to pursue? It seems you are a well-rounded individual and I’m just curious if there was anything you had ever considered pursuing as a career. You are obviously a gifted writer and enjoy reading; well versed in literature. Also you seem to have some historical knowledge. You have musical talent as well. My point is that you’re a pretty smart guy and could have done anything. I also think you’d Read More