Blogs / Articles

  • SkillsUSA Champions Fall 2013 Magazine: Mike Rowe ‘Work Smart and Hard’ August 31, 2013 Mike talks about “flipping a negative image of skilled jobs” in the 2013 Fall issue of SkillsUSA Champions magazine.     View the original article here. read more...
  • Guideposts – Mike Rowe, Using the Tools August 31, 2013 TV’s Mike Rowe idolized his grandfather. There was one problem—he could never be like him. Or could he? By Mike Rowe, San Francisco, California Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d make a living hosting and narrating TV shows. My plan was to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather, a man who worked with his hands, not his voice. ... read more...
  • Good News (for Me) August 30, 2013 According to the latest Gallup Poll, less than 9% of Americans find me to be “Irritating.” read more...
  • Micro Mike Rowe August 28, 2013 Scroll through the whole deal. It’s worth it. read more...
  • Bigfoot Bites August 27, 2013 I’m gratified that my lemur encounter has provided an unanticipated public service. read more...
  • Your Headline, My Face August 22, 2013 From:  Mike Rowe Re:  Your Headline, My Face. Hi Steve, Mike Rowe here, Dirty Jobs. Thanks to the necromancers over at Google, I’ve been alerted to your most recent Question of the Day: “Are Bad Jobs Good for the Economy and the People Who Work Them?” Immediately under your headline I noticed a photo of me, taken on the Mackinac Bridge while filming ... read more...
  • C.R.A.P.: Collectibles Rare And Precious August 19, 2013 See what C.R.A.P. is available THIS week (and remember, proceeds help pay for trade-school scholarships). read more...
  • A Talk About Ted August 17, 2013 Back in 2008, I got an invite to speak at something called EG, or “The Entertainment Gathering.” The Entertainment Gathering is a conference that evolved from TED, another well-known speaker series that I had never heard of. Against my natural instincts, I wound up attending EG, and spoke for exactly 20 minutes, as instructed. I had no recollection of what ... read more...
  • A Platitude With Attitude August 15, 2013 Here’s a platitude with attitude, pictured on a wall. It would be great to see more of these. read more...
  • Why “Work Smart, Not Hard” is the Worst Advice in the World – Popular Mechanics Article August 14, 2013 Work smarter, not harder? Don’t tell Mike Rowe, who has met some of the hardest-working people in America. In fact, he argues that mantra is the opposite of the attitude we need to beat this lousy economy. Here is what Mike has to say about the advice he received from his high school guidance counselor Mr. Dunbar: “When I was 17 my high ... read more...
  • Mea Culpa, Bryan Cranston August 11, 2013 Back in 2008, I gave myself a time out. I’m hoping Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad can release me. read more...
  • Mike Posts on Facebook about Bill Maher Appearance July 17, 2013 Well, hi there, Bob. How’s it going? Since your comment is not the only one ... read more...
  • The “Other” Side July 16, 2013 These days, people get bent simply if I appear on shows they don’t like, or sit too close to people they don’t care for. What’s up with that? read more...
  • Profoundly Disconnected June 19, 2013 Back in the late ’70s, a poster hung in my high school guidance counselor’s office. It was part of a college recruitment campaign called Work Smart Not Hard. In the long history of bad advice, you’d have to look pretty hard to find something dumber than this. And yet, the expression is still with us. So…with a little creative license ... read more...
  • Work Smart Not Hard? Really? June 18, 2013 This is the worst advice I’ve ever seen. Who’s with me? read more...