Mike Rowe, aka “the dirtiest man on TV,” forged his way to fame and success through hard work.
His parents didn’t have wealth or fame, and he wasn’t a prodigy by any means. Instead, he used his baritone voice to get all kinds of jobs. Then he paired that voice with a strong work ethic and got down and dirty with workers responsible for all kinds of unpleasant tasks. That garnered him a large following for his TV show, “Dirty Jobs.”
Currently, he resides in modest (his word) living conditions in San Francisco. Although Rowe reportedly has an estimated net worth of $35 million, he’s lived in the same apartment for more than 14 years. He claims to have a terrific view of Treasure Island and Alcatraz that’s only partially marred by a smokestack.
His tenure on “Dirty Jobs” has made him a strong advocate for blue collar workers, community colleges, trade schools and a bevy of other causes. Let’s follow his journey from birth as the eldest son of two public school teachers to becoming a household name when yucky, distasteful jobs are mentioned.
He Didn’t Come From Wealth
Mike Rowe, who was born in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland. appears on stage during Discovery Channel’s upfront presentation in 2010 in New York. Mary Altaffer / AP Photo
Michael Gregory Rowe made his debut into the world in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland. His proud parents, John and Peggy Rowe, were both teachers. Later he became the oldest of three boys.
On his Facebook page, the RealMikeRowe, he says his parents frequently lied to their sons to cover up that they couldn’t afford something the boys wanted to do. For example, John told them kids were constantly throwing up on the thrill rides, so why would anyone want to go to a theme park?
Dad also said that their neighbor only had pizza delivered because she was a terrible cook and their mom, Peggy, was wonderful in the kitchen, so they had no need for pizza delivery.
Rowe excelled in drama and singing at Baltimore’s Overlea High School, where he graduated in 1980.
He Suffered Side Effects Doing His Mucky Work
Since Rowe was a novice to a lot of the work he performed, he suffered quite the litany of injuries. Mike Rowe / Instagram
Since Rowe chose to work side-by-side with the real people whose occupations he was highlighting on his TV show “Dirty Jobs,” and he was a novice to the work, he suffered quite the litany of injuries. Here’s the short list:
* Thrown from a horse
* Kicked by cows
* Bitten by an ostrich
* Bitten by catfish
* Pecked by chickens
* Stung by bees
* Smashed fingers and toes with hammers and sledgehammers
* Cut his arm on a rusty nail
* Burned his eyelashes off from a blacksmith’s furnace
* Got dehydrated
* Got infections, sprains and burns.
The good news: His eyelashes grew back, sort of.
His Voice Is Omnipresent
If you think you hear a familiar voice narrating a commercial, like this one for Ford, but can’t quite place it, you can bet it probably belongs to Rowe. Ford / YouTube
If you think you hear a familiar voice narrating “How the Universe Works,” “Deadliest Catch” or “Shark Week,” but can’t quite place it, you can bet it probably belongs to Rowe. He’s also reported on “American Chopper,” Ghost Lab,” “Ghost Hunters” and “American Hot Rod.”
It’s estimated that Rowe has narrated 1,000 hours of television. If you’ve flown American Airlines, you may have experienced the in-flight video he hosted. He’s also appeared in commercials for Tylenol and the Ford Motor Company, and played a role in the TV show, “Last Man Standing.”
He’s Passionate About Sharing Career Advice
Rowe says there’s no secret to success. Take responsibility for what you do, he says, and you’ll succeed. Mike Rowe / Instagram
From all the time Rowe spent with blue collar workers across the nation (he filmed for nine years in all 50 states), he felt he’s earned to right to share his opinions about the work world.
In an interview with Inc., he shared the following lessons:
* There are no dream jobs, only jobs that pay what is needed and fulfills the worker.
* Everyone should lower their expectations when it comes to careers.
* Job satisfaction increases exponentially if you don’t expect more than a paycheck from it.
* There’s no secret to success. Take responsibility for what you do, and you’ll succeed.
He Created S.W.E.A.T. Pledges
Mike Rowe speaks before the NASCAR Ford 400 Sprint Cup at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, Nov. 21, 2009. Paul Kizzle / AP Photo
Several years ago, while drinking a brew in his kitchen, Rowe came up with documents he calls the “Skill and Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo” or S.W.E.A.T. pledges. These papers outline the value of a work ethic, how to be personally responsible, the importance of delayed gratification and the benefits of a positive attitude. He derived them from the Boy Scout Law and 12-step recovery programs, but mostly from what he observed and learned while filming “Dirty Jobs.”
Those applying for his Work Ethic scholarship must sign the pledge; he also sells them to fund those scholarships. He said they now hang in schools, factories, construction sites and office cubicles all over the U.S. However, not everyone agrees with the principles postulated in these pledges. Still, Rowe engages with his critics.
He Gives Back
In the summer of 2017 Rowe started “Returning the Favor,” a series on Facebook. Mike Rowe / mikerowe.com
In the summer of 2017, Rowe started a series on Facebook Watch titled “Returning the Favor.” For this show, Rowe and his crew take to the road seeking out do-gooders to meet and ultimately, surprise.
One of those well-deserving people was Ginger Passarelli, founder of the Soup Ladies. Passarelli’s Soup Ladies, based in Buckley, Washington, feed first responders hot meals in case of a natural disaster, crime scene investigation or search-and-rescue operation.
And the surprise? A vintage trailer, made into a mobile soup kitchen, so the Soup Ladies could deliver the freshest soup and entrées.
In July 2018, Facebook renewed “Returning the Favor” for a third season.
His Comedic Genes Came From His Mom
If you haven’t figured it out by now, Mike Rowe is very funny. And that might be genetic. Mike Rowe / mikerowe.com
If you haven’t figured it out by now, Mike Rowe is very funny. And that might be genetic. In 2018, Mike’s mother, Peggy Rowe, published her humorous memoir, “About My Mother: True Stories of a Horse-Crazy Daughter and her Baseball-Obsessed Mother.”
To be clear this humorous book is about Mike’s grandmother and to a certain extent his mother reveals herself because she wrote the book. The book is not about Mike nor is it written by Mike. He did, however, pen the forward.
If you want to experience more of Peggy’s belly-laughing humor after reading her book, tune in when Mike reads a text or letter from his mother on his website.
