Before you dive into the message boards to chat with Mike, check out his most Frequently Asked Questions and see if you can find your answers here.
Still need that Rowe fix? Catch Mike on the boards — trust us, he's probably logged on right now! If he's not out on a dirty job, chances are, he's holed up in a hotel room, online and chatting with fans. Mike, you may be dirty, but you're the best!
- How do I get an autographed picture of Mike?
- Who came up with the idea for DJ? How did you get the job?
- Is there a job you would not do?
- Would you ever consider adding a co-host?
- I see from your bio that you sang in the opera. What other singing do you do?
- Where are you from?
- Do you have any siblings?
- How tall are you?
- Are you married? Dating? Looking?
- On one of the episodes, you mentioned that you went to college for six years. Why six years, and what did you study while there?
- How long have you been in the entertainment industry?
- Do you have any pets?
- What kind of music do you like? Or books?
- Which job would you like to revisit? Or which would you refuse to do?
- Are You Afraid of Heights?
- If, for some reason, you had to choose one of these jobs you have profiled as your full-time job, which would you choose?
- Which job was the toughest to do?
- Have you ever been injured doing any of these jobs?
- You have been in some dangerous and disgusting situations. Have you taken more precautions or have some extra vaccinations?
- You seem almost cavalier about safety on the show. Shouldn't you be more careful to wear a mask or respirator on some of these jobs?
- You also have a habit of tasting things on the show. Which was worse, the fish shake or worms?
- How long does it take to film an episode of DJ?
- How much time is there between shooting a segment and when it finally airs?
- Do you do your own laundry?
- With the constant travel, how do you stay in shape?
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Is there a job you would not do?
The show doesn't have a lot of rules, but I'm committed to trying my best to do whatever the work happens to be, as long as it's a real, money generating, legal job, and as long as someone else is actually doing it with or near me. Given those caveats, I can think of no job that I would be unwilling to try ... Some, however, are too heavy for the tone of the show - Crime Scene Cleaner, for instance. The work is too grisly to take lightly, and we aspire to be a lighthearted show ... I've said "I'm not doing that" many times. I've meant it once (re: catfish noodling), but I wound up doing it anyway.
Q: So you would not consider doing a show in a slaughterhouse?
Problem is, the network gets a little squeamish when animals start dying on camera, even chickens. Although it's very real and very, very dirty, it's also very sensitive. Personally, I'd like to do an entire show on the inner workings of a slaughterhouse, and meet the people who make the chicken nuggets (whatever they are).
But don't hold your breath.
Q: Would you ever consider adding a co-host?
It really depends on how vital a role you think I play in the show's success, and I'm too biased to comment on that objectively.
I will tell you that there have been serious conversations about hiring a co-host, or correspondent, to help lighten the production load. Such a person would not work with me, but shoot additional segments for the show. In fact, a test segment has already been shot. I don't know if it will air or not, and I can't say if it's a good idea. Ultimately, it's not my decision to make.
Q: I see from your bio that you sang in the opera. What other singing do you do?
I studied theater and music in Maryland - early '80s, and joined the Baltimore Opera to get my union card and meet girls. In spite of that noble beginning, I wound up appreciating the genre a great deal. I still do, but have no plans to revisit the scene of that particular crime(s) ... These days, I sing mainly at weddings and funerals. I still get together with some buddies who I used to perform with in an a capella group, and enjoy singing four-part arrangements of old standards. This activity usually occurs on a boat, far out of earshot from innocent bystanders ... I sing bass/baritone.
Q: Where are you from?
(I was) born in Baltimore. I grew up in Overlea, next [to the] Gardens of Faith Cemetery — right off Trumps Mill Rd. [Went to] Overlea Sr. High, Class of '80.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Do you have any siblings?
I am the oldest of three boys. My brothers live in Florida and South Carolina, and they are both married.
Q: How tall are you?
Six feet exactly, if I stand up straight, which has become increasingly difficult.
Q: Are you married? Dating? Looking?
I've never married, but continue to pursue a life of serial monogamy with a very understanding woman in San Francisco.
Q: On one of the episodes, you mentioned that you went to college for six years. Why six years, and what did you study while there?
My extended stay had more to do with indecision than accomplishment. But while enrolled, I studied English, communications, speech, and music - an approach that has qualified me to do very little.
Q: How long have you been in the entertainment industry?
I've been around the business 17 years.
Q: Do you have any pets?
I love pets, but travel too much to own one. It would be selfish, even for me.
Q: What kind of car do you have now that you are "famous"?
I drive used cars. Never once bought a new one. Currently, a '98 Toyota Solara. It's beat to hell, but a good city car. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate nice things, but hate all depreciating assets - especially cars.
Q: What kind of music do you like? Or books?
Giacoma Puccini, Johnny Hartman, Norman Luboff, Anton Dvorak, The Mill Brothers, Leonard Bernstein, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Billie Holiday, Sly and the Family Stone, Pink Floyd, The Singers Unlimited, Jimi Hendricks and Hank Williams Jr.
To wit, I'm currently rereading the entire Travis McGee series by J.D. MacDonald. Best pulp fiction ever. Just finished Straight Man by Richard Russo - excellent. When I'm finished those, I'll pick up John Irving's latest.
For nonfiction, I like a good biography. Most recently, John Adams by McCullough. In the Heart of the Sea by Philbrick, the true story of the sinking of the whale ship Essex, which inspired Melville to write Moby Dick. And The Professor and the Madman, the true story of how the Oxford/English Dictionary got written and published.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Would you ever send a personal email or join a chat room if someone here invited you?
I'm flattered. But you gotta know that I can't do the private email thing. I will never make plans online to meet a viewer in person. However, I have a reputation for being unusually forthcoming with viewers that I run into randomly ... The rules are simple:
I must be in a bar. (Common)
I must not be engaged in a serious or private conversation. (Also common)
If you should ever see me in such circumstanced and feel so inclined, you may approach and say the following -
Hello
My name is _______
I am a dirty girl/boy.
Please buy me a beer.
And it will be done.
Q: What if you were invited to a viewer's house for dinner? Would you go?
From a liability standpoint, I believe we are forbidden from crashing in the homes of viewers.
Q: Do you have an account on MySpace?
My space is here, no time for anywhere else. I understand there have been a few people over there pretending to be me. What can you do? One more reason to take everything you read online with a grain of salt.
Q: Which job would you like to revisit? Or which would you refuse to do?
Interesting question.
The truth is, of the 80 or so we have done so far, there are none (0) that I would like to revisit.
However, there is only one I would refuse to do over: catfish noodling
(Note: Since first answering this question, Mike has completed more than 100 segments!)
Q: If, for some reason, you had to choose one of these jobs you have profiled as your full-time job, which would you choose?
Taro Farmer
Taro is used to make poi, a staple in the Hawaiian diet, and pulling taro is wet, backbreaking work. We shot the segment on the Big Island, and while the job is really, really dirty, it's oddly peaceful. And the farm we visited was so ridiculously beautiful, no one wanted to leave.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Which job was the toughest to do?
Catfish noodling was difficult to shoot. Logistically challenging, multiple locations, lots of water issues and dangerous. Same with golf ball retriever, crawfisher and underwater lumberjack. For epic, monumental dirtiness, the bat cave wins. For pure exhaustion, indoor demolition, and house movers both kicked my butt. And for sheer grossness, the roadkill removers in Ohio take the cake.
Q: What was it about the bat cave that made it worse than, say, the mare motel?
While the mare motel was memorable in every way, Bracken Cave was simply unforgettable. Remember, TV can only convey sight and sound. It's hard to assess things like touch and smell in a two-dimensional medium.
How, for instance, can one describe the "feel" of a bat as it settles on the nape of your neck, its velvety wings brushing your ear and the side of your face? Or the sensation of flesh-eating beetles falling over the tops of your boots and burrowing into your socks and chewing into your skin? How, on television, can I show you the indescribable smell of toxic ammonia, as it billows from tons of sticky bat poo that clings to your feet as you stumble forward in suffocating blackness? Or the creepy stench of the ill-fitting rubber gas mask that you pray will not slip from your sweaty face?
Don't get me wrong. Holding on to an artificial vagina as a 1,400-pound horse lifts you skyward is not a vacation. But Bracken Cave wins, running away.
Q: Have you ever been injured doing any of these jobs?
I've been thrown from horses, kicked by cows, scratched by cats, bitten by an ostrich, rubbed raw by the hide of a shark, bitten (really hard) by a catfish, crapped on by millions of bats, pecked by chickens, stung by lots of bees, attacked by a sewer rat, covered with hundreds of roaches, and profoundly frightened by an alligator. I wrenched my back hauling garbage, smashed my finger with a hammer, smashed my toe with a sledgehammer, cut my arm open on a rusty nail, burned my eyelashes off in a blacksmith's furnace, and became dehydrated twice, most recently in a New Jersey sludge pit. I've also developed several infections, most probably caused from waste material getting into open wounds ... pulled my neck, sprained my middle finger, and sustained a second degree burn while hot tarring a roof in Los Angeles.
Of those, the scariest was probably the furnace incident. The heat melted my contacts to my eyes, which alarmed me considerably. On the positive side, my left toenail has nearly grown back completely. My eyelashes have also returned, more or less.
Q: You have been in some dangerous and disgusting situations. Have you taken more precautions or have some extra vaccinations?
As far as precautions, nothing out of the ordinary - tetanus, hep. A, hep. B, diphtheria, yellow fever, whooping cough, dengue fever, gamma globulin, typhus and something for meningitis.
Q: You seem almost cavalier about safety on the show. Shouldn't you be more careful to wear a mask or respirator on some of these jobs?
Many have commented on my commitment to safety, or seeming lack thereof.
For the record, I have no wish to die or become injured on this program. But I will now attempt something more dangerous than anything you've seen on the show. Something so risky, you may find it unbelievable. I will tell you the horrible, politically incorrect truth. Ready? Here it is.
On Dirty Jobs, as in life, safety is not always first.
Personally, safety is a big concern of mine. But if safety was always first, I would be hosting a game show (again). The safety philosophy of Dirty Jobs is pretty straightforward. I take the same precautions as my host. No more, no less.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: You also have a habit of tasting things on the show. Which was worse, the fish shake or worms?
Fish, running away.
Q: How long does it take to film an episode of DJ?
Not long. Usually we can shoot a segment in one or two days. Most episodes have three segments a piece, so each hour episode takes three full days of shooting.
Editing varies, but if we hustle a segment along, it takes an assistant editor two to three days to digitalize the footage, and a good editor eight to ten days to complete the segment. Ergo, three editors could complete three segments in 10 days. Then, the show needs to approved and on-lined - another three to five days minimum. Call it 20 days of post, plus three days of shooting, plus three days of research. When the machine is fully staffed and running well, an entire episode might take 28 nonconsecutive days to complete.
Q: How much time is there between shooting a segment and when it finally airs?
Shoot vs. air varies wildly. Anywhere from one to six months.
Q: Do you do your own laundry?
I used to do my laundry on the road. Now I buy cheap, disposable clothes. I wear them until they are useless, and throw them away.
Q: With the constant travel, how do you stay in shape?
It's called a prison workout. It's named thusly because it can be carried out in a cell, or in my case, a cheap hotel room.
Begin standing. Quickly drop to a squatting position, and then kick your legs back and assume a push-up position. Do one push-up, quickly and smoothly. In a fluid motion, pull your legs forward into a squatting position, and leap straight into the air. Land squarely on both feet. Repeat the entire motion. Move as fast as you can without losing control or balance. Do 10 reps, and rest 30 seconds. Then do nine, and rest another 30 seconds. Then eight, then seven, then six, all the way to one. Always do descending sets. Never rest more than 30 seconds between sets. If it's too easy - it won't be — start higher. If you vomit, start lower.
Do three complete sets before breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: How do I get an autographed picture of Mike?
Photos of Mike and Dave are available. Please read Mike's post below for instructions on how to receive yours!
It has been brought to my attention that the production photos that I have personally autographed for nearly 10,000 fans of Dirty Jobs are disappointing in two key areas.
1. They aren't BIG enough.
2. They aren't DIRTY enough.
In an effort to rectify this oversight, and celebrate more new episodes, The Network has allocated several dozen dollars to upgrade my publicity shot. The new photo addresses both concerns quite nicely. It is of the standard 8x10 variety, and features me, covered in charcoal dust, holding my filthy hands toward the camera and screaming in abject horror. The expression captures what I believe to be the true measure of pain and regret that have become hallmarks of my large and filthy face. You can obtain your very own signed copy -- should you desire such a thing -- by sending a request to the production company. The request should read:
Pilgrim Films and Television
6180 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #350
North Hollywood, CA 91606
Be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with sufficient postage. (You'd be amazed how many forget.) Please make sure the return envelope is large enough to hold an 8"x10" photo. Please address the envelope exactly as written above. Please do not include anything else with a photo request. This includes lengthy letters, crocheted mittens, suggestions for dirty jobs, love notes for Barsky, boudoir imagery for me, or baked goods of any type. The aforementioned are all welcomed and appreciated, but must not be included with a PHOTO REQUEST. It only confuses things, and makes Barsky anxious.
Please allow 4-6 years for delivery
If you would like the photo personalized, please allow much, much longer.
Seriously,
Mike
If you would like the photo personalized, please allow much, much longer.
Seriously,
Mike
-- Please state if you are requesting an autographed photo of Mike or Dave -- if both, please be sure to include enough postage. --
- Please note the following message from Mike regarding receiving signed photos:
mikerowe
Senior Member
Posted 09-02-07 03:58 PM
I do have some news that I hate to share, but must. It's regarding personalized, autographed pictures. From the start, I've always tried to personalize every request, but find now that I simply can't keep up. I am literally months behind, with no hope of getting even. The problems are several, and include, believe it or not, some recent security issues. (Don't ask.)
Any mail addressed to me will still go to Pilgrim, and then to a P.O. Box. Photos will be signed by me in advance - not personalized - and sent back in whatever SASE you provide. All other mail addressed to me will now be opened and screened by someone other than me, and forwarded to me later. Anything other than a photo request will eventually get to me, but I cannot guarantee a response.
I feel badly about having to do this, but worse about the growing stack of Fed Ex boxes piling up in my dining room. Hope you understand.
Thanks,
Mike
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Who came up with the idea for DJ? How did you get the job?
No one to blame but myself.
Dirty Jobs grew out of a short segment I used to do on Evening Magazine called "Somebody's Gotta Do It." After airing a particularly memorable, (and impossibly graphic) piece on artificial cow insemination, the viewer response went off the charts - lots of letters expressing shock, horror, fascination, disbelief, and wonder. I sent the tape to Discovery, which promptly ordered a series. The rest as they say, is dirty history
Q: Is there a job you would not do?
The show doesn't have a lot of rules, but I'm committed to trying my best to do whatever the work happens to be, as long as it's a real, money generating, legal job, and as long as someone else is actually doing it with or near me. Given those caveats, I can think of no job that I would be unwilling to try ... Some, however, are too heavy for the tone of the show - Crime Scene Cleaner, for instance. The work is too grisly to take lightly, and we aspire to be a lighthearted show ... I've said "I'm not doing that" many times. I've meant it once (re: catfish noodling), but I wound up doing it anyway.
Q: Would you ever consider adding a co-host?
It really depends on how vital a role you think I play in the show's success, and I'm too biased to comment on that objectively.
I will tell you that there have been serious conversations about hiring a co-host, or correspondent, to help lighten the production load. Such a person would not work with me, but shoot additional segments for the show. In fact, a test segment has already been shot. I don't know if it will air or not, and I can't say if it's a good idea. Ultimately, it's not my decision to make.
Q: I see from your bio that you sang in the opera. What other singing do you do?
I studied theater and music in Maryland - early '80s, and joined the Baltimore Opera to get my union card and meet girls. In spite of that noble beginning, I wound up appreciating the genre a great deal. I still do, but have no plans to revisit the scene of that particular crime(s) ... These days, I sing mainly at weddings and funerals. I still get together with some buddies who I used to perform with in an a capella group, and enjoy singing four-part arrangements of old standards. This activity usually occurs on a boat, far out of earshot from innocent bystanders ... I sing bass/baritone.
Q: Where are you from?
(I was) born in Baltimore. I grew up in Overlea, next [to the] Gardens of Faith Cemetery — right off Trumps Mill Rd. [Went to] Overlea Sr. High, Class of '80.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Do you have any siblings?
I am the oldest of three boys. My brothers live in Florida and South Carolina, and they are both married.
Q: How tall are you?
Six feet exactly, if I stand up straight, which has become increasingly difficult.
Q: Are you married? Dating? Looking?
I've never married, but continue to pursue a life of serial monogamy with a very understanding woman in San Francisco.
Q: On one of the episodes, you mentioned that you went to college for six years. Why six years, and what did you study while there?
My extended stay had more to do with indecision than accomplishment. But while enrolled, I studied English, communications, speech, and music - an approach that has qualified me to do very little.
Q: How long have you been in the entertainment industry?
I've been around the business 19+ years.
Q: Do you have any pets?
I love pets, but travel too much to own one. It would be selfish, even for me.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: What kind of music do you like? Or books?
Giacomo Puccini, Johnny Hartman, Norman Luboff, Anton Dvorak, The Mill Brothers, Leonard Bernstein, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Billie Holiday, Sly and the Family Stone, Pink Floyd, The Singers Unlimited, Jimi Hendricks and Hank Williams Jr.
To wit, I'm currently rereading the entire Travis McGee series by J.D. MacDonald. Best pulp fiction ever. Just finished Straight Man by Richard Russo - excellent. When I'm finished those, I'll pick up John Irving's latest.
For nonfiction, I like a good biography. Most recently, John Adams by McCullough. In the Heart of the Sea by Philbrick, the true story of the sinking of the whale ship Essex, which inspired Melville to write Moby Dick. And The Professor and the Madman, the true story of how the Oxford/English Dictionary got written and published.
Q: Which job would you like to revisit? Or which would you refuse to do?
Interesting question.
The truth is, of the 80 or so we have done so far, there are none (0) that I would like to revisit.
However, there is only one I would refuse to do over: catfish noodling
(Note: Since first answering this question, Mike has completed more than 200 segments!)
Q: Are You Afraid of Heights? (Mackinac Bridge episode)
I'm OK with heights. Widths however, trouble me.
There were a few occasions where I needed a "personal moment." The winds were very gusty and strong. And while the cable is bigger than it looks, it's round so you need to walk dead center all the time or you'll slip. But mainly, I was just so happy that the Bridge Authority was onboard with the show, I couldn't bring myself to say no. Let me explain.
I've been to many government-controlled locations where some key element of the job was withheld from me because of some regulation or general liability. (Not because of a genuine concern for my safety, but rather, a genuine adherence to blanket policies.) The folks who run that bridge not only understand their jobs, they understand the real goal of this show, which is to put the viewer into the boots of the worker, through me. Walking the cable is a daily reality for a few of those guys, and I couldn't leave without at least asking. I fully expected the man in charge to say "no way" when I inquired, somewhat jokingly, if he had any problem with me hopping over the side and walking up the cable to change a light bulb.
"Why would I have problem?" he replied, tossing me a harness. "It's not my butt up there. Go for it."
This is the first time in the history of this show that I was given complete access to every aspect of a dangerous, dirty, municipal job. It was a really gratifying day for me, and from what I could tell, a lot of fun for the workers. I hope you all liked it too.
Q: If, for some reason, you had to choose one of these jobs you have profiled as your full-time job, which would you choose?
Taro Farmer
Taro is used to make poi, a staple in the Hawaiian diet, and pulling taro is wet, backbreaking work. We shot the segment on the Big Island, and while the job is really, really dirty, it's oddly peaceful. And the farm we visited was so ridiculously beautiful, no one wanted to leave.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: Which job was the toughest to do?
The water barrier was maybe the most technically difficult shoot so far. We were basically shooting in a series of steel shower stalls, with the water turned on. Additionally, it was dark, slippery and very noisy. Some jobs have been more dangerous, but few have been as challenging to shoot.
In terms of personal abuse and general misery, however, the sludge pit wins. One hundred and twenty degrees, wrapped in rubber and completely dehydrated. Hard to top that.
I was thinking today that it is so weird how some small injuries hurt A LOT more than the bigger ones.
That's a fact.
Currently, I'm marveling at a blister on the palm of my right hand. I earned it Tuesday, when I picked up a burning hot, iron tamping bar that had been lying in the Arizona sun for six hours. It sizzled and blistered immediately. Later that day, while swinging an ax for the 500th time into the stubborn root of a giant cactus that simply didn't wish to be removed from the rocky ground, the blister exploded. Now, my hand hurts when I open it. And close it. And look at it.
On the positive side, it has completely taken my mind off of my partially dislocated shoulder.
Q:You have been in some dangerous and disgusting situations. Have you taken more precautions or have some extra vaccinations?
As far as precautions, nothing out of the ordinary — tetanus, hep. A, hep. B, diphtheria, yellow fever, whooping cough, dengue fever, gamma globulin, typhus and something for meningitis.
Q:You seem almost cavalier about safety on the show. Shouldn't you be more careful to wear a mask or respirator on some of these jobs?
Many have commented on my commitment to safety, or seeming lack thereof.
For the record, I have no wish to die or become injured on this program. But I will now attempt something more dangerous than anything you've seen on the show. Something so risky, you may find it unbelievable. I will tell you the horrible, politically incorrect truth. Ready? Here it is.
On Dirty Jobs, as in life, safety is not always first.
Personally, safety is a big concern of mine. But if safety was always first, I would be hosting a game show (again). The safety philosophy of Dirty Jobs is pretty straightforward. I take the same precautions as my host. No more, no less.
Frequently Asked Questions cont'
Q: You also have a habit of tasting things on the show. Which was worse, the fish shake or worms?
Fish, running away.
Q: How long does it take to film an episode of DJ?
Not long. Usually we can shoot a segment in one or two days. Most episodes have two segments a piece, so each hour episode takes three full days of shooting.
Editing varies, but if we hustle a segment along, it takes an assistant editor two to three days to digitalize the footage, and a good editor eight to ten days to complete the segment. Ergo, three editors could complete three segments in 10 days. Then, the show needs to approved and on-lined - another three to five days minimum. Call it 20 days of post, plus three days of shooting, plus three days of research. When the machine is fully staffed and running well, an entire episode might take 28 nonconsecutive days to complete.
Q: How much time is there between shooting a segment and when it finally airs?
Shoot vs. air varies wildly. Anywhere from one to six months.
Q: Do you do your own laundry?
I used to do my laundry on the road. Now I buy cheap, disposable clothes. I wear them until they are useless, and throw them away.
Q: With the constant travel, how do you stay in shape?
It's called a prison workout. It's named thusly because it can be carried out in a cell, or in my case, a cheap hotel room.
Begin standing. Quickly drop to a squatting position, and then kick your legs back and assume a push-up position. Do one push-up, quickly and smoothly. In a fluid motion, pull your legs forward into a squatting position, and leap straight into the air. Land squarely on both feet. Repeat the entire motion. Move as fast as you can without losing control or balance. Do 10 reps, and rest 30 seconds. Then do nine, and rest another 30 seconds. Then eight, then seven, then six, all the way to one. Always do descending sets. Never rest more than 30 seconds between sets. If it's too easy - it won't be - start higher. If you vomit, start lower.
Do three complete sets before breakfast.
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