Who is this guy, why is he taking over my television and why does he always wear the same friggin’ hat?: Making sense of the Mike Rowe invasion

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I have lots of baseball caps in my collection.  I wear different ones depending on my mood… or whether I decided to brush my hair that morning.  I wouldn’t necessarily say I ‘accessorize’ but I have been known to mix and match.  (Okay, so maybe that’s accessorizing).  One thing I do NOT do, however, is constantly wear the same weather-beaten, grey cap… especially if I know I’m going to be on television.

One guy, however, who does not share the same fashion sense as I (fortunately, few do), is invading my television more than Flo and the Geico lizard combined.  There are the commercials where he’s in a gray ball cap selling Fords.  There are others where he’s in that same gray hat pushing auto parts.  Then there are the ones where he’s selling jeans while walking down the street and some random woman, who is not his girlfriend, grabs him on the tush.  Multiple commercials, same ratty ball cap.

I finally Googled the guy to see who he was and why he has become a fixture on my flat screen.  I found out his name is Mike Rowe, host of Dirty Jobs and a variety of other programs.  I told you I don’t watch reality television.

As it turns out, I’m the one who’s out of the loop.  I was the only person on my block who hadn’t heard of the guy.  I asked friends and colleagues alike if they recognized him and they all looked at me like I was crazy.  I get that a lot.

I guess the jokes on me, but why would I watch a show called Dirty Jobs considering I like to work as little as possible.

I’m no marketing genius but apparently Mike Rowe (and his cap) tested well enough to put him (and it) on every other commercial on television.  I had no idea he was this popular.  I’ve seen so much of him lately, I feel I should invite him over for Christmas dinner.

Look, I’m not hating on the guy.  More power to anyone who can find work in this economy, but personally I’d prefer it if he just Rowe, Rowe, Rowe his cap gently off my screen.  On a side note, isn’t his girlfriend upset about him routinely getting fondled by random women?  I know she’s seen his commercials.  They’re on every second.

Perhaps these companies are hoping Rowe’s Favre-like sensibilities will appeal to the common consumer, but now that Brett’s streak is finally over, isn’t it about time that Rowe consider ending his?

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45 Replies to “Who is this guy, why is he taking over my television and why does he always wear the same friggin’ hat?: Making sense of the Mike Rowe invasion”

  1. Chris……..i think you wrote this article just so you could use the line “Rowe, Rowe, Rowe your boat gently off my screen”.

    I don’t blame you though. That is just too perfect. Congrats!!

  2. Also sorry I’ve been MIA on here lately. I will try to be more responsible with this medium.

    SuperCarrier

  4. If he can make it so can you. I’ve seen your videos. All you need is the right representation and I will volunteer my services (at a mere 15% off the top). I can see it now, we start out with a reality show about the lifestyle of a bartender in Ybor City and next thing you know, bam, Hollywierd here we come. Stick with me kid I’ll make you a star:)

  5. Actually, Supercarrier, that line was an afterthought but I felt it fit in nicely… hehe.

    And I’ll tell you what. Some nice Buccaneers tickets and whiskey will make your apology seem a little more sincere.

    Where the hell have you been, man?

  7. He was a guest on “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me” a couple of weeks ago. Very funny and apparently pretty smart. Hard to tell if he was wearing a hat at the time.

    He said he got fired from his first job at QVC when the wind-up nun (who I believe sang a “Sound of Music” song) he was hawking live needed to be rewound. He left the set but the camera switched to him just as he had raised Maria’s habit, turned her upside-down so her head was in his lap, and was reaching for the wind-up mechanism which was – where else – up her ass. He didn’t say it, but I wonder if he was singing “My Favorite Things” at the same time.

  9. I actually had a buddy that was on Dirty Jobs. I can see why your neighbors looked at you strange I would’ve! My buddy works with Abelone in Monterey, and they picked him to walk them through his day. I think I like the show because it makes me happy that I’m not doing any of those jobs!

  11. Chris

    Isn’t he also the host of the reality show ‘ World’s Dirtiest Jobs ‘ ? I guess now that Favre has his off the field problems and Lil’ E just can’t find the winner’s circle in NASCAR they needed someone with credibility to sell Jeans ?

    Ah the idiots out there now decrying Lee for eschewing the Yankees and going with the Phillies instead . Butt-holes like that need to gain some real perspective on life. Especially when they were probably the same ones who drove Lee’s family away with their profanity laced assault on his wife and family when they attended the ACLS games at Yankees’ Stadium. Not even content with that they mocked Lee’s young son who suffers from leukemia .

    tophatal …………..

  12. Chris

    If at all interested ?

    It’s Not Always About The Money But Common Sense And Where The Heart Takes You …..

    I don’t know if I should feel nonplussed or bewildered by the naivete shown by some people be it from a lack of intelligence on their part or just sheer stupidity. It’d appear that several baseball fans many of whom are Texans and writers of a certain blog post are surprised that Cliff Lee has chosen rejoin the Philadelphia Phillies rather than opting for more money that had been offered by both the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers . The Yankees with their burgeoning pockets and vast financial resources in reality had met their match in the Texas Rangers who were backed financially by several noted Texas billionaires and the fact that team President Nolan Ryan and CEO Chuck Greenberg had recently negotiated a $3 billion television deal (20 year) with a prominent cable and broadcast outlet.

    The Yankees who’d upped the ante in this ever increasing stake of ‘chicken’ went as far to offer the player an option of a six year $150 million deal which was something of a sticking point originally for Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman as he was reluctant to offer Lee’s agent Darrell Braunecker such a deal on behalf of his client, with an option for a seventh year.. The Rangers’ for their part may well have felt that they had the inside track given that the player and his family were happy being in Texas and with his home being relatively close in his native state of Arkansas . Ryan for his part along with manager Ron Washington and GM Jon Daniels had hoped that with Lee’s performances in the postseason and his camaraderie with his teammates that a decision would be something a formality. What many hadn’t realized was that the Phillies along with their GM Ruben Amaro Jr. had been in contact with the player and his agent gauging his interest in returning to the Philadelphia Phillies where he’d played for the team last year .

    Click on links shown to read .

    It’s Not Always About The Money But Common Sense And Where The Heart Takes You …..

    tophatal ………..

  13. Chris


    If the job doesn’t kill Holmgren then look for him to suffer a hear attack on the sidelines because of the stress and his weight . God knows the Browns have had their ups and downs this season ! More downs than up though .

    tophatal ………………………….

  14. Chris

    The NFL mightn’t be the only place there’s a lockout next season as the NBPA (union) is looking to decertify in order to challenge the NBA’s status in the Federal Court System .

    tophatal ………….

  15. Been travelling a ton. Was in Vegas on business the week of the last Bucs game. Was in and out again. Steve is coming into town for the Outback bowl. If we don’t get together before that, let’s definately get together then.

  16. He’s got a website too. Check out the Twas the Night before Christmas post and you can clearly see that he DOES have a hat besides that grey cap. 🙂

  18. Duuude! He became world famous as the narrator of ‘Deadliest Catch’… one of the very few watchable reality shows.

    Dirty Jobs sucks. I have no idea why people want to watch him perform jobs such as Porta-Potty cleaner outer.

    His Q factor is off the chain with women viewers for some reason. I don’t get it.

  19. Chris, I first saw Mike Rowe on “Dirty Jobs” and he impressed me with his enthusiasm and humor. By the way, I understand he was originally an opera singer. It is his every-guy persona sharpened on “Dirty Jobs” that makes him both likable and believable. Ford has found a foil to Favre (lot of f’s there!) in Mike Rowe and they are riding him for all it’s worth. His hat is to Ford what Brett’s jeans are to Wrangler. Put me down as a Mike Rowe fan.

  20. Chris,

    You are so funny. My wife has been watching Dirty Jobs and Deadliest Catch for a couple years and I occasionally watch. Mike Rowe is hilarious and I think that has captured the ad world’s attention.

    But you make a good point about the hat. He has to have made enough money by now to afford a new one. BTW, like me, Mike is a lifelong Orioles fan, so I think he should wear an O’s hat whenever he can. That is about the only way the Birds can hope of getting on national TV in a Yankees, Red Sox and now Phillies dominated world.

  21. Chris

    Sal Alosi the Jets’ strength and conditioning coach feels sorry that he tripped the Dolphins Nolan Carroll during the game but it was actually his intention to expose himself to the player to see if the player would be put off by seeing his so called ‘manly weapon’ . Alosi had a change of heart when he was reminded that a former Jets’ player had done the same thing by exposing himself when sending a picture to a fellow employee at the time.

    tophatal …………….

  24. Chap…

    I haven’t seen it once. Perhaps I’ll tune in. I still haven’t set out to do that reality TV challenge I promised I would.

    Never let it be said I’m not a man of my word.

  25. Snake…

    I’d say Rowe might want to consider you as his agent with that one-liner but apparently, his is already doing pretty well for him.

    So… about Rondo being out two weeks. Concerned?

  26. Al…

    I have a Yankee fan friend who SWEARS they’ll land Greinke.

    I’ve also heard rumors about Sheffield being interested in signing with the Rays.

    Would you take a shot at him for league min?

  27. Be right over to check out your Lee piece, Al. I’m behind again.

    Personally, it doesn’t bother me one bit he didn’t sign with the pinstripes.

    His signing with Philly is as much a blow to their sense of entitlement as it is their playoff chances.

  31. Han…

    First of all, happy birthday.

    Second of all, I’m not sure why women are all crazy about Big from Sex and the City either, but they are.

    I do understand perfectly, however, why chicks dig us.

  33. Deano,

    I have seen an episode of Deadliest Catch, or maybe it was Bassmasters. It was some show with a whole bunch of bearded dudes catching shit in nets. But I wouldn’t be able to pick Rowe’s voice out of a lineup, which is surprising considering how much he’s on TV these days.

    And if I were Rowe, I wouldn’t announce publicly that I were an Orioles fan either.

  34. HAHAHA, well at least you are man enough to admit that you don’t always keep your word! Screw the reality TV project though, I’m sure your time could be spent better elsewhere!

  39. Chris

    So this is what GM Otis Smith thinks it’ll take to turn the Magic around ? I hope he realizes that when the Magic has their ‘take your child to work day ‘ it doesn’t mean that Arenas can come in with his weapons ammo and then have his kid recite what hid dad has or does as a hobby ?

    You and chappy both know that I love my women almost as much I love my beloved Spurs and Patriots !

    There’s no truth to the rumor that the Giants have found a new way to kiss their own a_s while looking so lame ! Is it me but does Eli Manning resent being called a quarterback with limited abilities ? I remember you once saying that because he’s delivered NYC and the fans there a Superbowl he’s something of a hero ? Well that image now seems to be diminishing fast ! He couldn’t lead a horse to water much less make it drink !

    Good ol’ Rex Grossman only he could have his team on the cusp of winning a game then do so much to go and completely f_ck things up !

    tophatal ………….

  40. Chris

    So Kim K is now dating your namesake Kris Humphries of the Nets ? What she didn’t have an athlete such as yourself on speed dial ? Now wonder Miles Austin of the Cowboys and Reggie Bush are now said to be so pi_sed !

    I can see it now Jigga , Beyonce’ , Kim K and Kris Humphries out on the town and while there’ll be more interest in both couples than anything that the Nets are now said to be doing on an NBA basketball court . How quaint ?

    tophatal ………….

  45. I had the opportunity to go to that game, Al, but was overworked from the weekend.

    I’m hoping my absence didn’t cost the Bucs that victory.

    I didn’t get to watch the game but there’s really no excuse for that loss.

    They could have been right in the playoff hunt but instead remain outside looking in.

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