Today, the only Dirty Job the Discovery star Mike Rowe has to do is drink beer on the couch and fight for some birthday cake.
Being horizontal while trying to eat and drink is deceivingly messy.
Regardless, TV host, writer, narrator, producer, actor, and spokesman Mike Rowe celebrates his 59th birthday today. In honor of Rowe’s last year in his fifties, we are going to take a look at the star’s best moments.
Mike Rowe has one of the most iconic voices for his narrations in Discovery’s hit shows, like American Chopper, American Hot Rod, Deadliest Catch, Wild Pacific, Silver Rush, Ghost Lab, and How the Universe Works. His voice is deep yet smooth with an ominous element to it, which is perfect for setting up almost-disastrous situations for the series he works for.
Mike Rowe is More Than Just a Pretty Voice… Maybe
However, did you know that Mike Rowe’s beautiful voice’s used to do a whole lot more than just speak?
After a choir teacher introduced Rowe into the world of music, like the Barbershop Harmony Society, the actor took an immediate interest. He began to sell karaoke machines before taking his career to the next level.
In 1984, Mike Rowe got creative and faked his way onto the stage of the Baltimore Opera. He did this to get both his union card and pretty girls. According to Mike Rowe’s website, he was successful on both fronts and performed in the Italian Opera, titled Rigoletto.
It wasn’t until 1990 that Rowe found himself on the big screen. One of his friends bet Mike Rowe that he would not audition for a segment on the QVC Shopping Channel. During his audition, the star reportedly talked about a pencil for eight minutes straight. He quickly got the job.
After working hundreds of small jobs throughout the 1990s, Mike Rowe pitched a three-hour special to the Discovery Channel producers that resulted in Dirty Jobs. The birthday boy worked over 300 different disgusting jobs and traveled to every state in the US on his journey.
“Looking for a simpler way to make the rent, Mike began to seek out opportunities that didn’t require multiple showers. He narrated hundreds of documentaries about space, nature, war, serial killers, hurricanes, dinosaurs and how stuff works.”
Mike Rowe has also partnered with Ford and created countless commercials for the company.
Giving Back
Furthermore, the Baltimore native established his own nonprofit that works at closing the skills gap in America called the Mike Rowe Works Foundation in 2008. After raising over $5 million in scholarships and grants, the company has awarded over 1,000 recipients seeking work in trade skills.
“America is lending money it doesn’t have to kids who can’t pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist. That’s nuts.”
In addition, Rowe authored the book “Profoundly Disconnected®, A True Confession From Mike Rowe” in which all the proceeds go toward the nonprofit.
“Mike lives in San Francisco, where he sometimes spends up to five days a month. In his spare time, he likes to read pulp fiction and write about himself in the third person. He is still considered by many to be a nice guy.”
Noted, Mike Rowe. We just hope you have a nice birthday.
