My guest today is a woman who looked at the modern food pyramid and said, "Thanks, but I’d rather eat drywall." @Realalexclark is the host of the hit podcast Culture Apothecary, a driving force behind a fantastic documentary, "Breaking Big Food," and a person currently on a deeply personal crusade to figure out why our breakfast cereal has a longer shelf life than the average car battery. I wanted to hear from Alex about how Big Food and Big Tobacco sing from the same hymnal, and why your favorite "healthy" snack might actually double as an industrialized adhesive. Please welcome a woman who is bravely trying to save us from our own shopping carts, the wonderfully fired-up Alex Clark. (Honestly, if I can get her out of her shell, this woman is going places...) Short clip below. Whole conversation here... bit.ly/TWIHI503AlexClark

Today is the third Friday of September, also known as National Tradesmen Day. To celebrate, a young and cheeky editor at mikeroweWORKS has assembled a video to remind the world about what I looked like 18 years ago, back when I boldly proclaimed my intention to reinvigorate the skilled trades with some sort of ad hoc PR initiative. Looking back, I think you’ll agree my performance – delivered after several beers on Labor Day of 2008 - was a fairly cringe-worthy spasm of uncharacteristic earnestness. It was, however, well-intended, and useful I think, in rallying others who shared my sentiment. In fact, a few years later in 2011, when Irwin Tools decided to launch National Tradesman Day, they called upon me to announce the occasion, which I was delighted to do. In return, Irwin donated $10,000 to my newly formed foundation, which I used to help fund our first round of work ethic scholarships. Since then, lots of other likeminded companies and organizations have asked me to help them launch similar efforts to reinvigorate the trades, including the latest initiative from the Pentagon called BuildFreedom.US. I agreed, and in return, Build Freedom has donated $10 million dollars to mikeroweWORKS, which we’ll spend on the next round of work ethic scholarships. And so, we appear to be trending in the right direction. Anyway, enjoy the attached video, a genuine blast from my past, and hopefully, an accurate look into the future. Better yet, share it with it someone in the trades, and help us commemorate National Tradesman Day by reminding the country that many excellent opportunities in the skilled trades are waiting to be filled, and that mikeroweWORKS is here to pay for the training you need to get started. Apply today at mikeroweWORKS.org Carry on, Mike

A couple years ago, Mikala Sposito applied for a work ethic scholarship from my foundation. She asked for $2,700.00 to help realize her dream of becoming a welder. (Actually, her first dream was to become an Olympian. As a kid, she excelled at horseback riding, dance, soccer, and track, but not quite at the Olympic level. So, Mikala adjusted her dream and focused on something within her reach. Precisely the kind of commonsense approach to making a living we try to encourage.) Toward that end, Mikala filled out the application, jumped through all the necessary hoops, and signed the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge, as all applicants must. According to our internal ranking system, which is inherently subjective and relative to each batch of new applicants, Mikala scored a 94, and was awarded $2,100.00, or roughly 80% of what she asked for. This is typical of the average percentage awarded to an excellent applicant. As a rule, we almost never award the entire amount requested. We want our recipients to have some skin in the game, and we encourage all applicants to apply for additional scholarship funds elsewhere, which Mikala did. But in this case, if I had it to do over again, I think I’d have awarded Mikala the full $2,700.00. Why? Because this woman is precisely why I award work ethic scholarships in the first place, as recent headlines prove. Headlines all over the country that identify Mikala Sposito as the sole welder to represent Team USA in the upcoming @WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai. This is a very big deal. The World Skills competition is often referred to as the Olympics of the skilled trades, so it looks like Mikala’s dream is coming true after all. And it seems to me her journey is worth a brief encapsulation. Before she applied for a scholarship from mikeroweWORKS, Mikala demonstrated an affinity for welding in SkillsUSA. As a senior at Dexter High School, she won 1st Place at the SkillsUSA Michigan high school competition and went on to place 14th nationally. Then, as a freshman at Washtenaw Community College, she repeated her success by taking 1st Place in the Michigan college division. She then advanced to nationals, where she finished 8th in the country. That earned her an invitation to the Team USA pre-trials, which whittled the nation's top 16 young welders down to three. At the final USA Weld Trials at the Robotics Technology Park in Huntsville, Alabama, each competitor was evaluated on precision, safety, technical execution, craftsmanship, and multi-process capabilities under extreme time constraints. Mikala Sposito took the Gold, officially becoming the first woman to represent the United States in welding at WorldSkills. Next week, she’ll face off against the absolute best of the best from all over the world. I should point out that Mikala would prefer it if the press didn’t make a big deal of her gender, and I completely understand. (She’s a welder – not a “weld-her.”) But today, the industry is in desperate need of proof that women can and do excel in the trades. Nationally, just 4.3% of tradespeople are female. At mikeroweWORKS, our female applicants are closer to 20%, but I assure you that percentage could be much higher. Companies are anxious to recruit talented welders of any gender, and women need to understand and believe the opportunities are real. Mikala prove that in spades, and I want to offer her my sincere congratulations, and invite all of you to do the same. Because Mikala Sposito is exactly what our country needs a lot more of. People who understand that talent is never enough to compensate for laziness. In her application, she wrote, “Hard work beats talent any day of the week, and nobody is going to outwork me. Period.” She also connected with every point of the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge but said the final tenet resonated with her the most. “Some people choose to be lazy. Some people choose to sleep in. I choose to work my butt off.” My favorite quote, however, is Mikala’s response to seasoned professionals who see her wield a torch and call her a “natural.” “I’m not a natural,” she says. Far from it. And none of this came easy. I worked and trained 60-80 hours a week for two years to get here.” Regardless of what happens in Shanghai, the job offers are already piling up, including the most recent from SpaceX. She hasn’t graduated yet, but the future looks bright, and I for one would not bet against her. PS. I never do this, but since my name is in the title of the foundation, I suppose I can. Mikala – please accept the additional $600 you requested from mikeroweWORKS two years ago. Shanghai is expensive, and since you’re representing all of us, we’d like to provide you with a little walking around money. The check is in the mail. Now…go get the gold!

Somewhere in my smart phone, is an authentic photo of Bob Mackie and me. I’ve been looking for it ever since his passing earlier this week but can’t seem to find it. So, I asked Claude to conjure up an image of the two of us, looking exactly as we did twelve years ago, when we ran into each other at Osteria el Doge in New York City. The AI image is attached, and I must say, it looks identical to the one I remember. Which begs the obvious question – do you think a legendary fashion designer like Bob Mackie – universally beloved for his originality and fierce commitment to authenticity - would object to being memorialized in a fake photograph? Personally, I don’t think so. I think Bob would be just fine with this image. Not because it’s fake, but rather, because it wasn’t presented as real. Because if Bob Mackie knew anything, it was the difference between a fraud and the real deal. I base this belief on my only other interaction with the man, long before our chance meeting at Osteria in 2016. That would have been sometime in 1992, back when I was impersonating a show host on The QVC Cable Shopping Channel. Bob had come to QVC about the same time as Joan Rivers and Richard Simmons, both of whom were making a very good living by simply being themselves. Bob had come to QVC to introduce his Wearable Art Collection, a new assortment of scarves, blouses, and knits with impossibly bold, geometric patterns that many believed would fall flat with QVC’s conservative audience. I never worked directly with Bob, but we did meet backstage on a Saturday evening after his first live show, when every single piece of Wearable Art sold out in minutes. Everyone was blown away by how approachable and authentic he was on the air, and the viewers absolutely loved him. I introduced myself, because I wanted to meet the man who made a dress out of curtains for Carol Burnett, and decided to leave the curtain rod in. “Congratulations,” I said. “I don’t know a thing about fashion, but I really admire all you’ve accomplished.” “Oh my God,” he said. “You’re the man in the middle of the night!” “That’s me,” I said. “King of the Graveyard Shift.” “I was just watching you last week,” he said, “from my hotel room. I couldn’t sleep, so I put on QVC, and there you were, selling unbreakable kitchenware.” “I don’t remember that particular item,” I said. “But then again, I don’t remember much of anything that happens between 3 and 6am.” “No?” said Bob. “Well, I’ll never forget it. You said, ‘Ok, America, let’s see just how ‘unbreakable’ this kitchenware really is.’ Then you jumped on a plate until it snapped in half! I nearly peed myself laughing.” “Big claims require big proof,” I said. “And in my experience, everything is breakable.” Bob clutched his metaphorical pearls and whispered dramatically, “I shudder to think what you’d do with one of my caftans, assuming you were ever asked to present one.” “I’ll tell you exactly what I’d do,” I said. “I'd model it myself. In fact, if one ever shows up in the overnight inventory, I’ll wear it till the thing sells out.” Bob laughed again and said, “You know, I’d pay to see that!” Several months later, at 4:30am, during an hour called, “Leisurely Living,” it happened. One of the stagehands brought me a caftan from Bob’s Wearable Art Collection, and I wore it till it sold out. In fact, I wore it for the entire shift because, if I’m being honest, it was damn comfortable, and wearing it amused me to no end. Consequently, we had something to talk about 24 years later when our paths finally crossed again, in one of my favorite New York restaurants. “Congratulations on Dirty Jobs," he said. "You've come a long way from QVC." "Thanks. I like to think I worked my way up to the sewer." "You know, I never had a chance to thank you for modeling my caftan. I haven’t been that proud of myself since Cher introduced my Naked Dress to the masses.” “It was a high-water mark for me as well. In fact, I was fired from QVC shortly after that shift.” “Oh no!” said Bob. “Because of the caftan?” “No, there were other reasons. All justifiable and long overdue.” We ordered martinis and discussed the glory days of home shopping, back when a grown man, secure in his masculinity and desperate to stay conscious in the wee small hours of another endless night, could model a lady’s caftan just to keep himself amused. We also chatted about the importance of being true to yourself, even if you’re not yet sure who you are, and being as honest as you can with the audience you have, no matter how large or small that audience is. Anyway, that was the last time I saw Bob Mackie - The Sultan of Sequins, The Rajah of Rhinestones, and one of the more authentic celebrities I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. And though we lived and worked in two very different worlds, he certainly made the one we shared a lot more interesting. My condolences, to those who knew him better, and miss him most. PS. FYI, the other photo is totally authentic. I found in a shoebox in my garage, along with many others. Unless, of course, I told Claude to make up that one as well, and just forgot to tell you...

Chris Power @2112Power came to this country from Australia in 2019 with $6,000. From a hotel room in Texas, he cold-called hundreds of manufacturers to find where supply chains were failing and concluded that precision manufacturing for aerospace and defense suffered from a massive lack of automation and a vanishing skilled workforce. He founded Hadrian in 2021 to use physical AI, software, and robotics to make high-precision metal parts drastically faster and more efficiently. The company is now worth billions, with high-tech facilities in Southern California and Arizona, and lots of interesting contracts within the defense industrial base. Best of all, Chris is transforming the way skilled tradespeople get the training they need, specifically in the manufacturing sector. It’s a true fast-track, and oftentimes involves kids coming straight from high school to the manufacturing floor, and the results are impressive. Here’s the case study that originally got my attention. americancompass.org/case-stu… Big thanks to Chris for coming on the show. A short clip is below. Our whole conversation is here. bit.ly/TWIHI502ChrisPower

On September 11, 2001, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Birdwell was working on the second floor of the Pentagon's E-Ring (the outermost ring) when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. He was just 15 to 20 yards away from the exact point where the nose of the plane penetrated the structure, making him one of the closest people to the impact to survive. Moments before the crash, Birdwell had stepped out of the restroom. When the aircraft hit at 9:37 a.m., he heard a sound louder than anything he had ever experienced. The explosion tossed him "like a rag doll" down the corridor and instantly set him ablaze. The intense heat and fuel vapor melted his polyester military uniform directly onto his skin. Trapped in pitch-black, toxic smoke, and unable to breathe due to searing air and jet fuel vapor, Birdwell collapsed. Believing he was about to die, he prayed, said a silent goodbye to his family, and "accepted his death". Suddenly, the Pentagon’s ceiling sprinkler system activated right above him, extinguishing the flames on his body. This gave him just enough strength to crawl and find help. A group of colleagues found him in the smoke, pulling him to safety. Because the burns were so extensive across his body, a medical team at a makeshift triage station inside the Pentagon had to administer an IV and morphine directly through his feet, which were the only parts of his body left unburned. Birdwell suffered burns over 60% of his body, with nearly half of them being third-degree. His most critical injury was an intensive internal inhalation injury. The scorching air and toxic fumes had severely seared his lungs, requiring him to be placed on a respirator for several weeks. Doctors initially gave Birdwell less than a 1% chance of survival, prompting him to say what he thought were his final goodbyes to his 12-year-old son from his hospital bed. Against all odds, he survived. He spent 92 days at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Burn Unit and underwent 39 reconstructive surgeries over four years of agonizing rehabilitation to regain his mobility. He was awarded the Purple Heart for the wounds he received that day.” -- Almost 25 years later, I met Brian at the Pentagon, not far from where he cheated death. That’s him, all the way on to my right, barely in the frame. The guy in the green tie with a big smile. We met in The Hall of Heroes, where I had just accepted a check for The mikeroweWORKS Foundation, on behalf of everyone at Build Freedom - including The Honorable Brian Birdwell. “My name is Brian Birdwell,” he said. “And I just wanted to say hello and thank you for all those dirty jobs! And for what you’re doing with your foundation. I think it’s terrific!” “Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate your support and I promise to spend the money wisely. Oh, and thank you for your service.” It was a rather assumptive thing to say, since I didn’t know at the time that Brian Birdwell had been a Lt. Colonel in the Army, much less what he’d endured 25 years ago. But there was something about his bearing. His posture. The flag on the lapel. The scars on his hands. He seemed like a man who understood sacrifice. “This is the greatest country in the world,” he said, “and it’s my privilege to serve it. Now keep on doing what you do, Mr. Rowe!" There were many other hands to shake that day, and lots of other people to meet, including the fine Americans standing with Brian, all of whom have stories worth sharing. But on this day, I’ll focus on Brian Birdwell. Partly because I really appreciate what Build Freedom is doing for our country, and partly because I really am grateful for the service and the sacrifice he made for you and me. But mostly, because 25 years after those murderous swine tried their best to kill him, Brian Birdwell is still standing. Still smiling. Still serving the country he loves. I realized all of this several minutes ago, after I boarded a United flight from LAX to San Francisco. As we waited on the tarmac, I saw a link in my newsfeed to the article I quoted above, and learned about the man who somehow survived the attack on the Pentagon 25 years ago. A man I last saw in The Hall of Heroes, wearing a green tie and a big smile. A man called Brian Birdwell, who didn’t bother to tell me about himself the day we met. Hopefully, he won’t mind too much if I tell you about him today, before wising all of you safe travels, in friendly skies.

In case you missed it, @AndyStumpf77 is the most fun. Watch our whole conversation here: bit.ly/TWIHI501AndyStumpf

I'm Legal! Today I’m pleased to announce that mikeroweWORKS is finally legal. The foundation turns 18 years old this Labor Day, which means that MRW can legally buy a lottery ticket, get a tattoo, jump out of a plane, operate heavy machinery, rent a hotel room, open a bank account, move out of Mom’s house, and vote for whatever knucklehead seems less likely to wreck the nation, among other things. (Alas, we’re still too young for a shot of my grandfather’s whiskey, but whatever…I don’t make the rules. Online sales, ironically, still benefit the foundation, and – if you’re 21 or older – I’ll invite you to celebrate this milestone with any of the award-winning adult beverages at knobelspirits.com. But I digress…) To celebrate our 18th birthday, and America's observation of Labor, I'm pleased to announce another tranche of work ethic scholarships, in our ongoing efforts to help train the next generation of skilled workers. In this round, we have 450 recipients who will collectively receive $3.5 million to further their training in 23 individual vocations. To date, that’s $22.5 million dollars awarded to 3,350 individuals. What a sublime legacy for an unscripted TV show that make me marginally famous for crawling through sewers. Also, attached below, are the donors who made this round possible. Many thanks to all of you. And thanks also, to the many individuals on this page who have supported MRW from its infancy, financially and otherwise. Your encouragement over the years is priceless, and your willingness to share posts like this one, is the primary reason we have finally reached the age of majority. So please, share away. We're already taking applications for the next round. Apply at: bit.ly/ApplyForAWorkEthicSch… Having said all of that, I’ll now take my 18-year-old alter ego out for non-alcoholic beverage and ponder the future. Happy Labor Day Our Sponsors… @BuildFreedomUS @WellsFargo Fisher Global Foundation @ferguson @PureTalk @JK_trashremoval @FoldsofHonor Berens Foundation @Google @Montanaknifeco Software Engineering of America Ford Philanthropy @BlackrockFD James & Shirley Rippey Family Foundation @LockheedMartin Hearst Foundations Suffolk Care Charitable Foundation Turbine X Energy @aligneddc @coigncard Grady Family Foundation @PaulMitchellEdu And a sincere thanks to my own team at MRW… Jen, Shari, Jade, Mary, Chuck, Paige, Libby, Logan, Charlie, Noah, Kristi, and the committee who helped us review every application. And Jade, again, because she killed it, as always.

Attached is a video of a kid named Parker Lupher, who set the bar for submitting the kind of videos we’re looking for from every applicant. It’s difficult (impossible, really), to look into the soul of an applicant and determine his or her work ethic, but since these are “work ethic” scholarships, we have to try, and this is what a good video looks like. There is no set format, just a mandate to make a persuasive case for yourself, which young Parker clearly does (You’ll find Parker on the list of recipients. He was awarded $5,400 to pursue his training to become a firefighter. Go get ‘em, Parker!).

Also, because it’s Labor Day, a quick shoutout to three amazing entrepreneurs I’ve gotten to know over the years, all of whom care deeply about workforce, and put their money where their mouth is. The first is Bayard Winthrop, who runs a company called American Giant. Bayard decided 15 years ago to build a clothing company that relied entirely on American cotton, American labor, and American pride. (I still have one of their first hoodies.) He has succeeded, by any measure, and continues to build his factories in small towns, while churning out some pretty great clothes. Today, I’m proud to have him as a sponsor on my podcast, and even more proud to share a piece he just posted on Substack, that struck me as perfect for Labor Day. I hope you’ll agree. bayardwinthrop.substack.com/…... American Giant also sells MRW gear which benefits the foundation. Tees and sweatshirts are currently in stock. bit.ly/AGxTWIHI Secondly, is Josh Smith, CEO of Montana Knife Company. Josh is a former lineman who started making knives in his garage and became consumed by doing so. Today, he employs well over a hundred tradespeople in Missoula, Montana, and makes the best knives in the world. Like Bayard, he is fully committed to reinvigorating the skilled trades and American manufacturing. In fact, Josh has donated nearly $300,000 to our scholarship program by earmarking 10% of sales on certain blades to mikeroweWORKS. I admire what he’s built, and the way he’s built it. And I really appreciate the way he treats his people, and decision to support our efforts at MRW. bit.ly/MontanKnifeCo Finally, there’s Matt Malone. Matt runs Groundworks, a home services company that specializes in waterproofing basements, repairing foundations, and crawlspace encapsulations. (All of these jobs were featured in the early days of Dirty Jobs, and all of them epitomize the extraordinary grit required to prosper in this industry.) I met Matt a couple years ago in Virginia Beach, where he announced a plan to give all of his frontline workers meaningful equity in Groundworks. I was blown away by the impact of that gesture on 5,000 hardworking Americans, and now, I’m convinced that employee ownership will eventually become the norm in most home service companies. Matt now employs over 7,000 workers, all of whom possess the same kind of work ethic my foundation strives to reward, and all of whom are owners of Groundworks. I’ve been proud represent the brand ever since and look forward to seeing what other companies in that space will follow his example. There are many others, but those three are on my mind today.

bit.ly/TWIHI501AndyStumpf I want to apologize to this week’s terrific guest,@AndyStumpf77, a famous Navy SEAL who I just met, as well as Greg Stumpf, a famous Green Beret I met years ago. Over his 17-year military career, Andy Stumpf trained a lot of SEAL’s, saw a lot of action, survived a bullet through the belly at close range, and transitioned from an enlisted combatant to a highly decorated leader. Today, Andy has translated his military experience into actionable lessons for corporate leadership and personal development. He also hosts a podcast called "Cleared Hot," and written an amazing book called “Drownproof,” which I recommend without reservation. Additionally, Andy likes to dive off mountaintops in one of those “wing suits,” which is probably why my producer, Chuck, decided to book him. Sadly, as you’ll hear in the first few minutes of our conversation, I didn’t think I was going to be interviewing Andy Stumpf; I thought Chuck had booked GREG Stumpf, the fairly famous Green Beret who had also survived a horrific wound and went on to become a well-known author and motivational speaker. I confessed my confusion on the air, because I think my confusion is understandable. Unlike Andy Stumpf, I have actually met Greg Stumpf in person years ago, shortly after he published his own excellent book, “Conquer Anything: A Green Beret’s Guide to Building Your A-Team.” I was very flattered back then to learn that Greg and his buddies enjoyed watching Dirty Jobs while they were deployed, and even more flattered when Greg Stumpf gifted me his literal green beret as a token of his appreciation. Unfortunately, this morning, as I was listening to this excellent episode, I realized the guy I remembered so vividly as Greg Stumpf – and referenced on the podcast by that name – is actually named Greg STUBE. I have no idea why I conflated Stumpf with Stube, but I did, and must therefore now apologize to both Andy and Greg, along with all the Stumpf’s and Stube’s, wherever they may be. But alas, it’s worse than that. Since this episode dropped, it's come to my attention that Andy Stumpf, my excellent guest, had invited me onto his own podcast a year before he came onto mine. Back then, he was hosting a podcast called Change Agents, and apparently, I accepted his invitation. In fact, we spoke for over an hour about my career, my foundation, and several other notable topics. The proof is here. open.spotify.com/episode/6MG… In my defense, Andy’s podcast was one of a hundred podcasts I appeared on in 2025, and like most of those appearances, this one was virtual. In fact, it was recorded in my home office on my iPhone at the end of a very long day, so it’s not like we spent an hour in real life, face to face, solving the problems of the world. But still…it’s more than a little disconcerting to introduce yourself to an American hero, tell him how honored you are to finally meet him, apologize for thinking he was someone else with the same last name, and then, realize a month or so later that you misidentified a famous Green Beret on your own show, while introducing yourself to a famous Navy SEAL who had already interviewed you at length. It's worth noting that Andy Stumpf made no attempt to remind me that we had already met. For two hours, he ignored my dotage, and simply went about the business of being one of the best guests we've ever had on the show, sharing some extraordinary truths about what it means to put the lives of others before your own, and what it takes to throw yourself off of a mountain dressed like a flying squirrel. Thus, on a personal level, this episode is one of the most humiliating I’ve ever had to listen to, but also, one of the most illuminating. I suspect you will find it one of the most enjoyable. Because Andy Stumpf, or whatever his name is, really is a hell of human being, and our conversation is truly unforgettable, even though I probably won’t remember it next week. The audio version is here, complete with a humiliating preamble. open.spotify.com/episode/3KM… PS. Greg Stube, if you're still out there, you're welcome on the podcast anytime.

A man dressed like Captain America who calls himself “Chrisp LikeTheChicken” believes me to be a hypocrite. He writes… "Mike - People don’t accuse you of hypocrisy because you don’t offer scholarships to four-year schools. You’re a hypocrite because you preach to be for the working-class while being funded by anti-union Koch bros. and regurgitate Republicans talking points while they’ve systematically dismantled the working class for the past 40+ years." Hello there, Chrisp. Nice outfit! As a rule, I don’t debate with grown men who dress like super-heroes and hide behind a pseudonym, but since you’ve been so candid with your criticism, and since I’m trapped on another plane for the next few hours, I’ll bite. First of all, let me assure you that many people do in fact, accuse me of hypocrisy because I have a four-year degree, but don't offer scholarships to four-year universities. I hear from these people every day, and they are very clear about the extent of their disappointment. Interestingly, many of those same people, also call me a hypocrite because I had a long and varied career in the entertainment industry before I launched mikeroweWORKS. They use the fact that I used to work as an actor, narrator, singer, and writer, to undermine any opinion I might have about education and workforce that they don't share. (He's just an actor! He sang in the Opera! What does he know?) These ad hominem attacks are very popular among those with no actual arguments to make, and easy to identify once you start looking for them. Consider those who tried to dismiss Ronald Reagan's ideas because he used to be an actor, or more recently, Markwayne Mullen's nomination to Secretary of Homeland Security, because he used to be a plumber. (I'm talking to you, Jimmy Kimmel.) To your second point, I've never preached or claimed to speak for the "working class," especially as you define them. Like many others who favor the term, you imply that the "working class" is limited to those workers who are represented by unions. I don't share that view. Although I've been critical of some union policies in the past, and argued that not all unions are created equal, I have no issue with organized labor. In fact, I've worked closely with dozens of them, and featured them prominently on Dirty Jobs, Somebody's Gotta Do It, Returning the Favor, and other shows over the years. Most tellingly, many of the 3,500 people my foundation has assisted are members of a trade union today, and I’m very happy for them. But, like the workforce overall, most of my scholarship recipients do not join unions, for all kinds of reasons. Fact is, Chrisp, the sum total of all workers in America who belong to a union – public and private sector combined - is barely 10%. Begging the obvious question...why would a guy who dresses up like Captain America want me to ignore 90% of the American workforce? And why for that matter, would a super-hero like you want me to reject financial assistance from companies, foundations, or individuals who employ so many hard working, highly skilled, well-compensated Americans? Does Captain America really want everyone to be in a union? If so, he should maybe consider changing his name. As for Republican talking points, again, I would invite you to prove the accusation. Just because I happen to say something that might coincide with a conservative position, doesn’t mean I’m “regurgitating” anyone else’s talking points. I’ve been a registered Independent my whole life, and I’ve tried to limit my public comments to issues pertaining to workforce and education. But if you really find my opinions inconsistent with your own, and feel compelled to tell six million people why you think I’m a hypocrite with no actual proof, you might want to at least consider the possibility that your disappointment has less to do with me, and more to do with the narrowness of your own worldview. Is that possible, Chrisp? Is it possible that you think I’m a hypocrite simply because I don’t share your priorities? I'll tell you what I think. (I know you didn't ask for my opinion, but I didn't ask for yours either, right?) I think your worldview is largely shaped by the eternal struggle between labor and management. I think you see one as the oppressor, and the other as the oppressed, and I think that perspective has made your world a very small place. Thus, my view of organized labor is just too nuanced for a super hero like you. Anything short of total fealty is a threat to your belief system. Because I don’t focus entirely on the 10% of the workforce that matters most to you, you see me as a threat. Because I might not vote the way you vote, you see me as a threat. Because I accept support from people you don't like, you see me as a threat. And because I have a large public platform, you see me as an even bigger threat. The unfortunate part, is that you don't seem to care at all about the 3,500 hundred people my foundation has assisted, most of whom are making a pretty great living outside a union. And because you’re not alone in your apathy, fear, and paranoia, you’ve whipped up the courage to hide behind a pseudonym, dress up like an imaginary Avenger, and criticize anyone who falls short of your own beliefs and expectations. With respect, "Mr. LikeTheChicken," I think your name says it all... Mike

piped.video/pHRK08ybi3I?is=BFB5… I was eleven when I saw this ad, and I remembered it vividly seven years later, when my guidance counselor told me I’d be screwed without a four-year degree. "President Lincoln didn't need one,” I said, “why do I?" Mr. Dunbar looked at me like I was an idiot. “Don’t be an idiot,” he said. “Times have changed. Employers won’t give you a second look without a degree. You want to turn a wrench the rest of your life?” Truth is, he was right. In 1980, there was a bright line through the workforce – a line that separated those who went to college from those who didn’t. I guess that line was there long before that, but the value judgments were not. So, I went to a community college for two years, which turned out to be a great decision, and then, a state school where I got a BS in communications. (How perfect is that?) Did that degree get me a job? No, it didn’t, but exposure to the liberal arts served me very well, and back in 1984, the cost was manageable. Not so much today. I’m often accused of some kind of hypocrisy, because my foundation doesn’t offer scholarships to four-year schools, while I have a degree from one. I can live with that. Like Mr. Dunbar said, “times have changed.” Today, there is nothing inherently good or bad about a four-year degree, but two things are indisputably true. They are far too expensive for most people, and you absolutely positively do not need one to prosper. If you're skeptical, I can show you 3,500 examples. Apply today for a work ethic scholarship at mikeroweWORKS.org.

A couple weeks ago on the podcast, I talked very candidly to Ethan Thornton about the challenges of running a billion-dollar defense company at such a critical time for America. The response to his appearance was overwhelming. Like me, people were encouraged and inspired by what Ethan is doing. They wanted to hear more about the former knife maker who dropped out of MIT to build a better arsenal, and the extraordinary success he’s achieved thus far with Mach Industries. So, I asked Ethan if I could follow up on our conversation with a visit to his factory to learn more about what he was doing to keep America safe. It was an extraordinary visit, and I’ll show you exactly what I saw in a future episode of a new show I'm working early next year. But today, I want to share an unexpected conversation I had during my visit, with Mach’s head of marketing and communications, a remarkable woman who also happens to be Ethan’s mother. Until now, Tamara Thornton has never talked publicly about her role at Mach Industries, or her relationship with her gifted son. From a business perspective, I completely understand. But after talking to Tamara and Ethan off-camera, I was fascinated by their dynamic, and the way they interacted. I was also interested in hearing about the challenges of raising a kid who is part Tony Stark and part Sheldon Cooper. “What was it like,” I asked, “to see your oldest son turn his back on a full-ride scholarship and drop out of the most prestigious engineering school in the world to build a defense company from the ground up? How did you and your husband handle that? And how do you balance all of this with raising your other kids?” Halfway through her answer, I said, “Wait. Can we please do this on camera? The country is full of mother’s who would love to understand what it's like to work for their son, and lots of young men who would love to understand why a guy who could probably poach the communications director from SpaceX or Lockheed Martin, would hire his mother instead.” To my surprise and delight, Tamara and Ethan agreed, and minutes later, the three of us were sitting around a fire pit behind Mach Industries, sipping a few Shiner Bocks, and talking about all that. If you’re a mother, or, if you ever had one, you should join us. The Thornton's are a pretty great hang... bit.ly/TWIHI500TamaraThornto…

Hi Karsci, You’re very welcome. Letters like this mean a lot. Not just to me and my team, but to the many individuals and companies who support mikeroweWORKS. Without their help, we couldn’t have assisted you, and I know the people who support my program appreciate hearing from people who have benefited from it.   I admire the fact that you changed direction when you realized college was not for you. Too many who come to that realization "stay the course," and while that always sounds like good advice, it often is not. Staying the course only makes sense if you're headed in the right direction. I'm glad you course corrected before you wound up in debt for a credential you don't need. I admire the fact that you went to Florida for a year, when you didn’t really want to. Success in life is not rooted in doing what you want to do - at least, not right away. I'm glad you had the good sense to follow the opportunity where it took you, and I’m glad it paid off. I’m not a betting man (at least, not in the traditional fashion), but Id wager you’re going to do great things with your work ethic.   Most of all, I love that you credited one of your teachers, Tom Stroot, and I love that Mr. Stroot had the good sense to direct you to mikeroweWORKS: bit.ly/ApplyForAWorkEthicSch…. This year, well award $10 million in scholarships to students like you, and teachers like Mr. Stroot are a big part of why we continue to grow. Please give him my regards, and my thanks. We need more teachers like him.   Finally, Im privileged to receive many letters like this, but until now, none has ever inspired me to write a specific commercial for our scholarship program. But your letter, along with the photo of you welding, has. I'm not a welder myself, but I know good work when I see it, and you clearly know what you're doing. The ad is called The Man Behind the Mask. It's currently running online in several states, in conjunction with our partnership with @BuildFreedomUS, where you can find thousands of opportunities, just like the one you chased down. I hope it inspires others to follow your example. bit.ly/TWIHIxBuildFreedom Good luck, Karcsi, and thanks for checking in. Keep me posted.

Postcards From the Edge I meant to post these photos last week on my flight back from Alaska, but I feel asleep on the plane shortly after snapping this image of Mt. McKinley, which is pretty unusual, given the fact that it’s normally shrouded in mist and clouds. I slept the whole flight, got stupidly busy the moment I landed, and stayed that way for the next two weeks. Consequently, I forgot to thank everyone in Alaska for making me feel so welcome up on the Last Frontier. I’m exaggerating, of course. I didn’t meet everybody in Alaska. I only met everybody in Homer and Fairbanks, two cities I was delighted to finally visit. I also got to meet Governor Mike Dunleavy and Senator Dan Sullivan, two politicians who I affirmatively do not disdain, and hang out with my friends from Wells Fargo, who have done more to support the skilled trades and my foundation than any other bank in the country. Governor Dunleavy met me in Homer, at an amazing family business called Bay Weld Boats. These guys make all types of aluminum boats, and as you might imagine, they have more work than they can possibly complete. Alaska is bordered by two oceans and three seas. It also has 12,000 rivers, and over 3 million lakes. There is an astonishing amount of water up there, and the aluminum boat business is booming. Anyway, I was there because Bay Weld Boats has hired a number of welders from a vocational school called AVTEC, which my foundation supports. Welding aluminum is very tricky and requires highly skilled tradespeople. Bay Weld Boats is always hiring, and AVTEC is doing all they can to train the next generation of Alaskan welders. In fact, we’ve had a handful of people apply for scholarships to this school, and all have gone on to do great things. For that reason, @WellsFargo donated $250,000 to AVTEC and asked if I’d present the check on their behalf, along with the Governor, who really does give a damn about his state, and the people in it. Then it was up to Fairbanks, to visit another terrific trade school - The Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center. Actually, it was a pretty close call, getting out of Homer. For reasons that were never made clear, they canceled the only flight to Fairbanks that day. It’s a eleven-hour bus ride to Fairbanks from Homer, and I was scheduled to meet Senator Sullivan three hours hence. Happily, everyone in Homer has a pilot’s license, and something resembling a plane, usually parked in the backyard. We found one such pilot, and one such plane, and got there just in time to eat lunch with the Senator, take an extensive tour of the facility, and present another fat check to another great school, courtesy of Wells Fargo. What makes The Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center so great? Well, for starters, they train pipeline workers, one of the most essential jobs in America. Thanks to the shale revolution, the Lower 48 are not as reliant on the North Slope as we once were, but the folks in California, Hawaii, and Washington would be absolutely screwed without that pipeline, and the workers who keep the oil flowing. I’m telling you, those men and women are unexampled in their skill, worth ethic, and pure grit. As one instructor put it, “Yeah, we’ve seen you hanging out with the fisherman on the Bering Sea. That’s a Garden Party. Come on up to the Slope, where it’s 30 below and dark all day. You’ll love it!” After we presented the training facility with another check for $250,000, Senator Sullivan led a panel discussion that reinforced a simple truth I’d learned a long time ago, when I first started filming in Alaska. We are blessed – profoundly blessed – to have such an incredible resource as part of these United States. The entire state has a population about that of San Franciso, but is larger than Texas, Montana, and California combined. Just magnificent. Big thanks to the Governor and the Senator for making time to support the trades, and an even bigger thanks to Wells Fargo for showing up where they actually do business, and putting their money where their mouth is. As for the rest of you, mikeroweWORKS is currently accepting applications for the next round of work ethic scholarships. AVTEC and the Fairbanks Pipeline Training Facility are both supported. Apply at mikeroweWORKS.org.

Most nineteen-year-olds who drop out of college do so because they can't hack the coursework, or afford the tuition, or just prefer to play video games in their parents' basement. @ethanrthornton dropped out for a slightly different reason: he wanted to build a better missile, and MIT was slowing him down. So, Ethan left the Ivy League, took a hundred-grand from Peter Thiel, and set out to disrupt the entire military-industrial complex before he was old enough to legally buy a beer. And I think he’s on the verge of doing that very thing. Ethan grew up on a farm in Texas, working as an auto mechanic and hammering out custom kitchen knives to pay for his early engineering experiments. When he looked at the state of American manufacturing, he didn't see a lack of apps or software; he saw a nation that had forgotten how to bend metal, spark welds, and build heavy things at scale. Today, Ethan is 22, and his company, Mach Industries, is valued at nearly two billion dollars. They’re building the next generation of autonomous defense hardware, and a lot of people are paying very close attention, including those in the Pentagon. Mach’s weapons are inexpensive, (relatively) easy to mass-produce, and most of all, lethal. I heard him speak last year at an energy conference and immediately invited him on the podcast. This was the first blank square on his calendar, and I was honored that he spent a few hours chatting with me. Pay attention. This kid is going places. Our whole conversation is here. bit.ly/TWIHI497EthanThornton

After perusing 25,000 comments in the past two days, most of which attempt to explain why Americans are voting for Communists, socialists, and antisemites in record numbers, I’ve done the only rational thing a man in my position can do; I’ve agreed to go on Real Time with Bill Maher this Friday to talk about it. What could possibly go wrong? I was also inspired by all the "sturm und drang" to make a quick commercial that highlights one of our many scholarship recipients who mastered a trade, and then went on to open her own business. Her name is Maryssa, and while I have no idea what her politics might be, I can assure you that her attitude, her initiative, and her work ethic are proof positive that the American Dream is still in reach, for any who would grab it and go. Currently, we have $10 million in scholarships set aside to help people like Maryssa. People who want to build a prosperous life for themselves by learning a skill that's in demand and going to work. Apply at mikeroweWORKS.org.