(April) Dirty Rotten Interviews

So the Mister and I were slumming around on Mackinac Island, trolling for poor, unsuspecting Canadians to buy the next round of Labatts. Our perch: an establishment called the Pink Pony--mostly tourists during the season. But what's this? Tonight the bar was filled with people bearing the worldy swagger of service industry professionals. What's more, they were keenly interested in what was on Discovery Channel that night.

Friends, I have a new hero. The show that had the Mackinac Islanders all fired up is Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs. Rowe might just have the best non-HBO concept on cable in five years. He reports on some of the filthiest, most indispensible jobs, and the people doing 'em. Rowe's got this Marlboro Man next door quality. He's not afraid of anything--raw sewage, live active cultures, big snakes. And best of all, he's got a knack for one of the trickiest things in broadcasting: the on-site interview. He's having a gas with his material, blending right in with sandhogs, trash haulers, entomologists, or whoever's getting down and nasty this week.

The islanders love Mike Rowe like they love nothing else--except maybe their horses. Mike and the crew stopped by in late May to tape a segment on the guys who do maintenance for the Mackinac Bridge--we happened to be there the night it was on TV.

The friendly gal with the ponytail on the next barstool told me he came to drink with the islanders after the shoot. "He was great! He called everybody by their names and didn't have to be reminded or anything!"

Hmmmmmmm... more shows about everyday stuff that's just plain cool? More hosts not afraid to get their hands dirty?

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