The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
Episodes
276: Clint Hill & Lisa McCubbin Hill—Best Road Trip Ever
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Clint Hill, a former member of the Secret Service, and his wife Lisa McCubbin Hill talk about their new book, My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy, which incl...
275: BONUS: Vacuuming in the Nude Chapters 3 & 4
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New York Times bestselling author Peggy Rowe is at it again—this time giving a hilarious inside look at her writing career. She has been writing all...
274: Nicholas Eberstadt—It's Worse Than You Think
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The workforce participation rate that is. The number of able-bodied men choosing not to work is a crisis, and Nicholas Eberstadt, Henry Wendt Chair ...
273: BONUS: Vacuuming in the Nude Chapters 1 & 2
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New York Times bestselling author Peggy Rowe is at it again—this time giving a hilarious inside look at her writing career. She has been writing all...
272: Coffee with Mom—"You Must be that Dirty Mother" with Peggy Rowe
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's a classic catch-up with mom that starts with a dramatic reading of her viral short story Old Blue, becomes an announcement that her third New Yor...
271: Michael Shellenberger's Punk Rock Moment
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The lifelong environmentalist and one-time California gubernatorial candidate talks about the current energy crisis, climate narcissism, and how what'...
270: Chuck Klausmeyer—Holy Crap, It's Thomas Crapper's Birthday!
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode honors the man who unwittingly inspired Mike's career by inventing the first flushable commode, Mike shares a David Sedaris story abou...
269: Nick Searcy—Chuck Really Wants Me to be Friends with Nick Searcy
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For half a dozen years Chuck has been trying to introduce Mike to Peabody Award winning actor, Nick Searcy who is best known for playing Chief Deputy ...
268: Salena Zito—A Place for the Placeless
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist Salena Zito keeps the conversation lively by dissecting the student loan forgiveness act, the lost notes of Baptist churches, moonshine coa...
267: Chuck Klausmeyer—A Prick in Congress
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
They say you can't judge a book by its cover and that is certainly true with this week's special Labor Day episode. It begins with a true story writ...
266: Tim Cotton—America's Cop is Always on Doodie
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning author, Bangor Maine Police social media manager, and Duck of Justice creator Tim Cotton joins TWIHI to discuss America's love-hate rela...
265: Tyrus—I've Been Fired Too Many Times to be Cocky
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
George T. Murdoch, a.k.a. Tyrus, joins TWIHI to discuss everything from abortion and the benefits of staying in one's lane, to work ethic and his weir...
264: Coffee with Mom—Does Your Mom Really Vacuum in the Nude?
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Two-time NYT bestselling author Peggy Rowe drops by to discuss her upcoming hour-long FOX primetime TV special—America's Grandmother, her third book...
263: Let's Get Alex Epstein on Bill Maher
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Earth nearing its eight billionth resident has Bill Maher very concerned. More people means more CO2 and that means catastrophe. Unconcerned is Alex...
262: James Nestor—Let's Talk About Septums and Scrotums
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
James Nestor, a NYT bestselling author whose book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art inspired Mike to have a septoplasty, discusses the advantages ...
261: Jack Carr is a Tomahawk Kinda Guy
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Former Navy SEAL and bestselling author, Jack Carr talks writing, grit, and how his desire to "never miss an opportunity to make someone's day" led to...
260: Sue & Mike McCloskey—There's No Nipples on that Almond
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dairy Farmer Dirty Jobbers Sue and Mike McCloskey school Mike and Chuck on the finer points of animal husbandry, the science of better milk, and how n...
259: Rick Beato—In Another Time He Could Have Been a Star
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Rick Beato drops by to talk Everything Music; his dinner with Joni Mitchell, his interview with Sting, and the TWO weddings where he sat next to Mike ...
258: Best Guest Ever
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's special guest is YOU gentle listener as Mike answers your questions about Freddy's whereabouts, Mike's desired super-power, and the joy of...
257: Greg Lukianoff—Where the Chili Meets the Cheese
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression a.k.a. FIRE, Greg Lukianoff discusses free speech vs hate speech, Safetyism v...
256: Evan Hafer—Just Because You're Pooping Doesn't Mean You're Out of Harm's Way
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Former Green Beret and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee Company Evan Hafer talks combat, coffee, and what it's like to take a blast of bear spray in the face...
255: Michael Reagan—Just Say Nyet
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After Mike reprises The Man Behind the Microphone, a story about the most influential sportscaster of all time, he chats with that man's eldest son ab...
254: Robert Kiyosaki—What the Hand Does the Mind Remembers
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Kiyosaki talks about how he voluntarily got into Vietnam, how he almost got kicked out, and why he wrote his Capitalist Manifesto to combat Mar...
253: Bill Whittle—"They Get to Shoot Nazis... That's Fun!"
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After reading a short Memorial Day mystery called Visiting Hours Mike speaks with Bill Whittle about the protocols of Arlington National Cemetery, the...
252: Luke Mickelson—The Gospel of Do-Goodery According to Luke
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Luke Mickelson talks about how his charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace skyrocketed after appearing on Returning The Favor and his mission to make sure eve...
251: Matt Hagan—You Wear 40 Pounds of Gear Because, You Know, You're on Fire Quite a Bit
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Three-time NHRA Funny Car Champ and farmer/rancher, Matt Hagan discusses artificial insemination, human waste as fertilizer, and what it's like to be ...
250: Jessie Hagan—They Want You to Find Them
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Staff Genealogist for Sons of the American Revolution, Jessie Hagan forgoes his Derby party to school Mike and Chuck on their revolutionary lineage, w...
249: Coffee with Mom—Sometimes When He Goes Stinky He Forgets to Hold Mr. Beeper Down and Winkles on the Wall with Peggy Rowe
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Two-time NYT bestselling author, Peggy Rowe stops by to discuss her upcoming third book, how not to tape your students to a chair, and what it's like ...
248: I'll Attend His Graduation in a U-Haul
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Carolla talks frankly about growing up invisible, his podcasting leap of faith, and how he brought his construction work ethic to comedy.
247: The Other Side of the Fourth Wall
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Master podcaster and chronicler of Hardcore History, Dan Carlin joins the conversation to discuss his process, the war in Ukraine, and the pitfalls of...
246: Best Preamble Ever!
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mike and Chuck go guestless to talk Australian DJs, Satan's pool, killing iguanas, and everything else that fills the squares on Mike's calendar.
245: Mom, Do You Have a Stud Finder?
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bloody do-gooder and Returning The Favor alum, Katie Hughes of GirlsBuild.org talks curiosity, confidence, and how a broken toaster changed the course...
244: Where's the Beef?
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrity fitness trainer and unapologetic carnivore, Vinnie Tortorich talks diet, hormones, and why he has a beef with the fake-meat industry.
243: The Best BBQ Comes From a Crockpot
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Ramsey joins Mike to discuss his documentary, Borrowed Future; How Student Loans Are Killing the American Dream, the pitfalls of three easy payme...
242: Coming Out Blue Collar
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Owl Vans owner, John Willenborg talks about the six, six-figure welding jobs he has open, his stint on season 2 of The Apprentice, and the difficulty ...
241: The Maddest March Ever
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scott Flansburg, aka the Human Calculator, makes a repeat appearance to bring breaking news on his quest for truth regarding the real origins of baske...
240: The Crushing Certainty of Scientology
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest is Spanky Taylor, whose company does fan management and threat assessment for high profile celebrities. Oh yeah, and she broke her bil...
239: The Best Business Card in History
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, with his wife and writing partner, Lisa McCubbin Hill, discuss Clint's service to five presidents including JF...
238: He Has Nodded on Our Undertakings
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
President and Professor of Historical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Dr. Peter Lillback dissects Episode 124: At the Crossroads and lit...
237: The Cookie Rojas of Cable
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Kilmeade, the utility player of FOX News, chats with Mike about Lincoln and Douglass, Rogan and Spotify, Johns Hopkins and how we all want our l...
236: Don't Fly Over the Story
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist Salena Zito drops by to discuss the dignity of work, the populist movement, the censorship culture, and why she refers to Mike as her broth...
235: The Reports of Our Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mike's parents drop by to give him an update on their recent bout with COVID. Spoiler Alert: They're fine.
234: Diapers and Masks and Sharks, Oh My!
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Aquatic Indiana Jones, Jeremiah Sullivan, drops by to discuss art, Science, risk, and the joy of embracing the idiom Safety Third.
233: Jay Leno Makes His Own Sandwich
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mike and Jay talk for an hour. Hilarity ensues.
232: Wanna See Something Really Scary?
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mike rings in the new year with a case of Covid. Chuck has questions.
231: A Cornhole Christmas!
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike's mom is back with another heartfelt, yet wildly inappropriate catch-up with her oldest son. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll dream of cornhole. ...
230: It's Not the Itching, It's the Chafing
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike chats with Sarah Yourgrau, one of the producers of Returning the Favor, to discuss why so many people loved the show, why it won an Emmy, why it ...
229: A Symphony of Balls with John Rich
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike talks to John Rich about what led to their viral smash, Santa's Gotta Dirty Job, and a whole lot more, including an outrageous phone call to Dona...
228: Good Question
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chuck crashes Thanksgiving at Mike's house, fails to book a proper guest, and relies instead on listeners to pose interesting questions for Mike to an...
227: About Those Safe Spaces
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How safe is your space? This is the question Mike attempts to answer with Justin Folk, a filmmaker who left Hollywood behind to make the kinds of movi...
226: We're Not Making The Godfather
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike's guest is a man called Lindsay Schnebly, an accomplished voiceover artist whose unusual name inspired a town, almost.
225: Why Does Jake Maynard Think My S.W.E.A.T. Pledge is Bonkers?
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike interviews Chloe Hudson, a 28-year-old welder who received a work ethic scholarship from mikeroweWORKS, and went on to earn six-figures a year, a...
224: Rick Bitzelberger—"I Didn't Get It!"
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike has a very serious conversation with a very funny guest about a very serious topic that turns out to be very funny.
223: David Keltz—Would You Care to Have Your Head Read?
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike chats with David Keltz, an actor from Baltimore who has assumed the identity of Edgar Allen Poe, and memorized most of his published works.
222: Enrico Colantoni—I Don't Want to Recover From This
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A show about nothing, a guy named Jerry, and the audition that changed television. Followed by a very funny conversation with Enrico Colantoni, one of...
221: Tim Allen Lives on a Runway
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike has a most enlightening chat with his TV Big Brother, the one and only Tim Allen, who still seems a little incredulous that Mike didn't return to...
220: Tim Cotton—The Duck of Justice Flies Again
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike chats with Tim Cotton, the famous cop who saved a stuffed bird from the trash heap and went on to write a couple of bestselling books.
219: Chris Poche—The Beard is Getting Itchy
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The true story of the most important novel ever written, and a conversation with the filmmaker who tried to put it on the big screen.
218: Scott Flansburg—The Human Calculator is on a Mission
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Human Calculator, Scott Flansburg stops by to demonstrate his Guinness world-record abilities, introduce Mike to a better calendar, and explain wh...
217: OCCASIONALLY – A Chat with Gary Sinise on the 20th Anniversary of 9/11
11 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike sits down with his "professional big brother," to discuss the relevance of 9/11, twenty years after the attack on America.
216: Off the Wall – A Message to Garcia, and Tim Johnson
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike responds to criticism from some guy named Tim Johnson, and celebrates the anniversary of mikeroweWORKS by reading the most popular essay of all t...
215: Bill Whittle—Han Shot First
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike recalls the circumstances of a young man's first flight in a plane with an open cockpit, the mother who allowed it to happen, and the consequence...
214: Travis Mills—There's a Fine Line Between a Hero and an Asshole
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike responds to America's withdrawal from Afghanistan in the only way he can - with the true story of a genuine hero, followed by a conversation with...
213: "It's Not What You'd Call a Page Turner"
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike reads the final and most disgusting chapter from his book, and then welcomes his mom back to the podcast, who takes the opportunity to once again...
212: Michael Orkin—It's Better than Good. It's Done!
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A high speed chase, followed by a low speed chase, followed by a candid conversation with the executive producer who first allowed Mike to artificiall...
211: "Can You Tell Me About the Testicles?" with Tim Ferriss
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike welcomes the author of The Four-Hour Work Week and many other best-selling books, not only to discuss the excellent advice for which Tim Ferriss ...
210: Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike takes a deep dive into the nature of authenticity, with a little help from Sean McCourt – a former Broadway actor who works today as a producer...
209: Oops, I Did It Again
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The true story of the most consequential pig in the history of Silicon Valley, or for that matter, the world. Followed by the true story of the most c...
208: The Potpourri is About to Hit the Fan!
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike tracks down Tom Frank, the Hollywood producer who hired him to host the game show that launched his career in television, only to learn his old f...
207: That Time I Knocked a Famous Movie Star on His Ass
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A hashtag and a me-too on steroids, followed by a series of digressions too voluminous to list, concluding with the true story of the time Mike knocke...
206: Who's Your Granddaddy
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After sharing the true story of a hard-charging master sergeant with a voice like a jackhammer who went on to become a famous artist, Mike recalls the...
205: A King and a Crouch and Me on a Couch
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The true story of two great teachers, two stuttering students, and two happy endings. Followed by a conversation about the beauty of "what," the dange...
204: A Quick Look Over the Railing
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The true story of the first woman to go where no man had gone before, followed by the true cost of progress, the false value of safety, and a revealin...
203: There's a Hole in Daddy's Arm
09 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is a sad one. But also a funny one. And frankly, a weird one. There's sentimentality and singing. Nosebleeds and narcotics. Letters from beyond t...
202: The Leaf Blower Stays In
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A famous woman vanishes and triggers the largest manhunt in British history. A hundred years later, Mike loses all his money in an elaborate Ponzi sch...
201: Everybody Pees in the Pool
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A famous athlete takes great pains to conceal his true identity from millions of fans. Then, Mike welcomes Paul Kelley back to the podcast, to discuss...
200: Smart Stupid – Now With Slightly More Stupid
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do you get when you cross the most beautiful girl in the world with the funniest man on the planet? Something smart and something stupid.
199: Mothers Day - Now With Fewer Worms
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a Mother's Day surprise, complete with tapeworms, smoke bombs, large chunks of earwax, a wall of dead mice, a fly infestation, and of course, Mik...
198: Where Do I Begin
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A problem at the border, a fat man in a shiny suit, and all the thirty-five cent draft you can drink. It's a fine place to begin, even if you don't kn...
197: Everybody Run For Your Lives
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike tells the true story of two friends united by their love of music, divided by their love of a girl, and the fistfight that changed rock and roll....
196: Call It Macaroni
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sig Hansen from Deadliest Catch joins Mike to discuss the manliest surfer of all time, the manliest fisherman of all time, and the problems that can s...
195: The Epistemological Jack-in-the-Box
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike tells the true story of a famous poet who wrote her best stuff while working as a waitress in a diner, many years ago. After that, another true s...
194: Jon Stewart Owes Me $20!
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder what The Daily Show would have looked like if Mike Rowe had been hired to host it? Well, guess what – he was! And then he wasn't. And th...
193: Who Ya Gonna Call
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who ya gonna call when a lifesaver turns deadly? Who ya gonna call when the ghost in your house can't be busted? If you're Mike Rowe, you call your pr...
192: Not Really a Ghost Story
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A simple story of a simple homemaker turns in to a not-so-simple tale of the haunted home where Mike lived in 1992, followed by the spontaneous re-tel...
191: Ghost Writers in the Sky
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While you will doubtless find this particular episode, chapter, or installment to be interesting, fascinating, or provocative, you will also learn som...
190: "That's a big-ash tree!!!"
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After sharing the story of a famous father and son who could never find the right words, Mike and his Dad prove that words are the least of their prob...
189: Damnatio Memoriae (That's Latin for Cancel Culture)
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In what appears to be an ongoing quest to get himself cancelled, Mike weighs in on the statue controversy much to the alarm of his producer, Chuck. Th...
188: How Much for a Round Trip
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike tells the amazing story of a mostly forgotten explorer, whose epic journey helped pave the path to Mars. Then, he's joined by everyone's favorite...
187: Beware the Irish Hammer
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike ruminates on the splendid virtues of a certain "Full Figured Gal," and tells the true story of the day his lawyer – The Irish Hammer – change...
186: That Was Perfect Do It Again
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mike begins with chapter 8 of his bestselling book which contains quite possibly the greatest audition story ever told about one of the most ubiquitou...
185: Off By Roughly Two Trillion... AGAIN!!!
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In episode #185, which Mike incorrectly identifies as episode #184, Mike welcomes noted astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller, to discuss the obvious differ...
184: "I can't imagine Facebook is going to let you air this!"
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"When it comes to erections, if it's not one thing, it's your mother." Yes, Mike actually wrote that in chapter 7 of his bestselling book, and as you ...
183: Play That Funky Music White Boy
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why do people go to such extraordinary lengths to change the way they look? What's the best piece of music ever written? And why is Mike worried about...
182: Mother Knows Best
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After reading chapter 5 of his bestselling book, Mike surprises his two-time bestselling mother with a phone call, on which they discuss the perils of...
181: Off by Roughly Two Trillion
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After reading chapter four of his book, Mike and Chuck discuss the real reason that so many Americans no longer believe people who sound certain - inc...
180: Mike Rowe is Nothing but a Sellout
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After Mike shares chapter three of his book he gives a spirited defense of the critical art of salesmanship, during which Chuck accuses him of being a...
179: A Shot in the Dark
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After listening to chapter two of the best-selling book, The Way I Heard It, Mike and Chuck discuss three catastrophes and the role booze played in ea...
178: Be Wary of All Earnestness
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After reading the first chapter of his best-selling book, Mike has a candid, conversation with his producer, Chuck, about the origins of this podcast,...
177: It's Thanksgiving! What the Chuck?!
26 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mike sits down with his producer Chuck for a candid conversation about the future of The Way I Heard it. Whiskey is sipped, decisions are made, life...