For more than a decade, Mike Rowe has been nationally known as the “dirtiest man on TV,” as host and the executive producer of the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs (2005-2012). He traveled to all 50 states and completed 300 different jobs, transforming cable television into a landscape of swamps, sewers, ice roads, coal mines, and oil derricks. He initiated a hands–on way to pay tribute to a nation of unsung heroes, conclusively demonstrating that fun and hard work are two sides of the same coin and confirmed the value of delayed gratification, sacrifice, hard work, good humor and optimism. He is now on a brand new mission and he will bring that mission to CNN beginning this fall.
“For more than ten years, Mike has been one of the nation’s most unique storytellers, celebrating the values of work in America. Examining issues through the prism of Mike’s experiences and passions is the perfect fit for our CNN audience. We are thrilled to have him here,” said Amy Entelis, senior vice president of talent and content development for CNN Worldwide.
Rowe’s new series Somebody’s Gotta Do It, brings viewers face-to-face with men and women who march to the beat of a different drum. In each episode, Rowe visits unique individuals and joins them in their respective undertakings, paying tribute to innovators, do-gooders, entrepreneurs, collectors, fanatics–people who simply have to do it. This show is about passion, purpose, and occasionally, hobbies that get a little out of hand.
“Of all the networks I spoke with, no one talked about a commitment to unscripted content and point-of-view programming with more passion than CNN. This is whereSomebody’s Gotta Do It belongs,” said Rowe.
In 2008 Rowe launched mikeroweWORKS, a campaign designed to reinvigorate the skilled trades. He’s since written extensively about the country’s relationship with work, the widening skills gap, offshore manufacturing, infrastructure decline, and currency devaluation. He gave a TED Talk on the Changing Face of the Modern-Day Proletariat, and in May 2011, he testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee about the importance of changing perceptions and stereotypes around blue-collar work.
Today, Rowe runs the mikerowe WORKS Foundation which awards scholarships to students pursuing a career in the skilled trades. He is closely associated with the Future Farmers of America, Skills USA, and the Boy Scouts of America, who recently honored him as a Distinguished Eagle Scout. Forbes has identified him as one of the country’s 10 Most Trustworthy Celebrities.
The CNN Original Series Somebody’s Gotta Do It will be produced by Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Studios.
