Episodes

• 2021

• The Epistemological Jack-in-the-Box

  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 story about the time Joan Rivers saved his career, followed by a rather remarkable catch-up with Paul Kelley, a true renaissance man who worked the overnights with Mike, back in the glory days of home shopping. Yeah, it gets a little weird… and there is some adult language.
  April 13, 2021

  74 min

• Jon Stewart Owes Me $20!

  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 then, he was! And then…he wasn’t. The question is, does Jon Stewart really owe Mike Rowe $20?
  April 6, 2021

  54 min

• Who Ya Gonna Call

  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 producer, and have a very normal chat, about all things paranormal. Boo!
  April 1, 2021

  68 min

• Not Really a Ghost Story

  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-telling of the most terrifying night of Mike’s life. A ghost story that’s not really a ghost story, but nevertheless scared Chuck as bad as it did Mike…
  March 23, 2021

  51 min

• Ghost Writers in the Sky

  While you may find this particular episode, chapter, or installment to be interesting, fascinating, or perhaps even provocative, you will definitely learn something about writing. After Mike regales us with a story of dialectical dilation, he speaks with book-doctor and ghost-writer to the stars, Alex Abramovich, author of Bullies: A Friendship.
  March 16, 2021

  58 min

• "That's a big-ash tree!!!"

  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 problems. Strap in for a completely unpredictable rumination on memory foam. broken windshields, intractable stumps, double-sided axes, ancient wood-stoves, big-ash trees, and transgender dogs. Peggy Rowe is there to supervise, but only makes things weirder, as usual.
  March 9, 2021

  55 min

• Damnatio Memoriae (That’s Latin for Cancel Culture)

  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. Their conversation then pivots to the situation in San Francisco, where the school board has recently voted to remove the names of Washington and Lincoln from the facades of public schools – a truly bizarre decision that left Mike to wonder how in the world so many powerful people have managed to get their heads so far up their own asses.
  March 2, 2021

  52 min

• How Much for a Round Trip

  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 astronomer, Dr. Michelle Thaller, to better understand what the hell is happening on the Red Planet, and why it’s so frickin' expensive to get there.
  February 23, 2021

  82 min

• Beware the Irish Hammer

  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 – changed the trajectory of his career by challenging him to put a pig on a pedestal. He then invites The Irish Hammer herself – Mary Sullivan – to explain why she left a successful law firm to oversee the career of a man who crawled through sewers to make a living.
  February 18, 2021

  73 min

• That Was Perfect Do It Again

  Mike begins with chapter 8 of his bestselling book which contains quite possibly the greatest audition story ever told about one of the most ubiquitous names in television. This is followed by a personal recollection of Mike’s thespian dad and concludes with a moderately inappropriate conversation between Mike and Chuck wherein they swap audition stories from the ‘90s. It’s totally rad!
  February 9, 2021

  85 min

• Episode 185: Off By Roughly Two Trillion... AGAIN!!!

  In episode #185, which Mike incorrectly identifies as episode #184, Mike welcomes noted astronomer Dr. Michelle Thaller, to discuss the obvious differences between sounding certain and being correct. Dr. Thaller, a noted astronomer with an enormous brain, tries to help Mike understand the enormity of the cosmos, and explain why the universe contained 200 billion galaxies just four years ago, and then 2 trillion galaxies just a few weeks later, and then back down to a few hundred billion as of last week. It’s enough to make your head spin, but between Mike’s gigantic cranium and Dr. Thaller’s enormous brain, we finally unlock the secrets of How the Universe Works…
  February 2, 2021

  79 min

• "I can't imagine Facebook is going to let you air this!"

  “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 might imagine, his mother didn’t take it lying down…
  January 26, 2021

  53 min

• Play That Funky Music White Boy

  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 getting cancelled and sued for the conversation you’re about to hear? There’s only one way to find out…
  January 19, 2021

  52 min

• Mother Knows Best

  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 prevarication, the joys of growing up Rowe, (on a budget,) and Peggy Rowe’s unsolicited review of Mike’s new show, Six Degrees with Mike Rowe, which she may or may not have actually watched.
  January 12, 2021

  43 min

• Off by Roughly Two Trillion

  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 - including journalists, politicians, scientists, doctors, professors, and yes… even narrators.
  January 5, 2021

  40 min
• 2020

• Mike Rowe is Nothing but a Sellout

  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 sellout, and the two navigate the precarious world of commercial television vs commercials.
  December 15, 2020

  52 min

• Episode 179: A Shot in the Dark

  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 each of them, the joys of sharing shots with famous people, why Mike is NOT hosting one of the longest running TV shows in America, and the perils of primetime pixelated vomit.
  December 8, 2020

  44 min

• Be Wary of All Earnestness

  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, the impact of singing old songs with old veterans, and his personal aversion to all things “earnest.”
  December 1, 2020

  52 min

• It's Thanksgiving! What the Chuck?!

  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 goes on.
  November 26, 2020

  16 min

• The Trouble With 159

  Mike takes a deep dive into episode 159 and the controversy surrounding a quote that was challenged by Billy Martin Jr., son of the late great baseball manager, Billy Martin. SPOILER ALERT: If you have not yet heard episode 159 this episode will spoil it for you.
  November 10, 2020

  14 min