August 5, 2010 by Chuck Douros, examiner.com
The Boy Scouts of America got it right. Saturday night’s National Jamboree Closing Arena Show was nothing short of spectacular. The BSA was counting on featured speaker Mike Rowe, Executive Producer and star of Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs”, to be a crowd favorite. Perhaps what they weren’t counting on, is that his appearance at the Jamboree is now being touted as the ‘favorite event of the whole 10-day Jamboree’, by many who were there.
His message, “A Scout is clean, but not afraid to get dirty”, struck a chord with the nearly 75,000 in attendance as well as with the national television and online audience who tuned in.
Mike Rowe, Eagle Scout, and self proclaimed “ambassador of dirt”, rode into the arena in the bucket of a Caterpillar front loader, sporting blue jeans, work boots, Dirt Shirt and a baseball cap. And this is what makes Mike Rowe different; immediately after taking the microphone he called the Caterpillar operator by his first name and thanked him for a safe trip to the stage, as though he’d known him for years. After pausing just long enough to take a picture of the entire audience, Mike publicly thanked the men and women who clean the latrines at the Jamboree. Who does that! The ambassador of dirt, does.
Besides wanting to “Say happy birthday to us” (‘us’ refers to 45,000 fellow Scouts in the audience), Mike Rowe had a message. “I’m here in defense of dirt,” he said. He rallied the audience and reached an agreement with them. “Let’s agree, a Scout is clean… but not afraid to get dirty.” And in a way only Mike Rowe can, he offered up a novel idea- create a Dirty Jobs merit badge. The crowd went wild.
Mike recalled his first days of Scouting, as a shy, stuttering, uncoordinated 11-year-old boy. He described his first troop meeting as, “difficult” and “uncomfortable”.
After getting knocked to the ground during a Scout game called ‘swing the thing’, he remembered, “I had been in the Boy Scouts just two minutes and I was bleeding already.” Rowe mused, “It’s a game invented by an idiot.”
Mike said he wasn’t exactly sure why, at first, but he kept going to meetings. He earned awards, joined Order of the Arrow, made friends, and ultimately earned his Eagle Scout.
As he told the story to the packed arena, Mike effortlessly rattled-off the first and last names of his fellow Scouts, the Senior Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster, as though he was introducing his own family. This is a man who clearly loves Scouting.
Fast forward 25 years: the Executive Producer and Eagle Scout brought the message to a close at the end of his 20 minutes on stage at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.
He admitted that he’s often asked, “What did Scouting mean to you?” He summarized, “Everything I needed to know [about hard work and getting dirty], I learned in that first Troop meeting.”
He concluded, “Scouting forces you to confront your discomfort… it trains you to like it.” He challenged the boys to “figure out how to like the hard things; the things that nobody else likes or wants to do.”
Since Rowe’s appearance at the Jamboree, internet chat rooms, online communities and blogs across America are suggesting that Mike Rowe become the national spokesperson for the BSA.
22 Comments
Mike,
As a fellow Eagle Scout I have shown your speach to lots of people and I have been looking on the internet for a place to download it in order to use it and a recruiting video. I became an Eagle Scout in 1983 and my son was at National Jamboree and was in attendance when you spoke. It motivated him to finish his last Eagle requirements and I am proud to say that he is now an eagle Scout with us. I have been registered in scouting as a youth and an adult for over 35 years and I would love to have a copy of your speach. I think it was awesome and would love to use it to get more young men motivated to get to the rank of Eagle!!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Hi mike im Kevin Brunick I am a star scout with troop 528 in Ny im all in for changeing the scout law.
if you hear of a dirty job in troy ny send me an email because I need a job
your third bigest fan
Kevin Brunick
I did not attend the jamboree or hear your speech, but I can visualize it (not “envision”, I was a Scout in South Africa where English English is spoke). I am an unqualified fan of dirty jobs, the movie and the movement. As a retired engineer who mourns the passing of the “dirty job” in that profession, what can I do to help get it back among young existing engineers who have been taught that the jog is all about sitting at a desk and playing with computer,while our brightest kids are led away from the gutsy manufacturing jobs that really build a country? Also, what can I as an individual do to get hands on “dirty jobs” back into schools?
Hi Mike! I watch your show all the time, and I must say – you make me love my own job. I`m from Norway, and I wonder if you ever would think about coming here for a job? I work offshore, on a norwegian oilrig, and we have plenty of dirty jobs for you here:-):-) keep up the good work! Love from Norway
Thanks for coming…your impact will be felt for years to come!!
Hi, I’m a life scout in troop 406, and I loved the new Scout law.
Hi Mike,
You have always been admired in our household for the work you do on “Dirty Jobs”, now you are so much more for your speech at Jambo 2010. As a mother of a life scout, I have endured the “boyscout smell” from many camp outs, you know the smell that comes home in the clothes because of all that they do while at camp. I know that my son showers during these outings and tries to somewhat stay clean, yet learning and enjoying what he is doing is his main priority. I just wanted to let you know that its not only the boys who are supporting your change in the scout oath.
Thank you for your inspiring words and may God bless you in all you do.
Nicky KohlenberG
Thank you for your comments at the Jamboree. I had 2 sons that were there and they loved it. Both are Eagle Scouts with 4 and 2 palms. They wanted your shirts but they were gone. I just ordered them one.
Mike Rowe, BSA and Caterpillar….True Americanism.
Dear Ambassador of Dirt
I just wanted to tell you that your speech at the jamboree was truly amazing. I also wanted to ask if it would alright to put in a part of your speach in my own Eagle Scout speech? Keep up the good work. youve got my vote.
jacob aylward
Mike, you are a great inspiration to these young men. My family and I will be conducting our son’s Eagle Court of Honor. I have applied for your letter of commendation for Tyler, be it very late (his COH is in two weeks). We are going to show videos of Tyler’s Scouting accomplishments. We would love to get a copy of your National Jamboree speech to show with the rest. Thanks again for all you do in support of Scouting!
I watched your speech on TV and loved every minute of it. As a Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster I think all scouts should see your speech. I hope to have a chance to have a copy of it.
Mike, enjoyed your stories at the Jamboree. My suggestion for you is to start a “FaceDirt” site where Boy Scouts can join. Vince Devine, Fredericksburg, VA
Mike,
Your an authentic and amazing person.
I wished there more role models like you.
What’s next? President?? You got my vote.
Keep up the good work.
P
Mike Rowe did an amazing job of connecting with the multitude of Scouts at the National Jamboree. His ability to “connect” is truly a gift, and he, in 20 minutes, used that gift to deliver an inspirational message of critical importance to our youth.
Mike, thank you.
Jeff Endicott
Eagle Scout (10-7-73), Troop 134, Huntington Beach, CA
Committee Member, Troop 19, Highland and Redlands, CA
Hey Mike -
I want to thank you for your message to the scouts at the arena show last week. You know, many of us were like you, in the 70s – I’m 49 now – and British Bulldog was one of several games of initiation … I disdained that …but you taught me something … sometimes the hardship is the key to moving forward.. how I learned that in medical school and residency … your reflection and perspective brought (honestly) a tear to my eye, thinking of the moments I struggled to find purpose in that crap … today I learned like you did, that maintaining a cheerful spirit “in the midst of irksome tasks and weighty responsibilities” is one of the keys to success in life and business.
Thank you for being a wonderful ambassador of scouting. You have made a difference, and for that I am grateful.
Chip Walpole
Eagle Scout 1976
Troop 12 Spartanburg, SC
2010 Jamboree Scoutmaster Troop 1917
Blue Ridge Council / South Carolina
I also attended the National Jamboree.
Thanks for speaking at the National Jamboree that was awesome. I am glad that you had the opportunity to speak to the Boy Scouts. I am almost an Eagle Scout so I hope to one day say that we are brothers through Eagle Scouts. I hope your show and website keep going.
From Marc.
Mike,
I wanted to tell you that your speech at the National Jamboree *WAS* inspiring. It brought back for me all of the reasons I was a scout, why I encourage my son to continue on his trail to eagle, why I am a scouter and why I will be a scouter for the rest of my life.
I was a visitor to the Jambo this year and brought my son and 28 others down for the day on a bus trip. I am so glad we came. I was disappointed that President Obama had decided not to attend. I was looking forward to an inspiring message from the president on the historic occasion of BSA’s 100th year. I had hoped that our president would be able to inspire in us a renewed spirit of purpose. Even on the trip to Ft. A.P. Hill, I knew that the president’s schedule did not permit him to attend, but I also knew that our group would have a great day anyway. I heard that you were at the Jamboree and hoped that we’d get a chance to see you at the Arena Show.
See, I love the Dirty Jobs TV show. I watched the episode about the dirt shirts not too long ago. Just before Jambo, I saw the web page with video that you posted and thought your theme of resolving your conflict about the 11th point of the Scout Law and your professional occupation related to dirt was a great hook. When I heard that you had a special “dirt shirt” at Jambo that sold out already, I wasn’t surprised. What a cool idea!
So, at the Arena Show, they kicked things off in a wonderful way. I have to admit that I cried during the national anthem. The enormity of the experience had simply overcome me. As the show progressed, I sang along with the song from Scout Camp, the Movie. The silliness of the contests on the big stage was exactly what I expected… but then something wonderful happened… Mike Rowe came on to the stage.
When you came out on the stage, you took our picture with your cell phone and told us your story of how you became involved in Scouting. That personal, yet universal story reminded me of why I became a scout. There were several times that I pointed over at my son and said, “Are you listening?” “This is what it’s all about!” See, my son’s troop is full of gawky kids who are all in some way connected to that description of you at your first scout meeting. They all needed to hear that message.
Simply put, you connected with me… with us… in a way that no President could have. You reminded us of the core values of scouting and what it means on a very personal level. Your message got through to my son – a First Class scout of only 12 years of age and at the same time got to me – a 40-year-old assistant scoutmaster.
Your message – you have to get dirty to be clean – has so many meanings on so many levels. Sure, there’s the literal stink and poop and dirt removing of physical dirty jobs, but the truth is that we all can use that message, regardless of how physically dirty we get in our work. Your message has inspired me to get my nose to the grindstone and get the real work done – at home, in the office and in my scout troop. So, I just wanted to say “Thank You” for the reminder, the inspiration, and all of your hard work.
I know that there are people who are suggesting you for President… or for spokesperson for the BSA. Whichever “dirty job” you choose next, I’ll be there to support you!
– Nick
Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 66, Pleasant Gap, PA
Mike Rowe’s appearence made the whole Jamboree! Being a scout who attended, I could say everybody was excited to see him. The next day every scout was talking about the closing show and Mike’s name always came up. Thanks so much Mike Rowe for coming!
I attended the Jamboree and it was such an overwhelming day the Saturday of the show. To see the sea of scouts marching to the Jamboree show – it took hours to have all the scouts march to the field, it brought tears to my eyes. Then to attend such a spectacular show, what an evening. Mike Rowe’s appearance was outstanding, his talk was from the heart not from a celebrity. He related with each and every scout there and I’m sure inspired everyone of them to strive to achieve the most highest Rank in Boy Scouts, an EAGLE SCOUT. I have always been so proud to be a Scouter, but I left that show even prouder.
Mike, What a true inspiration you are….
Keep up the good work!!!