Mike Rowe Plays “Millionaire” for Skilled Trades Foundation

Mike Rowe, host of the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, was the celebrity contestant on the television game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire today.  He will continue to play on tomorrow’s episode.

Like many game shows, from time to time Millionaire invites celebrities to come on the show and play for charities of their choice.  Rowe is playing for the non-profit he set up, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation.  The mission of the foundation is “to promote the skilled trades in areas of public awareness, reducing stigmas, education, career planning and job opportunities”.  Here is what Rowe says on his website about the reasons he started the foundation:

“I established this foundation to give something back, and challenge the prevailing definition of a ‘good job’.  For decades, we have put a premium on a four-year degree, and told an entire generation that Trade Schools and skilled labor are ‘alternatives’ to ‘higher education’.  That attitude is warping expectations, wrecking opportunity, and destroying our country.”

In the episode that aired today, Monday February 27, Rowe navigated successfully through most of the “round one” board of the game, and he will return to continue to play for the mikeroweWORKS Foundation tomorrow.  For those of you who are familiar with the game, he even still has one “lifeline” remaining.  His banter with Millionaire host Meredith Vieira will continue to keep the studio and home audiences smiling.

Check out the Millionaire website for information on when these episodes will air in your area (a repeat of today’s episode may air later tonight).