It appears as though television networks have started marketing to me and me alone, because in addition to new reality shows about police dogs and Bobby Brown, and a ridiculous-sounding cop show produced by Michael Bay, there is also going to be a three-part series on the Discovery Channel titled How Booze Built America, hosted by Mike Rowe (aka Outdoorsy Jon Hamm).
In each hour-long installment, Rowe travels the country for a history lesson on how alcohol helped shape our nation, from the Puritans landing the Mayflower early because they ran out of beer, to the boozing ways of former presidents George Washington (who distilled his own whiskey) and Thomas Jefferson (who brewed his own beer). Historical reenactments and interviews with experts will also help Rowe get in the spirit(s). [TV Guide]
Good for Mike Rowe. Discovery has had the poor guy crawling around in muck and goo for almost 10 years on Dirty Jobs, and then, when they finally gave him another assignment one year, he had to swim with terrifying soulless monsters as the host of Shark Week. He deserves a break. And what better break is there than trading in your overalls and poop shovel for a t-shirt and jeans and a glass of bourbon, all on the company dime? I sure can’t think of one.
So, yeah, as a huge history dork and a fan of brown liquor, this concept has my full support.
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Also, you should win free booze by watching.
I think Mike Rowe hates being at home.
As someone who enjoys booze and Mike Rowe, this pleases me greatly.
Mike Rowe really is the best, and I’m not just saying that because I kind of have a crush on him.
I have one word to say about this: SPLOOSH!
I’m very disappointed in the clear and prevalent bias on this blog. All liquor deserves to be served regardless of color. Except green. Absithne really is evil.
Best nickname for alcohol?
I prefer Hooch
Hooch be crazy
I enjoy all of these things, but honestly I’m just shocked that Discovery is making something new that doesn’t star a redneck family who run some kind of mundane business.
For a taste of Mike Rowe and booze being combined, watch the Dirty Jobs episode where he works at a brewery/distillery. He is WASTED.
Here he is a little tooted.
I love how the History Channel is related to read headed step child status. Any halfway decent reality show, especially those with a historical tie in go straight to Discovery. That’s what you get for selling out.
Good old GW actually never drank whiskey (he was exclusively a European fortified wines man–Madeira and all that). He hated the brown stuff, thought it exclusively for poor people, and a ruiner of their constitutions at that. The only reason he distilled whiskey at Mount Vernon was because one of his Scottish farm managers explained it was a very profitable way to dispose of his grain. George thought of himself as an entrepreneurial farmer first and foremost.
This show will still be the shit, and I understand why they included that well-worn nugget for publicity, but it ain’t true. I was pretty disappointed when I first learned it myself; I really liked the idea of the Father of the Nation just getting absolutely ripped on rye and going for buggy joy rides around his estate.