Mike Rowe on Min. Wage: Paying Everyone the Same Undermines the Reward

‘We used to get a grade for effort and a grade for results. It’s the grade for results that matters’

How Mike Rowe became a lightning rod for Walmart (CBS News)

When it comes to dirty jobs, Mike Rowe is finding that hawking for Walmart (WMT) leads to plenty of mud-slinging. 

Rowe, the deep-voiced host of Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs," sparked the controversy when he provided a voice-over for a heart-tugging Walmart ad touting the company's pledge to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. The spot first aired during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, a prime night for advertisers seeking a large audience.

Sounds great, right? After all, who isn't for a return of U.S. manufacturing? But the ad campaign took on a life of its own, with some consumers taking Rowe to task for championing what they view as an anti-union company that offers rock-bottom wages. 

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