Dishwasher Pete
Encyclopedia
Dishwasher Pete is the pen name for Pete Jordan, narcissistic hobo and author of the Dishwasher zine
as well as the book of the same title, whose goal was to wash dishes in every state in America
. For more than a decade, he tramped from city to city, state to state, washing dishes in restaurants, hospitals, cafeterias, ski resorts, camps, communes, a fish cannery, an offshore oil rig, a dinner train and just about anywhere where dishes were dirty. He was once invited to appear on the Late Show with David Letterman
. He did not wish to be on national television, and so a friend of his took his place on the show, pretending to be him. Later, while promoting his book, Jordan himself appeared on Letterman and the two discussed the earlier "appearance."
The fifteen issues of the Dishwasher zine are now out of print. Memoirs of Jordan's dishwashing years were published in the book Dishwasher by HarperPerennial in 2007; it was positively reviewed in Chicagoist. Without reading it, New York Times writer Dwight Garner initially dismissed the book; upon chiding by readers of his column, he wrote "Boy, was I wrong about it - it's exceedingly well-written and explores an American subculture, one Jordan has been working in for more than a decade, with real tact and feeling and humor."
Dishwasher Pete has contributed to the following episodes of the radio program This American Life
:
His writing has also appeared on the Open Letters website:
Dishwasher Pete also volunteered as a healthy human guinea pig in drug experiments, and he contributed short articles to the zine Guinea Pig Zero: A Journal for Human Research Subjects.
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
as well as the book of the same title, whose goal was to wash dishes in every state in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. For more than a decade, he tramped from city to city, state to state, washing dishes in restaurants, hospitals, cafeterias, ski resorts, camps, communes, a fish cannery, an offshore oil rig, a dinner train and just about anywhere where dishes were dirty. He was once invited to appear on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. He did not wish to be on national television, and so a friend of his took his place on the show, pretending to be him. Later, while promoting his book, Jordan himself appeared on Letterman and the two discussed the earlier "appearance."
The fifteen issues of the Dishwasher zine are now out of print. Memoirs of Jordan's dishwashing years were published in the book Dishwasher by HarperPerennial in 2007; it was positively reviewed in Chicagoist. Without reading it, New York Times writer Dwight Garner initially dismissed the book; upon chiding by readers of his column, he wrote "Boy, was I wrong about it - it's exceedingly well-written and explores an American subculture, one Jordan has been working in for more than a decade, with real tact and feeling and humor."
Dishwasher Pete has contributed to the following episodes of the radio program This American Life
This American Life
This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...
:
- Episode #56 "Name Change"
- Episode #70 "Other People's Mail"
- Episode #74 "Conventions"
- Episode #102 "Roadtrip!"
- Episode #109 "Notes on Camp"
- Episode #115 "First Day"
His writing has also appeared on the Open Letters website:
Dishwasher Pete also volunteered as a healthy human guinea pig in drug experiments, and he contributed short articles to the zine Guinea Pig Zero: A Journal for Human Research Subjects.
Quotes
- "Just keep washing." ― Bob DoleBob DoleRobert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
, in response to Dishwasher Pete asking his advice for the dishwashers of America, at a restauranteur convention.
External links
- dishwasherpete.com (archive).
- Zach Smith. "Dishwasher Pete Interview". OurArtSite.com (archive).
- "Dishwasher by Pete Jordan" review. LettersOnPages.com (archive).