In this interview, Dennis Prager talks with TV host and filmmaker Mike Rowe about Rowe’s new limited‑run theatrical event, the film "Something to Stand For" (available June 27 – July 4 in roughly 1,100 U.S. theaters). Rowe explains the film’s purpose: to use entertaining historical mysteries—such as a little‑known duel that reshaped American history—to encourage viewers to look beyond modern partisan symbols like the flag and the national anthem, which he argues have become politicized talismans. The conversation touches on current cultural battles over gender‑in‑sports, the co‑option of patriotic symbols, and the broader war on monuments, suggesting that a lack of nuance fuels division. Rowe hopes the movie will spark gratitude for the nation’s founding ideals and promote a more thoughtful, less judgmental view of history, thereby offering a modest antidote to today’s political polarization. The interview ends with a plug for the full episode on Prager’s platform.
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The very celebrated host of his own programs and podcasts, Mike Rowe, has made a movie. When is it coming out, Mike?
June 27th through the 4th of July.
And on, on streaming or in theaters or what?
We're going to be in about 1,100 theaters.
Wow.
Easiest thing to do Yeah, I mean, it's a thing for sure. There's a trailer and tickets at something to stand for movie or.movie. So that's what it's called, a Fathom event. You know, they do a couple of these a year and they're occasion driven. And I wanted to make the occasion in question here the occasion of our independence because Well, I'm a fan. And, and like I said before, you know, during the break, I was thinking about our riff on, on baseball. I mean, that's still something that I think most Americans can stand for. But the list does feel shorter, doesn't it, with every passing month?
Yeah, of course it does. I mean, the divisions— you don't have to comment on this because I don't want to put you on a political spot because you want to unify us with patriotism. Patriotism, God bless you. But I don't know how you unite people who believe it's okay if a man says he's a woman to compete against women against those, or with those, who think it's wrong to have such people compete in women's sports. I mean, the divisions today are on new issues, and they are enormous. And I, I don't know how that divide can be overcome. I mean, look, to be honest, today you mentioned the flag. I mean, my family puts out the flag July 4th and Memorial Day and on other occasions. And the assumption today, again, this is new, Mike, if you put the American flag out, it means you're a conservative. That's what people think. That was not the case when I was a kid. If you put the flag out, it meant you loved America. End of issue. Is that a fair analysis in your opinion?
I think it's entirely fair to say that most of the tropes and most of the symbols that we grew up with have in fact become talismans in a way. Masks. That happened, right? And a lot of other things. But I do think the co-opting of the flag in particular is, is a reason, reason alone to make a movie like this because it's such a misunderstood thing. The idea that this national anthem played at baseball games, by the way, the idea that we don't know that it was originally a protest song. And before that, a drinking song. We don't even know why or what it is we're railing against, but the war we've declared on our statuary, on our monuments, on our memorials, it's just another indication that we lack the nuance to look back in time and think about what these people did. It's so much easier to judge than think. And my hope with this movie, aside from entertaining some people, is to use that Paul Harvey formula to tell them a mystery, something they didn't know about someone they've heard of. And hopefully, when the dust settles, to think differently about their contribution to this great experiment, and to not to judge them, but to consider them in the time that they lived and, uh, the impact of their actions on us today.
Will we be familiar with all the characters you, uh, you feature? I see that. Yeah, indeed. Yeah. Oh, that's fascinating. But the mystery is something we don't know about them, correct?
If I were to tell you, for instance, that one of the most famous Americans to ever live was challenged to a duel, pistols at dawn, but changed the rules at the last moment to broadswords in a pit, requiring a pit to be dug and a line to be drawn and the two combatants to face off against each other with broadswords. A giant crowd came to watch the carnage, and what happened as a result of that challenge absolutely changed the history of the country. You'll know the combatants, but most people won't know that particular story. And so we do this 9 times in a row.
So I, I won't ask you who— I won't ask you who it is, obviously, but did they go through the duel with the swords? Did it happen?
Well, again, I don't want to give that away either, but let me just say that, that what happened after the duel was the duel to end all duels.
Well, I'm glad I asked about that too, because there's no question I will be seeing it. So again, folks, it's something to stand for. If Mike Rowe made it, it's good. It's as simple as that. And again, give us the dates.
June 27th. Through the Fourth of July, somethingtostandfor.movie. It's a limited thing, and where it goes after that is anybody's guess, but it's gratitude, Dennis. Underneath all of it, if we can't find a way to feel grateful about the very things we celebrate on the Fourth of July, then we have indeed rounded a corner, and I don't know how to get back from that. But I, I still think we can.
From your mouth to God's ears. Mike Rowe, it's great to be with you again.
You too, my friend.
Thank you. Something to stand for dot movie. Diana Nohu had that duel. I think he needs to make a movie about his grandmother. Right? I mean, we're all in agreement. That is one of the great stories. I— it's, it's a feature of my interviews. It comes naturally. It's not like I thought through some gimmick, but to ask them about them, the human being behind the thinker, the writer, the movie maker, the podcaster, whatever it might be. For the full episode of The Dennis Prager Show, go to pragertopia.com, sign up, and become a full member.
