Life_Long_Dem!
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Holland's Joe the Plumber thinks he'll last one more year as a public figure before he fades away. That would mean he lasted about a year and half longer than most expected. Joe the Plumber is extremely famous, yet he says he can't afford to buy a domain name with "Joe the Plumber" in it for his website.
Joe says he wants his old quiet life back but he continues to make news and public appearances. So we asked this sometimes contradictory and controversial man why he still thinks he's relevant and why you should care about his message.
Fifteen minutes of national political fame somehow just turned into six months for Holland's Joe the Plumber. Google him and you'll get more than two million matches.
Greg Bilazarian: Do you make more than $250,000?
Joe: No. This year I made a whole lot less than that as a plumber.
Joe says he's generally paid up to $3,000 an appearance and he declines most offers.
"Because of my popularity or fame people want to use me to launch their own career or get behind me to endorse a product that would be shady."
He's turned down infomercials and requests to sign autographs at adult entertainment events.
"I have a platform because of one small question I asked six months ago."
The question was to then candidate Barack Obama.
Greg: Do you owe him for coming down the street?
Joe: No.
Greg: Why not.
Joe: Because my life has not been my own since.
But it's been busy. He's seen the country appearing at tea parties but makes very few public appearances in Toledo. He toured the Middle East as a sort of war correspondent. His critics say his views often contradict his own surroundings.
He lives in a union town with union friends on his block but opposes the employee free choice act because Joe thinks it will lead to workers being intimidated into joining a union unless it's a required private ballot.
His views are mostly conservative, yet he recently denounced the Republican Party.
"Everybody wants to paint me as a big Republican mouthpiece. The Republican Party is dead as far as I'm concerned."
Joe continues to fight the president's tax plan, a plan that would benefit him based on his current income.
"It's immoral to take away from somebody else to give to other people."
He's gained a voice appearing across America and says his schedule is full with upcoming paid events. But he admits he's been forced to close one chapter in his story.
"It hasn't made any money or anything."
Joe's book, "Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream", came out in February to limited fanfare. We watched as he signed away the last few copies.
"Unless a big company wants to pick it up, promote it and have me do book signings, it's going to follow the course of being left behind."
Even with the book's struggles, Joe thinks he still has about a year left in the spotlight.
Joe says he can't go back to plumbing in Toledo or anywhere. He feels it's his civic duty to use his voice until nobody's listening.
Interview with Joe the Plumber - 5/15/09 - Toledo News - 13abc.com
Joe says he wants his old quiet life back but he continues to make news and public appearances. So we asked this sometimes contradictory and controversial man why he still thinks he's relevant and why you should care about his message.
Fifteen minutes of national political fame somehow just turned into six months for Holland's Joe the Plumber. Google him and you'll get more than two million matches.
Greg Bilazarian: Do you make more than $250,000?
Joe: No. This year I made a whole lot less than that as a plumber.
Joe says he's generally paid up to $3,000 an appearance and he declines most offers.
"Because of my popularity or fame people want to use me to launch their own career or get behind me to endorse a product that would be shady."
He's turned down infomercials and requests to sign autographs at adult entertainment events.
"I have a platform because of one small question I asked six months ago."
The question was to then candidate Barack Obama.
Greg: Do you owe him for coming down the street?
Joe: No.
Greg: Why not.
Joe: Because my life has not been my own since.
But it's been busy. He's seen the country appearing at tea parties but makes very few public appearances in Toledo. He toured the Middle East as a sort of war correspondent. His critics say his views often contradict his own surroundings.
He lives in a union town with union friends on his block but opposes the employee free choice act because Joe thinks it will lead to workers being intimidated into joining a union unless it's a required private ballot.
His views are mostly conservative, yet he recently denounced the Republican Party.
"Everybody wants to paint me as a big Republican mouthpiece. The Republican Party is dead as far as I'm concerned."
Joe continues to fight the president's tax plan, a plan that would benefit him based on his current income.
"It's immoral to take away from somebody else to give to other people."
He's gained a voice appearing across America and says his schedule is full with upcoming paid events. But he admits he's been forced to close one chapter in his story.
"It hasn't made any money or anything."
Joe's book, "Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream", came out in February to limited fanfare. We watched as he signed away the last few copies.
"Unless a big company wants to pick it up, promote it and have me do book signings, it's going to follow the course of being left behind."
Even with the book's struggles, Joe thinks he still has about a year left in the spotlight.
Joe says he can't go back to plumbing in Toledo or anywhere. He feels it's his civic duty to use his voice until nobody's listening.
Interview with Joe the Plumber - 5/15/09 - Toledo News - 13abc.com
