First of all, a very happy Canada Day to Mike Holmes and all of my Canadian friends!

I found this short interview/article on the New York Times website. I really enjoyed it! Most interviews with Mike are pretty standard, and they all kind of revolve around the same information, but this one had a slightly personal slant, with lots of little useless factoids for fans to gobble up. Being the self-proclaimed Holmes queen that I am, most of this stuff is old news to me, but some of it I'd never heard before. Like, 'ello, 'ello... Mike Holmes was a D.J.??? Ex-queeze me, when was this? My curiosity is killing me! As far as Mike being a great dancer, that is something I'm dying to see. I've heard him talk about "shaking his pants" before, but I'm a wee bit suspicious. Perhaps some proof, Mike? An online video of you doing the Macarena or shaking your groove thing? We're waiting with anticipation... :) Now, I'm going to go enjoy some fireworks and make myself a Holmes-tini in honor of Canada Day and The Fourth of July. Cheers!

Catching Up With Mike Holmes

By KATE MURPHY

Published: June 30, 2012   

Mike Holmes is a Canadian building contractor and host of the television show Holmes on Homes, which airs on HGTV.

The Holmes Group

READING I love to read but don’t have much time to read books — some of my favorite books are by Dean Koontz — but what I am reading right now are architectural drawings for projects we’re doing, like the castle to replace the one that burned down in the playground at Toronto’s High Park a few months ago. We went to the community and had meetings and talked to the kids. We offered to make it bigger, and there’s going to be a drawbridge. The kids said they wanted more slides, so there will be more slides. The fun part was working with the kids.

LISTENING I probably listen to more reggae music than the average person — Beres Hammond and Freddie McGregor, artists like that. I love to dance so I like dance music — not the Bee Gees, but really good dance music like Next’s “Too Close” — music that makes you want to get up and move. I used to be a D.J. so I’m into stereos and dancing. It stems from my mom’s family — they’re all really good dancers. Um, yeah, people would say I know how to move.

WATCHING The television show “Touch” with Kiefer Sutherland. It’s in the realm of real, and very well-produced. It makes you pay attention and stay interested because you really want to find out who the kid is saving through his father.

FOLLOWING WorldSkills is like the Olympics except for skilled trades. Every two years, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, gas fitters, hairdressers and food servers from around the world compete for the gold medal in their category. For carpenters, they may have to build and do all the calculations for a great outdoor shed. A gas fitter may have to do a labyrinth piping system. An electrician may have to put together an alarm system. And they have a time limit to do it to perfection. It is so inspiring. It should be televised, but you can watch past competitions on the Web site.

WEARING I love watches and I have a lot of them, especially the big ones like my U-Boat and Nixon. It’s a bit of a passion of mine. Like women and shoes, I’m the watch guy.

DRINKING I’ve never really liked martinis so it became a personal challenge to come up with a mix that I would like. I came up with the Holmes-tini: 1 ounce vodka, 1 ounce coconut rum, 1 ounce peach schnapps, 1 ounce pineapple juice. I’ve ordered it at bars right across Canada, never mind the United States, and I’ve had so many restaurants ask me if they can put it on the menu. I said go ahead. You’ve got to try it, you’ll like it.

Kate Murphy is a journalist in Houston who writes frequently for The New York Times.

Mike Holmes Receives Honorary Doctorate From Niagara University

http://www.niagara.edu/nu-events/showannouncement/2677

Today, May 13, 2012, Mike Holmes received an honorary doctorate from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York. The honorary degree was awarded to him in the field of pedagogy, which is defined as "correct use of instructive strategies" or in layman's terms, teaching.

From the commencement announcement:

Mike Holmes, the host of Holmes Inspection and Holmes on Homes on HGTV, will join Robertson in receiving an honorary degree during graduate commencement. On HGTV, Holmes advises homeowners around the world on how to manage renovations, home repairs and maintenance. A contractor who knows the importance of resourcefulness and craftsmanship, his experience in new home construction and sustainable building has garnered him a growing fan base. In 2006, Holmes was recognized in Canada’s House of Commons for his support toward improved building standards and skilled trades. That same year, he also launched a charitable foundation in Canada to support the training of youth in the skilled trades through apprenticeships and scholarships. In addition, Holmes and his crew built a remarkable sustainable and hurricane-resistant house in New Orleans as part of Brad Pitt's “Make It Right NOLA” project. Holmes also is the author of two successful books and writes a weekly newspaper column.

UPDATE - View the full video with critique

Highlights from May 9th's Live Chat with Mike Holmes

There were a ton of great questions asked to Mike today via his Live Chat. Here are some that I found particularly interesting...

First things first, a woman asked a question about ladder safety, and then thanked Mr. Holmes for being such a great teacher to her. To which, Mike revealed this "bombshell"...

It's nice to hear people are learning. No, I've never wanted to be a 'teacher', but I do think the whole point of the television show is educating the public, so I guess that's teaching.
And--I'm getting an honorary doctorate on Sunday! From Niagara University, in Pedagogy. Which is teaching--who knew? I'm just a contractor...;-)

When asked whether Mike wore his trademark overalls for safety reasons or as a fashion statement, Mike answered...

That's funny!! Whoever thought overalls would be considered a fashion choice?
Years ago, I actually used to wear a blue one-piece coverall suit--kind of like a mechanic suit. I liked the comfort--you can bend over, move and work without restriction. But it got too hot in the summertime, so I switched to overalls. Same idea--one piece, comfortable, lots of pockets. It wasn't so much safety as comfort.

A little later, Mike was asked a question about safety when installing and removing insulation. Mike gave a little interesting insight into the early days of filming Holmes on Homes.

Holmes on Homes started over 10 years ago... we weren't as careful about the message we were sending out to the public.

We used to --and I'm embarrassed to admit it--remove our safety glasses and respirators for the camera, because someone told us that we needed to see faces on television--and put them back on when the cameras weren't rolling and we were doing the real work. It was stupid. What it did was send the wrong message out.

When asked a question about staircases and handrails, Mike got personal, sharing a small but touching snippet about his life.

Stairs are very personal to me. My father died after a fall down a narrow, steep set of stairs with no handrail.

Mike was asked a question about injuries on the set of Holmes on Homes. He went into some detail about the perils of working on a home improvement reality TV show, on and off the set.

I've been very fortunate. Or maybe very careful. I've not had any serious injuries on my jobsites. Lots of cuts and scratches, but that's about it. And, we've had some injuries on a whitewater rafting trip the crew took together a few years ago--Uncle Billy broke his ankle. Oh, and he broke his wrist at the ATV ride a couple of years ago--but that's Billy. He's a wild man.

Years ago I put a 3" nail right through my thumb with a nailer. That hurt.

When I was a young man, I was working on a jobsite and my father came around to see what I was up to. He gave me hell because the site was a mess--debris everywhere--while I was working. I ignored him--like you do with your parents when you're young--and climbed up on a step to work above my head. One of the legs of the step went down into an open register that was covered over with paper and down I went. I wasn't hurt--apart from my pride. But I learned a lesson and I'm very careful to keep my jobsites clean. I think that's important.

Well, those are my highlights from the May 9, 2012 Live Chat with Mike Holmes. Yes, I did submit a question to Mike, and YES, he did answer it (yay!!!) but I just don't think it was "Holmes Spot highlight" worthy. Only the best will do.

Daddy Dearest

Ask Mike Holmes who's the most influential man in his life, and he's bound to name his dad, Jim. When he was a young lad, he would shadow his father, "a jack of all trades, master of none," at the work site. He spent his childhood under his father's watchful eye, learning how to finish basements and rewire houses. He repeatedly gives his father credit for instilling in him the value of doing it right the first time, every time.

Mike's father died far too young, at the age of 55. “My dad went down to the basement one night, missed the top step, fell down the stairs and broke his neck,” he recalled somberly in a 2010 interview. Cheers to Mike's dad for being a great mentor to his son. Let it be a lesson for all dad... love your children enough to teach them well.

Mike Holmes - Fact Depot

Mike Holmes may be best known as “Canada’s most trusted contractor,” but his popularity spreads far beyond the North. His home improvement television shows air in several countries around the world, including Canada, the United States, Australia, The UK, and more.

Mike Holmes has become synonymous with his trademark catchphrase “Make it Right.” The concept of his hit television program Holmes on Homes centers around homeowners caught up in a tangled web of a renovation gone horribly wrong. After having their homes (and their wallets) ripped apart by unscrupulous contractors, the homeowners are left to deal with the consequences of their shoddy and often downright dangerous work. With little or no options left, the desperate homeowners turn to the only man in the world willing to help, Mike Holmes. Along with a motley crew of industry professionals, Mike assesses the situation, which is usually grim. He gives the weary homeowners the bad news, educating them about proper building codes, safety, and sustainability as he points out violation after blatant violation. Just when it seems that all is lost, he tells the homeowners to “keep smiling” because he and his crew are going to “make it right” at any price.

Holmes is Canadian born, and typically films his shows in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). He does occasionally work outside of Canadian borders, however. One example is the two-part 2007 episode of Holmes on Homes “Pasadena 911” in which TV talk show host Ellen Degeneres featured Mike and crew helping a California couple whose dream home was left in shambles by a fly-by-night contractor. Another example is the Holmes on Homes special “Holmes on Homes in New Orleans” in which Mike and crew worked alongside Brad Pitt to help rebuild the Lower 9^th Ward, a community devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Mike Holmes has also donated his time and resources to children’s charity SOS Children’s Villages, and has done humanitarian work in Africa and Haiti.

Mike Holmes is the father of three children, Amanda, Sherry, and Mike Jr., all of whom have worked alongside of their father on his shows. Mike is also the grandfather of two, thanks to eldest daughter Amanda and her husband Adam Belanger (who is also a part of Mike's crew).

Mike Holmes Cheat Sheet
Name: Michael James Holmes
Birthday: August 3, 1963
Height: 6'1"
Weight: About 215-225 LBS
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
Tattoos/Marks: Mike Holmes currently has two tattoos, which were added to his arms in early 2012. On his right bicep, he has an English bulldog, arms crossed, against a brick wall backdrop. He also has "Mike It Right" and a saw and hammer crisscrossed below the bulldog. On his left bicep, he has a large viking on bended knee. These large tattoos were "cover ups" for his old tattoos, a small bulldog, and a small cobra, which he got in his teens.
Children: Amanda (b. 1984?), Sherry (b. 1986?) , and Mike Jr. (b. 1988?)

A Short and Vague Introduction

Just why, oh why, would anyone start a blog about Mike Holmes? Here is the method to my madness... 

I’ve been a huge Mike Holmes fan for quite a while now. I enjoy watching him on television. I fall asleep to Holmes on Homes just about every night (which makes for some very interesting dreams). I invite this man and his crew into my home every day via HGTV. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that Mike Holmes has become just another part of my daily routine. My mild interest in Mike has rounded a corner into a bit of an obsession – not a scary, dangerous obsession, but more like a hobby. Being that I live a few thousand miles south of Canada, I have a hard time finding others to share my hobby with, without massively annoying them with my incessant ramblings about some TV contractor guy they’ve never heard of. So, like many others, I’ve decided to take my interests to the internet. My goal is to make this place an interactive collage, an archive of sorts, of all things Mike Holmes, strictly from a fan's perspective. I might get a little silly sometimes, and perhaps a little fangirly with my gushing and swooning, but I'll try (try) to keep that at a minimum reasonable managable level. And maybe I'll catch a little notoriety along the way, eh? We’ll see…