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Dishwasher's Interests
General
Dishing, reading, writing, aimlessly riding my bike around town
Music
"Sudbuster" (1961) The Spinners, "Born to Wash Dishes" (The Queers), "Pete's Theme" (Ten-Four), "Secret Sodas" (The High Fives), "Dish Militia" (Scared of Chaka), "For the Dishwasher" (Grandaddy)
Movies
Scarface (Tony Montana quits his dish job by telling his boss, "Wash 'em yourself. I retire!"), Midnight Cowboy (Joe Buck imagines telling the boss, "You know what you can do with them dishes!"), Dragon (the Bruce Lee character stands up for fellow dishwashers the world over by kicking ass on the four cooks at his job!)
Books
Dishwasher (the book), Dishwasher (the zine) and other such notable literary efforts featuring pearl divers like: Down and Out in Paris and London, Midnight Cowboy, Sex and Sunsets, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, The Dishwasher (by Dannie Martin), A Puerto Rican in New York, Blue Collar Journal, Paco's Story, Broke: The Man Without the Dime, Skinny Legs and All
About me: For 12 years, I was the most prolific dishlicker of them all. From 1989 to 2001, I dished my way around the country, unwittingly searching for direction. From a bagel joint in New Mexico to a Mexican joint in Brooklyn; from a dinner train in Rhode Island to the Lawrence Welk Resort in Branson, MO; from an upper-crust ladies’ club to a crusty hippie commune--I washed the nation’s dishes.
And I wrote a book about my experiences. It's called Dishwasher. You should check it out.
Here's what some folks have already said about Dishwasher:
“Very, very entertaining…fascinating.” --David Letterman
“This is a story of youth (desperate to avoid experience), of work, and of the mad vastness of America, as compelling to my mind as Jack Kerouac's On The Road.” --Sean Wilsey, author of Oh the Glory of It All
“Dishwasher is an instant American classic. It should be required reading for every high school student in the nation, paired with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” --San Francisco Bay Guardian
“Jordan...serves up one of the most entertaining memoirs to appear in quite a while...The book’s exploration of the dishwashing subculture is fascinating…and the author...is an engaging and lighthearted storyteller.” --Booklist (starred review)
“Exceedingly well-written and explores an American subculture...with real tact and feeling and humor.” --Dwight Garner, senior editor of The New York Times Book Review
“Highly entertaining.” --Oregonian (Portland)
“Enjoyable manifesto celebrating rootless irresponsibility, with rueful acknowledgment of the pitfalls therein.” --Kirkus Reviews
“Probably in spite of, and not courtesy of, its irresponsible narrator, Dishwasher is almost compulsively readable.” --Pamela Paul, New York Times Book Review
“[Jordan] is...the definition of an individual. If you liked reading the zine (and who wouldn’t?) you’ll be glad you picked up a copy of the book. And to those who haven’t heard of Dishwasher Pete, it’s about time you meet him…An honest and fun account of a strange period in the life of a living oxymoron: a hard-working slacker.” --Bookslut
“Dishwasher Pete has finally written a memoir. If you’re already a fan of his work, you really need read no further. Go…buy the book. It’s great. You’ll love it…[M]ostly, Dishwasher is the story of 10 fascinating years in the life of a man obsessed – what more could you ask for in an autobiography?” --Willamette Week
“Jordan’s new book, Dishwasher, is not just a celebration of his triumph, and it’s not just a collection of zine excerpts. It’s the back story, the long shot, and the companion to his other writings, and it’s just as funny, just as proudly lazy, and just as inspiring as those photocopied pamphlets so many of us hoard.” --SF Weekly
“Sprinkled with fascinating dish-washing history…Dishwasher’s appeal is in Jordan ’s triumph, proving that following your heart – even into a sink full of scalding water – isn’t such a bad idea.” --Penthouse
“Full of colorful characters and kitchen antics, the book will have you drawing stares on the bus as you laugh out loud.” --Associated Press
“Rollicking.” --Portland Mercury
“[An] amusing memoir.” --People (3 1/2 out of 4 stars)
“A good story, well told...ironic...worth reading.” --San Francisco Chronicle
“A (casual) rallying cry for those disinclined toward the nine-to-five.” --Chicago Reader
“Twainishly irreverent.” --East Bay Express
“This memoir has it all -- humor, insight, pathos, adventure, travel and piles of dirty dishes.” --Sacramento Bee
“Jordan takes readers to the heart of the kitchen, a place known as the dish pit.” --Michele Norris, All Things Considered
“Jordan has an eye for devastating detail, but he wraps what he sees in humor. No matter how grim his situation, the reader senses he couldn’t wait to write it down, check the place off his map and keep going.” --Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“An astute observer of human behavior, [Jordan] snarkily recounts how kitchen condescension is omnipresent at summer camps, casinos, fast food joints, fish canneries and college cafeterias.” --Boston Herald
“What’s best about the book, however, is that despite Mr. Jordan’s hardened exterior as a tough-guy slacker, he approaches his experiences with a delicate sensitivity toward the people he meets along the way.” --New York Sun
“It’s true that everyone has a story; some people’s are just more interesting than others. Such is the case with Pete Jordan.” --Chicagoist
“It’s a collection of engaging vignettes, sometimes insightful but always entertaining...And the stories are well worth reading.” --Hawaii Island Journal
“A fun graduation gift for your favorite smart aleck.” --Charlotte Observer
“The writing is lucid and earnest, and Jordan’s passion for dishwashing and, even more so, for blowing-in-the-wind traveling, is infectious. As his quest extends from one year to the next, and he questions the worthiness of his goal to ‘bust suds’ in all 50 states, he demonstrates an ability to convey his deepest fears without losing the upbeat, fun tone that pervades the entire memoir.” --Publishers Weekly
“Warmly recommended.” --Library Journal
When I was invited to appear on the David Letterman show, my initial impulse was to decline the invitation. I had no desire to be on TV. But my good friend Jess Hilliard did have such a desire. So I let him appear as me while I sat backstage. Read the hilarious story about this in Dishwasher!
Hey Pete Thank you so much for adding us as your friend-- in return if there is anything we can do to better feature you/your work on our website, or add to your author profile (different picture, bio, etc.) please let us know! At BooksOnBoard we strive to be your friend with benefits (book benefits that is). Keep up the wonderful work!
THANKS FOR THE ADD. READ YOUR BOOK AND REALLY ENJOYED IT. GAVE IT TO MY DISHWASHER TO READ. WORK AS A BARTENDER AT THE ROADSIDE CAFE, MILE 49 PARKS HWY WASILLA, AK. I HAVE WORKED IN BARS FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND 11 STATES. (12 IF YOU INCLUDE THE BARTENDER WHO LET ME MAKE DUCKFARTS IN HAWAII) TAKE CARE LORI
I just got done reading the book and I couldn't put it down. Very entertaining. Reading the book kept giving me the urge to just up and walk out of my job and start traveling all over the country, but I didn't have the balls to do it.
Thanks for the add. Loved your book and remember reading the zine at punk houses around town. Enjoyed reading about your Little Rock experience. Wonder why that Hillary Clinton story hasn't gotten more attention??? Funny. That's a long told tale around here.
I was wondering if there was any way to get copies of the old Dishwasher Zines.. either in real life paper form or PDF. I'd love to share some anti-copyrighted publishing dish love if possible!
Thanks for the add. I'm about fifty pages into the book, but it would seem I have found a voice for my passion for sink full of suds and aimless ambition. I wish you a happy day, sir.
"dishwasher: one man's quest to wash dishes in all fifty states" rocked my world! it actually gave me an idea for a book (going to all the diners in New Jersey since this is actually the diner state more than the garden state and comparing/contrasting every single stop starting from North Jersey and working my way back to South Jersey...i'm such a dork i know!!!!)
LOVE the book. i got the dishwasher 7 inch back in the day from mutant pop distro, not knowing what the hell it was all about...
a few months back, saw the book, and grabbed it immediately, remembering that old 7 inch with those dishin' jams. still got it. i read the book while spinnin' that record.
hope all is well, pete. a true inspiration, you are.
