Michael Burkett, more commonly known as Fat Mike, is the lead singer and bassist of the California punk band NOFX, as well as bass player for Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. As Misfit Mike he played in a band called False Alarm before founding NOFX in 1983 with Erik Sandin and Eric Melvin. He's also the owner of Motor Studios in San Francisco, California. Mike lives in San Francisco with his wife for 14 years, Erin, and their young daughter, Darla.

The nickname Fat Mike originated as a misnomer, as when it was applied to him, he wasn't obese. This nickname emerged when the somewhat thin Mike went away to San Francisco State University and returned having gained a few pounds, making him slightly heavier than the broomstick-thin punk rock crowd. The nickname stuck, even working its way into the name of his label, Fat Wreck Chords, one of the largest and most financially successful punk-affiliated record labels in the United States, mainly run by Fat Mike and his wife Erin. The label was founded in 1990. As Mike now appears to be more on the heavy side than when the nickname was given to him, the nickname "Fat Mike" has become a somewhat accurate description of him, rather than a misnomer. He regards himself as "Not that fat". These days he cannot stand anyone asking him about his nickname.

Fat Mike was the main organizer of the Rock Against Bush (Vol. 1 (2004) & Vol. 2 (2004)) and Punkvoter (founded in 2003) projects. Each project was created to increase voting among fans of punk music to vote George W. Bush out of office, and to make issues close to the punk community known to politicians.

In 2005 he started a magazine called Punk Rock Confidential which distributes 4 issues a year.