I just picked up his book and am enjoying reading it. It makes me want to get a stick burner. As far as him getting too commercial, I don't see why he shouldn't maximize his income while he can. The restaurant business is a finicky beast and he can't put in such long days forever. At some point, he is going to need to take time to himself and having a few income streams along with a good bank account will help that. It's not like he's slapping his face on some mass produced made for infomercials products.
I wouldn't mind checking out the class. I did a BrisketU class here in Houston at the local brewery, Back Pew Brewing, and it was very informative. I already had a good idea of what I was doing, but I got some tips I still use today. It's the same reason I grabbed the Franklin Barbecue book, knowledge is power. It's also half the battle. The more I know, the better at BBQ I will be.