Won't you be my neighbor?

wyeast · 08-05-2008, 08:55 AM

No, I'm not hitting on DC again...

Some of you who may have seen me at that other place may have noticed that I changed my av to the Trolley from Mr Roger's Neighborhood. Why?

I've heard that PBS has made the heavy decision to cut back on airing of Mr Rogers Neighborhood from it's usual daily stint down to once a week - presumably due to low viewership. After all, the show isn't able to produce new episodes since Fred Rogers' passing, and the episodes are looking more and more dated and less appealing to some kids.

Which is sort of a sad passing for me. While I recall days of my youth finding the show a little boring (as I got older, I do remember watching the show daily as a younger tot), it's only now in adulthood that I realize the kind of impact the man had on public television and to the lives of millions of children around the planet.

In 1969 he had a throwdown with the Senate Subcommittee on Communications over proposed funding cuts for PBS. In this video you can watch as Senator Pastore, who appears to not be familiar with Fred Rogers at all, go from being sorta skeptical, to actually saying at the end, "Looks like you just earned the 20 million dollars."

If I recall, funding actually increased to $22 million that year.

During the infamous Betamax case, when many television and media entites rallied against home video recording, Fred Rogers stood up and said You know what? I WANT them to tape my show, so that they can have the opportunity to sit down as a family and watch it together.

In contrast to today's age when so much is not as it appears with false pretenses, Fred Rogers lived his life every bit as he appeared on screen. Stories abound about him taking genuine interest in the people he met, even cab drivers or reporters who come to interview him. He was referred to as a tough interview, because he'd so easily turn the tables and having the interviewER telling his life tale instead.

A story floats around about his encounter with a limo driver taking him to a dinner at a PBS exec's house. Learning that he was planning on waiting outside the house for 2 hours, Fred Rogers insisted that he come inside and join them for dinner. On the way home, he learned they were passing near the driver's house. He insisted they stop by so he could meet the driver's family. Instead of going home, Fred Rogers chatted, played jazz piano, and listened to their stories late into the night. As his hallmark, the story goes that he continued to write letters to that limo driver (as with so many people he met) for many years afterwards.

When he received the Emmy Lifetime Achievement award in '97, he again turned the tables. His acceptance speech did not focus on himself or any political views, but simply on the people who brought him, and everyone else to where they were that day. He made the audience take 10 seconds on his ticker to think about those people. Silently he counted time as celebrities in the audience wept thinking of loved ones.

Once he and a friend were in New York headed for a meeting. Unable to get a cab in the rain, they went down to ride the subway. As it happens, it was afternoon commute home for the local schools. Recognizing him, children spontaneously burst into song, Fred couldn't help but smile as this impromptu choir clattered along in the bowels beneath NYC.

In his hometown of Pittsburgh, the man is untouchable. The locals are full of stories of encountering Fred Rogers on the streets or in the hallways, always ready to lend a hand, even if it was moving furniture at the age of 70. The local PBS affiliate has pretty much said it will be a cold day in hell when they stop airing MRN religiously.

Another story floats around about the day his car was stolen outside the PBS station. Local media caught wind of the police report, and publicized that someone had dared to touch his car.

Not 48 hours later, his car mysteriously returned to the exact same spot it was taken. With an apology note left on the dash. The note read "If we'd known it was yours, we never would have taken it."

That is how much of a badass Fred Rogers is.

**Noodles** · 08-05-2008, 02:16 PM

Let me back this up by saying that about a week ago I got a call from Milwaukee's PBS
programming dept. I have been a supporter for almost 20 years. They were polling to see
what I thought of the proposed change in the children's programming. I was fine with all
of it until they said they were cutting Fred Rogers back to once a week.

The biggest losers here are the little ones that still would watch Rogers. It is sad
to say, but in this day of daycare raised children Mr Rogers is possibly the best
way for kids to learn respect and develop a moral compass. To cut it to once a week
will have negative effect on 100,000s of thousands of kids IMO.

I do not judge parents that have to both work and use day care. I just feel that a child
should have a parent around during all the formative years. My wife and I turned
down two very lucrative career moves to make sure at least one of us was always
home when our kid was home. The money is not worth it and besides I can't stop
time. they grow up so darn fast that I relish every moment I get with my kid.
To think I would have missed some very precious memories while I was out
chasing a buck seems foreign to me.

*Lisey* · 08-06-2008, 12:29 PM

It's so sad...it's part of growing up, at least here in the USA.

**Nightmare** · 08-12-2008, 01:18 PM

I adored MRN as a kid , but my kids not so much . It still comes on here every day and me and Nicholas watch it every day ( along with Sesame Street , Word World and of course Barney ) ... yes he's only 4 months old but he watches , the lil trolley always catches his attention

I hope that MRN will be around for him to enjoy as he gets older too . I can't even imagine him growing up not knowing who Mr. Rogers is

besides Sesame Street, MRN is the only kids show left from my childhood I guess that is why I still enjoy watching .

**Noodles** · 08-12-2008, 11:58 PM

I agree, I hope the petitions to PBS get him back on daily. He is going to once a week soon.

**Dragoness_Cutie** · 08-13-2008, 12:36 PM

I can't believe they're going to cut Mr. Roger's back! I watched that near constantly as a child. I know it's one of the shows that, if I can help it, my children will be exposed to as children.

**Noodles** · 08-13-2008, 11:48 PM

Maybe we can have Lisey twist some arms n the TV biz.