Mr. Rogers Goes To Washington
June 26, 2006 11:35 AM   Subscribe

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (Google Video link) A young Fred (Mr.) Rogers appeals to the Senate, and to the gruff Senator John Pastore, not to cut the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's budget in half. In a scene straight out of a movie, Mr. Rogers delivers a powerful, heartfelt speech, and even the senator finds himself overcome with emotion. (alt link)
posted by apple scruff (39 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: previously



 
With neatly overlapping tags, to boot. I commend your taxonomical consistency, Sticherbeast and apple scruff.
posted by boo_radley at 11:42 AM on June 26, 2006


Odd, I thought I had searched to make sure it wouldn't be a double.
posted by apple scruff at 11:42 AM on June 26, 2006


This one never grows old. Let's post it once per month!
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:52 AM on June 26, 2006


Whatever happened to Astro Zombie 2?
posted by boo_radley at 11:54 AM on June 26, 2006


I missed the post the first time around. This made my day, thanks for the post apple.

“You've made this day a special day by just your being you, there’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”

That's a great quote.
posted by hex1848 at 11:58 AM on June 26, 2006


I know that this post will be deleted as a double, but I just wanted to point out something that was impressed upon me during my internship at Maryland Public Television: Fred Rogers's on-camera persona must always be referred to in print as "Mister Rogers." The abbreviation "Mr." is unacceptable.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:59 AM on June 26, 2006


Man, first I double post, and then I don't spell out Mister Rogers? Officially the worst day of my life.
posted by apple scruff at 12:14 PM on June 26, 2006 [1 favorite]


Fred Roger's off-camera cocaine use must always be referred to in print as "peccadillos." The longer but more accurate "blow off a stripper's tits" is unnaceptable.
posted by zpousman at 12:16 PM on June 26, 2006


The powerful idea in Rogers's testimony is the statement made right after the aformentioned quote.

"And I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and managable, we will have done a great service for mental health."

What a still radical idea.
posted by grabbingsand at 12:19 PM on June 26, 2006


Please, please don't delete this one... I hadn't seen it before, and it completely made my day.
posted by chinese_fashion at 12:26 PM on June 26, 2006


I know that this post will be deleted as a double, but I just wanted to point out something that was impressed upon me during my internship at Maryland Public Television: Fred Rogers's on-camera persona must always be referred to in print as "Mister Rogers." The abbreviation "Mr." is unacceptable.

Hunh! We stand corrected.
posted by Sticherbeast at 12:29 PM on June 26, 2006


What? Did something happen to me?
posted by Astro Zombie 2 at 12:35 PM on June 26, 2006


Never saw this as originally posted. It has sparked a long trip down Memory Lane. Thanks, apple scruff.
posted by NationalKato at 12:36 PM on June 26, 2006


I miss Mister Rogers. He seemed like the only genuinely nice person out there, and when he died I was actually sad. Seems like we could use him now.
posted by josingsinthehall at 12:47 PM on June 26, 2006


zpousman- is that purely a joke, or is Mister Rogers alleged to have used drugs? If so, do you have any references?
posted by JMOZ at 12:51 PM on June 26, 2006


I can't imagine what must have happened to him at school to turn him into such a sickly wussy pants, but he survived and perhaps there is no justice. I feel dirty watching this artificial affectation proffered as an actual personality. The guy makes me literally puke turds out my eyes.. yes literally. I can't believe I watched it again.
*Mather! I need more napkins!*
posted by econous at 1:02 PM on June 26, 2006


Thank you apple scruff, This post made my day as well. Truly inspiring and gave me a huge smile. Wow.
posted by nickyskye at 1:08 PM on June 26, 2006


I love Mister Rogers.
posted by darkstar at 1:09 PM on June 26, 2006


I would like to say that I'm shocked at some of the cynicism displayed here.... but I'm not. *sigh*
posted by josingsinthehall at 1:09 PM on June 26, 2006


I wish I was a tough guy like econus so I could hate everything.
posted by nanojath at 1:11 PM on June 26, 2006




I love Mister Rogers too and can't help being curious if he really did have a cocaine habit. I'd be sad if he did but still appreciative of the tremendous comfort and good I got out of his shows, as an adult. His song helped me become a community activist. I still sing it, lol.
posted by nickyskye at 1:14 PM on June 26, 2006


For those of you who are unsure of whether Mister Rogers had any 'bad' habits or somesuch nonsense, have you read the Esquire article by Tom Junod? All of it?
posted by NationalKato at 1:30 PM on June 26, 2006


Lyrics to Won't You Be My Neighbor.

Urban legends about Mister Rogers debunked.

A decent, concise, online biography.
posted by nickyskye at 1:32 PM on June 26, 2006


I love Mister Rogers, though I'm slightly disappointed that the rumor that he was a sniper is, in fact false.

He did a lot of good in the world though, which is something we can all aspire to.
posted by craven_morhead at 1:32 PM on June 26, 2006


For those of you who are unsure of whether Mister Rogers had any 'bad' habits or somesuch nonsense, have you read the Esquire article by Tom Junod? All of it?

That guy got to see Mister Roger's wanger. Thanks for the reminder.
posted by dr_dank at 1:33 PM on June 26, 2006


That guy got to see Mister Roger's wanger. Thanks for the reminder.

I see you didn't read past the first page, dr_dank. Thanks for trying.
posted by NationalKato at 1:37 PM on June 26, 2006


Actually, that was on the second page.
posted by dr_dank at 1:41 PM on June 26, 2006


I hadn't seen this link (as one shouldn't have to read every post every day) so it was much appreciated. It took me on a hour journey to reading about all sorts of Mister Rogers things and brought me to this day. Now I'm kinda bummed, but I want to find some DVDs for my niece and nephew to share the legacy.
posted by DonnieSticks at 1:47 PM on June 26, 2006


He's got my vote.
posted by Drexen at 1:52 PM on June 26, 2006


Even as a child I thought he was a little odd, out of step with this and any other society that has ever existed. A weird little guy. We preferred the frantic ghetto energy of sesame street to the queer little puppets he was able to muster. Watching this piece, there's something more reassuring about "Fred Rogers the psychologist," that there's science or an unsentimentality behind his persona, that he has a higher purpose beyond just spreading nice.
posted by mert at 1:57 PM on June 26, 2006


I'm not going to continue the derail, dr_dank, but here's the article I'm referring to, from the older FPP. It's a great article: well written and insightful.

The mention of his nudity, which dr_dank seems to have fixated upon, is at the bottom of the first page and the top of the second.
posted by NationalKato at 2:04 PM on June 26, 2006


something that was impressed upon me during my internship at Maryland Public Television: Fred Rogers's on-camera persona must always be referred to in print as "Mister Rogers."

Good thing I don't work for Maryland Public Television then.
posted by grouse at 2:10 PM on June 26, 2006


Mr. Rogers is the bestest.
posted by contessa at 2:19 PM on June 26, 2006


When I was at Carnegie Mellon as an undergrad, I knew someone who interned at WQED, which was right around the corner and down the street. She said Mister Rogers was as gentle and kind in person as he was on TV.

He also swam regularly at the Jewish Community Center (which seemed kind of odd to me, but I guess it was the closest pool) in Squirrel Hill where, yes, other people dressed and undressed in the locker room, as well. Were he still around, I imagine he might tell dr_dank that everybody takes their clothes off, and nakedness is not a terribly big deal.
posted by vitia at 2:27 PM on June 26, 2006


it's not really a double.
the last post was from youtube.

different websites people.
posted by arialblack at 2:31 PM on June 26, 2006


Beautiful article by Junod, NationalKato. Thank you for the recommendation. Here's a link for those of you not up to googling it.

Fred Rogers was truly a gem. More than that: as an example of real goodness, he was a national treasure.
posted by darkstar at 2:33 PM on June 26, 2006


Ah, I see you've provided a link. :)
posted by darkstar at 2:34 PM on June 26, 2006


Were he still around, I imagine he might tell dr_dank that everybody takes their clothes off, and nakedness is not a terribly big deal.

Well said.
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:43 PM on June 26, 2006


Someone do a FPP of awesome old MeFi posts. Like, 50 of them in a single FPP. It would be so delciously meta, especially if it's been done before.
posted by fleacircus at 2:45 PM on June 26, 2006


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