Mister Rogers & Me (2010) Movie Script
[CRICKETS]
[CHILDREN LAUGHING]
[GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING]
[FILMSTRIP CLICKING]
Benjamin Wagner:
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE
JUST A FEW CRUCIAL MOMENTS
THAT DEFINE OUR LIVES.
FOR ME, SO FAR,
THEY'RE AS FOLLOWS--
I WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1971,
IN IOWA CITY, IOWA,
TO A GRADUATE STUDEN AND A NURSE.
3 WEEKS LATER,
WE MOVED.
AS A KID, I LOVED TWO THINGS
MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE--
SINGING AND WRITING.
WHEN MY PARENTS DIVORCED
IN OCTOBER OF 1981,
I ESCAPED
INTO MY HEADPHONES
AND THE PAGES OF
"ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE.
A FEW MONTHS LATER,
MY MOTHER, BROTHER CHRISTOFER,
AND I MOVED
FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN 10 YEARS
TO SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA
WHILE MY FATHER REMAINED BEHIND
IN THE MIDWEST,
INITIATING YEARS OF
HEARTBREAKING, BACK-AND-FORTH
CROSS-COUNTRY
PLANE TRIPS.
IN 1993, I GRADUATED
FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
WITH DUAL DEGREES
IN CREATIVE WRITING
AND JOURNALISM.
AFTER GRADUATION,
CHRIS AND I MOVED
TO NEW YORK CITY,
WHERE TIMING, LUCK,
AND A LITTLE BIT OF
EXPERIENCE CONSPIRED
TO AFFORD ME MY DREAM JOB
AT THE PREEMINENT MUSIC NETWORK.
YEAH,
THAT MUSIC VIDEO NETWORK.
PERHAPS THE DEFINING MOMEN OF MY LIFE SO FAR
OCCURRED IN
SEPTEMBER 2001
ON A TINY ISLAND
30 MILES OFF THE COAS OF MASSACHUSETTS.
WE WERE ON NANTUCKET,
A SLEEPY LITTLE
WHALING TOWN
TURNED UPSCALE RESOR DESTINATION.
I'D ONLY STEPPED OFF THE FERRY
A FEW HOURS AGO.
IT WAS LABOR DAY 2001,
THE WEEKEND
OF MY 30th BIRTHDAY.
MY CELL PHONE
WAS STILL VIBRATING
AS I STOOD ON THE BACK PORCH
WATCHING THE LAST RAYS OF LIGH SPILL OVER THE HORIZON.
THE BUZZ OF NEW YORK CITY
WAS SLIPPING AWAY
AS I SETTLED INTO
A QUIET ISLAND NIGHT.
WHEN SUDDENLY, A FAMILIAR VOICE
FROM THE EDGE OF THE DUNE ASKED,
"IS THE BIRTHDAY BOY HERE?"
I TURNED TO SEE
AMERICA'S FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
REACHING OU TO SHAKE MY HAND.
SEE, MISTER ROGERS SUMMERED
IN A MODEST GRAY
SHAKE SHINGLED HOUSE
ON THE EDGE OF NANTUCKET ISLAND.
MY MOTHER RENTED
THE TINY COTTAGE NEXT DOOR.
SO MISTER ROGERS
REALLY WAS MY NEIGHBOR.
[FOLK ROCK MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin:
FRED McFEELY ROGERS WAS BORN
TO JAMES AND NANCY ROGERS
ON MARCH 20th, 1928,
IN LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA,
A THRIVING INDUSTRIAL TOWN
40 MILES SOUTHEAS OF PITTSBURGH.
HE WAS AN ONLY CHILD
UNTIL THE AGE OF 11,
WHEN HIS PARENTS ADOPTED
A BABY GIRL, ELAINE.
A LONELY AND SHY LITTLE BOY,
FREDDY ROGERS ENTERTAINED
HIMSELF WITH HIS PIANO
AND HIS PUPPETS.
HIS GRANDFATHER,
FRED McFEELY,
ENCOURAGED HIM TO BE
ALL THAT HE COULD,
OFTEN TELLING HIM,
"YOU'VE MADE THIS
A SPECIAL DAY, FREDDY,
"BY JUST YOUR BEING YOURSELF.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON
IN THE WORLD LIKE YOU."
FRED GRADUATED
LATROBE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1946.
HE ATTENDED DARTMOUTH
FOR A YEAR
BEFORE ENROLLING A ROLLINS COLLEGE IN
WINTER PARK, FLORIDA.
HE GRADUATED
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
IN MUSIC COMPOSITION IN 1951
AND MARRIED CLASSMATE
SARA JOANNE BYRD
SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
THOUGH HE PLANNED
TO ENTER SEMINARY,
HE CHOSE INSTEAD
TO GO INTO BROADCASTING.
HIS TELEVISION CAREER
BEGAN IN EARNES AT THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING
COMPANY IN NEW YORK CITY,
WHERE HE WORKED AS
AN ASSISTANT PRODUCER
AND FLOOR DIRECTOR
FOR SUCH PROGRAMS AS
"YOUR LUCKY STRIKE HIT PARADE"
AND THE "KATE SMITH HOUR."
Fred Rogers:
I GOT INTO TELEVISION
BECAUSE I SAW
PEOPLE THROWING PIES
AT EACH OTHER'S FACES,
AND THAT, TO ME, WAS
SUCH DEMEANING BEHAVIOR.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING
THAT BOTHERS ME,
IT'S ONE PERSON
DEMEANING ANOTHER.
THAT REALLY MAKES ME
MAD. [CHUCKLES]
[GUITAR MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin: THE DAY AFTER
I MET MISTER ROGERS,
I JOINED HE AND HIS WIFE
AT THEIR SO-CALLED
CROOKED HOUSE.
I WAS NERVOUS,
LIKE A LITTLE KID,
AS I TRUDGED THROUGH
THE SAND TOWARDS HIS HOME,
MY GUITAR SLUNG
OVER MY SHOULDER.
WE SAT IN THE LIVING ROOM
THERE IN THE BACK,
OVERLOOKING THE BAY.
IT WAS WOOD PANELED
AND STREWN WITH
PHOTOS AND ARTWORK.
THERE WAS LADY ELAINE,
KING FRIDAY, AND TROLLEY.
WE TALKED A WHILE
ABOUT NEW YORK,
WHERE
HE'D ONCE WORKED HIMSELF
AND STILL HAD AN APARTMEN JUST ONE BLOCK FROM MINE.
HE ASKED ABOUT MY PLANS,
MY HOPES, AND MY DREAMS.
I SANG FOR HIM,
AND WHEN I FINISHED,
HE CLAPPED, AND WE DRANK
ANOTHER GLASS OF LEMONADE,
AND I SMILED
AND SMILED AND SMILED
BECAUSE MISTER ROGERS
REALLY WAS MY NEIGHBOR.
AND FRANKLY,
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.
THE STORY
COULD HAVE ENDED THERE.
BUT MISTER ROGERS
ASKED ME IF I'D LIKE
A TOUR OF THE HOUSE.
AND OF COURSE, I DID.
AND SO, HE LED ME
AROUND HIS MAGICAL,
INTIMATE LITTLE HOME.
AND WHILE THERE WAS EVIDENCE
OF DOZENS OF SUMMERS
SPENT THERE--
MISTER ROGERS' PARENTS
GAVE HE AND JOANNE
THE PROPERTY IN 1961--
IT WAS A SPARSE,
ALMOST ASCETIC PLACE.
BUT THE MOST MAGICAL PAR OF MY TOUR OCCURRED
IN HIS STUDY,
OUT BACK
BEHIND THE GARAGE.
THERE WAS
A DESK, A COMPUTER,
AND A SMALL PIANO,
PLUS A BREATHTAKING VIEW OF
THE PALE GREEN GRASSY DUNES
AND THE BRIGHT BLUE SEA
BEYOND.
SITTING THERE IN
THE WANING AFTERNOON LIGHT,
HE ASKED ME SOMETHING
NO ONE EVER DOES.
"TELL ME ABOU YOUR PARENTS' DIVORCE."
AND SO, I TOLD HIM ABOU THE FIGHTS AND THE MOVE
AND HOW CONFUSING IT ALL
WAS AS A 10-YEAR-OLD.
I FELT SO COMFORTABLE
WITH HIM, SO SAFE,
THAT I NEARLY STARTED CRYING
RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.
MISTER ROGERS SAID SIMPLY,
"THAT MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU."
AND THEN, HE ROLLED
HIS CHAIR OVER TO HIS PIANO
AND BEGAN PLAYING--
FIRST THE THEME
FROM "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD,"
AND THEN,
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY."
EVEN NOW, YEARS LATER,
IT SEEMS LIKE A DREAM.
LATER, MISTER ROGERS AND I
STOOD ON THE BACK PORCH
OF THE CROOKED HOUSE
STARING OUT TO SEA.
HE ASKED ME ABOUT MY JOB,
AND FRANKLY,
I WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSED.
I MEAN, HERE HE WAS,
AMERICA'S MOST BELOVED NEIGHBOR,
CREATOR AND STEWARD
OF ONE OF TELEVISION'S
MOST SUBSTANTIVE,
LONG-RUNNING SHOWS.
ME, AS ONETIME EDITOR OF
THE HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
AND SOMETIMES
SINGER-SONGWRITER,
MY DAY JOB MADE
A LOT OF SENSE,
BUT I HAD MY MOMENTS
OF AMBIVALENCE, TOO--
A PBS MIND IN A JUMP-CU SOUND-BIT MTV WORLD,
TRYING TO FIGURE OU JUST WHAT I COULD DO
TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE.
MISTER ROGERS DIDN'T RENDER
ANY JUDGMENT,
BUT SAID SIMPLY,
"I FEEL SO STRONGLY
THAT DEEP AND SIMPLE
IS FAR MORE ESSENTIAL
THAN SHALLOW AND COMPLEX."
DEEP AND SIMPLE IS
FAR MORE ESSENTIAL
THAN SHALLOW AND COMPLEX.
[GUITAR MUSIC
PLAYING]
WHEN I RETURNED TO NANTUCKE THE FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER,
I TOLD HIM HOW OFTEN
I'D THOUGHT ABOU OUR "DEEP AND SIMPLE"
CONVERSATION
AND HOW OFTEN
I TOLD OTHERS THE STORY.
"SPREAD THE MESSAGE,"
HE TOLD ME.
"SPREAD THE MESSAGE."
I REMEMBER THINKING,
"ME? WHAT CAN I DO?
YOU'RE THE BELOVED
TELEVISION ICON."
[STATIC]
Male newscaster:
THE DEATH OVERNIGH OF FRED ROGERS
IS SAD NEWS
FOR HIS NEIGHBORS
IN PITTSBURGH
AND FOR HIS MANY FANS
YOUNG AND OLD ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
Benjamin: IT WAS ONLY
THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF TIME
AND MISTER ROGERS' DEATH
ON FEBRUARY 27, 2003,
THAT I DECIDED
JUST WHAT I COULD DO
TO TRY AND MAKE GOOD
ON HIS CHALLENGE TO
SPREAD THE MESSAGE.
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[GUITAR MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin:
CHRIS AND I DECIDED
TO SEEK OU SOME OF MISTER ROGERS'
OTHER FRIENDS
AND NEIGHBORS--
JOURNALISTS, AUTHORS,
ARTISTS, AND EXPERTS
WHO WERE EQUALLY INSPIRED
BY HIS LIFE'S WORK--
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM
AND WHAT HE MEAN BY "DEEP AND SIMPLE."
SO WE MADE SOME CALLS,
GRABBED A CAMERA,
AND HIT THE ROAD.
OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS,
NATURALLY,
WAS TO MEET THE MAN WHO
WROTE THE BOOK, LITERALLY.
[BIRDS SINGING]
Benjamin:
BO AND SITA LOZOFF'S
HUMAN KINDNESS FOUNDATION
IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.
NESTLED IN
THE FOOTHILLS BETWEEN
THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
AND THE COASTAL PLAINS,
THE COUPLE'S 70-ACRE ASHRAM
IS HOME TO A FULL RANGE
OF GOOD WORKS.
Bo Lozoff:
MY BROTHER
COULD USE
A LITTLE MERCY NOW
BO'S PRIMARY EFFOR IS HIS 35-YEAR-OLD
PRISON ASHRAM PROJECT,
WHICH INSPIRES AND
ENCOURAGES PRISONERS TO
USE THEIR INCARCERATION
TO COMMUNE WITH
THEIR SPIRITUAL DEPTHS
AND CREATE COMMUNITY
WITH THEIR PEERS.
"YOU CAN DO THIS."
THOSE 4 WORDS ARE
PROBABLY SAID MORE OFTEN
TO PRISONERS THAN
ANY OTHER 4 WORDS.
"YOU CAN DO THIS."
BO SPENDS MONTHS
ON THE ROAD,
SPEAKING AT PRISONS,
HOSPITALS, CHURCHES,
UNIVERSITIES,
AND SPIRITUAL CENTERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[INDISTINCT]
THE BEST THINGS
IN LIFE ARE FREE.
[LAUGHTER]
HIS BOOK,
"WE'RE ALL DOING TIME,"
CONTAINS A FOREWORD BY
HIS HOLINESS THE DALI LAMA.
ONCE WE'RE DOWN
AT THE HERMITAGE,
WHEN WE CROSS THE BRIDGE,
WE DON'T TALK DOWN THERE.
WE'VE GENERATED
A LOT OF SILENCE
IN THAT LITTLE CABIN.
Benjamin: BO SPENDS
WEEKS MEDITATING
IN SILENT ISOLATION,
AS HE WAS
THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER
WHEN MISTER ROGERS
FIRST TOLD ME ABOUT HIM.
Bo: I WOULD TAKE,
LIKE, 50 STEPS UP AND
50 STEPS BACK WALK
TO KEEP MY LEGS STRETCHED
ON MY 40-DAY RETREATS.
AND I WAS COMING BACK
FROM ONE OF THOSE,
AND AS SOON AS I GO TO ABOUT WHERE CHRIS IS,
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,
BETWEEN HIM AND THE CABIN,
WAS A LONG BLACKSNAKE,
ABOUT A 6-FOOT-LONG SNAKE,
AND IT HAD JUST BEGAN
TO SHED ITS SKIN.
AND I GOT TO STAND THERE
AND WATCH A SNAKE
SHED ITS SKIN.
IT WAS ONE OF
THE GREAT NATURAL THRILLS
OF MY LIFE.
I JUST WATCHED IT CRAWL
OUT OF ITS OLD SKIN
AND LEAVE IT BEHIND.
THOSE ARE
THE KIND OF THINGS
THAT, YOU KNOW,
UNLESS YOU'RE SOMEWHERE,
LIKE, 40 DAYS IN
THE WOODS BY YOURSELF,
YOU NEVER--
YOU JUST--
THERE ARE THINGS
THAT YOU CAN'T SCHEDULE.
BUT IF YOU SHOW UP
EVERY DAY,
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
MIRACULOUS THINGS.
Benjamin:
THE ROGERS MOVED BACK
TO PENNSYLVANIA IN 1953,
WHERE FRED HELPED
TO ESTABLISH
THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC
TELEVISION STATION, WQED.
IN 1954, HE AND CO-HOS JOSIE CAREY PREMIERED
"THE CHILDREN'S CORNER"
FOR NATIONAL
EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION,
INTRODUCING
FOR THE FIRST TIME
BELOVED PUPPET FRIENDS
DANIEL STRIPED TIGER
AND KING FRIDAY XIII.
HE ALSO BEGAN
PART-TIME EFFORTS TOWARDS
A MASTERS OF DIVINITY DEGREE
AT THE PITTSBURGH
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,
WHICH HE
EVENTUALLY EARNED IN 1962
AND WAS
SUBSEQUENTLY ORDAINED AS
A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER.
IN 1968, BOLSTERED
BY FUNDING FROM THE
SEARS-ROEBUCK FOUNDATION,
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" WAS BROADCAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AROUND 1994,
ONE OF OUR STAFF SAID,
"YOU KNOW,
THIS FRED ROGERS
IN PITTSBURGH--
"YOU KNOW,
PITTSBURGH IS WHERE
"THE MISTER ROGERS SHOW
IS FILMED,
AND I THINK
HIS NAME IS FRED."
AND WE ALL LAUGHED.
AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
HE BUYS MULTIPLE COPIES
"OF ALL OF
YOUR BOOKS AND TAPES,
"AND EVERY TIME
WE'VE COME OU WITH SOMETHING NEW,
"HE'LL BUY 20 COPIES
OR SOMETHING.
AND SO, HE MUS GIVE THEM AWAY."
SHE SAID, "YOU THINK I COULD BE MISTER ROGERS?"
AND WE SAID, "NO."
Benjamin: AS IT ENDS UP,
IT WAS THAT MISTER ROGERS
WHO GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED
HUMAN KINDNESS FOUNDATION
AND PURCHASED HUNDREDS
OF COPIES OF BO'S BOOKS,
INCLUDING ONE CALLED
"DEEP AND SIMPLE."
AND THEN,
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER,
WE GOT A PHONE CALL,
AND MY WIFE ANSWERED,
"IT'S THE HUMAN
KINDNESS FOUNDATION."
AND IT'S AN UNMISTAKABLE
VOICE, YOU KNOW?
"HELLO.
THIS IS FRED ROGERS."
I TALKED WITH HIM
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND HE INVITED US
UP TO THE SET AND
TO TALK WITH HIS STAFF
AND FIND OU MORE ABOUT FCI,
FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS.
AND HE TOLD US
THAT HE GIVES OUT COPIES
OF MY BOOKS
AND CDs AND TAPES,
MENTIONS TO INTERVIEWERS
OR PEOPLE LIKE YOU
THERE'S SOMETHING THA I WROTE IN A NEWSLETTER
LONG, LONG AGO
THAT FRED SAID
HE QUOTED IN JUST ABOU ALL HIS PUBLIC TALKS,
AND THAT IS
THE CAUSE OF ALL
OUR PERSONAL PROBLEMS,
AND NEARLY
ALL THE PROBLEMS
OF THE PLANE CAN BE SUMMED UP
IN A SINGLE SENTENCE--
HUMAN LIFE IS VERY DEEP,
AND OUR DOMINAN MODERN LIFESTYLE IS NOT.
AND FRED LOVED THAT.
ALL RIGHT, ROGERS.
YOU'VE GO THE FLOOR.
[LAUGHTER]
Benjamin: IN 1969,
MISTER ROGERS TESTIFIED
BEFORE CONGRESS
ON BEHALF OF
THE THEN-NASCENT CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
WHEN A $20 MILLION GRAN PROPOSED BY LYNDON JOHNSON
WAS IN JEOPARDY.
Mister Rogers: WE MADE
100 PROGRAMS FOR THE EASTERN
EDUCATIONAL NETWORK.
AND THEN,
WHEN THE MONEY RAN OUT,
PEOPLE IN BOSTON
AND PITTSBURGH AND CHICAGO
ALL CAME TO THE FORE
AND SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO HAVE
MORE OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
EXPRESSION OF CARE."
AND THIS IS WHAT--
THIS IS WHAT I GIVE.
I GIVE AN EXPRESSION OF CARE
EVERY DAY TO EACH CHILD.
AND I FEEL THAT IF
WE IN PUBLIC TELEVISION
CAN ONLY MAKE IT CLEAR
THAT FEELINGS
ARE MENTIONABLE
AND MANAGEABLE,
WE WILL HAVE DONE
A GREAT SERVICE.
I'M SUPPOSED TO BE
A PRETTY TOUGH GUY,
AND THIS IS THE FIRS TIME I'VE HAD GOOSEBUMPS
FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS.
[LAUGHTER]
WELL, I'M GRATEFUL,
NOT ONLY FOR
YOUR GOOSEBUMPS,
BUT FOR YOUR INTERES IN OUR KIND OF
COMMUNICATION.
I THINK
IT'S WONDERFUL.
LOOKS LIKE
YOU JUST EARNED
THE $20 MILLION.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
Benjamin:
NEARLY 900 EPISODES
OF "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" AIRED
ON PUBLIC TELEVISION
FROM 1968
UNTIL JUST A FEW DAYS
BEFORE WE MET IN 2001.
THE SHOW'S PACE, TONE,
AND ROUTINE AFFORDED
GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN
A SAFE, COMFORTABLE,
AND FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT.
I WAS SITTING
WITH MY WIFE IN
FRED ROGERS' OFFICE
TALKING WITH THE STAFF OF
"MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD"
ABOUT CHILDREN
AND VIOLENCE
ON A TUESDAY THAT WAS
THE MOMENT THAT COLUMBINE,
THE SHOOTINGS
AT COLUMBINE,
WERE HAPPENING
WITH ERIC AND DYLAN
SHOOTING THEIR CLASSMATES.
IT WAS EXACTLY
WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
THE CHILDREN SEEMED
TO BE LOSING ALL HOPE.
AND WHAT I HAD SAID WAS,
THERE'S 3 SIMPLE
WORDS OR IDEAS
THAT YOU COULD APPLY
TO A RICH LIFE.
SAY THAT THERE'S
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL,
SOMETHING NOBLE,
SOMETHING SACRED.
AND I MEAN,
JUST BRIEF EXAMPLES
OF WHAT I MEAN BY THAT,
THE SUNSET--
IF WE ALLOW IT TO
TOUCH US? YOU KNOW
DO YOU AND I TAKE TIME
IN OUR DAILY LIVES--
I'M TALKING
ABOUT SECONDS--
TO CONSCIOUSLY BE MOVED
OR TOUCHED BY SOMETHING
WE CONSIDER BEAUTIFUL?
IF EITHER OF
THOSE TWO KIDS THOUGH THERE WAS
A SINGLE THING
IN THE WORLD--
A WORD, AN IDEA, A SONG,
A ROCK GROUP, A MOVIE,
A BIRD, A PERSON,
A RELIGION--
IF THERE WAS
A SINGLE THING
IN THE WORLD
THAT EITHER OF THOSE KIDS
THOUGHT WAS BEAUTIFUL,
NOBLE, OR SACRED,
THEY NEVER COULD HAVE DONE
WHAT THEY DID.
AND THEN,
I JUST REALIZED
WITH A SHUDDER,
IS IT POSSIBLE THA TENS OF MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS
DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE
ANY TIME FOR BEAUTIFUL,
NOBLE, OR SACRED
IN THE VICIOUS,
CRUSHING PACE
OF THIS LIFE
ABOUT WANTING STUFF
AND GETTING STUFF
AND HAVING STUFF
AND USING STUFF
AND BUYING STUFF,
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
REPLACING STUFF,
REPAIRING STUFF,
PROTECTING STUFF,
DEFENDING STUFF?
YOU KNOW,
THAT IT'S SO VICIOUS,
IT'S ANTI-LIFE.
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
Benjamin: TELEVISION'S
A POWERFUL MEDIUM,
TO SAY NOTHING OF
THE INTERNET, VIDEO GAMES,
AND ALL OF THE OTHER SCREENS
AND DEVICES COMPETING
FOR OUR ATTENTION.
BO GAVE US
A PRETTY GOOD SENSE
OF WHAT WAS AT STAKE,
SO WE HEADED UP TO BOSTON
TO MEET DR. SUSAN LINN,
COFOUNDER OF CAMPAIGN FOR
A COMMERCIAL-FREE CHILDHOOD,
AUTHOR OF "CONSUMING KIDS,"
AND SOMETIMES SPECIAL GUES ON "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD."
Dr. Susan Linn:
ADVERTISING AND
MARKETING TO CHILDREN
IS A FACTOR IN
SO MANY OF THE PROBLEMS
FACING CHILDREN TODAY.
THE UNPRECEDENTED
CONVERGENCE OF
COMMERCIALISM
WITH UBIQUITOUS,
MINIATURIZED,
AND INCREASINGLY
SOPHISTICATED
SCREEN MEDIA
IS JUST A DISASTER
FOR CHILDREN.
IT'S HONED BY
CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS.
IT'S BROUGHT TO US
BY BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND THIS INCREDIBLY
SOPHISTICATED
TECHNOLOGY--
TO PUT IT IN
PERSPECTIVE, IN 1983,
COMPANIES WERE SPENDING
$100 MILLION ANNUALLY
MARKETING TO KIDS.
NOW, THEY'RE SPENDING
OVER $17 BILLION.
AND THIS IS JUS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Benjamin: IN FACT,
17 BILLION IS JUS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
DIG A LITTLE DEEPER,
AND THE DATA BECOMES
PRETTY ALARMING
PRETTY QUICKLY.
EVERY DAY,
THE AVERAGE CHILD SPENDS
7 HOURS STARING AT SCREENS.
BY THE TIME
THEY'RE 18 YEARS OLD,
THEY'VE WITNESSED
200,000 ACTS OF
TELEVISED VIOLENCE
AND ONE MILLION ADS.
98% OF FOOD ADS TARGETED
AT CHILDREN ARE FOR PRODUCTS
HIGH IN SUGAR,
SODIUM, AND FAT.
IT'S NOT TERRIBLY
SURPRISING, THEN,
THAT OBESITY RATES
AMONGST CHILDREN 6 TO 11
HAVE QUADRUPLED SINCE 1980.
LESS SURPRISING STILL,
87% OF AMERICANS SAY THA CURRENT CONSUMER CULTURE
MAKES IT HARDER TO INSTILL
VALUES IN THEIR CHILDREN.
GOOD MORNING.
19% OF BABIES
UNDER THE AGE OF ONE
HAVE A TELEVISION
IN THEIR BEDROOM IN
THE UNITED STATES.
40% OF 3-MONTH-OLD
BABIES ARE REGULAR
VIEWERS OF TELEVISION.
THE MORE THA BABIES ENGAGE
WITH SCREEN MEDIA,
THE LESS TIME THEY SPEND
IN THE TWO ACTIVITIES
THAT WE KNOW ARE
EDUCATIONAL FOR THEM--
INTERACTING
WITH THEIR PARENTS
AND IN CREATIVE PLAY.
IF WE TAKE TIME,
WE CAN OFTEN GO
MUCH DEEPER,
AS FAR AS
OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE
IS CONCERNED,
THAN WE CAN
IF THERE'S CONSTAN DISTRACTION.
WE HAVE
TO ASK OURSELVES,
"DO WE WANT TO RAISE
A GENERATION OF CHILDREN
"WHO ARE
EITHER BORED OR ANXIOUS
UNLESS THEY'RE IN FRON OF A SCREEN?"
WE KNOW THA SCREEN VIEWING
IS HABITUATING.
NOW HERE, I'M SOMEBODY--
I'M NOT ANTI-TELEVISION.
I WORKED IN TELEVISION.
I CAME OF AGE AT A TIME
WHEN THERE WAS
HUGE POTENTIAL FOR
EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION.
BUT IT'S ALL
OUT OF WHACK NOW.
THERE ARE TOO MANY
SCREENS IN THE LIVES
OF TOO MANY CHILDREN
SELLING THEM
TOO MUCH STUFF.
Mister Rogers:
OFTEN, TELEVISION GIVES
SUCH CONSTANT DISTRACTION,
NOISE AND
FAST-PACED THINGS,
WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW US
TO TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE
THE DEEPER LEVELS
OF WHO WE ARE
AND WHO WE CAN BECOME.
WE'RE RAISING CHILDREN
WHO CAN'T BEAR--
THAT CAN'T BEAR SILENCE.
AND YOU KNOW,
ALL CREATIVITY COMES
OUT OF SILENCE.
IF WE'RE CONSTANTLY
BOMBARDING KIDS WITH
NOISES AND IMAGES,
WE--I MEAN,
THEY'RE NEVER GOING
TO HAVE A CHANCE TO KNOW
WHO THEY REALLY ARE.
Mister Rogers:
IF THE WORLD COULD KNOW
THAT WE DON'T HAVE
TO PUT PEOPLE IN
CONCENTRATION CAMPS
AND ANNIHILATE PEOPLE
JUST BECAUSE
WE'RE ANGRY WITH THEM--
AND THE ANGER PROBABLY
GOES BACK FOR CENTURIES--
IF WE COULD
JUST KNOW THAT...
Benjamin: AUTHOR
AMY HOLLINGSWORTH WAS
A WRITER AT CBN WHEN,
IN 1994,
SHE LANDED
WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRS ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW
IN WHICH MISTER ROGERS
ADDRESSED HIS FAITH.
I KEEP THINKING
THAT EVIL WOULD LIKE
NOTHING BETTER
THAN TO HAVE US
FEEL AWFUL ABOU WHO WE ARE.
THEIR FRIENDSHIP ENDURED
UNTIL MISTER ROGERS'
DEATH,
AS RECOUNTED IN
AMY'S BOOK "THE SIMPLE
FAITH OF MISTER ROGERS."
Amy Hollingsworth:
HE TOLD ME A STORY
ABOUT WHEN HE WAS 8
AND HE WAS AFRAID
TO GO TO SCHOOL
BECAUSE HE WAS BULLIED.
AND HE WAS AFRAID
TO GO TO SCHOOL
BECAUSE, HE SAID--
AND THESE ARE HIS WORDS--
"I WAS SHY AND OVERWEIGHT."
THAT'S THE FIRST LETTER
I EVER GOT FROM HIM--
DECEMBER 5, '94.
SO, HERE'S 8-YEAR-OLD
FRED ROGERS,
AND HE'S WALKING HOME.
HE SENSES THERE'S
SOMEBODY BEHIND HIM,
AND SO, HE LOOKS OVER
HIS SHOULDER,
AND THERE'S--
SOME OF THE BULLIES
ARE BEHIND HIM.
AND SO, HE WALKS
A LITTLE FASTER,
AND THEY WALK
A LITTLE FASTER,
AND THEN, HE RUNS,
AND THEY RUN.
AND THEY SCREAM OUT TO HIM,
"WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU!
WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU,
FAT FREDDY."
THIS IS FROM
MY FIRST VISIT.
THAT'S A VERY TRAUMATIC
THING TO HAPPEN TO A CHILD.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT,
ACCORDING TO HIM, WAS WORSE.
AND THAT IS THA THE GROWN-UPS IN HIS LIFE,
THE ONES THAT WERE
SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE
OF HIM AND EVERYTHING,
SAID, "JUST ACT LIKE
IT DOESN'T BOTHER YOU.
JUST LET ON THA YOU DON'T CARE, AND
THEY'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE."
AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
EVEN AS AN 8-YEAR-OLD,
I KNEW THAT WASN'T RIGHT."
I WENT THROUGH
ALL HIS LETTERS LAST NIGHT,
AND IT WAS REALLY HARD.
I REALLY DIDN'T WAN TO DO IT, BUT I MADE
MYSELF. THANK YOU.
IT'S JUST,
YOU KNOW, I WANTED
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE.
HE WANTED SOMEONE
TO GIVE HIM PERMISSION
TO BE ANGRY.
AND HE SAID, "I WAS ANGRY.
I WAS ANGRY AND RESENTFUL
AT THOSE KIDS FOR
NOT SEEING PAST MY FATNESS
AND MY SHYNESS."
AND HE SAID,
"I USED TO CRY TO MYSELF
WHEN I WAS ALONE,
AND I WOULD CRY
THROUGH MY FINGERS
AS I MADE UP SONGS
ON THE PIANO."
"DEAR AMY,
YOUR BEAUTIFUL NOTE
FOUND ME IN NANTUCKET.
"JOANNE AND I HAVE COME
FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS
TO GET THE CROOKED HOUSE
READY FOR THE CHILDREN
AND GRANDCHILDREN."
IT DIDN'T RESOLVE
FOR HIM THEN.
YOU KNOW, HE SAID
IT TOOK YEARS OF SADNESS
BEFORE HE DECIDED
THAT WHAT HE WOULD DO IS
THAT HE WOULD ALWAYS
LOOK FOR WHAT'S ESSENTIAL
IN ANOTHER PERSON.
HE WOULD ALWAYS LOOK
FOR WHAT'S NOT APPAREN TO THE EYE.
AND HE WOULD ALWAYS
LIFT UP HIS NEIGHBOR.
HE WOULD NEVER DEMEAN
ANOTHER PERSON.
AND THAT'S SIGNIFICAN BECAUSE HE GOT INTO
TELEVISION, AS YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE HE SAID,
"I SAW PEOPLE THROWING PIES
IN OTHER PEOPLE'S FACES,"
AND HE SAID, "THAT'S
SUCH DEMEANING BEHAVIOR.
"AND IF THERE'S
ANYTHING THAT MAKES ME MAD,
IT'S ONE PERSON
DEMEANING ANOTHER."
WELL, WHERE DO YOU THINK
THAT EXPERIENCE CAME FROM?
FROM WHEN
HE WAS 8 YEARS OLD.
I SAY MISTER ROGERS
WAS BORN THAT DAY.
"THE SUN IS MAKING
ITS WAY TO THE SEA
AS I WRITE TO YOU.
I WISH YOU AND JAFFE AND
JONATHAN AND EMILY--"AHH.
"WERE RIGHT BESIDE US
THIS VERY INSTANT."
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF.
IF YOU CAN SEE
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF,
YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO SEE WHAT'S GOOD
ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR.
IF YOU ONLY SEE
WHAT'S AWFUL ABOUT YOURSELF,
THEN IN TURN,
YOU'LL ONLY SEE WHAT'S AWFUL
ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS
THE DAILY CHOICE, HE SAID.
"YOU CAN EITHER BE
AN ACCUSER OR AN ADVOCATE."
I MEAN, IF YOU REALLY
GRASP THAT CONCEPT,
IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
"HOW GOOD THA YOU CAN SHOW YOUR CHILDREN
EARLY IN THEIR LIVES
"THE IMPORTANCE
SILENCE HAS FOR YOU.
"THAT WILL SERVE THEM
ALL THEIR DAYS.
"MAY YOUR HEART AND MIND
CONTINUE TO BE SETTLED
IN GOD'S TENDER CARE.
FRED."
[PIANO PLAYING]
SORRY.
THAT ONE CAUGHT ME
IN THE THROAT.
Benjamin: MISTER ROGERS
RECEIVED HONORARY DEGREES
FROM OVER 40 COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES.
HIS LUMINOUS CAREER
AND EXEMPLARY LIFE EARNED
HIM OVER 200 AWARDS,
INCLUDING TWO PEABODYS,
TWO EMMYS,
THE PRESIDENTIAL
MEDAL OF FREEDOM,
AND INDUCTION
INTO THE TELEVISION
HALL OF FAME.
[ORCHESTRA PLAYING]
IN 1997, MISTER ROGERS
RECEIVED A LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
FROM THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF TELEVISION
ARTS AND SCIENCES.
THERE, IN AN AUDITORIUM
FULL OF SOAP STARS
AND TALK SHOW HOSTS,
HE DID WHAT HE'D DONE
SO EFFECTIVELY
FOR OVER 30 YEARS--
HE ENCOURAGED US
TO SLOW DOWN,
TO THINK A MINUTE,
AND TO BE GRATEFUL.
SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE HELPED ME TO
COME TO THIS NIGHT.
SOME OF YOU ARE HERE.
SOME ARE FAR AWAY.
SOME ARE EVEN IN HEAVEN.
ALL OF US HAVE
SPECIAL ONES WHO HAVE
LOVED US INTO BEING.
WOULD YOU JUST TAKE
ALONG WITH ME
10 SECONDS TO THINK
OF THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HELPED YOU
BECOME WHO YOU ARE,
THOSE WHO HAVE CARED
ABOUT YOU
AND WANTED WHAT WAS BES FOR YOU IN LIFE?
10 SECONDS OF SILENCE.
I'LL WATCH THE TIME.
[SOFT JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin: MISTER ROGERS'
ICONIC RED CARDIGAN SWEATER
HANGS IN A DUSTY DISPLAY
ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
HIS MOTHER KNITTED
EACH ONE BY HAND.
I REMEMBER BEFORE
I'D GO TO SCHOOL
IN THE MORNING,
I WOULD SIT DOWN, AND
I'D WATCH MISTER ROGERS.
I REMEMBER
THE SWEATER THING.
HE'D TAKE OFF
HIS SWEATER, TELL
A STORY OR WHATEVER.
YEAH, I REMEMBER THA REALLY WELL.
HE'D ALWAYS COME IN
WITH THAT LITTLE SWEATER
ON AND EVERYTHING.
IT'S ICONIC.
I GREW UP
WATCHING MISTER ROGERS.
YOU THINK BACK TO YOUR
CHILDHOOD, AND YOU JUS REMEMBER MISTER ROGERS.
YOU COULDN'T ACTUALLY
GO INTO HIS HOUSE,
BUT YOU COULD FEEL
LIKE THAT.
THE CARDIGAN THA HE USED TO WEAR--
YEAH, THE GOOFY
SWEATER, THAT'S
WHAT I REMEMBER.
AND THE TENNIS SHOES.
Benjamin:
FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS,
THAT CARDIGAN,
LIKE HIS TRADEMARK
BLUE SNEAKERS,
PROVIDED SOMETHING
SIMPLE, CONSISTENT,
AND FAMILIAR.
WHAT WAS IMPORTAN TO YOU ABOUT THEM
BEING FAMILIAR WITH
HIS WORK AND HIS SHOW?
JUST THE QUALITY
OF THE LEARNING AND THE--
THE MORALS
THAT HE TAUGH IN HIS SHOW.
EVEN WITH
COMPLEX SUBJECTS FOR KIDS,
HE MANAGED TO COME UP
WITH A VERY GENTLE,
SIMPLE SOLUTION.
A LOT OF THE OTHER
STUFF, I GUESS,
IS ANIMATED CARTOONS
AND EVERYTHING,
BUT THAT WAS, LIKE,
AN ACTUAL PERSON
TALKING
AND EVERYTHING.
Benjamin:
WHAT DO YOU THINK
HE STOOD FOR AS A MAN,
AND WHAT HIS SHOW
STOOD FOR?
HE'S A FRIEND
TO EVERYBODY.
HE DIDN'T HAVE
ANY ENEMIES.
I THINK HE STOOD
FOR LOVING EACH OTHER
THE BEST WAY YOU CAN
AND TO ACCEPT PEOPLE
AS THEY ARE.
TREATING OTHERS WITH
RESPECT AND DIGNITY,
THE WAY YOU WAN TO BE TREATED.
SAFE.
JUST MADE YOU
FEEL SAFE. EXACTLY.
MADE YOU FEEL LIKE
IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD,
EVERYBODY LIKED
EVERYONE, EVERYONE
RESPECTED EVERYONE.
I THINK HE WAS TRYING
TO MAKE KIDS HAPPY.
Benjamin: WELL,
THEORETICALLY,
SO IS MATTEL AND 7-11 WITH
SLURPEES. HOW WAS HIS--
YEAH, BUT THEY WERE
TRYING TO MAKE MONEY.
HE WASN'T TRYING
TO SELL ANYTHING.
HE DIDN'T COME OUT--
IT'S NOT LIKE
THERE'S A BUNCH OF
DOLLS OF MISTER ROGERS
RUNNING AROUND
THAT PEOPLE ARE--
OR LUNCH BOXES
WITH MISTER ROGERS
RUNNING AROUND, OR--
THERE WAS NOTHING
TO SELL FROM IT.
HE WAS JUS THAT LOVING MAN
THAT WAS ABLE
TO GET OUR ATTENTION
AND SHOW US HOW
TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
SEEMED EVERYTHING
WAS ALL GOOD AFTER
I WATCHED THAT SHOW.
WHAT I REALLY LIKED
ABOUT HIM IS WHEN
HE'D COME IN AND SAY,
"IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,"
AND YOU JUST GO UPLIFTED.
AND HE SAID--
WHAT HE WOULD SAY,
SAVANNAH, TO PEOPLE IS,
"I LIKE YOU
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE."
AND WE DON'T HEAR THA ENOUGH IN TODAY'S SOCIETY.
[FOLK MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[TURN SIGNAL CLICKING]
Woman: NBC,
CAN I HELP YOU?
HI, MY NAME'S
BENJAMIN WAGNER.
I'M HERE TO INTERVIEW
TIM RUSSERT AT 10 A.M.
COME ALONG, SIR.
THAT THE LATE TIM RUSSER IS COUNTED AMONGS MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORS
SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE.
LIKE MISTER ROGERS,
RUSSERT IS A CHILD OF
THE INDUSTRIAL NORTHEAST.
AND AS MISTER ROGERS
PRESIDED OVER
ONE OF
THE LONGEST-RUNNING PROGRAMS
ON PUBLIC TELEVISION,
SO, TOO, DID RUSSER ON NETWORK TELEVISION
WITH HIS 17 YEARS
AT THE HELM OF
"MEET THE PRESS."
OK. HOW WE DOING?
THERE HE IS.
BENJAMIN WAGNER.
HOW ARE YOU?
NICE TO SEE YOU.
PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
THIS IS CHRISTOFER WAGNER.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
ALL RIGHT. BROTHERS.
WHEN I TOOK OVER
"MEET THE PRESS"
15 YEARS AGO,
I TALKED TO MY DAD
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
AND THE WORDS HE GAVE ME
WERE "KEEP IT SIMPLE."
JUST TALK LIKE
YOU'RE TALKING TO ME
ACROSS THE TABLE.
DON'T GET CAUGHT UP
IN ALL THAT FANCY
WASHINGTON VOCABULARY.
Benjamin:
"MEET THE PRESS,"
THE NATION'S
LONGEST-RUNNING NETWORK
TELEVISION PROGRAM.
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD,"
PUBLIC TELEVISION'S
LONGEST-RUNNING PROGRAM.
I WONDER IF
YOU CAN DRAW ANY MEANING
OR CONNECTIONS
FROM THAT BACK.
WELL, THEY'RE BOTH
NATIONAL TREASURES.
AND...I HAPPEN TO BE
A TEMPORARY CUSTODIAN,
AND I THINK FRED
WOULD SEE HIMSELF AS
A TEMPORARY CUSTODIAN.
AND ALLOWING MORE
AND MORE PEOPLE TO SEE I AS IT'S REPLAYED
AND REPLAYED AND REPLAYED,
EVEN AFTER HIS DEATH.
AND THE ESSENCE
OF THOSE PROGRAMS WAS,
"LET'S GET PEOPLE
OF GOOD INTENTIONS
AND OPEN HEARTS
"TO SIT DOWN AND TALK.
TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER,
AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER."
MR. PRESIDENT, WELCOME BACK
TO "MEET THE PRESS."
THANK YOU, TIM.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE
CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE?
I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED,
AS MY MOM AND DAD TAUGHT ME,
AND I KNOW FRED ROGERS
TAUGHT MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS,
THAT TRUE QUALITY,
TRUE WHOLESOMENESS,
DOES RISE
AND IS EMBRACED
AND RESPECTED.
Benjamin: LIKE
MISTER ROGERS AND ME,
TIM, HIS WIFE MAUREEN,
AND SON LUKE
FIRST MET MISTER ROGERS
ON NANTUCKET.
Tim Russert:
OUR SON WAS BORN IN '85,
AND WE RENTED A PLACE
AT WASHINGTON POND ROAD
AND THEN, MADAKET,
RIGHT ON MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE,
THE WHEEL HOUSE.
AND THERE,
WE WERE INVITED
TO A PARTY,
AND LO AND BEHOLD,
WHO WAS THERE
BUT MISTER ROGERS?
IT WAS KIND OF
A COOL EVENING.
HE WAS WEARING
THIS CARDIGAN SWEATER.
MY SON,
WHO WATCHED HIM
ALL THE TIME,
JUST SAID, "ROGERS,"
WHICH IS WHA HE CALLED HIM.
HE NEVER CALLED HIM MISTER,
HE ALWAYS CALLED HIM ROGERS.
"CAN I WATCH ROGERS?"
AND MISTER ROGERS GO A BIG KICK OUT OF THAT.
AND EVERYONE WAS GETTING
THEIR PAPER PLATES
AND PILING THEM
WITH FOOD,
AND I KEPT LOOKING
IN THE CORNER.
AND MISTER ROGERS HAD TAKEN
A PAPER PLATE
AND HAD WRITTEN
THE NUMBERS ON I AND PU A LITTLE FASTENER HOOK
IN THE MIDDLE
AND MADE THE BIG HAND,
LITTLE HAND.
HE MADE A CLOCK,
AND HE WAS TEACHING LUKE
HOW TO TELL TIME.
AND IT MADE
SUCH AN IMPRESSION ON ME.
HERE WAS THIS MAN
WHO COULD HAVE BEEN
PARTAKING IN SOCIALIZING
OR EATING,
AND INSTEAD,
HE FOUND THE ONE CHILD
IN THE ROOM
AND DECIDED THA HE WAS NOT GOING
TO WASTE ANY TIME
IN EDUCATING,
NURTURING THIS CHILD.
HE WAS GOING TO TEACH HIM
HOW TO TELL TIME.
THEN, WE TOOK
SOME PICTURES WITH LUKE,
AND I WAS HOLDING HIM,
AND I SENT THEM
TO MISTER ROGERS,
AND HE SIGNED THEM,
BUT HE WROTE ON THE BACK,
"TO LUKE, WHO HAS THIS PHOTO
THROUGH THE KINDNESS
OF HIS FATHER."
AND AGAIN, LESSON TWO.
TEACHING LUKE
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPEC AND HONOR OF A PAREN AND APPRECIATION
OF A PARENT.
IT JUST CONFIRMED TO ME
WHAT I ALWAYS THOUGHT,
IN OBSERVING MISTER ROGERS
IN A TELEVISION BOX,
THAT HE WAS
A UNIQUE HUMAN BEING,
FOREVER GIVING,
FOREVER TEACHING,
FOREVER NURTURING,
FOREVER TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF EVERY MOMEN TO TELL PEOPLE THA IT IS IMPORTAN THAT WE RESPECT ONE ANOTHER
AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
WHAT A LASTING LEGACY.
I--I DON'T KNOW
IF WE'LL EVER SEE
HIS KIND AGAIN.
10 DAYS AGO,
I SAID SOMETHING--
IT'S NOT UP TO ME.
IN 2000, WHEN I HAD
THE FAMOUS BOARD,
"FLORIDA! FLORIDA! FLORIDA!"
WHEN ALL THE COMPUTERS BLEW UP,
IT WAS, FOR ME,
REMINISCENT OF A TABLE MY DAD HAS ON HIS DRESSER.
AND HE TAKES
ONE PAGE AT A TIME,
WALKS TO
THE KITCHEN TABLE,
AND WORKS OU HIS BUDGET.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE GOING TO DECIDE
WHETHER THIS THING ENDS
TOMORROW, ENDS FRIDAY,
ENDS A MONTH FROM NOW.
IT'S BASIC, AND YET,
IT IS THE BASICS THAT,
AS MISTER ROGERS
WOULD SAY, ARE SO DEEP.
AND THEY'RE
SO IMPORTANT TO US.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
LOUD FOR PEOPLE TO
PAY ATTENTION TO YOU.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT MISTER ROGERS TAUGHT, TOO.
YOU CAN WALK INTO
A ROOM AND BE RESPECTFUL
AND BE CIVIL
AND HAVE
VERY STRONG VIEWS,
BUT LEARN HOW
TO DISAGREE AGREEABLY.
AND THE THING
THAT BAFFLES ME
ABOUT WASHINGTON,
AS WE SIT HERE AND TALK,
IS THAT WE ALL LEARN
THESE SAME LESSONS.
BUT SOMEHOW,
PEOPLE COME HERE
AND FORGET THEM.
AND I THINK THE WORLD
WOULD BE A LOT BETTER OFF,
AND I KNOW THAT RELATIONS
BETWEEN CONGRESS
AND THE WHITE HOUSE
WOULD BE A LOT BETTER OFF
IF THEY REMEMBERED
AND LISTENED TO BIG RUSS
AND MISTER ROGERS.
I'M JUST A NEIGHBOR
WHO COMES AND
VISITS CHILDREN.
HAPPEN TO BE
ON TELEVISION.
BUT I'VE ALWAYS
BEEN MYSELF.
I NEVER TOOK
A COURSE IN ACTING.
I JUST FIGURED THA THE BEST THING THA YOU CAN OFFER ANYBODY
IS YOUR HONEST SELF.
AND THAT'S
WHAT I'VE DONE
FOR LOTS OF YEARS.
Benjamin: FROM THE NBC NEWS
WASHINGTON BUREAU,
WE DROVE TO
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
TO MEET FORMER CORRESPONDEN SUSAN STAMBERG.
IN HER TENURE HELMING NPR'S
"ALL THINGS CONSIDERED,"
MS. STAMBERG DEVELOPED
A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH MISTER ROGERS,
ONE THAT LEFT HER
INEXTRICABLY CHANGED.
WE HERE AT NATIONAL
PUBLIC RADIO DEAL
WITH LIFE'S REALITIES
AND THE HIDEOUS
AND HORRIBLE EVENTS
OF THE DAY.
FRED DID, TOO, IN A WAY.
HE WOULDN'T PUSH
THAT ASIDE.
AND I WOULD REPEATEDLY
CALL HIM WHEN THERE WAS
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY--
THE CRASH OF
THE "CHALLENGER,"
FOR INSTANCE,
OR THE ATTEMPTED
ASSASSINATING OF
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN,
AND PUT HIM ON THE AIR
AND SAY,
"WHAT SHOULD WE TELL OUR
CHILDREN ABOUT THIS?"
Announcer: NPR'S
SPECIAL CORRESPONDEN SUSAN STAMBERG REPORTS.
WHEN
MISTER ROGERS SPOKE,
CHILDREN LISTENED.
Mister Rogers:
WELCOME, NEIGHBOR.
I LIKE BEING TELEVISION
NEIGHBOR WITH YOU.
HE WAS ALWAYS AWARE
OF THE WORLD AROUND US
AND DID EVERYTHING HE
COULD TO HELP CHILDREN
CONNECT WITH I AND UNDERSTAND IT.
SO WHENEVER I WOULD
CALL HIM THAT WAY
IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME
OF THE WORST EVENTS AND
SCENES OF THIS COUNTRY,
HIS ANSWERS WERE ALWAYS
SO USEFUL.
JUST WAYS OF TELLING
THE TRUTH TO CHILDREN,
BUT IN TERMS THA THEY COULD UNDERSTAND.
FOR DECADES, FRED ROGERS
TOLD CHILDREN
AND THE REST OF US
THAT HE LIKED US
JUST THE WAY WE ARE.
HE WAS THE BEST FRIEND
AMERICA'S FAMILIES
EVER HAD.
HE WENT TO SEMINARY.
HIS GOAL WAS
TO BECOME A MINISTER.
BUT THE IDEA WAS THA HE'D NEVER SIMPLY HAVE
A CONGREGATION
IN A SINGLE CHURCH.
THE TELEVISION
WOULD BE HIS CHURCH.
AND WHAT HIS GOAL WAS
WAS TO REACH OU TO THAT AUDIENCE,
TO SPREAD HIS WORD,
THE MESSAGES THAT WERE
IMPORTANT TO HIM,
WHICH WERE MESSAGES
OF GENUINE FEELING,
GENUINE EMOTION,
SENTIMENT, SOMETIME.
THAT WAS FINE WITH HIM.
ADDRESSING
CHILDREN'S FEARS,
ADDRESSING
WHAT HE UNDERSTOOD
DEEP INSIDE HIMSELF
ABOU WHAT CHILDHOOD WAS,
BECAUSE HE HAD
A LOT OF THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE
SUCH A CLICHE TO SAY
"HANG ONTO
THE CHILD WITHIN YOU,"
BUT FRED KNEW
HOW TO DO THAT,
AND HE KNEW HOW TO
REACH OUT TO CHILDREN
AND TALK TO THEM
EXACTLY ON THEIR LEVEL,
NEVER PATRONIZING,
BUT ALWAYS EMBRACING
AND ENCOMPASSING
WHO THEY WERE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING
SAINTLY ABOUT FRED,
YOU KNOW.
AND HE WOULD WALK
INTO A ROOM,
AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE
THERE WERE CHILDREN--
BUT NOT ONLY CHILDREN,
BECAUSE ADULTS REACTED
THIS WAY
TO HIM AS WELL--
AND THE ELECTRICITY,
THE MOLECULES,
CHANGED IN THE AIR.
YOU FELT THA YOU WERE IN THE PRESENCE
OF THIS FIGURE,
NOT AT ALL
SELF-IMPORTANT,
NOT AT ALL
BECAUSE OF ANYTHING
"LOOK AT ME"
THAT HE DID.
HE NEVER DID THAT.
BUT JUS HIS VERY PRESENCE
CHANGED THE BEHAVIOR
OF PEOPLE AROUND HIM.
THEY GOT SOFTER,
AND THEY GOT FAR LESS
SELF-PROTECTIVE,
SELF-DEFENSIVE.
THEY JUST BECAME
THEIR INNER SELVES,
BUT THEIR INNER SELVES
GOT ON THE OUTSIDE.
I THINK ONE OF
THE TOUGHEST THINGS
FOR CHILDREN IS
FOR THEIR PARENTS
NOT TO BE GETTING ALONG.
WE DID
THESE TWO SPECIALS
FOR ADULTS.
REALLY,
THE MOST TOUCHING ONE
WAS HOW YOU TALK WITH
CHILDREN ABOUT DIVORCE.
DIVORCE FEELS LIKE
IT'S RIPPING A PIECE
OF CLOTH APART.
IT WAS JUS SO PAINFUL,
AND SO MANY
OF THE PEOPLE
IN THE AUDIENCE
HAD GONE THROUGH
DIVORCE.
AND THEN, A WONDERFUL
THING HAPPENED--
PEOPLE STARTED
STANDING UP
IN THE AUDIENCE,
AND THIS WOMAN WOULD
TELL HER DIFFICULTY,
AND ANOTHER MAN
ON THE OTHER SIDE
SAID TO HER,
WELL, THAT HAPPENED TO
ME, AND HERE'S WHAT I
DID WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
AND SO, YOU'VE GOT THIS
COMMUNITY OF HELPERS,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
PEOPLE TALKING
TO EACH OTHER ABOU THE TOUGHEST EXPERIENCES
OF THEIR LIVES
AND CREATING A COMMUNITY
RIGHT THERE ON LIVE TV.
IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
AND OF COURSE, FRED WAS
THE FACILITATOR.
WE NEED HIM ALMOS WITH EACH PASSING DAY
MORE AND MORE,
THAT SET OF VALUES
THAT HE OFFERED,
THAT IDEA THAT HE LIKED
US JUST THE WAY WE ARE.
I MEAN, WHO EVER TELLS
US THAT IN THIS WORLD?
THEY'LL TELL YOU,
"WE LIKE YOU AS YOU ARE,
BUT YOU OUGH TO CUT YOUR HAIR,"
OR, "WE LOVE YOU,
BUT LOSE 10 POUNDS,"
OR, "YOU'RE TERRIFIC,
BUT GET AN 'A'
ON THE EXAM."
THERE WAS ONLY
FRED ROGERS
WHO WOULD SAY
"JUST THE WAY YOU ARE--
THAT'S JUST FINE."
[GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING]
Benjamin: CHRIS AND I
LEARNED PRETTY QUICKLY
THAT THERE ARE NO
COINCIDENCES IN "MISTER
ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD."
STILL, WE WERE A LITTLE
SURPRISED TO LEARN
TO LEARN THAT BACK HOME
IN NEW YORK CITY
AUTHOR TIM MADIGAN,
WHO RECOUNTS HIS FRIENDSHIP
WITH MISTER ROGERS
SO BEAUTIFULLY
IN "I'M PROUD OF YOU,"
WOULD BE SPEAKING A THE BOOKSTORE AT THE END
OF OUR STREET.
TIM WAS NAMED TEXAS
REPORTER OF THE YEAR
IN 1996 AND '97
AND HAS WRITTEN
TWO BOOKS.
PLEASE WELCOME
TIM MADIGAN.
TIM WAS A HEAVILY DECORATED
NEWSPAPER REPORTER
FOR THE "FORT WORTH
STAR TELEGRAM"
WHEN IN THE FALL OF 1995,
HE CALLED MISTER ROGERS
FOR AN ARTICLE
HE WAS WRITING
ON TELEVISION VIOLENCE
AND ITS AFFECT ON CHILDREN.
THAT PHONE CALL WAS
THE BEGINNING OF AN 8-YEAR,
LIFE-ALTERING FRIENDSHIP.
THE FIRST TIME WE TALKED
ON THE TELEPHONE,
IT WAS LATE IN
AN HOUR-LONG CONVERSATION
THAT HE SAID TO ME,
"TIM, DO YOU KNOW WHA THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IN THE WORLD IS TO ME
RIGHT NOW?"
AND I SAID, "NO,
WHAT'S THAT, MISTER ROGERS?"
AND HE SAID, "TALKING
TO TIM MADIGAN
ON THE TELEPHONE."
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
YEAH, RIGHT.
BUT WHEN I GOT TO KNOW HIM,
I REALIZED THAT WHAT HE WAS
TELLING ME THAT DAY
WAS THE LITERAL TRUTH.
THAT IS HOW
HE LIVED HIS LIFE.
WHOEVER WAS IN FRON OF HIM AT THE TIME
HE WAS WHOLLY PRESENT TO.
THE TELEVISION PART OF I WASN'T CENTRAL TO MY EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE I WASN' A MISTER ROGERS KID.
WHAT WAS CENTRAL WAS
THIS HUMANITY
THAT WAS KIND OF
REVEALING ITSELF
MOMENT BY MOMEN IN EVERYTHING HE DID.
IN THE PASSAGES
I'M ABOUT TO READ,
I THINK YOU WILL GE A SENSE BOTH OF FRED
AND HOW HE WAS IN
A HUMAN RELATIONSHIP
AND WHA THE IMPERATIVE WAS
FOR ME TO WRITE THIS BOOK.
HE WAS A VERACIOUS READER
OF SPIRITUAL LITERATURE,
A GREAT STUDENT OF RELIGION
AND SPIRITUALITY,
AND A GREAT STUDEN OF JUST KIND OF HUMANKIND.
HE HAD THE PHRASE FROM
SAINT-EXUPERY HANGING
ON THE WALL OF HIS OFFICE,
"THAT WHICH IS MOST ESSENTIAL
IS INVISIBLE TO THE EYE."
AND ACCORDING TO HIS
OWN WRITING AND HIS OWN BOOKS,
HE TALKED ABOUT, AS A CHILD,
BEING WOUNDED BY OTHER KIDS
AND SUFFERING BY OTHER KIDS.
AND SO HE SAID HE SPEN THE REST OF HIS LIFE LOOKING,
TRYING TO FIND THE ESSENTIAL
INVISIBLE IN OTHER PEOPLE.
WHEN SHE ANSWERED,
SHE HEARD THAT SOF WONDERFUL VOICE
AT THE OTHER END
OF THE LINE.
"IS THIS MRS. MADIGAN?"
THE VOICE SAID.
"WHY, YES, IT IS."
"THIS IS FRED ROGERS
CALLING FROM PITTSBURGH."
"OH, MY GOODNESS,"
MY MOTHER STUTTERED.
IT WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS OR SO
AFTER WE ME THAT I WROTE HIM A LETTER
SAYING, "I THINK IT'S GREA THAT WE'RE FRIENDS,
"BUT IF WE'RE
GONNA BE FRIENDS,
YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW
THE STATE OF MY INSIDES,
WHICH ARE NOT VERY GOOD
AT THE MOMENT."
AND THAT'S WHEN I WROTE HIM
A LETTER BASICALLY SAYING
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE
I COULD NEVER GET MY DAD
TO BE PROUD OF ME.
AND SO I SAID, "FRED,
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU,"
IN THIS LETTER I WROTE.
I SAID, "WOULD YOU
BE PROUD OF ME?"
IT SEEMS...
I DON'T KNOW WHY I PU A STAMP ON IT AND SENT IT,
BUT I DID.
AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS,
I HAD THE REPLY,
YOU KNOW, IN CAPITAL LETTERS
WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS,
"YES, YES. I AM PROUD OF YOU.
I HAVE BEEN PROUD OF YOU
SINCE FIRST WE MET."
HE WAS LOOKING FOR
THE ESSENTIAL INVISIBLE.
AND ONE OF HIS
FAVORITE PHRASES WAS,
"ANYTHING MENTIONABLE
IS MANAGEABLE."
AND SO HE WOULD WRITE
IN THAT LETTER
AND SUBSEQUENTLY
HOW HONORED HE WAS
THAT SOMEONE COULD SHARE
THAT KIND OF THING WITH HIM.
Benjamin: OVER TIME,
TIM AND MISTER ROGERS
EXCHANGED DOZENS
OF LETTERS AND EMAILS,
DEVELOPING A DEEP,
INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP.
LATER, WHEN MARITAL
STRAIN AND HIS BROTHER'S
CANCER DIAGNOSIS
HAD PLUNGED HIM INTO
A DEEP DEPRESSION,
TIM REACHED OUT AGAIN.
MY BROTHER BY THIS TIME
WAS PARALYZED
AND HAD ONLY
A FEW WEEKS TO LIVE.
AND HE AND I GREW UP
A YEAR APART.
YOU COULD PROBABLY
APPRECIATE WHAT THA MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE.
I WROTE HIM A LETTER
SAYING, "FRED, IF THIS IS
WHERE A GOOD LIFE LEADS,
WHY DO WE BOTHER
TO BE GOOD?"
HE WROTE ME BACK SAYING,
"YOU KNOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND
HOW YOU'D FEEL THAT WAY."
IT WASN'T, NO, NO, NO, TIM.
DON'T--DON'T--
IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, TIM,
I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW
YOU'D FEEL THAT WAY.
AND IT WASN'T THA HE HAD ANY GREAT BROMIDE
THAT HE SUMMONED DOWN
FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP
'CAUSE MY BROTHER WAS DYING
OR MY MARRIAGE
WAS FALLING APART.
HERE'S WHAT HE WOULD SAY.
I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU.
I LOVE YOU.
I'M PROUD OF YOU.
AND ULTIMATELY,
AND ONE OF THE THINGS
I'VE LEARNED IS,
THAT'S ALL WE NEED.
MOM DASHED THE WIRELESS
RECEIVER UPSTAIRS
AND HANDED IT TO STEVE
IN HIS BED.
"IT'S MISTER ROGERS,"
SHE WHISPERED.
FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR,
THE REST OF US CROWDED
INTO THE ADJOINING KITCHEN
TRYING TO EAVESDROP
ON THEIR CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE PEOPLE
IN THIS WORLD
WHO EVERY SO OFTEN
COME ALONG AND REMIND US
OF WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF
AS A SPECIES.
THERE ARE SO MANY EXAMPLES
TO THE CONTRARY,
BUT THAT PURITY, WISDOM,
COMPASSION,
AND THE ABILITY TO BE PRESEN IN A HISTORIC KIND OF WAY.
AND SO WHEN I READ
THAT LETTER
AND TREMBLE AND WEEP,
AND THEN EVENTUALLY REALIZE
THAT AS YOU DID,
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING
ALMOST SUPERNATURAL
GOING ON WITH HIM
THAT HE HIMSELF WOULD
NEVER COP TO FOR SURE.
IT WAS ALMOST EERIE
IN TERMS OF HOW HE COULD
VERY GENTLY PROBE
INTO YOUR LIFE
AND TO WHAT WAS THE TRUTH
OF YOUR INSIDES
AND THE TRUTH OF YOUR
ESSENTIAL INVISIBLES,
AS IT WERE,
IN A WAY THAT YOU KNEW
THAT THE PERSON SITTING
IN THE OTHER CHAIR
WAS WHOLLY SAFE
AND WHOLLY GENUINE.
WHEN YOU HAVE BOTH PEOPLE
LISTENING IN A CONVERSATION
FROM THAT PUREST PAR OF THEIR BEING,
AMAZING, IMAGINABLE THINGS
HAPPEN IN RELATIONSHIPS.
PEOPLE ASK ME,
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED
FROM MISTER ROGERS
THAT YOU TRY TO IMPLEMEN IN YOUR LIFE TODAY,
AND THAT'S IT.
IF ANYTHING, THAT'S IT.
IT'S TO BE PRESENT IN LIFE,
NO MATTER WHAT I'M DOING.
Woman: THANK YOU.
IT REALLY MEANT A LOT TO ME.
I GREW UP WATCHING
"MISTER ROGERS," OBVIOUSLY,
SO THAT ALL--
RIGHT. YOU'RE
DEFINITELY
THE MISTER ROGERS
GENERATION.
IF I CAN DO IT 5%
OF THE TIME,
I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING
A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
HE DID IT FROM THE MOMEN HE WOKE UP IN THE MORNING
UNTIL THE TIME HE WEN TO BED AT NIGHT,
WHICH IN ITSELF
IS MIRACULOUS,
IN MY OPINION.
WELL, TIME FOR THE HUG.
GOOD LUCK.
STAY IN TOUCH.
WHEN YOU'VE BEEN WITH HIM
IN A REAL WAY FOR
ANY LENGTH OF TIME,
THE WORLD LOOKS
A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
IT JUST DOES.
Benjamin: WHEN AUTHOR
AND ILLUSTRATOR MARC BROWN
WAS APPROACHED TO TURN
HIS BELOVED AWARD-WINNING
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
FEATURING ARTHUR
THE AARDVARK
INTO A TELEVISION SERIES,
HE BALKED.
WITH FRED ROGERS
AS HIS MENTOR, THOUGH,
BROWN WAS PERSUADED TO USE
THE MEDIUM FOR GOOD.
WHEN CHRIS AND I FOUND OU THAT HE LIVED IN TRIBECA,
WE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE
TO MEET HIM.
MY FIRST ENCOUNTER
WITH FRED
WAS AS A PARENT IN MY STUDIO
WHILE I WAS WORKING.
AND I REMEMBER TOLAN
BEING 2 OR 3 YEARS OLD
AT THE TIME,
AND I HAD A DEADLINE
AND I NEEDED SOME HELP.
AND I TURNED ON
THE TELEVISION SE AND THERE WAS FRED WITH
HIS WARM, COMFORTING,
WELCOMING VOICE.
HE UNDERSTOOD
THE POWER OF TELEVISION,
BECAUSE IT'S AN INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL MEDIUM.
IT'S EASY TO DISMISS I AS SOMETHING BAD,
BUT IT'S NOT BAD.
THE MEDIUM IS WONDERFUL.
IT'S JUST THAT WE
MISUSE IT SO OFTEN.
AND ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.
HE LOOKED FOR
SUBJECT MATTER
THAT WOULD HELP A CHILD,
SOMETHING THAT A CHILD
MIGHT BE STRUGGLING WITH,
AND THEN CREATE A SHOW
AROUND THA THAT WAS REALLY GONNA
KIND OF COME AT THAT SUBJEC FROM ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
AND BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT WAS MY ROLE MODEL,
THAT WAS MY GUIDE WITH ARTHUR.
HE LEAD THE WAY FOR,
I THINK, A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO DO
SOMETHING FOR KIDS,
NOT JUST USE TELEVISION
AS SOME WAY TO SELL PRODUCTS.
FRED AND I TALKED
ABOUT THAT A LO BECAUSE IT'S A WAY
TO GET INTO THE HOUSE
AND IT'S A WAY TO GE INTO A CHILD'S MIND.
IT'S VERY, VERY POWERFUL.
AND TO USE THA IN A WAY THAT'S TRYING
TO SELL A PRODUC SEEMS TERRIBLY WRONG
AND MANIPULATIVE
AND IT HAPPENS
WAY TOO OFTEN.
HE HAD THIS SPECIAL ABILITY
TO LOOK WITHIN EVERY PERSON
HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH.
HE WAS JUST SO OPEN
AND SO ABLE TO SENSE
WHAT THINGS WERE INSIDE YOU,
WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU,
AND TO BE ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT DIFFICULT THINGS.
BUT WHEN FRED TALKED TO YOU,
HE WAS THERE 100%.
YOU WERE THE FULL SPAN
OF HIS ATTENTION.
AND IT WAS HIS GOAL
AT THAT MOMENT WITH YOU
TO REALLY FOUND OU WHAT HE COULD ABOUT YOU.
HE WAS A GREAT TEACHER.
THAT'S WHAT HIS GIF WAS TO ME.
I THINK IT WAS TEACHING
BY DOING.
AND HE DID IT IN SUCH
A SIMPLE, DISARMING WAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T REALIZE
THAT YOU WERE BEING INSTRUCTED.
Benjamin: IN THE 1980s,
JOURNALIST LINDA ELLERBEE'S
"NBC NEWS OVERNIGHT"
WAS DUBBED THE BEST WRITTEN
AND MOST INTELLIGEN NEWS REPORT EVER.
Announcer:
THIS IS "NICK NEWS"
WITH LINDA ELLERBEE.
INSPIRED IN NO SMALL PAR BY FRED ROGERS,
SHE LAUNCHED "NICK NEWS"
FOR CHILDREN
AND TEENAGERS IN 1991
THE SHOW HAS RECEIVED
ALL SORTS OF AWARDS SINCE,
INCLUDING 3 PEABODYS,
FOR ITS FRANK DISCUSSION
OF DIFFICULT SUBJECTS
LIKE HIV AIDS,
SAME SEX MARRIAGE,
AND GLOBAL WARMING.
I CAME TO KNOW
MISTER ROGERS' WORK
BECAUSE MY KIDS WATCHED
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD."
THAT'S THE WAY MANY
OF US CAME TO IT.
IT WAS WONDERFUL BECAUSE
IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW
THINGS ON TELEVISION
THAT YOU COULD PLOP
YOUR KIDS DOWN IN FRON OF THE TV
AND NOT FEEL GUILTY.
YOU KNEW THAT YOU
WEREN'T JUST USING TV
AS A BABYSITTER,
YOU WERE PUTTING
YOUR KID INTO THE HANDS
OF A MAN THAT WOULD
NEVER DO THEM ANY HARM
AT ALL.
AND WOULD, IN FACT,
DO THEM A GREAT DEAL
OF GOOD.
NOW, ALL THESE
YEARS LATER--
I'VE BEEN PRODUCING
"NICK NEWS" FOR--THIS
IS MY 16th YEAR NOW.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING
TO KIDS, SOMETIMES
I ASK THEM,
"WHAT'S YOUR FIRS MEMORY OF TELEVISION?"
"WHAT'S THE FIRST THING
YOU EVER WATCHED ON TV?"
I WOULD SAY 90% OF THEM
SAY "MISTER ROGERS."
THE SHOW IS ABOU GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE.
IT'S ABOUT DIVERSITY,
RESPECT, AND TOLERANCE.
WHEN WE WERE INVENTING
"NICK NEWS,"
WHICH IS FOR
AN OLDER AUDIENCE,
OUR AUDIENCE IS AROUND,
YOU KNOW, 9 TO 14,
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
I WANT TO INCORPORATE
SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT I LEARNED
FROM MISTER ROGERS.
THE FIRST BEING,
RESPECT YOUR AUDIENCE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT AGE THEY ARE,
THEY DESERVE
YOUR RESPECT.
AND THE SECOND WAS,
ASSUME THEY'RE
JUST AS BRIGH AS YOU ARE,
THEY'RE MERELY
YOUNGER AND SHORTER.
Benjamin: WHEN ELLERBEE
FINALLY MET MISTER ROGERS
IN PERSON
BACKSTAGE AT AN INDUSTRY
AWARD SHOW,
SHE FOUND THAT HE WAS
A FAN OF HER AS WELL.
I WAS SO IMPRESSED
WITH MEETING HIM.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE
A GREAT IMPRESSION
AND SAY SOMETHING
VERY CLEVER.
AND I STUCK MY HAND
OUT AND SAID--
[BABBLING]
I--I JUST--
I WAS SO BLOWN AWAY
BY THE FACT THA I WAS MEETING
MISTER ROGERS
AND THAT HE WAS
THIS REAL PERSON
STANDING IN FRON OF ME.
AND HE, OF COURSE,
DID WHAT HE DOES
TO EVERYONE,
HE MADE ME FEEL
INSTANTLY RELAXED
AND IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHA HE'S DONE FOR KIDS
FOR YEARS.
HE'S MADE THEM
FEEL RELAXED
AND IMPORTANT.
TODAY WE'VE TALKED ABOU LIVING IN AND COPING WITH
THE REAL WORLD,
THE WHAT IS, NOT THE WHA YOU OR I OR SOMEBODY ELSE
MIGHT WISH IT WERE.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
HE WROTE ME A LETTER
IN WHICH HE TALKED
ABOUT OUR SHOW,
"NICK NEWS."
AND THEN HE GAVE ME
WHAT WAS PROBABLY
THE BEST COMPLIMEN I'VE EVER GOTTEN.
HE SAID, THE THING ABOU YOUR SHOW IS NOT ONLY IS
IT WONDERFUL FOR KIDS,
BUT IT THOUGHT TO BE
REQUIRED VIEWING FOR
ALL THE GROWNUPS
BECAUSE IN
EXPLAINING THE NEWS
TO KIDS,
YOU DO A BETTER JOB
OF EXPLAINING I TO GROWNUPS
THAN ANY OF THE
GROWNUP NEWSCASTS.
NOW, TO HAVE FRED
ROGERS SAY SOMETHING
LIKE THAT TO YOU
IS CERTAINLY BETTER
THAN ANY AWARD I'VE
EVER WON.
FRED ROGERS
ACKNOWLEDGES KIDS FEARS
AND THEIR FEELINGS.
HE WOULD TALK TO KIDS
ABOUT TOUGH THINGS
IN THEIR LIFE.
HE DIDN'T SHY AWAY.
HE DIDN'T SAY THE WORLD
IS ALL POSIES OUT THERE,
BUT HE NEVER CU THE BODY OPEN AND LEF IT LYING ON THE FLOOR,
WHICH GOES TO OUR RULE
OF WHEREVER YOU FIND
BAD THINGS HAPPEN,
YOU FIND GOOD PEOPLE
TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER.
HE ASSUMED THAT EVERYONE
WATCHING HIM
HAD INSIDE THEMSELVES
THIS WONDERFUL PERSON
THAT WAS JUST DYING
TO GET OUT.
AND HE WAS GONNA OPEN
THE DOOR FOR YOU,
AND THEN HELP YOU OPEN
THE DOOR FOR OTHERS.
THAT'S PRETTY SIMPLE
AND THAT'S PRETTY DEEP.
Benjamin: PHOTOGRAPHER
BEVERLY HALL ARRIVED
ON NANTUCKET BY ACCIDEN WHEN SHE BOARDED
THE WRONG FERRY IN 1964.
SHE'S LIVED ON THE ISLAND
EVER SINCE.
HER PHOTOGRAPHY
IS EVERYWHERE THERE,
INCLUDING AN ICONIC PORTRAI OF MISTER ROGERS
AND LOCAL LEGEND
MADAKET MILLIE JEWETT.
SO CHRIS AND I MADE
A SPECIAL TRIP
TO ASK BEV WHAT IT WAS LIKE
TO BE MISTER ROGERS'
REAL LIFE NEIGHBOR.
BEV LIVES JUST UP
HITHER CREEK FROM
THE CROOKED HOUSE
IN A HOME SHE BUIL WITH HER HUSBAND SASHA.
[BELL DINGS]
THIS IS THE SOUND
OF THE UNIVERSE.
WELCOME HOME.
SHE FIRST ME MISTER ROGERS IN 1965
WHEN THE BURGEONING
TELEVISION ICON
CAME TO PICK UP ONE OF
HIS TWO SONS AT BEV'S
THEN FLEDGLING ART SCHOOL.
EVERYBODY WAS VERY WIDE-EYED
AND VERY EXCITED AND BUBBLY.
"IT'S FRED ROGERS.
FRED ROGERS."
IN FACT, FRED USED TO
WALK AROUND TOWN.
PEOPLE KNEW WHO HE WAS,
BUT NANTUCKET GIVES
PEOPLE A LOT OF SPACE.
YOU KNOW, THE STAR POWER
DOESN'T REALLY--
AND HE'S JUST QUIETLY
THE STAR,
BUT THE KIDS IMMEDIATELY,
OBVIOUSLY, RECOGNIZED HIM.
SO I GOT TO KNOW FRED
FIRST AS A NEIGHBOR
HERE IN MADAKET,
AND THEN IN NEW YORK.
I WAS WORKING WITH
EZRA JACK KEATS,
WHO WRITES BOOKS
FOR CHILDREN,
AND I WAS HIS ASSISTAN IN HIS NEW YORK STUDIO.
AND FRED ROGERS WAS COMING
TO VISIT EZRA JACK KEATS.
HE WAS A GREAT ADMIRER
OF EZRA'S.
FOR ME, IT WAS BRINGING
BOTH OF MY WORLDS,
NEW YORK AND NANTUCKET,
TOGETHER.
ONE DAY THERE WAS A KNOCK
ON MY DOOR.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR
IT FIRST HAPPENED,
BUT LITTLE, LITTLE
GENTLE KNOCK,
AND I LOOK OUT THERE
AND THERE'S FRED
STANDING THERE.
AND IT WAS LIKE, WOW,
YOU KNOW, FRED'S AT MY DOOR.
AND I WAS COMPLETELY
UNEXPECTED.
HE'S NOT THE KIND OF PERSON
THAT WOULD CALL
AND SAY, "I'M COMING
TO VISIT YOU."
HE'S A NEIGHBOR
AND HE'S JUST STOPPING BY,
WHICH IS SOMETHING
I LOVED ABOUT MADAKET.
THAT WAS THE OLD DAYS.
PEOPLE WOULD STOP BY.
Benjamin: "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" VISITED
NANTUCKET IN 1974
FOR A SERIES ENTITLED
"OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS,"
IN WHICH HE SPEN AN AFTERNOON WITH
MADAKET MILLIE.
BEV HALL WAS THERE
WITH HER CAMERA.
WHEN I LOOK AT THESE
PHOTOGRAPHS,
ALL I CAN REMEMBER IS
HOW HARD IT WAS RAINING.
AND YOU'D NEVER KNOW I EXCEPT FOR THE UMBRELLAS
BECAUSE THE TWO OF THEM
WERE JUST SUCH GOOD FRIENDS
AND HAD SO MANY
STORIES TO SHARE.
FRED WAS TALKING TO MILLIE
ABOUT SOME OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS.
SHE GOT OU HER COAST GUARD HAT,
SHE GOT OUT HER CERTIFICATE.
THEY JUST CHATTED AWAY
ABOUT ONE THING OR THE NEXT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
FRED IN HIS OWN INIMITABLE WAY
WAS PHOTOGRAPHING MILLIE
AS WELL AS HE WAS BEING
PHOTOGRAPHED WITH MILLIE.
THAT'S THIS TIME WHEN I GO THIS RATHER FORTUNATE
ICONIC PHOTOGRAPH
OF THE TWO OF THEM
TOGETHER.
AND YOU CAN SEE
FRED'S LITTLE MICROPHONE.
AND ASIDE FROM THAT,
THEY JUST LOOK LIKE
TWO NEIGHBORS
WHO JUST STOPPED BY
TO SAY HELLO TO EACH OTHER.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL
OF RESPECT BETWEEN
THE TWO OF THEM.
AND I KNOW THAT FRED
USED TO WATCH OUT FOR MILLIE
AND MILLIE WATCHED OU FOR FRED.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAY
THAT FRED STOPPED BY,
AND I WILL ALWAYS
BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS,
WAS THE DAY AFTER 9/11.
AND I STILL REMEMBER, AGAIN,
THE LITTLE KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
IT'S A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT TIME, BUT--
AND THERE WAS FRED
AND JOANNE TOGETHER.
AND THEY SAID, WE JUST WAN TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORS.
Benjamin: ON OUR WAY
BACK TO THE AIRPORT,
BEV DROVE US TO SAINT PAUL'S
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
WHERE SHE'S WORSHIPPED
ALONGSIDE MISTER ROGERS
FOR DECADES
TO SHOW A RECENT ADDITION.
AND OUR BELOVED
FRED ROGERS,
WHO USED TO SI IN THIS PEW.
AND HERE AND HERE.
AND THERE HE IS RIGH WITH HIS SWEATER.
THE WEEKEND AFTER
FRED PASSED AWAY,
WE PUT THE SWEATER HERE
ON THE BACK OF THE PEW
AND WE JUST PU ONE WHITE BALLOON.
AND PEOPLE DIDN'T SAY
A WORD, BUT EVERYBODY
RECOGNIZED IT.
AND SOME KNEW
AND SOME DIDN'T KNOW.
SO HE WAS SUCH A FRIEND
OF SAINT PAUL'S,
AND HE WAS AS FAITHFUL
AS HE COULD BE WHEN
HE WAS HERE.
ALWAYS WORE HIS LITTLE
LIGHT BROWN JACKET.
MAY HAVE SAW HIM IN A
SUIT A COUPLE OF TIMES,
BUT VERY INFORMAL
WITH THE SNEAKERS.
JUST LIKE THAT.
ANYWAY, THAT'S IT.
I THINK THAT'S
PRETTY SPECIAL.
I THINK, TOO.
Benjamin:
FROM MISTER ROGERS'
SUMMER HOME IN NANTUCKET,
CHRIS AND I NEXT POINTED
OURSELVES TOWARD HIS
ADOPTED HOME OF PITTSBURGH
TO MEET UP WITH "THIS
AMERICAN LIFE" CONTRIBUTOR
AND "FOUND" MAGAZINE CREATOR
DAVY ROTHBART.
LIKE ME, DAVY ME MISTER ROGERS IN MADAKET.
UNLIKE ME, HE WAS JUS 4 YEARS OLD.
Man: FROM WBEZ CHICAGO
AND PUBLIC RADIO
INTERNATIONAL,
"THIS AMERICAN LIFE,"
I'M IRA GLASS.
TODAY ON OUR SHOW,
MR. ROTHBART'S NEIGHBORHOOD,
IN WHICH AN AVERAGE
CHICAGOAN DECIDES TO APPEAL
THE DISPUTES AND PROBLEMS
IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD
TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY,
MISTER ROGERS.
YES, THAT MISTER ROGERS.
I MET MISTER ROGERS
WHEN I WAS A KID
A COUPLE OF TIMES.
WE WERE DOING A SHOW
FOR "THIS AMERICAN LIFE"
ABOUT NEIGHBORS.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL,
I'VE GOT TO TALK TO
THE NEIGHBOR, YOU KNOW.
THE NEIGHBOR WE ALL GREW
UP WITH, MISTER ROGERS.
Davy:
HI, MISTER ROGERS.
Mister Rogers:
HI, DAVY.
HI.
WELCOME.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
OH, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
WELCOME TO THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD.
OH, IS THIS IT?
THIS IS ME VISITING
YOU ON NANTUCKET.
I REMEMBERED THAT I
LIKED HIS SHOW AS A KID,
YOU KNOW,
AND HAD THOSE MEMORABLE
MEETINGS WITH HIM,
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF
HE'D BE ABLE TO DEAL
WITH, LIKE,
REAL WORLD PROBLEMS,
ADULT PROBLEMS IN,
YOU KNOW, IN A REAL WAY.
[WHISTLING]
OUR FIRST STOP,
JULIE,
WHO DOESN'T LIKE
THE LOUD MUSIC FROM
THE APARTMENT BELOW.
Julie: I GET THE BROOM,
THE WEAPON OF CHOICE
AND I COME OU AND I POUND I ON THE FLOOR.
[POUNDING]
OK, THE TRUTH IS,
HER LOUD DOWNSTAIRS
NEIGHBOR, IT'S ME.
[WHISTLING]
Mister Rogers:
GOOD FOR YOU, JULIE.
I HATE LOUD MUSIC.
[LAUGHS]
WE STARTED WITH SILENCE,
AND I WILL ALWAYS UPHOLD
A PERSON'S RIGH TO SILENCE.
HE WAS SO WISE
AND SO DEEP.
I FELT LIKE HE FOUND
SIMPLE AND DEEP
SOLUTIONS
FOR EVERY TAPE THA I PLAYED FOR HIM.
HE GOT REALLY INTO
THE IDEA, YOU KNOW.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT YOU'RE
GETTING TO KNOW JULIE.
AND ONCE YOU DO KNOW HER,
THEN EITHER YOUR MUSIC ISN' GOING TO BOTHER HER SO MUCH,
OR YOU'RE GOING TO CARE
SO MUCH ABOUT HER
THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY
TURN IT DOWN A COUPLE
OF NOTCHES ANYWAY.
MISTER ROGERS WAS
FEARLESS ABOUT JUS SPEAKING SO SOFTLY,
GATHERING THOUGHTS,
PAUSING FOR LIKE
10 SECONDS.
EVEN ON TV, YOU NEVER
WOULD SEE THA THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW.
YOU'D NEVER SEE
SOMEONE LOOKING
AT THE CAMERA,
YOU KNOW, ENGAGING
QUITE THAT DEEPLY
AND THEN
JUST THINKING
FOR A SECOND,
AND THEN
CONTINUING ON.
IT'S SO EASY TO CONDEMN
WHEN WE DON'T KNOW.
PERHAPS WE THINK THAT,
OH, THERE MAYBE ARE PEOPLE
IN THIS WORLD
WHO I CAN'T EVER
COMMUNICATE WITH,
AND SO I'LL JUS GIVE UP BEFORE I TRY.
AND HOW SAD IT IS
TO THINK THA WE WOULD GIVE UP
ON ANY OTHER CREATURE
WHO'S JUST LIKE US.
WHAT I FEEL LIKE
I LEARNED FROM
MISTER ROGERS
WAS REALLY MORE
THE WAY THAT HE
CARRIED HIMSELF.
THE WAY HE COULD
FOCUS SO MUCH
ON ONE THING
AND ONE PERSON,
THE WAY HE CARED
SO DEEPLY ABOUT OTHER
PEOPLE'S STORIES.
THAT'S KIND OF FORMED,
LIKE, ALL THE WORK
THAT I DO.
SO I WANT TO SHARE
WITH YOU GUYS A FEW
OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES,
A FEW NEW ONES THA PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME
WHILE I'VE BEEN ON
THIS TOUR.
AND THEN MY BROTHER PETER'S
GONNA COME UP
AND PLAY A COUPLE
OF SONGS FOR YOU
BASED ON SOME OF THESE
FOUND NOTES.
"FOUND" MAGAZINE,
THE MAGAZINE I MAKE,
YOU KNOW, IT'S
ALL NOTES AND LETTERS
THAT PEOPLE FOUND ON
THE GROUND, FOUND ON
THE STREET.
IT'S COULD BE A LOVE LETTER,
A TO-DO LIST.
MAYBE SOMEONE'S
JOURNAL ENTRY.
PEOPLE FIND THIS STUFF,
YOU KNOW, BLOWING DOWN
ALLEYWAYS,
PRISON GUARDS.
YOU KNOW, IN THE OCEAN.
IT'S JUST ABOU COLLECTING OTHER
PEOPLE'S STORIES
AND HAVING THIS,
LIKE, DEEP AND
SINCERE INTERES IN WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE
OF BEING HUMAN IS LIKE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SEEMED LIKE MISTER
ROGERS, TO ME,
WAS ALWAYS DOING.
"ANYWAY, JAVIER
BOUGHT ME A FISH.
"IT WAS $35 AND SO COOL.
"WE NAMED IT SNOWBALL
'CAUSE HE'S BLACK AND WHITE.
IT'S A SALTWATER FISH.
IT'S THE DOPEST FISH
I EVER SAW."
[LAUGHTER]
WHEN I LAUGH AT ONE
OF THESE FOUND NOTES,
I'M LAUGHING AT MYSELF
BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN
THE SAME PITIFUL
LOVE NOTE
LIKE A HUNDRED TIMES
BEFORE MYSELF.
"HE SAID HE WAS WILLING
TO TAKE A CHANCE,
"SO WE STARTED GOING OUT.
"THEN, 23 MINUTES LATER,
I BROKE UP WITH HIM.
IT JUST WASN'T WORKING."
IT'S EASY IN YOUR LIFE
TO FEEL ISOLATED.
YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOME
PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE
AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
THAT CAN--
YOU KNOW, NOBODY ELSE
UNDERSTANDS WHA I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW.
BUT YOU PICK UP SOME
NOTE OFF THE GROUND
FROM A TOTAL STRANGER
AND IT TURNS OUT THA THEY ARE EXPERIENCING
THE SAME DIFFICUL PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE
GOING THROUGH.
AND IT'S A POWERFUL
THING BECAUSE ALL OF
A SUDDEN YOU FEEL LIKE,
YOU KNOW,
I'M NOT ALONE HERE.
SOMEBODY ELSE IS DEALING
WITH THE SAME THING.
AND I THINK
MISTER ROGERS DEALT WITH
SOME ISSUES ON HIS SHOW
THAT WERE PRETTY UNUSUAL
FOR CHILDREN'S
TELEVISION,
YOU KNOW,
DEATH, DIVORCE.
AND I THINK THA WAS WHAT HE WANTED
TO COMMUNICATE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS
IS STUFF WE ALL HAVE TO
DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW.
AND IT'S LIKE
YOU'RE NOT WEIRD
BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING--
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE
AFRAID YOU'RE GONNA GO
DOWN THE DRAIN
OR BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS
ARE GETTING DIVORCED,
YOU KNOW.
AND TO ME, THAT TAKES
COURAGE TO GRAPPLE WITH
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
I THINK I'M BUSY
BECAUSE I'M LIVING
IN A VAN
AND READING GARBAGE TO
PEOPLE IN COFFEE HOUSES.
THIS GUY HAD A DAILY
TELEVISION SHOW
AND YET HE STILL HAD
THE ABILITY TO BE
THAT CALM
AND THAT FOCUSED
AND THAT OPEN.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
AHH
LOVE IS HERE TO STAY
NO MATTER WHA PEOPLE SAY...
Benjamin: MISTER ROGERS
CARE FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
MANIFESTED
IN EVERYTHING HE DID
AND EVERYONE HE MET.
I KNOW I FELT I WHEN I WAS WITH HIM.
HE WAS COMPLETELY PRESENT,
ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC,
AND MADE EVEN THE MOS DIFFICULT SUBJECTS SEEM
SAFE AND MANAGEABLE.
I'VE WONDERED
MORE THAN ONCE OVER
THE COURSE OF OUR JOURNEY
WHETHER MISTER ROGERS
EVER HAD ANY INTENTION
OF SETTING US ON THIS PATH,
OPENING ALL THESE DOORS,
MEETING ALL THESE PEOPLE,
EVEN HEALING A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK HE DID.
SO LOVE IS
THE ONLY WAY
[WAVES CRASHING]
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" WAS FAR
LARGER THAN HIS WQED STUDIO.
IT WAS A WORLD
FULL OF CONNECTIONS,
SERENDIPITY,
AND SYNCHRONICITY.
LITTLE WONDER THAN THA JUST AS THIS JOURNEY WAS ENDING,
ANOTHER HAD JUST BEGUN.
IN SEPTEMBER 2007,
BO LOZOFF PRESIDED
AT MY WEDDING.
AND ANY DAY NOW,
ABBY AND I ARE EXPECTING
OUR FIRST CHILD.
IT'S AS IF HE KNEW IT ALL
ALL ALONG.
I'M JUST SO PROUD OF
ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE
GROWN UP WITH US,
AND I KNOW HOW TOUGH
IT IS SOME DAYS
TO LOOK WITH HOPE AND
CONFIDENCE ON THE MONTHS
AND YEARS AHEAD.
BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO TELL YOU WHA I OFTEN TOLD YOU
WHEN YOU WERE
MUCH YOUNGER,
I LIKE YOU JUS THE WAY YOU ARE.
IN SO MANY CONCERTED WAY,
MISTER ROGERS HELPED ALL
OF US BECOME WHO WE ARE.
HE CARED ABOUT US.
HE WANTED WHAT'S BES FOR US IN LIFE.
HE LOVED US INTO BEING.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU
FOR HELPING THE CHILDREN
IN YOUR LIFE
TO KNOW THAT YOU'LL DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN
TO KEEP THEM SAFE
AND TO HELP THEM EXPRESS
THEIR FEELINGS
IN WAYS THAT WILL BRING
HEALING IN MANY
DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING
TO KNOW THAT WE'RE
LIFELONG FRIENDS.
IN THE END,
IT DAWNED ON ME THA MAYBE LIFE ISN'T DEFINED
BY JUST A FEW CRUCIAL
MOMENTS AFTER ALL.
IT'S AN AGGREGATE
OF ALL THE SMALLER ONES.
SUNSETS, SILENCE, AND SONG.
EVERY TINY GESTURE,
EVERY WARM WORD,
EVERY SHARED SMILE
MATTERS.
EVERY SECOND IS
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MAKE A CHOICE.
AHH
SO WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?
HOW WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE
DEPTH AND SIMPLICITY
TO A SHALLOW
AND COMPLEX WORLD?
AHH
HOW WILL YOU HONOR THOSE
WHO LOVED YOU INTO BEING?
TAKE 10 SECONDS.
I'LL WATCH THE TIME.
AHH
[VOCALIZING]
GATHER ROUND
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
GATHER ROUND
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
GATHER ROUND
YOU KNOW IT'S UP TO YOU
YOU KNOW IT'S UP TO YOU
YEAH
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
[NEW SONG BEGINS]
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
COME ON, LET IT IN
COME ON, LET'S BEGIN
COME ON,
IT'S UP TO US
YOU MAY HAVE A DIAMOND
OR A TRUCKLOAD OF GOLD
YOU MAY LIVE IN A HIGH-RISE
AND HAVE SOMEONE TO HOLD
OR YOU MAY BE
ON YOUR LAST DIME WITH
NO WHEELS ON YOUR CAR
YES, WE DO LOVE THE SUNSHINE,
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
COME ON, LET IT IN
COME ON, LET'S BEGIN
COME ON,
IT'S UP TO US
SO GO FIND YOUR MOTHER
AND TELL HER YOU LOVE HER
YOUR SISTERS
AND YOUR BROTHERS
HOLD EACH OTHER'S HANDS
YOU KNOW IT'S
IN YOUR HAND
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
WAKE UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
SO COME ON, LET IT IN
COME ON, LET'S BEGIN
COME ON,
IT'S UP TO US
[LAUGHTER]
[CHILDREN LAUGHING]
[GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING]
[FILMSTRIP CLICKING]
Benjamin Wagner:
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE
JUST A FEW CRUCIAL MOMENTS
THAT DEFINE OUR LIVES.
FOR ME, SO FAR,
THEY'RE AS FOLLOWS--
I WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1971,
IN IOWA CITY, IOWA,
TO A GRADUATE STUDEN AND A NURSE.
3 WEEKS LATER,
WE MOVED.
AS A KID, I LOVED TWO THINGS
MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE--
SINGING AND WRITING.
WHEN MY PARENTS DIVORCED
IN OCTOBER OF 1981,
I ESCAPED
INTO MY HEADPHONES
AND THE PAGES OF
"ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE.
A FEW MONTHS LATER,
MY MOTHER, BROTHER CHRISTOFER,
AND I MOVED
FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN 10 YEARS
TO SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA
WHILE MY FATHER REMAINED BEHIND
IN THE MIDWEST,
INITIATING YEARS OF
HEARTBREAKING, BACK-AND-FORTH
CROSS-COUNTRY
PLANE TRIPS.
IN 1993, I GRADUATED
FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
WITH DUAL DEGREES
IN CREATIVE WRITING
AND JOURNALISM.
AFTER GRADUATION,
CHRIS AND I MOVED
TO NEW YORK CITY,
WHERE TIMING, LUCK,
AND A LITTLE BIT OF
EXPERIENCE CONSPIRED
TO AFFORD ME MY DREAM JOB
AT THE PREEMINENT MUSIC NETWORK.
YEAH,
THAT MUSIC VIDEO NETWORK.
PERHAPS THE DEFINING MOMEN OF MY LIFE SO FAR
OCCURRED IN
SEPTEMBER 2001
ON A TINY ISLAND
30 MILES OFF THE COAS OF MASSACHUSETTS.
WE WERE ON NANTUCKET,
A SLEEPY LITTLE
WHALING TOWN
TURNED UPSCALE RESOR DESTINATION.
I'D ONLY STEPPED OFF THE FERRY
A FEW HOURS AGO.
IT WAS LABOR DAY 2001,
THE WEEKEND
OF MY 30th BIRTHDAY.
MY CELL PHONE
WAS STILL VIBRATING
AS I STOOD ON THE BACK PORCH
WATCHING THE LAST RAYS OF LIGH SPILL OVER THE HORIZON.
THE BUZZ OF NEW YORK CITY
WAS SLIPPING AWAY
AS I SETTLED INTO
A QUIET ISLAND NIGHT.
WHEN SUDDENLY, A FAMILIAR VOICE
FROM THE EDGE OF THE DUNE ASKED,
"IS THE BIRTHDAY BOY HERE?"
I TURNED TO SEE
AMERICA'S FAVORITE NEIGHBOR
REACHING OU TO SHAKE MY HAND.
SEE, MISTER ROGERS SUMMERED
IN A MODEST GRAY
SHAKE SHINGLED HOUSE
ON THE EDGE OF NANTUCKET ISLAND.
MY MOTHER RENTED
THE TINY COTTAGE NEXT DOOR.
SO MISTER ROGERS
REALLY WAS MY NEIGHBOR.
[FOLK ROCK MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin:
FRED McFEELY ROGERS WAS BORN
TO JAMES AND NANCY ROGERS
ON MARCH 20th, 1928,
IN LATROBE, PENNSYLVANIA,
A THRIVING INDUSTRIAL TOWN
40 MILES SOUTHEAS OF PITTSBURGH.
HE WAS AN ONLY CHILD
UNTIL THE AGE OF 11,
WHEN HIS PARENTS ADOPTED
A BABY GIRL, ELAINE.
A LONELY AND SHY LITTLE BOY,
FREDDY ROGERS ENTERTAINED
HIMSELF WITH HIS PIANO
AND HIS PUPPETS.
HIS GRANDFATHER,
FRED McFEELY,
ENCOURAGED HIM TO BE
ALL THAT HE COULD,
OFTEN TELLING HIM,
"YOU'VE MADE THIS
A SPECIAL DAY, FREDDY,
"BY JUST YOUR BEING YOURSELF.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON
IN THE WORLD LIKE YOU."
FRED GRADUATED
LATROBE HIGH SCHOOL IN 1946.
HE ATTENDED DARTMOUTH
FOR A YEAR
BEFORE ENROLLING A ROLLINS COLLEGE IN
WINTER PARK, FLORIDA.
HE GRADUATED
MAGNA CUM LAUDE
WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
IN MUSIC COMPOSITION IN 1951
AND MARRIED CLASSMATE
SARA JOANNE BYRD
SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
THOUGH HE PLANNED
TO ENTER SEMINARY,
HE CHOSE INSTEAD
TO GO INTO BROADCASTING.
HIS TELEVISION CAREER
BEGAN IN EARNES AT THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING
COMPANY IN NEW YORK CITY,
WHERE HE WORKED AS
AN ASSISTANT PRODUCER
AND FLOOR DIRECTOR
FOR SUCH PROGRAMS AS
"YOUR LUCKY STRIKE HIT PARADE"
AND THE "KATE SMITH HOUR."
Fred Rogers:
I GOT INTO TELEVISION
BECAUSE I SAW
PEOPLE THROWING PIES
AT EACH OTHER'S FACES,
AND THAT, TO ME, WAS
SUCH DEMEANING BEHAVIOR.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING
THAT BOTHERS ME,
IT'S ONE PERSON
DEMEANING ANOTHER.
THAT REALLY MAKES ME
MAD. [CHUCKLES]
[GUITAR MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin: THE DAY AFTER
I MET MISTER ROGERS,
I JOINED HE AND HIS WIFE
AT THEIR SO-CALLED
CROOKED HOUSE.
I WAS NERVOUS,
LIKE A LITTLE KID,
AS I TRUDGED THROUGH
THE SAND TOWARDS HIS HOME,
MY GUITAR SLUNG
OVER MY SHOULDER.
WE SAT IN THE LIVING ROOM
THERE IN THE BACK,
OVERLOOKING THE BAY.
IT WAS WOOD PANELED
AND STREWN WITH
PHOTOS AND ARTWORK.
THERE WAS LADY ELAINE,
KING FRIDAY, AND TROLLEY.
WE TALKED A WHILE
ABOUT NEW YORK,
WHERE
HE'D ONCE WORKED HIMSELF
AND STILL HAD AN APARTMEN JUST ONE BLOCK FROM MINE.
HE ASKED ABOUT MY PLANS,
MY HOPES, AND MY DREAMS.
I SANG FOR HIM,
AND WHEN I FINISHED,
HE CLAPPED, AND WE DRANK
ANOTHER GLASS OF LEMONADE,
AND I SMILED
AND SMILED AND SMILED
BECAUSE MISTER ROGERS
REALLY WAS MY NEIGHBOR.
AND FRANKLY,
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.
THE STORY
COULD HAVE ENDED THERE.
BUT MISTER ROGERS
ASKED ME IF I'D LIKE
A TOUR OF THE HOUSE.
AND OF COURSE, I DID.
AND SO, HE LED ME
AROUND HIS MAGICAL,
INTIMATE LITTLE HOME.
AND WHILE THERE WAS EVIDENCE
OF DOZENS OF SUMMERS
SPENT THERE--
MISTER ROGERS' PARENTS
GAVE HE AND JOANNE
THE PROPERTY IN 1961--
IT WAS A SPARSE,
ALMOST ASCETIC PLACE.
BUT THE MOST MAGICAL PAR OF MY TOUR OCCURRED
IN HIS STUDY,
OUT BACK
BEHIND THE GARAGE.
THERE WAS
A DESK, A COMPUTER,
AND A SMALL PIANO,
PLUS A BREATHTAKING VIEW OF
THE PALE GREEN GRASSY DUNES
AND THE BRIGHT BLUE SEA
BEYOND.
SITTING THERE IN
THE WANING AFTERNOON LIGHT,
HE ASKED ME SOMETHING
NO ONE EVER DOES.
"TELL ME ABOU YOUR PARENTS' DIVORCE."
AND SO, I TOLD HIM ABOU THE FIGHTS AND THE MOVE
AND HOW CONFUSING IT ALL
WAS AS A 10-YEAR-OLD.
I FELT SO COMFORTABLE
WITH HIM, SO SAFE,
THAT I NEARLY STARTED CRYING
RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT.
MISTER ROGERS SAID SIMPLY,
"THAT MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU."
AND THEN, HE ROLLED
HIS CHAIR OVER TO HIS PIANO
AND BEGAN PLAYING--
FIRST THE THEME
FROM "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD,"
AND THEN,
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY."
EVEN NOW, YEARS LATER,
IT SEEMS LIKE A DREAM.
LATER, MISTER ROGERS AND I
STOOD ON THE BACK PORCH
OF THE CROOKED HOUSE
STARING OUT TO SEA.
HE ASKED ME ABOUT MY JOB,
AND FRANKLY,
I WAS A LITTLE EMBARRASSED.
I MEAN, HERE HE WAS,
AMERICA'S MOST BELOVED NEIGHBOR,
CREATOR AND STEWARD
OF ONE OF TELEVISION'S
MOST SUBSTANTIVE,
LONG-RUNNING SHOWS.
ME, AS ONETIME EDITOR OF
THE HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
AND SOMETIMES
SINGER-SONGWRITER,
MY DAY JOB MADE
A LOT OF SENSE,
BUT I HAD MY MOMENTS
OF AMBIVALENCE, TOO--
A PBS MIND IN A JUMP-CU SOUND-BIT MTV WORLD,
TRYING TO FIGURE OU JUST WHAT I COULD DO
TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE.
MISTER ROGERS DIDN'T RENDER
ANY JUDGMENT,
BUT SAID SIMPLY,
"I FEEL SO STRONGLY
THAT DEEP AND SIMPLE
IS FAR MORE ESSENTIAL
THAN SHALLOW AND COMPLEX."
DEEP AND SIMPLE IS
FAR MORE ESSENTIAL
THAN SHALLOW AND COMPLEX.
[GUITAR MUSIC
PLAYING]
WHEN I RETURNED TO NANTUCKE THE FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER,
I TOLD HIM HOW OFTEN
I'D THOUGHT ABOU OUR "DEEP AND SIMPLE"
CONVERSATION
AND HOW OFTEN
I TOLD OTHERS THE STORY.
"SPREAD THE MESSAGE,"
HE TOLD ME.
"SPREAD THE MESSAGE."
I REMEMBER THINKING,
"ME? WHAT CAN I DO?
YOU'RE THE BELOVED
TELEVISION ICON."
[STATIC]
Male newscaster:
THE DEATH OVERNIGH OF FRED ROGERS
IS SAD NEWS
FOR HIS NEIGHBORS
IN PITTSBURGH
AND FOR HIS MANY FANS
YOUNG AND OLD ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
Benjamin: IT WAS ONLY
THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF TIME
AND MISTER ROGERS' DEATH
ON FEBRUARY 27, 2003,
THAT I DECIDED
JUST WHAT I COULD DO
TO TRY AND MAKE GOOD
ON HIS CHALLENGE TO
SPREAD THE MESSAGE.
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[GUITAR MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin:
CHRIS AND I DECIDED
TO SEEK OU SOME OF MISTER ROGERS'
OTHER FRIENDS
AND NEIGHBORS--
JOURNALISTS, AUTHORS,
ARTISTS, AND EXPERTS
WHO WERE EQUALLY INSPIRED
BY HIS LIFE'S WORK--
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM
AND WHAT HE MEAN BY "DEEP AND SIMPLE."
SO WE MADE SOME CALLS,
GRABBED A CAMERA,
AND HIT THE ROAD.
OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS,
NATURALLY,
WAS TO MEET THE MAN WHO
WROTE THE BOOK, LITERALLY.
[BIRDS SINGING]
Benjamin:
BO AND SITA LOZOFF'S
HUMAN KINDNESS FOUNDATION
IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.
NESTLED IN
THE FOOTHILLS BETWEEN
THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
AND THE COASTAL PLAINS,
THE COUPLE'S 70-ACRE ASHRAM
IS HOME TO A FULL RANGE
OF GOOD WORKS.
Bo Lozoff:
MY BROTHER
COULD USE
A LITTLE MERCY NOW
BO'S PRIMARY EFFOR IS HIS 35-YEAR-OLD
PRISON ASHRAM PROJECT,
WHICH INSPIRES AND
ENCOURAGES PRISONERS TO
USE THEIR INCARCERATION
TO COMMUNE WITH
THEIR SPIRITUAL DEPTHS
AND CREATE COMMUNITY
WITH THEIR PEERS.
"YOU CAN DO THIS."
THOSE 4 WORDS ARE
PROBABLY SAID MORE OFTEN
TO PRISONERS THAN
ANY OTHER 4 WORDS.
"YOU CAN DO THIS."
BO SPENDS MONTHS
ON THE ROAD,
SPEAKING AT PRISONS,
HOSPITALS, CHURCHES,
UNIVERSITIES,
AND SPIRITUAL CENTERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[INDISTINCT]
THE BEST THINGS
IN LIFE ARE FREE.
[LAUGHTER]
HIS BOOK,
"WE'RE ALL DOING TIME,"
CONTAINS A FOREWORD BY
HIS HOLINESS THE DALI LAMA.
ONCE WE'RE DOWN
AT THE HERMITAGE,
WHEN WE CROSS THE BRIDGE,
WE DON'T TALK DOWN THERE.
WE'VE GENERATED
A LOT OF SILENCE
IN THAT LITTLE CABIN.
Benjamin: BO SPENDS
WEEKS MEDITATING
IN SILENT ISOLATION,
AS HE WAS
THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER
WHEN MISTER ROGERS
FIRST TOLD ME ABOUT HIM.
Bo: I WOULD TAKE,
LIKE, 50 STEPS UP AND
50 STEPS BACK WALK
TO KEEP MY LEGS STRETCHED
ON MY 40-DAY RETREATS.
AND I WAS COMING BACK
FROM ONE OF THOSE,
AND AS SOON AS I GO TO ABOUT WHERE CHRIS IS,
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,
BETWEEN HIM AND THE CABIN,
WAS A LONG BLACKSNAKE,
ABOUT A 6-FOOT-LONG SNAKE,
AND IT HAD JUST BEGAN
TO SHED ITS SKIN.
AND I GOT TO STAND THERE
AND WATCH A SNAKE
SHED ITS SKIN.
IT WAS ONE OF
THE GREAT NATURAL THRILLS
OF MY LIFE.
I JUST WATCHED IT CRAWL
OUT OF ITS OLD SKIN
AND LEAVE IT BEHIND.
THOSE ARE
THE KIND OF THINGS
THAT, YOU KNOW,
UNLESS YOU'RE SOMEWHERE,
LIKE, 40 DAYS IN
THE WOODS BY YOURSELF,
YOU NEVER--
YOU JUST--
THERE ARE THINGS
THAT YOU CAN'T SCHEDULE.
BUT IF YOU SHOW UP
EVERY DAY,
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
MIRACULOUS THINGS.
Benjamin:
THE ROGERS MOVED BACK
TO PENNSYLVANIA IN 1953,
WHERE FRED HELPED
TO ESTABLISH
THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC
TELEVISION STATION, WQED.
IN 1954, HE AND CO-HOS JOSIE CAREY PREMIERED
"THE CHILDREN'S CORNER"
FOR NATIONAL
EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION,
INTRODUCING
FOR THE FIRST TIME
BELOVED PUPPET FRIENDS
DANIEL STRIPED TIGER
AND KING FRIDAY XIII.
HE ALSO BEGAN
PART-TIME EFFORTS TOWARDS
A MASTERS OF DIVINITY DEGREE
AT THE PITTSBURGH
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY,
WHICH HE
EVENTUALLY EARNED IN 1962
AND WAS
SUBSEQUENTLY ORDAINED AS
A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER.
IN 1968, BOLSTERED
BY FUNDING FROM THE
SEARS-ROEBUCK FOUNDATION,
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" WAS BROADCAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AROUND 1994,
ONE OF OUR STAFF SAID,
"YOU KNOW,
THIS FRED ROGERS
IN PITTSBURGH--
"YOU KNOW,
PITTSBURGH IS WHERE
"THE MISTER ROGERS SHOW
IS FILMED,
AND I THINK
HIS NAME IS FRED."
AND WE ALL LAUGHED.
AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
HE BUYS MULTIPLE COPIES
"OF ALL OF
YOUR BOOKS AND TAPES,
"AND EVERY TIME
WE'VE COME OU WITH SOMETHING NEW,
"HE'LL BUY 20 COPIES
OR SOMETHING.
AND SO, HE MUS GIVE THEM AWAY."
SHE SAID, "YOU THINK I COULD BE MISTER ROGERS?"
AND WE SAID, "NO."
Benjamin: AS IT ENDS UP,
IT WAS THAT MISTER ROGERS
WHO GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED
HUMAN KINDNESS FOUNDATION
AND PURCHASED HUNDREDS
OF COPIES OF BO'S BOOKS,
INCLUDING ONE CALLED
"DEEP AND SIMPLE."
AND THEN,
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER,
WE GOT A PHONE CALL,
AND MY WIFE ANSWERED,
"IT'S THE HUMAN
KINDNESS FOUNDATION."
AND IT'S AN UNMISTAKABLE
VOICE, YOU KNOW?
"HELLO.
THIS IS FRED ROGERS."
I TALKED WITH HIM
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND HE INVITED US
UP TO THE SET AND
TO TALK WITH HIS STAFF
AND FIND OU MORE ABOUT FCI,
FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS.
AND HE TOLD US
THAT HE GIVES OUT COPIES
OF MY BOOKS
AND CDs AND TAPES,
MENTIONS TO INTERVIEWERS
OR PEOPLE LIKE YOU
THERE'S SOMETHING THA I WROTE IN A NEWSLETTER
LONG, LONG AGO
THAT FRED SAID
HE QUOTED IN JUST ABOU ALL HIS PUBLIC TALKS,
AND THAT IS
THE CAUSE OF ALL
OUR PERSONAL PROBLEMS,
AND NEARLY
ALL THE PROBLEMS
OF THE PLANE CAN BE SUMMED UP
IN A SINGLE SENTENCE--
HUMAN LIFE IS VERY DEEP,
AND OUR DOMINAN MODERN LIFESTYLE IS NOT.
AND FRED LOVED THAT.
ALL RIGHT, ROGERS.
YOU'VE GO THE FLOOR.
[LAUGHTER]
Benjamin: IN 1969,
MISTER ROGERS TESTIFIED
BEFORE CONGRESS
ON BEHALF OF
THE THEN-NASCENT CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
WHEN A $20 MILLION GRAN PROPOSED BY LYNDON JOHNSON
WAS IN JEOPARDY.
Mister Rogers: WE MADE
100 PROGRAMS FOR THE EASTERN
EDUCATIONAL NETWORK.
AND THEN,
WHEN THE MONEY RAN OUT,
PEOPLE IN BOSTON
AND PITTSBURGH AND CHICAGO
ALL CAME TO THE FORE
AND SAID, "WE'VE GOT TO HAVE
MORE OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
EXPRESSION OF CARE."
AND THIS IS WHAT--
THIS IS WHAT I GIVE.
I GIVE AN EXPRESSION OF CARE
EVERY DAY TO EACH CHILD.
AND I FEEL THAT IF
WE IN PUBLIC TELEVISION
CAN ONLY MAKE IT CLEAR
THAT FEELINGS
ARE MENTIONABLE
AND MANAGEABLE,
WE WILL HAVE DONE
A GREAT SERVICE.
I'M SUPPOSED TO BE
A PRETTY TOUGH GUY,
AND THIS IS THE FIRS TIME I'VE HAD GOOSEBUMPS
FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS.
[LAUGHTER]
WELL, I'M GRATEFUL,
NOT ONLY FOR
YOUR GOOSEBUMPS,
BUT FOR YOUR INTERES IN OUR KIND OF
COMMUNICATION.
I THINK
IT'S WONDERFUL.
LOOKS LIKE
YOU JUST EARNED
THE $20 MILLION.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
Benjamin:
NEARLY 900 EPISODES
OF "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" AIRED
ON PUBLIC TELEVISION
FROM 1968
UNTIL JUST A FEW DAYS
BEFORE WE MET IN 2001.
THE SHOW'S PACE, TONE,
AND ROUTINE AFFORDED
GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN
A SAFE, COMFORTABLE,
AND FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT.
I WAS SITTING
WITH MY WIFE IN
FRED ROGERS' OFFICE
TALKING WITH THE STAFF OF
"MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD"
ABOUT CHILDREN
AND VIOLENCE
ON A TUESDAY THAT WAS
THE MOMENT THAT COLUMBINE,
THE SHOOTINGS
AT COLUMBINE,
WERE HAPPENING
WITH ERIC AND DYLAN
SHOOTING THEIR CLASSMATES.
IT WAS EXACTLY
WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
THE CHILDREN SEEMED
TO BE LOSING ALL HOPE.
AND WHAT I HAD SAID WAS,
THERE'S 3 SIMPLE
WORDS OR IDEAS
THAT YOU COULD APPLY
TO A RICH LIFE.
SAY THAT THERE'S
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL,
SOMETHING NOBLE,
SOMETHING SACRED.
AND I MEAN,
JUST BRIEF EXAMPLES
OF WHAT I MEAN BY THAT,
THE SUNSET--
IF WE ALLOW IT TO
TOUCH US? YOU KNOW
DO YOU AND I TAKE TIME
IN OUR DAILY LIVES--
I'M TALKING
ABOUT SECONDS--
TO CONSCIOUSLY BE MOVED
OR TOUCHED BY SOMETHING
WE CONSIDER BEAUTIFUL?
IF EITHER OF
THOSE TWO KIDS THOUGH THERE WAS
A SINGLE THING
IN THE WORLD--
A WORD, AN IDEA, A SONG,
A ROCK GROUP, A MOVIE,
A BIRD, A PERSON,
A RELIGION--
IF THERE WAS
A SINGLE THING
IN THE WORLD
THAT EITHER OF THOSE KIDS
THOUGHT WAS BEAUTIFUL,
NOBLE, OR SACRED,
THEY NEVER COULD HAVE DONE
WHAT THEY DID.
AND THEN,
I JUST REALIZED
WITH A SHUDDER,
IS IT POSSIBLE THA TENS OF MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS
DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE
ANY TIME FOR BEAUTIFUL,
NOBLE, OR SACRED
IN THE VICIOUS,
CRUSHING PACE
OF THIS LIFE
ABOUT WANTING STUFF
AND GETTING STUFF
AND HAVING STUFF
AND USING STUFF
AND BUYING STUFF,
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
REPLACING STUFF,
REPAIRING STUFF,
PROTECTING STUFF,
DEFENDING STUFF?
YOU KNOW,
THAT IT'S SO VICIOUS,
IT'S ANTI-LIFE.
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
Benjamin: TELEVISION'S
A POWERFUL MEDIUM,
TO SAY NOTHING OF
THE INTERNET, VIDEO GAMES,
AND ALL OF THE OTHER SCREENS
AND DEVICES COMPETING
FOR OUR ATTENTION.
BO GAVE US
A PRETTY GOOD SENSE
OF WHAT WAS AT STAKE,
SO WE HEADED UP TO BOSTON
TO MEET DR. SUSAN LINN,
COFOUNDER OF CAMPAIGN FOR
A COMMERCIAL-FREE CHILDHOOD,
AUTHOR OF "CONSUMING KIDS,"
AND SOMETIMES SPECIAL GUES ON "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD."
Dr. Susan Linn:
ADVERTISING AND
MARKETING TO CHILDREN
IS A FACTOR IN
SO MANY OF THE PROBLEMS
FACING CHILDREN TODAY.
THE UNPRECEDENTED
CONVERGENCE OF
COMMERCIALISM
WITH UBIQUITOUS,
MINIATURIZED,
AND INCREASINGLY
SOPHISTICATED
SCREEN MEDIA
IS JUST A DISASTER
FOR CHILDREN.
IT'S HONED BY
CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS.
IT'S BROUGHT TO US
BY BILLIONS AND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND THIS INCREDIBLY
SOPHISTICATED
TECHNOLOGY--
TO PUT IT IN
PERSPECTIVE, IN 1983,
COMPANIES WERE SPENDING
$100 MILLION ANNUALLY
MARKETING TO KIDS.
NOW, THEY'RE SPENDING
OVER $17 BILLION.
AND THIS IS JUS IN THE UNITED STATES.
Benjamin: IN FACT,
17 BILLION IS JUS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
DIG A LITTLE DEEPER,
AND THE DATA BECOMES
PRETTY ALARMING
PRETTY QUICKLY.
EVERY DAY,
THE AVERAGE CHILD SPENDS
7 HOURS STARING AT SCREENS.
BY THE TIME
THEY'RE 18 YEARS OLD,
THEY'VE WITNESSED
200,000 ACTS OF
TELEVISED VIOLENCE
AND ONE MILLION ADS.
98% OF FOOD ADS TARGETED
AT CHILDREN ARE FOR PRODUCTS
HIGH IN SUGAR,
SODIUM, AND FAT.
IT'S NOT TERRIBLY
SURPRISING, THEN,
THAT OBESITY RATES
AMONGST CHILDREN 6 TO 11
HAVE QUADRUPLED SINCE 1980.
LESS SURPRISING STILL,
87% OF AMERICANS SAY THA CURRENT CONSUMER CULTURE
MAKES IT HARDER TO INSTILL
VALUES IN THEIR CHILDREN.
GOOD MORNING.
19% OF BABIES
UNDER THE AGE OF ONE
HAVE A TELEVISION
IN THEIR BEDROOM IN
THE UNITED STATES.
40% OF 3-MONTH-OLD
BABIES ARE REGULAR
VIEWERS OF TELEVISION.
THE MORE THA BABIES ENGAGE
WITH SCREEN MEDIA,
THE LESS TIME THEY SPEND
IN THE TWO ACTIVITIES
THAT WE KNOW ARE
EDUCATIONAL FOR THEM--
INTERACTING
WITH THEIR PARENTS
AND IN CREATIVE PLAY.
IF WE TAKE TIME,
WE CAN OFTEN GO
MUCH DEEPER,
AS FAR AS
OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE
IS CONCERNED,
THAN WE CAN
IF THERE'S CONSTAN DISTRACTION.
WE HAVE
TO ASK OURSELVES,
"DO WE WANT TO RAISE
A GENERATION OF CHILDREN
"WHO ARE
EITHER BORED OR ANXIOUS
UNLESS THEY'RE IN FRON OF A SCREEN?"
WE KNOW THA SCREEN VIEWING
IS HABITUATING.
NOW HERE, I'M SOMEBODY--
I'M NOT ANTI-TELEVISION.
I WORKED IN TELEVISION.
I CAME OF AGE AT A TIME
WHEN THERE WAS
HUGE POTENTIAL FOR
EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION.
BUT IT'S ALL
OUT OF WHACK NOW.
THERE ARE TOO MANY
SCREENS IN THE LIVES
OF TOO MANY CHILDREN
SELLING THEM
TOO MUCH STUFF.
Mister Rogers:
OFTEN, TELEVISION GIVES
SUCH CONSTANT DISTRACTION,
NOISE AND
FAST-PACED THINGS,
WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW US
TO TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE
THE DEEPER LEVELS
OF WHO WE ARE
AND WHO WE CAN BECOME.
WE'RE RAISING CHILDREN
WHO CAN'T BEAR--
THAT CAN'T BEAR SILENCE.
AND YOU KNOW,
ALL CREATIVITY COMES
OUT OF SILENCE.
IF WE'RE CONSTANTLY
BOMBARDING KIDS WITH
NOISES AND IMAGES,
WE--I MEAN,
THEY'RE NEVER GOING
TO HAVE A CHANCE TO KNOW
WHO THEY REALLY ARE.
Mister Rogers:
IF THE WORLD COULD KNOW
THAT WE DON'T HAVE
TO PUT PEOPLE IN
CONCENTRATION CAMPS
AND ANNIHILATE PEOPLE
JUST BECAUSE
WE'RE ANGRY WITH THEM--
AND THE ANGER PROBABLY
GOES BACK FOR CENTURIES--
IF WE COULD
JUST KNOW THAT...
Benjamin: AUTHOR
AMY HOLLINGSWORTH WAS
A WRITER AT CBN WHEN,
IN 1994,
SHE LANDED
WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRS ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW
IN WHICH MISTER ROGERS
ADDRESSED HIS FAITH.
I KEEP THINKING
THAT EVIL WOULD LIKE
NOTHING BETTER
THAN TO HAVE US
FEEL AWFUL ABOU WHO WE ARE.
THEIR FRIENDSHIP ENDURED
UNTIL MISTER ROGERS'
DEATH,
AS RECOUNTED IN
AMY'S BOOK "THE SIMPLE
FAITH OF MISTER ROGERS."
Amy Hollingsworth:
HE TOLD ME A STORY
ABOUT WHEN HE WAS 8
AND HE WAS AFRAID
TO GO TO SCHOOL
BECAUSE HE WAS BULLIED.
AND HE WAS AFRAID
TO GO TO SCHOOL
BECAUSE, HE SAID--
AND THESE ARE HIS WORDS--
"I WAS SHY AND OVERWEIGHT."
THAT'S THE FIRST LETTER
I EVER GOT FROM HIM--
DECEMBER 5, '94.
SO, HERE'S 8-YEAR-OLD
FRED ROGERS,
AND HE'S WALKING HOME.
HE SENSES THERE'S
SOMEBODY BEHIND HIM,
AND SO, HE LOOKS OVER
HIS SHOULDER,
AND THERE'S--
SOME OF THE BULLIES
ARE BEHIND HIM.
AND SO, HE WALKS
A LITTLE FASTER,
AND THEY WALK
A LITTLE FASTER,
AND THEN, HE RUNS,
AND THEY RUN.
AND THEY SCREAM OUT TO HIM,
"WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU!
WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU,
FAT FREDDY."
THIS IS FROM
MY FIRST VISIT.
THAT'S A VERY TRAUMATIC
THING TO HAPPEN TO A CHILD.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT,
ACCORDING TO HIM, WAS WORSE.
AND THAT IS THA THE GROWN-UPS IN HIS LIFE,
THE ONES THAT WERE
SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE
OF HIM AND EVERYTHING,
SAID, "JUST ACT LIKE
IT DOESN'T BOTHER YOU.
JUST LET ON THA YOU DON'T CARE, AND
THEY'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE."
AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
EVEN AS AN 8-YEAR-OLD,
I KNEW THAT WASN'T RIGHT."
I WENT THROUGH
ALL HIS LETTERS LAST NIGHT,
AND IT WAS REALLY HARD.
I REALLY DIDN'T WAN TO DO IT, BUT I MADE
MYSELF. THANK YOU.
IT'S JUST,
YOU KNOW, I WANTED
TO BE ABLE TO SHARE.
HE WANTED SOMEONE
TO GIVE HIM PERMISSION
TO BE ANGRY.
AND HE SAID, "I WAS ANGRY.
I WAS ANGRY AND RESENTFUL
AT THOSE KIDS FOR
NOT SEEING PAST MY FATNESS
AND MY SHYNESS."
AND HE SAID,
"I USED TO CRY TO MYSELF
WHEN I WAS ALONE,
AND I WOULD CRY
THROUGH MY FINGERS
AS I MADE UP SONGS
ON THE PIANO."
"DEAR AMY,
YOUR BEAUTIFUL NOTE
FOUND ME IN NANTUCKET.
"JOANNE AND I HAVE COME
FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS
TO GET THE CROOKED HOUSE
READY FOR THE CHILDREN
AND GRANDCHILDREN."
IT DIDN'T RESOLVE
FOR HIM THEN.
YOU KNOW, HE SAID
IT TOOK YEARS OF SADNESS
BEFORE HE DECIDED
THAT WHAT HE WOULD DO IS
THAT HE WOULD ALWAYS
LOOK FOR WHAT'S ESSENTIAL
IN ANOTHER PERSON.
HE WOULD ALWAYS LOOK
FOR WHAT'S NOT APPAREN TO THE EYE.
AND HE WOULD ALWAYS
LIFT UP HIS NEIGHBOR.
HE WOULD NEVER DEMEAN
ANOTHER PERSON.
AND THAT'S SIGNIFICAN BECAUSE HE GOT INTO
TELEVISION, AS YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE HE SAID,
"I SAW PEOPLE THROWING PIES
IN OTHER PEOPLE'S FACES,"
AND HE SAID, "THAT'S
SUCH DEMEANING BEHAVIOR.
"AND IF THERE'S
ANYTHING THAT MAKES ME MAD,
IT'S ONE PERSON
DEMEANING ANOTHER."
WELL, WHERE DO YOU THINK
THAT EXPERIENCE CAME FROM?
FROM WHEN
HE WAS 8 YEARS OLD.
I SAY MISTER ROGERS
WAS BORN THAT DAY.
"THE SUN IS MAKING
ITS WAY TO THE SEA
AS I WRITE TO YOU.
I WISH YOU AND JAFFE AND
JONATHAN AND EMILY--"AHH.
"WERE RIGHT BESIDE US
THIS VERY INSTANT."
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF.
IF YOU CAN SEE
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF,
YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO SEE WHAT'S GOOD
ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR.
IF YOU ONLY SEE
WHAT'S AWFUL ABOUT YOURSELF,
THEN IN TURN,
YOU'LL ONLY SEE WHAT'S AWFUL
ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS
THE DAILY CHOICE, HE SAID.
"YOU CAN EITHER BE
AN ACCUSER OR AN ADVOCATE."
I MEAN, IF YOU REALLY
GRASP THAT CONCEPT,
IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
"HOW GOOD THA YOU CAN SHOW YOUR CHILDREN
EARLY IN THEIR LIVES
"THE IMPORTANCE
SILENCE HAS FOR YOU.
"THAT WILL SERVE THEM
ALL THEIR DAYS.
"MAY YOUR HEART AND MIND
CONTINUE TO BE SETTLED
IN GOD'S TENDER CARE.
FRED."
[PIANO PLAYING]
SORRY.
THAT ONE CAUGHT ME
IN THE THROAT.
Benjamin: MISTER ROGERS
RECEIVED HONORARY DEGREES
FROM OVER 40 COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES.
HIS LUMINOUS CAREER
AND EXEMPLARY LIFE EARNED
HIM OVER 200 AWARDS,
INCLUDING TWO PEABODYS,
TWO EMMYS,
THE PRESIDENTIAL
MEDAL OF FREEDOM,
AND INDUCTION
INTO THE TELEVISION
HALL OF FAME.
[ORCHESTRA PLAYING]
IN 1997, MISTER ROGERS
RECEIVED A LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
FROM THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF TELEVISION
ARTS AND SCIENCES.
THERE, IN AN AUDITORIUM
FULL OF SOAP STARS
AND TALK SHOW HOSTS,
HE DID WHAT HE'D DONE
SO EFFECTIVELY
FOR OVER 30 YEARS--
HE ENCOURAGED US
TO SLOW DOWN,
TO THINK A MINUTE,
AND TO BE GRATEFUL.
SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE HELPED ME TO
COME TO THIS NIGHT.
SOME OF YOU ARE HERE.
SOME ARE FAR AWAY.
SOME ARE EVEN IN HEAVEN.
ALL OF US HAVE
SPECIAL ONES WHO HAVE
LOVED US INTO BEING.
WOULD YOU JUST TAKE
ALONG WITH ME
10 SECONDS TO THINK
OF THE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HELPED YOU
BECOME WHO YOU ARE,
THOSE WHO HAVE CARED
ABOUT YOU
AND WANTED WHAT WAS BES FOR YOU IN LIFE?
10 SECONDS OF SILENCE.
I'LL WATCH THE TIME.
[SOFT JAZZ MUSIC
PLAYING]
Benjamin: MISTER ROGERS'
ICONIC RED CARDIGAN SWEATER
HANGS IN A DUSTY DISPLAY
ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
HIS MOTHER KNITTED
EACH ONE BY HAND.
I REMEMBER BEFORE
I'D GO TO SCHOOL
IN THE MORNING,
I WOULD SIT DOWN, AND
I'D WATCH MISTER ROGERS.
I REMEMBER
THE SWEATER THING.
HE'D TAKE OFF
HIS SWEATER, TELL
A STORY OR WHATEVER.
YEAH, I REMEMBER THA REALLY WELL.
HE'D ALWAYS COME IN
WITH THAT LITTLE SWEATER
ON AND EVERYTHING.
IT'S ICONIC.
I GREW UP
WATCHING MISTER ROGERS.
YOU THINK BACK TO YOUR
CHILDHOOD, AND YOU JUS REMEMBER MISTER ROGERS.
YOU COULDN'T ACTUALLY
GO INTO HIS HOUSE,
BUT YOU COULD FEEL
LIKE THAT.
THE CARDIGAN THA HE USED TO WEAR--
YEAH, THE GOOFY
SWEATER, THAT'S
WHAT I REMEMBER.
AND THE TENNIS SHOES.
Benjamin:
FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS,
THAT CARDIGAN,
LIKE HIS TRADEMARK
BLUE SNEAKERS,
PROVIDED SOMETHING
SIMPLE, CONSISTENT,
AND FAMILIAR.
WHAT WAS IMPORTAN TO YOU ABOUT THEM
BEING FAMILIAR WITH
HIS WORK AND HIS SHOW?
JUST THE QUALITY
OF THE LEARNING AND THE--
THE MORALS
THAT HE TAUGH IN HIS SHOW.
EVEN WITH
COMPLEX SUBJECTS FOR KIDS,
HE MANAGED TO COME UP
WITH A VERY GENTLE,
SIMPLE SOLUTION.
A LOT OF THE OTHER
STUFF, I GUESS,
IS ANIMATED CARTOONS
AND EVERYTHING,
BUT THAT WAS, LIKE,
AN ACTUAL PERSON
TALKING
AND EVERYTHING.
Benjamin:
WHAT DO YOU THINK
HE STOOD FOR AS A MAN,
AND WHAT HIS SHOW
STOOD FOR?
HE'S A FRIEND
TO EVERYBODY.
HE DIDN'T HAVE
ANY ENEMIES.
I THINK HE STOOD
FOR LOVING EACH OTHER
THE BEST WAY YOU CAN
AND TO ACCEPT PEOPLE
AS THEY ARE.
TREATING OTHERS WITH
RESPECT AND DIGNITY,
THE WAY YOU WAN TO BE TREATED.
SAFE.
JUST MADE YOU
FEEL SAFE. EXACTLY.
MADE YOU FEEL LIKE
IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD,
EVERYBODY LIKED
EVERYONE, EVERYONE
RESPECTED EVERYONE.
I THINK HE WAS TRYING
TO MAKE KIDS HAPPY.
Benjamin: WELL,
THEORETICALLY,
SO IS MATTEL AND 7-11 WITH
SLURPEES. HOW WAS HIS--
YEAH, BUT THEY WERE
TRYING TO MAKE MONEY.
HE WASN'T TRYING
TO SELL ANYTHING.
HE DIDN'T COME OUT--
IT'S NOT LIKE
THERE'S A BUNCH OF
DOLLS OF MISTER ROGERS
RUNNING AROUND
THAT PEOPLE ARE--
OR LUNCH BOXES
WITH MISTER ROGERS
RUNNING AROUND, OR--
THERE WAS NOTHING
TO SELL FROM IT.
HE WAS JUS THAT LOVING MAN
THAT WAS ABLE
TO GET OUR ATTENTION
AND SHOW US HOW
TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
SEEMED EVERYTHING
WAS ALL GOOD AFTER
I WATCHED THAT SHOW.
WHAT I REALLY LIKED
ABOUT HIM IS WHEN
HE'D COME IN AND SAY,
"IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,"
AND YOU JUST GO UPLIFTED.
AND HE SAID--
WHAT HE WOULD SAY,
SAVANNAH, TO PEOPLE IS,
"I LIKE YOU
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE."
AND WE DON'T HEAR THA ENOUGH IN TODAY'S SOCIETY.
[FOLK MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[TURN SIGNAL CLICKING]
Woman: NBC,
CAN I HELP YOU?
HI, MY NAME'S
BENJAMIN WAGNER.
I'M HERE TO INTERVIEW
TIM RUSSERT AT 10 A.M.
COME ALONG, SIR.
THAT THE LATE TIM RUSSER IS COUNTED AMONGS MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORS
SHOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE.
LIKE MISTER ROGERS,
RUSSERT IS A CHILD OF
THE INDUSTRIAL NORTHEAST.
AND AS MISTER ROGERS
PRESIDED OVER
ONE OF
THE LONGEST-RUNNING PROGRAMS
ON PUBLIC TELEVISION,
SO, TOO, DID RUSSER ON NETWORK TELEVISION
WITH HIS 17 YEARS
AT THE HELM OF
"MEET THE PRESS."
OK. HOW WE DOING?
THERE HE IS.
BENJAMIN WAGNER.
HOW ARE YOU?
NICE TO SEE YOU.
PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
THIS IS CHRISTOFER WAGNER.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
ALL RIGHT. BROTHERS.
WHEN I TOOK OVER
"MEET THE PRESS"
15 YEARS AGO,
I TALKED TO MY DAD
THE NIGHT BEFORE,
AND THE WORDS HE GAVE ME
WERE "KEEP IT SIMPLE."
JUST TALK LIKE
YOU'RE TALKING TO ME
ACROSS THE TABLE.
DON'T GET CAUGHT UP
IN ALL THAT FANCY
WASHINGTON VOCABULARY.
Benjamin:
"MEET THE PRESS,"
THE NATION'S
LONGEST-RUNNING NETWORK
TELEVISION PROGRAM.
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD,"
PUBLIC TELEVISION'S
LONGEST-RUNNING PROGRAM.
I WONDER IF
YOU CAN DRAW ANY MEANING
OR CONNECTIONS
FROM THAT BACK.
WELL, THEY'RE BOTH
NATIONAL TREASURES.
AND...I HAPPEN TO BE
A TEMPORARY CUSTODIAN,
AND I THINK FRED
WOULD SEE HIMSELF AS
A TEMPORARY CUSTODIAN.
AND ALLOWING MORE
AND MORE PEOPLE TO SEE I AS IT'S REPLAYED
AND REPLAYED AND REPLAYED,
EVEN AFTER HIS DEATH.
AND THE ESSENCE
OF THOSE PROGRAMS WAS,
"LET'S GET PEOPLE
OF GOOD INTENTIONS
AND OPEN HEARTS
"TO SIT DOWN AND TALK.
TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER,
AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER."
MR. PRESIDENT, WELCOME BACK
TO "MEET THE PRESS."
THANK YOU, TIM.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE
CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE?
I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED,
AS MY MOM AND DAD TAUGHT ME,
AND I KNOW FRED ROGERS
TAUGHT MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS,
THAT TRUE QUALITY,
TRUE WHOLESOMENESS,
DOES RISE
AND IS EMBRACED
AND RESPECTED.
Benjamin: LIKE
MISTER ROGERS AND ME,
TIM, HIS WIFE MAUREEN,
AND SON LUKE
FIRST MET MISTER ROGERS
ON NANTUCKET.
Tim Russert:
OUR SON WAS BORN IN '85,
AND WE RENTED A PLACE
AT WASHINGTON POND ROAD
AND THEN, MADAKET,
RIGHT ON MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE,
THE WHEEL HOUSE.
AND THERE,
WE WERE INVITED
TO A PARTY,
AND LO AND BEHOLD,
WHO WAS THERE
BUT MISTER ROGERS?
IT WAS KIND OF
A COOL EVENING.
HE WAS WEARING
THIS CARDIGAN SWEATER.
MY SON,
WHO WATCHED HIM
ALL THE TIME,
JUST SAID, "ROGERS,"
WHICH IS WHA HE CALLED HIM.
HE NEVER CALLED HIM MISTER,
HE ALWAYS CALLED HIM ROGERS.
"CAN I WATCH ROGERS?"
AND MISTER ROGERS GO A BIG KICK OUT OF THAT.
AND EVERYONE WAS GETTING
THEIR PAPER PLATES
AND PILING THEM
WITH FOOD,
AND I KEPT LOOKING
IN THE CORNER.
AND MISTER ROGERS HAD TAKEN
A PAPER PLATE
AND HAD WRITTEN
THE NUMBERS ON I AND PU A LITTLE FASTENER HOOK
IN THE MIDDLE
AND MADE THE BIG HAND,
LITTLE HAND.
HE MADE A CLOCK,
AND HE WAS TEACHING LUKE
HOW TO TELL TIME.
AND IT MADE
SUCH AN IMPRESSION ON ME.
HERE WAS THIS MAN
WHO COULD HAVE BEEN
PARTAKING IN SOCIALIZING
OR EATING,
AND INSTEAD,
HE FOUND THE ONE CHILD
IN THE ROOM
AND DECIDED THA HE WAS NOT GOING
TO WASTE ANY TIME
IN EDUCATING,
NURTURING THIS CHILD.
HE WAS GOING TO TEACH HIM
HOW TO TELL TIME.
THEN, WE TOOK
SOME PICTURES WITH LUKE,
AND I WAS HOLDING HIM,
AND I SENT THEM
TO MISTER ROGERS,
AND HE SIGNED THEM,
BUT HE WROTE ON THE BACK,
"TO LUKE, WHO HAS THIS PHOTO
THROUGH THE KINDNESS
OF HIS FATHER."
AND AGAIN, LESSON TWO.
TEACHING LUKE
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPEC AND HONOR OF A PAREN AND APPRECIATION
OF A PARENT.
IT JUST CONFIRMED TO ME
WHAT I ALWAYS THOUGHT,
IN OBSERVING MISTER ROGERS
IN A TELEVISION BOX,
THAT HE WAS
A UNIQUE HUMAN BEING,
FOREVER GIVING,
FOREVER TEACHING,
FOREVER NURTURING,
FOREVER TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF EVERY MOMEN TO TELL PEOPLE THA IT IS IMPORTAN THAT WE RESPECT ONE ANOTHER
AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
WHAT A LASTING LEGACY.
I--I DON'T KNOW
IF WE'LL EVER SEE
HIS KIND AGAIN.
10 DAYS AGO,
I SAID SOMETHING--
IT'S NOT UP TO ME.
IN 2000, WHEN I HAD
THE FAMOUS BOARD,
"FLORIDA! FLORIDA! FLORIDA!"
WHEN ALL THE COMPUTERS BLEW UP,
IT WAS, FOR ME,
REMINISCENT OF A TABLE MY DAD HAS ON HIS DRESSER.
AND HE TAKES
ONE PAGE AT A TIME,
WALKS TO
THE KITCHEN TABLE,
AND WORKS OU HIS BUDGET.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE GOING TO DECIDE
WHETHER THIS THING ENDS
TOMORROW, ENDS FRIDAY,
ENDS A MONTH FROM NOW.
IT'S BASIC, AND YET,
IT IS THE BASICS THAT,
AS MISTER ROGERS
WOULD SAY, ARE SO DEEP.
AND THEY'RE
SO IMPORTANT TO US.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
LOUD FOR PEOPLE TO
PAY ATTENTION TO YOU.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT MISTER ROGERS TAUGHT, TOO.
YOU CAN WALK INTO
A ROOM AND BE RESPECTFUL
AND BE CIVIL
AND HAVE
VERY STRONG VIEWS,
BUT LEARN HOW
TO DISAGREE AGREEABLY.
AND THE THING
THAT BAFFLES ME
ABOUT WASHINGTON,
AS WE SIT HERE AND TALK,
IS THAT WE ALL LEARN
THESE SAME LESSONS.
BUT SOMEHOW,
PEOPLE COME HERE
AND FORGET THEM.
AND I THINK THE WORLD
WOULD BE A LOT BETTER OFF,
AND I KNOW THAT RELATIONS
BETWEEN CONGRESS
AND THE WHITE HOUSE
WOULD BE A LOT BETTER OFF
IF THEY REMEMBERED
AND LISTENED TO BIG RUSS
AND MISTER ROGERS.
I'M JUST A NEIGHBOR
WHO COMES AND
VISITS CHILDREN.
HAPPEN TO BE
ON TELEVISION.
BUT I'VE ALWAYS
BEEN MYSELF.
I NEVER TOOK
A COURSE IN ACTING.
I JUST FIGURED THA THE BEST THING THA YOU CAN OFFER ANYBODY
IS YOUR HONEST SELF.
AND THAT'S
WHAT I'VE DONE
FOR LOTS OF YEARS.
Benjamin: FROM THE NBC NEWS
WASHINGTON BUREAU,
WE DROVE TO
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO
TO MEET FORMER CORRESPONDEN SUSAN STAMBERG.
IN HER TENURE HELMING NPR'S
"ALL THINGS CONSIDERED,"
MS. STAMBERG DEVELOPED
A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH MISTER ROGERS,
ONE THAT LEFT HER
INEXTRICABLY CHANGED.
WE HERE AT NATIONAL
PUBLIC RADIO DEAL
WITH LIFE'S REALITIES
AND THE HIDEOUS
AND HORRIBLE EVENTS
OF THE DAY.
FRED DID, TOO, IN A WAY.
HE WOULDN'T PUSH
THAT ASIDE.
AND I WOULD REPEATEDLY
CALL HIM WHEN THERE WAS
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY--
THE CRASH OF
THE "CHALLENGER,"
FOR INSTANCE,
OR THE ATTEMPTED
ASSASSINATING OF
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN,
AND PUT HIM ON THE AIR
AND SAY,
"WHAT SHOULD WE TELL OUR
CHILDREN ABOUT THIS?"
Announcer: NPR'S
SPECIAL CORRESPONDEN SUSAN STAMBERG REPORTS.
WHEN
MISTER ROGERS SPOKE,
CHILDREN LISTENED.
Mister Rogers:
WELCOME, NEIGHBOR.
I LIKE BEING TELEVISION
NEIGHBOR WITH YOU.
HE WAS ALWAYS AWARE
OF THE WORLD AROUND US
AND DID EVERYTHING HE
COULD TO HELP CHILDREN
CONNECT WITH I AND UNDERSTAND IT.
SO WHENEVER I WOULD
CALL HIM THAT WAY
IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME
OF THE WORST EVENTS AND
SCENES OF THIS COUNTRY,
HIS ANSWERS WERE ALWAYS
SO USEFUL.
JUST WAYS OF TELLING
THE TRUTH TO CHILDREN,
BUT IN TERMS THA THEY COULD UNDERSTAND.
FOR DECADES, FRED ROGERS
TOLD CHILDREN
AND THE REST OF US
THAT HE LIKED US
JUST THE WAY WE ARE.
HE WAS THE BEST FRIEND
AMERICA'S FAMILIES
EVER HAD.
HE WENT TO SEMINARY.
HIS GOAL WAS
TO BECOME A MINISTER.
BUT THE IDEA WAS THA HE'D NEVER SIMPLY HAVE
A CONGREGATION
IN A SINGLE CHURCH.
THE TELEVISION
WOULD BE HIS CHURCH.
AND WHAT HIS GOAL WAS
WAS TO REACH OU TO THAT AUDIENCE,
TO SPREAD HIS WORD,
THE MESSAGES THAT WERE
IMPORTANT TO HIM,
WHICH WERE MESSAGES
OF GENUINE FEELING,
GENUINE EMOTION,
SENTIMENT, SOMETIME.
THAT WAS FINE WITH HIM.
ADDRESSING
CHILDREN'S FEARS,
ADDRESSING
WHAT HE UNDERSTOOD
DEEP INSIDE HIMSELF
ABOU WHAT CHILDHOOD WAS,
BECAUSE HE HAD
A LOT OF THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE
SUCH A CLICHE TO SAY
"HANG ONTO
THE CHILD WITHIN YOU,"
BUT FRED KNEW
HOW TO DO THAT,
AND HE KNEW HOW TO
REACH OUT TO CHILDREN
AND TALK TO THEM
EXACTLY ON THEIR LEVEL,
NEVER PATRONIZING,
BUT ALWAYS EMBRACING
AND ENCOMPASSING
WHO THEY WERE.
THERE WAS SOMETHING
SAINTLY ABOUT FRED,
YOU KNOW.
AND HE WOULD WALK
INTO A ROOM,
AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE
THERE WERE CHILDREN--
BUT NOT ONLY CHILDREN,
BECAUSE ADULTS REACTED
THIS WAY
TO HIM AS WELL--
AND THE ELECTRICITY,
THE MOLECULES,
CHANGED IN THE AIR.
YOU FELT THA YOU WERE IN THE PRESENCE
OF THIS FIGURE,
NOT AT ALL
SELF-IMPORTANT,
NOT AT ALL
BECAUSE OF ANYTHING
"LOOK AT ME"
THAT HE DID.
HE NEVER DID THAT.
BUT JUS HIS VERY PRESENCE
CHANGED THE BEHAVIOR
OF PEOPLE AROUND HIM.
THEY GOT SOFTER,
AND THEY GOT FAR LESS
SELF-PROTECTIVE,
SELF-DEFENSIVE.
THEY JUST BECAME
THEIR INNER SELVES,
BUT THEIR INNER SELVES
GOT ON THE OUTSIDE.
I THINK ONE OF
THE TOUGHEST THINGS
FOR CHILDREN IS
FOR THEIR PARENTS
NOT TO BE GETTING ALONG.
WE DID
THESE TWO SPECIALS
FOR ADULTS.
REALLY,
THE MOST TOUCHING ONE
WAS HOW YOU TALK WITH
CHILDREN ABOUT DIVORCE.
DIVORCE FEELS LIKE
IT'S RIPPING A PIECE
OF CLOTH APART.
IT WAS JUS SO PAINFUL,
AND SO MANY
OF THE PEOPLE
IN THE AUDIENCE
HAD GONE THROUGH
DIVORCE.
AND THEN, A WONDERFUL
THING HAPPENED--
PEOPLE STARTED
STANDING UP
IN THE AUDIENCE,
AND THIS WOMAN WOULD
TELL HER DIFFICULTY,
AND ANOTHER MAN
ON THE OTHER SIDE
SAID TO HER,
WELL, THAT HAPPENED TO
ME, AND HERE'S WHAT I
DID WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
AND SO, YOU'VE GOT THIS
COMMUNITY OF HELPERS,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
PEOPLE TALKING
TO EACH OTHER ABOU THE TOUGHEST EXPERIENCES
OF THEIR LIVES
AND CREATING A COMMUNITY
RIGHT THERE ON LIVE TV.
IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
AND OF COURSE, FRED WAS
THE FACILITATOR.
WE NEED HIM ALMOS WITH EACH PASSING DAY
MORE AND MORE,
THAT SET OF VALUES
THAT HE OFFERED,
THAT IDEA THAT HE LIKED
US JUST THE WAY WE ARE.
I MEAN, WHO EVER TELLS
US THAT IN THIS WORLD?
THEY'LL TELL YOU,
"WE LIKE YOU AS YOU ARE,
BUT YOU OUGH TO CUT YOUR HAIR,"
OR, "WE LOVE YOU,
BUT LOSE 10 POUNDS,"
OR, "YOU'RE TERRIFIC,
BUT GET AN 'A'
ON THE EXAM."
THERE WAS ONLY
FRED ROGERS
WHO WOULD SAY
"JUST THE WAY YOU ARE--
THAT'S JUST FINE."
[GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING]
Benjamin: CHRIS AND I
LEARNED PRETTY QUICKLY
THAT THERE ARE NO
COINCIDENCES IN "MISTER
ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD."
STILL, WE WERE A LITTLE
SURPRISED TO LEARN
TO LEARN THAT BACK HOME
IN NEW YORK CITY
AUTHOR TIM MADIGAN,
WHO RECOUNTS HIS FRIENDSHIP
WITH MISTER ROGERS
SO BEAUTIFULLY
IN "I'M PROUD OF YOU,"
WOULD BE SPEAKING A THE BOOKSTORE AT THE END
OF OUR STREET.
TIM WAS NAMED TEXAS
REPORTER OF THE YEAR
IN 1996 AND '97
AND HAS WRITTEN
TWO BOOKS.
PLEASE WELCOME
TIM MADIGAN.
TIM WAS A HEAVILY DECORATED
NEWSPAPER REPORTER
FOR THE "FORT WORTH
STAR TELEGRAM"
WHEN IN THE FALL OF 1995,
HE CALLED MISTER ROGERS
FOR AN ARTICLE
HE WAS WRITING
ON TELEVISION VIOLENCE
AND ITS AFFECT ON CHILDREN.
THAT PHONE CALL WAS
THE BEGINNING OF AN 8-YEAR,
LIFE-ALTERING FRIENDSHIP.
THE FIRST TIME WE TALKED
ON THE TELEPHONE,
IT WAS LATE IN
AN HOUR-LONG CONVERSATION
THAT HE SAID TO ME,
"TIM, DO YOU KNOW WHA THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
IN THE WORLD IS TO ME
RIGHT NOW?"
AND I SAID, "NO,
WHAT'S THAT, MISTER ROGERS?"
AND HE SAID, "TALKING
TO TIM MADIGAN
ON THE TELEPHONE."
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
YEAH, RIGHT.
BUT WHEN I GOT TO KNOW HIM,
I REALIZED THAT WHAT HE WAS
TELLING ME THAT DAY
WAS THE LITERAL TRUTH.
THAT IS HOW
HE LIVED HIS LIFE.
WHOEVER WAS IN FRON OF HIM AT THE TIME
HE WAS WHOLLY PRESENT TO.
THE TELEVISION PART OF I WASN'T CENTRAL TO MY EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE I WASN' A MISTER ROGERS KID.
WHAT WAS CENTRAL WAS
THIS HUMANITY
THAT WAS KIND OF
REVEALING ITSELF
MOMENT BY MOMEN IN EVERYTHING HE DID.
IN THE PASSAGES
I'M ABOUT TO READ,
I THINK YOU WILL GE A SENSE BOTH OF FRED
AND HOW HE WAS IN
A HUMAN RELATIONSHIP
AND WHA THE IMPERATIVE WAS
FOR ME TO WRITE THIS BOOK.
HE WAS A VERACIOUS READER
OF SPIRITUAL LITERATURE,
A GREAT STUDENT OF RELIGION
AND SPIRITUALITY,
AND A GREAT STUDEN OF JUST KIND OF HUMANKIND.
HE HAD THE PHRASE FROM
SAINT-EXUPERY HANGING
ON THE WALL OF HIS OFFICE,
"THAT WHICH IS MOST ESSENTIAL
IS INVISIBLE TO THE EYE."
AND ACCORDING TO HIS
OWN WRITING AND HIS OWN BOOKS,
HE TALKED ABOUT, AS A CHILD,
BEING WOUNDED BY OTHER KIDS
AND SUFFERING BY OTHER KIDS.
AND SO HE SAID HE SPEN THE REST OF HIS LIFE LOOKING,
TRYING TO FIND THE ESSENTIAL
INVISIBLE IN OTHER PEOPLE.
WHEN SHE ANSWERED,
SHE HEARD THAT SOF WONDERFUL VOICE
AT THE OTHER END
OF THE LINE.
"IS THIS MRS. MADIGAN?"
THE VOICE SAID.
"WHY, YES, IT IS."
"THIS IS FRED ROGERS
CALLING FROM PITTSBURGH."
"OH, MY GOODNESS,"
MY MOTHER STUTTERED.
IT WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS OR SO
AFTER WE ME THAT I WROTE HIM A LETTER
SAYING, "I THINK IT'S GREA THAT WE'RE FRIENDS,
"BUT IF WE'RE
GONNA BE FRIENDS,
YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW
THE STATE OF MY INSIDES,
WHICH ARE NOT VERY GOOD
AT THE MOMENT."
AND THAT'S WHEN I WROTE HIM
A LETTER BASICALLY SAYING
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE
I COULD NEVER GET MY DAD
TO BE PROUD OF ME.
AND SO I SAID, "FRED,
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU,"
IN THIS LETTER I WROTE.
I SAID, "WOULD YOU
BE PROUD OF ME?"
IT SEEMS...
I DON'T KNOW WHY I PU A STAMP ON IT AND SENT IT,
BUT I DID.
AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS,
I HAD THE REPLY,
YOU KNOW, IN CAPITAL LETTERS
WITH EXCLAMATION POINTS,
"YES, YES. I AM PROUD OF YOU.
I HAVE BEEN PROUD OF YOU
SINCE FIRST WE MET."
HE WAS LOOKING FOR
THE ESSENTIAL INVISIBLE.
AND ONE OF HIS
FAVORITE PHRASES WAS,
"ANYTHING MENTIONABLE
IS MANAGEABLE."
AND SO HE WOULD WRITE
IN THAT LETTER
AND SUBSEQUENTLY
HOW HONORED HE WAS
THAT SOMEONE COULD SHARE
THAT KIND OF THING WITH HIM.
Benjamin: OVER TIME,
TIM AND MISTER ROGERS
EXCHANGED DOZENS
OF LETTERS AND EMAILS,
DEVELOPING A DEEP,
INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP.
LATER, WHEN MARITAL
STRAIN AND HIS BROTHER'S
CANCER DIAGNOSIS
HAD PLUNGED HIM INTO
A DEEP DEPRESSION,
TIM REACHED OUT AGAIN.
MY BROTHER BY THIS TIME
WAS PARALYZED
AND HAD ONLY
A FEW WEEKS TO LIVE.
AND HE AND I GREW UP
A YEAR APART.
YOU COULD PROBABLY
APPRECIATE WHAT THA MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE.
I WROTE HIM A LETTER
SAYING, "FRED, IF THIS IS
WHERE A GOOD LIFE LEADS,
WHY DO WE BOTHER
TO BE GOOD?"
HE WROTE ME BACK SAYING,
"YOU KNOW, I CAN UNDERSTAND
HOW YOU'D FEEL THAT WAY."
IT WASN'T, NO, NO, NO, TIM.
DON'T--DON'T--
IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, TIM,
I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW
YOU'D FEEL THAT WAY.
AND IT WASN'T THA HE HAD ANY GREAT BROMIDE
THAT HE SUMMONED DOWN
FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP
'CAUSE MY BROTHER WAS DYING
OR MY MARRIAGE
WAS FALLING APART.
HERE'S WHAT HE WOULD SAY.
I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU.
I LOVE YOU.
I'M PROUD OF YOU.
AND ULTIMATELY,
AND ONE OF THE THINGS
I'VE LEARNED IS,
THAT'S ALL WE NEED.
MOM DASHED THE WIRELESS
RECEIVER UPSTAIRS
AND HANDED IT TO STEVE
IN HIS BED.
"IT'S MISTER ROGERS,"
SHE WHISPERED.
FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR,
THE REST OF US CROWDED
INTO THE ADJOINING KITCHEN
TRYING TO EAVESDROP
ON THEIR CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE PEOPLE
IN THIS WORLD
WHO EVERY SO OFTEN
COME ALONG AND REMIND US
OF WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF
AS A SPECIES.
THERE ARE SO MANY EXAMPLES
TO THE CONTRARY,
BUT THAT PURITY, WISDOM,
COMPASSION,
AND THE ABILITY TO BE PRESEN IN A HISTORIC KIND OF WAY.
AND SO WHEN I READ
THAT LETTER
AND TREMBLE AND WEEP,
AND THEN EVENTUALLY REALIZE
THAT AS YOU DID,
THAT THERE IS SOMETHING
ALMOST SUPERNATURAL
GOING ON WITH HIM
THAT HE HIMSELF WOULD
NEVER COP TO FOR SURE.
IT WAS ALMOST EERIE
IN TERMS OF HOW HE COULD
VERY GENTLY PROBE
INTO YOUR LIFE
AND TO WHAT WAS THE TRUTH
OF YOUR INSIDES
AND THE TRUTH OF YOUR
ESSENTIAL INVISIBLES,
AS IT WERE,
IN A WAY THAT YOU KNEW
THAT THE PERSON SITTING
IN THE OTHER CHAIR
WAS WHOLLY SAFE
AND WHOLLY GENUINE.
WHEN YOU HAVE BOTH PEOPLE
LISTENING IN A CONVERSATION
FROM THAT PUREST PAR OF THEIR BEING,
AMAZING, IMAGINABLE THINGS
HAPPEN IN RELATIONSHIPS.
PEOPLE ASK ME,
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED
FROM MISTER ROGERS
THAT YOU TRY TO IMPLEMEN IN YOUR LIFE TODAY,
AND THAT'S IT.
IF ANYTHING, THAT'S IT.
IT'S TO BE PRESENT IN LIFE,
NO MATTER WHAT I'M DOING.
Woman: THANK YOU.
IT REALLY MEANT A LOT TO ME.
I GREW UP WATCHING
"MISTER ROGERS," OBVIOUSLY,
SO THAT ALL--
RIGHT. YOU'RE
DEFINITELY
THE MISTER ROGERS
GENERATION.
IF I CAN DO IT 5%
OF THE TIME,
I FEEL LIKE I'M DOING
A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
HE DID IT FROM THE MOMEN HE WOKE UP IN THE MORNING
UNTIL THE TIME HE WEN TO BED AT NIGHT,
WHICH IN ITSELF
IS MIRACULOUS,
IN MY OPINION.
WELL, TIME FOR THE HUG.
GOOD LUCK.
STAY IN TOUCH.
WHEN YOU'VE BEEN WITH HIM
IN A REAL WAY FOR
ANY LENGTH OF TIME,
THE WORLD LOOKS
A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
IT JUST DOES.
Benjamin: WHEN AUTHOR
AND ILLUSTRATOR MARC BROWN
WAS APPROACHED TO TURN
HIS BELOVED AWARD-WINNING
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
FEATURING ARTHUR
THE AARDVARK
INTO A TELEVISION SERIES,
HE BALKED.
WITH FRED ROGERS
AS HIS MENTOR, THOUGH,
BROWN WAS PERSUADED TO USE
THE MEDIUM FOR GOOD.
WHEN CHRIS AND I FOUND OU THAT HE LIVED IN TRIBECA,
WE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE
TO MEET HIM.
MY FIRST ENCOUNTER
WITH FRED
WAS AS A PARENT IN MY STUDIO
WHILE I WAS WORKING.
AND I REMEMBER TOLAN
BEING 2 OR 3 YEARS OLD
AT THE TIME,
AND I HAD A DEADLINE
AND I NEEDED SOME HELP.
AND I TURNED ON
THE TELEVISION SE AND THERE WAS FRED WITH
HIS WARM, COMFORTING,
WELCOMING VOICE.
HE UNDERSTOOD
THE POWER OF TELEVISION,
BECAUSE IT'S AN INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL MEDIUM.
IT'S EASY TO DISMISS I AS SOMETHING BAD,
BUT IT'S NOT BAD.
THE MEDIUM IS WONDERFUL.
IT'S JUST THAT WE
MISUSE IT SO OFTEN.
AND ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN.
HE LOOKED FOR
SUBJECT MATTER
THAT WOULD HELP A CHILD,
SOMETHING THAT A CHILD
MIGHT BE STRUGGLING WITH,
AND THEN CREATE A SHOW
AROUND THA THAT WAS REALLY GONNA
KIND OF COME AT THAT SUBJEC FROM ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
AND BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT WAS MY ROLE MODEL,
THAT WAS MY GUIDE WITH ARTHUR.
HE LEAD THE WAY FOR,
I THINK, A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO DO
SOMETHING FOR KIDS,
NOT JUST USE TELEVISION
AS SOME WAY TO SELL PRODUCTS.
FRED AND I TALKED
ABOUT THAT A LO BECAUSE IT'S A WAY
TO GET INTO THE HOUSE
AND IT'S A WAY TO GE INTO A CHILD'S MIND.
IT'S VERY, VERY POWERFUL.
AND TO USE THA IN A WAY THAT'S TRYING
TO SELL A PRODUC SEEMS TERRIBLY WRONG
AND MANIPULATIVE
AND IT HAPPENS
WAY TOO OFTEN.
HE HAD THIS SPECIAL ABILITY
TO LOOK WITHIN EVERY PERSON
HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH.
HE WAS JUST SO OPEN
AND SO ABLE TO SENSE
WHAT THINGS WERE INSIDE YOU,
WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU,
AND TO BE ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT DIFFICULT THINGS.
BUT WHEN FRED TALKED TO YOU,
HE WAS THERE 100%.
YOU WERE THE FULL SPAN
OF HIS ATTENTION.
AND IT WAS HIS GOAL
AT THAT MOMENT WITH YOU
TO REALLY FOUND OU WHAT HE COULD ABOUT YOU.
HE WAS A GREAT TEACHER.
THAT'S WHAT HIS GIF WAS TO ME.
I THINK IT WAS TEACHING
BY DOING.
AND HE DID IT IN SUCH
A SIMPLE, DISARMING WAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T REALIZE
THAT YOU WERE BEING INSTRUCTED.
Benjamin: IN THE 1980s,
JOURNALIST LINDA ELLERBEE'S
"NBC NEWS OVERNIGHT"
WAS DUBBED THE BEST WRITTEN
AND MOST INTELLIGEN NEWS REPORT EVER.
Announcer:
THIS IS "NICK NEWS"
WITH LINDA ELLERBEE.
INSPIRED IN NO SMALL PAR BY FRED ROGERS,
SHE LAUNCHED "NICK NEWS"
FOR CHILDREN
AND TEENAGERS IN 1991
THE SHOW HAS RECEIVED
ALL SORTS OF AWARDS SINCE,
INCLUDING 3 PEABODYS,
FOR ITS FRANK DISCUSSION
OF DIFFICULT SUBJECTS
LIKE HIV AIDS,
SAME SEX MARRIAGE,
AND GLOBAL WARMING.
I CAME TO KNOW
MISTER ROGERS' WORK
BECAUSE MY KIDS WATCHED
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD."
THAT'S THE WAY MANY
OF US CAME TO IT.
IT WAS WONDERFUL BECAUSE
IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW
THINGS ON TELEVISION
THAT YOU COULD PLOP
YOUR KIDS DOWN IN FRON OF THE TV
AND NOT FEEL GUILTY.
YOU KNEW THAT YOU
WEREN'T JUST USING TV
AS A BABYSITTER,
YOU WERE PUTTING
YOUR KID INTO THE HANDS
OF A MAN THAT WOULD
NEVER DO THEM ANY HARM
AT ALL.
AND WOULD, IN FACT,
DO THEM A GREAT DEAL
OF GOOD.
NOW, ALL THESE
YEARS LATER--
I'VE BEEN PRODUCING
"NICK NEWS" FOR--THIS
IS MY 16th YEAR NOW.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING
TO KIDS, SOMETIMES
I ASK THEM,
"WHAT'S YOUR FIRS MEMORY OF TELEVISION?"
"WHAT'S THE FIRST THING
YOU EVER WATCHED ON TV?"
I WOULD SAY 90% OF THEM
SAY "MISTER ROGERS."
THE SHOW IS ABOU GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE.
IT'S ABOUT DIVERSITY,
RESPECT, AND TOLERANCE.
WHEN WE WERE INVENTING
"NICK NEWS,"
WHICH IS FOR
AN OLDER AUDIENCE,
OUR AUDIENCE IS AROUND,
YOU KNOW, 9 TO 14,
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
I WANT TO INCORPORATE
SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT I LEARNED
FROM MISTER ROGERS.
THE FIRST BEING,
RESPECT YOUR AUDIENCE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT AGE THEY ARE,
THEY DESERVE
YOUR RESPECT.
AND THE SECOND WAS,
ASSUME THEY'RE
JUST AS BRIGH AS YOU ARE,
THEY'RE MERELY
YOUNGER AND SHORTER.
Benjamin: WHEN ELLERBEE
FINALLY MET MISTER ROGERS
IN PERSON
BACKSTAGE AT AN INDUSTRY
AWARD SHOW,
SHE FOUND THAT HE WAS
A FAN OF HER AS WELL.
I WAS SO IMPRESSED
WITH MEETING HIM.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE
A GREAT IMPRESSION
AND SAY SOMETHING
VERY CLEVER.
AND I STUCK MY HAND
OUT AND SAID--
[BABBLING]
I--I JUST--
I WAS SO BLOWN AWAY
BY THE FACT THA I WAS MEETING
MISTER ROGERS
AND THAT HE WAS
THIS REAL PERSON
STANDING IN FRON OF ME.
AND HE, OF COURSE,
DID WHAT HE DOES
TO EVERYONE,
HE MADE ME FEEL
INSTANTLY RELAXED
AND IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHA HE'S DONE FOR KIDS
FOR YEARS.
HE'S MADE THEM
FEEL RELAXED
AND IMPORTANT.
TODAY WE'VE TALKED ABOU LIVING IN AND COPING WITH
THE REAL WORLD,
THE WHAT IS, NOT THE WHA YOU OR I OR SOMEBODY ELSE
MIGHT WISH IT WERE.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
HE WROTE ME A LETTER
IN WHICH HE TALKED
ABOUT OUR SHOW,
"NICK NEWS."
AND THEN HE GAVE ME
WHAT WAS PROBABLY
THE BEST COMPLIMEN I'VE EVER GOTTEN.
HE SAID, THE THING ABOU YOUR SHOW IS NOT ONLY IS
IT WONDERFUL FOR KIDS,
BUT IT THOUGHT TO BE
REQUIRED VIEWING FOR
ALL THE GROWNUPS
BECAUSE IN
EXPLAINING THE NEWS
TO KIDS,
YOU DO A BETTER JOB
OF EXPLAINING I TO GROWNUPS
THAN ANY OF THE
GROWNUP NEWSCASTS.
NOW, TO HAVE FRED
ROGERS SAY SOMETHING
LIKE THAT TO YOU
IS CERTAINLY BETTER
THAN ANY AWARD I'VE
EVER WON.
FRED ROGERS
ACKNOWLEDGES KIDS FEARS
AND THEIR FEELINGS.
HE WOULD TALK TO KIDS
ABOUT TOUGH THINGS
IN THEIR LIFE.
HE DIDN'T SHY AWAY.
HE DIDN'T SAY THE WORLD
IS ALL POSIES OUT THERE,
BUT HE NEVER CU THE BODY OPEN AND LEF IT LYING ON THE FLOOR,
WHICH GOES TO OUR RULE
OF WHEREVER YOU FIND
BAD THINGS HAPPEN,
YOU FIND GOOD PEOPLE
TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER.
HE ASSUMED THAT EVERYONE
WATCHING HIM
HAD INSIDE THEMSELVES
THIS WONDERFUL PERSON
THAT WAS JUST DYING
TO GET OUT.
AND HE WAS GONNA OPEN
THE DOOR FOR YOU,
AND THEN HELP YOU OPEN
THE DOOR FOR OTHERS.
THAT'S PRETTY SIMPLE
AND THAT'S PRETTY DEEP.
Benjamin: PHOTOGRAPHER
BEVERLY HALL ARRIVED
ON NANTUCKET BY ACCIDEN WHEN SHE BOARDED
THE WRONG FERRY IN 1964.
SHE'S LIVED ON THE ISLAND
EVER SINCE.
HER PHOTOGRAPHY
IS EVERYWHERE THERE,
INCLUDING AN ICONIC PORTRAI OF MISTER ROGERS
AND LOCAL LEGEND
MADAKET MILLIE JEWETT.
SO CHRIS AND I MADE
A SPECIAL TRIP
TO ASK BEV WHAT IT WAS LIKE
TO BE MISTER ROGERS'
REAL LIFE NEIGHBOR.
BEV LIVES JUST UP
HITHER CREEK FROM
THE CROOKED HOUSE
IN A HOME SHE BUIL WITH HER HUSBAND SASHA.
[BELL DINGS]
THIS IS THE SOUND
OF THE UNIVERSE.
WELCOME HOME.
SHE FIRST ME MISTER ROGERS IN 1965
WHEN THE BURGEONING
TELEVISION ICON
CAME TO PICK UP ONE OF
HIS TWO SONS AT BEV'S
THEN FLEDGLING ART SCHOOL.
EVERYBODY WAS VERY WIDE-EYED
AND VERY EXCITED AND BUBBLY.
"IT'S FRED ROGERS.
FRED ROGERS."
IN FACT, FRED USED TO
WALK AROUND TOWN.
PEOPLE KNEW WHO HE WAS,
BUT NANTUCKET GIVES
PEOPLE A LOT OF SPACE.
YOU KNOW, THE STAR POWER
DOESN'T REALLY--
AND HE'S JUST QUIETLY
THE STAR,
BUT THE KIDS IMMEDIATELY,
OBVIOUSLY, RECOGNIZED HIM.
SO I GOT TO KNOW FRED
FIRST AS A NEIGHBOR
HERE IN MADAKET,
AND THEN IN NEW YORK.
I WAS WORKING WITH
EZRA JACK KEATS,
WHO WRITES BOOKS
FOR CHILDREN,
AND I WAS HIS ASSISTAN IN HIS NEW YORK STUDIO.
AND FRED ROGERS WAS COMING
TO VISIT EZRA JACK KEATS.
HE WAS A GREAT ADMIRER
OF EZRA'S.
FOR ME, IT WAS BRINGING
BOTH OF MY WORLDS,
NEW YORK AND NANTUCKET,
TOGETHER.
ONE DAY THERE WAS A KNOCK
ON MY DOOR.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR
IT FIRST HAPPENED,
BUT LITTLE, LITTLE
GENTLE KNOCK,
AND I LOOK OUT THERE
AND THERE'S FRED
STANDING THERE.
AND IT WAS LIKE, WOW,
YOU KNOW, FRED'S AT MY DOOR.
AND I WAS COMPLETELY
UNEXPECTED.
HE'S NOT THE KIND OF PERSON
THAT WOULD CALL
AND SAY, "I'M COMING
TO VISIT YOU."
HE'S A NEIGHBOR
AND HE'S JUST STOPPING BY,
WHICH IS SOMETHING
I LOVED ABOUT MADAKET.
THAT WAS THE OLD DAYS.
PEOPLE WOULD STOP BY.
Benjamin: "MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" VISITED
NANTUCKET IN 1974
FOR A SERIES ENTITLED
"OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS,"
IN WHICH HE SPEN AN AFTERNOON WITH
MADAKET MILLIE.
BEV HALL WAS THERE
WITH HER CAMERA.
WHEN I LOOK AT THESE
PHOTOGRAPHS,
ALL I CAN REMEMBER IS
HOW HARD IT WAS RAINING.
AND YOU'D NEVER KNOW I EXCEPT FOR THE UMBRELLAS
BECAUSE THE TWO OF THEM
WERE JUST SUCH GOOD FRIENDS
AND HAD SO MANY
STORIES TO SHARE.
FRED WAS TALKING TO MILLIE
ABOUT SOME OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS.
SHE GOT OU HER COAST GUARD HAT,
SHE GOT OUT HER CERTIFICATE.
THEY JUST CHATTED AWAY
ABOUT ONE THING OR THE NEXT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
FRED IN HIS OWN INIMITABLE WAY
WAS PHOTOGRAPHING MILLIE
AS WELL AS HE WAS BEING
PHOTOGRAPHED WITH MILLIE.
THAT'S THIS TIME WHEN I GO THIS RATHER FORTUNATE
ICONIC PHOTOGRAPH
OF THE TWO OF THEM
TOGETHER.
AND YOU CAN SEE
FRED'S LITTLE MICROPHONE.
AND ASIDE FROM THAT,
THEY JUST LOOK LIKE
TWO NEIGHBORS
WHO JUST STOPPED BY
TO SAY HELLO TO EACH OTHER.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL
OF RESPECT BETWEEN
THE TWO OF THEM.
AND I KNOW THAT FRED
USED TO WATCH OUT FOR MILLIE
AND MILLIE WATCHED OU FOR FRED.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAY
THAT FRED STOPPED BY,
AND I WILL ALWAYS
BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS,
WAS THE DAY AFTER 9/11.
AND I STILL REMEMBER, AGAIN,
THE LITTLE KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
IT'S A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT TIME, BUT--
AND THERE WAS FRED
AND JOANNE TOGETHER.
AND THEY SAID, WE JUST WAN TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORS.
Benjamin: ON OUR WAY
BACK TO THE AIRPORT,
BEV DROVE US TO SAINT PAUL'S
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
WHERE SHE'S WORSHIPPED
ALONGSIDE MISTER ROGERS
FOR DECADES
TO SHOW A RECENT ADDITION.
AND OUR BELOVED
FRED ROGERS,
WHO USED TO SI IN THIS PEW.
AND HERE AND HERE.
AND THERE HE IS RIGH WITH HIS SWEATER.
THE WEEKEND AFTER
FRED PASSED AWAY,
WE PUT THE SWEATER HERE
ON THE BACK OF THE PEW
AND WE JUST PU ONE WHITE BALLOON.
AND PEOPLE DIDN'T SAY
A WORD, BUT EVERYBODY
RECOGNIZED IT.
AND SOME KNEW
AND SOME DIDN'T KNOW.
SO HE WAS SUCH A FRIEND
OF SAINT PAUL'S,
AND HE WAS AS FAITHFUL
AS HE COULD BE WHEN
HE WAS HERE.
ALWAYS WORE HIS LITTLE
LIGHT BROWN JACKET.
MAY HAVE SAW HIM IN A
SUIT A COUPLE OF TIMES,
BUT VERY INFORMAL
WITH THE SNEAKERS.
JUST LIKE THAT.
ANYWAY, THAT'S IT.
I THINK THAT'S
PRETTY SPECIAL.
I THINK, TOO.
Benjamin:
FROM MISTER ROGERS'
SUMMER HOME IN NANTUCKET,
CHRIS AND I NEXT POINTED
OURSELVES TOWARD HIS
ADOPTED HOME OF PITTSBURGH
TO MEET UP WITH "THIS
AMERICAN LIFE" CONTRIBUTOR
AND "FOUND" MAGAZINE CREATOR
DAVY ROTHBART.
LIKE ME, DAVY ME MISTER ROGERS IN MADAKET.
UNLIKE ME, HE WAS JUS 4 YEARS OLD.
Man: FROM WBEZ CHICAGO
AND PUBLIC RADIO
INTERNATIONAL,
"THIS AMERICAN LIFE,"
I'M IRA GLASS.
TODAY ON OUR SHOW,
MR. ROTHBART'S NEIGHBORHOOD,
IN WHICH AN AVERAGE
CHICAGOAN DECIDES TO APPEAL
THE DISPUTES AND PROBLEMS
IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD
TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY,
MISTER ROGERS.
YES, THAT MISTER ROGERS.
I MET MISTER ROGERS
WHEN I WAS A KID
A COUPLE OF TIMES.
WE WERE DOING A SHOW
FOR "THIS AMERICAN LIFE"
ABOUT NEIGHBORS.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL,
I'VE GOT TO TALK TO
THE NEIGHBOR, YOU KNOW.
THE NEIGHBOR WE ALL GREW
UP WITH, MISTER ROGERS.
Davy:
HI, MISTER ROGERS.
Mister Rogers:
HI, DAVY.
HI.
WELCOME.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
OH, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
WELCOME TO THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD.
OH, IS THIS IT?
THIS IS ME VISITING
YOU ON NANTUCKET.
I REMEMBERED THAT I
LIKED HIS SHOW AS A KID,
YOU KNOW,
AND HAD THOSE MEMORABLE
MEETINGS WITH HIM,
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF
HE'D BE ABLE TO DEAL
WITH, LIKE,
REAL WORLD PROBLEMS,
ADULT PROBLEMS IN,
YOU KNOW, IN A REAL WAY.
[WHISTLING]
OUR FIRST STOP,
JULIE,
WHO DOESN'T LIKE
THE LOUD MUSIC FROM
THE APARTMENT BELOW.
Julie: I GET THE BROOM,
THE WEAPON OF CHOICE
AND I COME OU AND I POUND I ON THE FLOOR.
[POUNDING]
OK, THE TRUTH IS,
HER LOUD DOWNSTAIRS
NEIGHBOR, IT'S ME.
[WHISTLING]
Mister Rogers:
GOOD FOR YOU, JULIE.
I HATE LOUD MUSIC.
[LAUGHS]
WE STARTED WITH SILENCE,
AND I WILL ALWAYS UPHOLD
A PERSON'S RIGH TO SILENCE.
HE WAS SO WISE
AND SO DEEP.
I FELT LIKE HE FOUND
SIMPLE AND DEEP
SOLUTIONS
FOR EVERY TAPE THA I PLAYED FOR HIM.
HE GOT REALLY INTO
THE IDEA, YOU KNOW.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT YOU'RE
GETTING TO KNOW JULIE.
AND ONCE YOU DO KNOW HER,
THEN EITHER YOUR MUSIC ISN' GOING TO BOTHER HER SO MUCH,
OR YOU'RE GOING TO CARE
SO MUCH ABOUT HER
THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY
TURN IT DOWN A COUPLE
OF NOTCHES ANYWAY.
MISTER ROGERS WAS
FEARLESS ABOUT JUS SPEAKING SO SOFTLY,
GATHERING THOUGHTS,
PAUSING FOR LIKE
10 SECONDS.
EVEN ON TV, YOU NEVER
WOULD SEE THA THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW.
YOU'D NEVER SEE
SOMEONE LOOKING
AT THE CAMERA,
YOU KNOW, ENGAGING
QUITE THAT DEEPLY
AND THEN
JUST THINKING
FOR A SECOND,
AND THEN
CONTINUING ON.
IT'S SO EASY TO CONDEMN
WHEN WE DON'T KNOW.
PERHAPS WE THINK THAT,
OH, THERE MAYBE ARE PEOPLE
IN THIS WORLD
WHO I CAN'T EVER
COMMUNICATE WITH,
AND SO I'LL JUS GIVE UP BEFORE I TRY.
AND HOW SAD IT IS
TO THINK THA WE WOULD GIVE UP
ON ANY OTHER CREATURE
WHO'S JUST LIKE US.
WHAT I FEEL LIKE
I LEARNED FROM
MISTER ROGERS
WAS REALLY MORE
THE WAY THAT HE
CARRIED HIMSELF.
THE WAY HE COULD
FOCUS SO MUCH
ON ONE THING
AND ONE PERSON,
THE WAY HE CARED
SO DEEPLY ABOUT OTHER
PEOPLE'S STORIES.
THAT'S KIND OF FORMED,
LIKE, ALL THE WORK
THAT I DO.
SO I WANT TO SHARE
WITH YOU GUYS A FEW
OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES,
A FEW NEW ONES THA PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN ME
WHILE I'VE BEEN ON
THIS TOUR.
AND THEN MY BROTHER PETER'S
GONNA COME UP
AND PLAY A COUPLE
OF SONGS FOR YOU
BASED ON SOME OF THESE
FOUND NOTES.
"FOUND" MAGAZINE,
THE MAGAZINE I MAKE,
YOU KNOW, IT'S
ALL NOTES AND LETTERS
THAT PEOPLE FOUND ON
THE GROUND, FOUND ON
THE STREET.
IT'S COULD BE A LOVE LETTER,
A TO-DO LIST.
MAYBE SOMEONE'S
JOURNAL ENTRY.
PEOPLE FIND THIS STUFF,
YOU KNOW, BLOWING DOWN
ALLEYWAYS,
PRISON GUARDS.
YOU KNOW, IN THE OCEAN.
IT'S JUST ABOU COLLECTING OTHER
PEOPLE'S STORIES
AND HAVING THIS,
LIKE, DEEP AND
SINCERE INTERES IN WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE
OF BEING HUMAN IS LIKE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SEEMED LIKE MISTER
ROGERS, TO ME,
WAS ALWAYS DOING.
"ANYWAY, JAVIER
BOUGHT ME A FISH.
"IT WAS $35 AND SO COOL.
"WE NAMED IT SNOWBALL
'CAUSE HE'S BLACK AND WHITE.
IT'S A SALTWATER FISH.
IT'S THE DOPEST FISH
I EVER SAW."
[LAUGHTER]
WHEN I LAUGH AT ONE
OF THESE FOUND NOTES,
I'M LAUGHING AT MYSELF
BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN
THE SAME PITIFUL
LOVE NOTE
LIKE A HUNDRED TIMES
BEFORE MYSELF.
"HE SAID HE WAS WILLING
TO TAKE A CHANCE,
"SO WE STARTED GOING OUT.
"THEN, 23 MINUTES LATER,
I BROKE UP WITH HIM.
IT JUST WASN'T WORKING."
IT'S EASY IN YOUR LIFE
TO FEEL ISOLATED.
YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE DEALING WITH SOME
PROBLEM IN YOUR LIFE
AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
THAT CAN--
YOU KNOW, NOBODY ELSE
UNDERSTANDS WHA I'M FEELING RIGHT NOW.
BUT YOU PICK UP SOME
NOTE OFF THE GROUND
FROM A TOTAL STRANGER
AND IT TURNS OUT THA THEY ARE EXPERIENCING
THE SAME DIFFICUL PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE
GOING THROUGH.
AND IT'S A POWERFUL
THING BECAUSE ALL OF
A SUDDEN YOU FEEL LIKE,
YOU KNOW,
I'M NOT ALONE HERE.
SOMEBODY ELSE IS DEALING
WITH THE SAME THING.
AND I THINK
MISTER ROGERS DEALT WITH
SOME ISSUES ON HIS SHOW
THAT WERE PRETTY UNUSUAL
FOR CHILDREN'S
TELEVISION,
YOU KNOW,
DEATH, DIVORCE.
AND I THINK THA WAS WHAT HE WANTED
TO COMMUNICATE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS
IS STUFF WE ALL HAVE TO
DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW.
AND IT'S LIKE
YOU'RE NOT WEIRD
BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING--
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE
AFRAID YOU'RE GONNA GO
DOWN THE DRAIN
OR BECAUSE YOUR PARENTS
ARE GETTING DIVORCED,
YOU KNOW.
AND TO ME, THAT TAKES
COURAGE TO GRAPPLE WITH
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
I THINK I'M BUSY
BECAUSE I'M LIVING
IN A VAN
AND READING GARBAGE TO
PEOPLE IN COFFEE HOUSES.
THIS GUY HAD A DAILY
TELEVISION SHOW
AND YET HE STILL HAD
THE ABILITY TO BE
THAT CALM
AND THAT FOCUSED
AND THAT OPEN.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
AHH
LOVE IS HERE TO STAY
NO MATTER WHA PEOPLE SAY...
Benjamin: MISTER ROGERS
CARE FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
MANIFESTED
IN EVERYTHING HE DID
AND EVERYONE HE MET.
I KNOW I FELT I WHEN I WAS WITH HIM.
HE WAS COMPLETELY PRESENT,
ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC,
AND MADE EVEN THE MOS DIFFICULT SUBJECTS SEEM
SAFE AND MANAGEABLE.
I'VE WONDERED
MORE THAN ONCE OVER
THE COURSE OF OUR JOURNEY
WHETHER MISTER ROGERS
EVER HAD ANY INTENTION
OF SETTING US ON THIS PATH,
OPENING ALL THESE DOORS,
MEETING ALL THESE PEOPLE,
EVEN HEALING A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK HE DID.
SO LOVE IS
THE ONLY WAY
[WAVES CRASHING]
"MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD" WAS FAR
LARGER THAN HIS WQED STUDIO.
IT WAS A WORLD
FULL OF CONNECTIONS,
SERENDIPITY,
AND SYNCHRONICITY.
LITTLE WONDER THAN THA JUST AS THIS JOURNEY WAS ENDING,
ANOTHER HAD JUST BEGUN.
IN SEPTEMBER 2007,
BO LOZOFF PRESIDED
AT MY WEDDING.
AND ANY DAY NOW,
ABBY AND I ARE EXPECTING
OUR FIRST CHILD.
IT'S AS IF HE KNEW IT ALL
ALL ALONG.
I'M JUST SO PROUD OF
ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE
GROWN UP WITH US,
AND I KNOW HOW TOUGH
IT IS SOME DAYS
TO LOOK WITH HOPE AND
CONFIDENCE ON THE MONTHS
AND YEARS AHEAD.
BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO TELL YOU WHA I OFTEN TOLD YOU
WHEN YOU WERE
MUCH YOUNGER,
I LIKE YOU JUS THE WAY YOU ARE.
IN SO MANY CONCERTED WAY,
MISTER ROGERS HELPED ALL
OF US BECOME WHO WE ARE.
HE CARED ABOUT US.
HE WANTED WHAT'S BES FOR US IN LIFE.
HE LOVED US INTO BEING.
I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU
FOR HELPING THE CHILDREN
IN YOUR LIFE
TO KNOW THAT YOU'LL DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN
TO KEEP THEM SAFE
AND TO HELP THEM EXPRESS
THEIR FEELINGS
IN WAYS THAT WILL BRING
HEALING IN MANY
DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S SUCH A GOOD FEELING
TO KNOW THAT WE'RE
LIFELONG FRIENDS.
IN THE END,
IT DAWNED ON ME THA MAYBE LIFE ISN'T DEFINED
BY JUST A FEW CRUCIAL
MOMENTS AFTER ALL.
IT'S AN AGGREGATE
OF ALL THE SMALLER ONES.
SUNSETS, SILENCE, AND SONG.
EVERY TINY GESTURE,
EVERY WARM WORD,
EVERY SHARED SMILE
MATTERS.
EVERY SECOND IS
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MAKE A CHOICE.
AHH
SO WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?
HOW WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE
DEPTH AND SIMPLICITY
TO A SHALLOW
AND COMPLEX WORLD?
AHH
HOW WILL YOU HONOR THOSE
WHO LOVED YOU INTO BEING?
TAKE 10 SECONDS.
I'LL WATCH THE TIME.
AHH
[VOCALIZING]
GATHER ROUND
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
GATHER ROUND
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
GATHER ROUND
YOU KNOW IT'S UP TO YOU
YOU KNOW IT'S UP TO YOU
YEAH
COME ON, COME ON
COME ON, COME ON
[NEW SONG BEGINS]
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
COME ON, LET IT IN
COME ON, LET'S BEGIN
COME ON,
IT'S UP TO US
YOU MAY HAVE A DIAMOND
OR A TRUCKLOAD OF GOLD
YOU MAY LIVE IN A HIGH-RISE
AND HAVE SOMEONE TO HOLD
OR YOU MAY BE
ON YOUR LAST DIME WITH
NO WHEELS ON YOUR CAR
YES, WE DO LOVE THE SUNSHINE,
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
COME ON, LET IT IN
COME ON, LET'S BEGIN
COME ON,
IT'S UP TO US
SO GO FIND YOUR MOTHER
AND TELL HER YOU LOVE HER
YOUR SISTERS
AND YOUR BROTHERS
HOLD EACH OTHER'S HANDS
YOU KNOW IT'S
IN YOUR HAND
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
WAKE UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP,
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO US
SO COME ON, LET IT IN
COME ON, LET'S BEGIN
COME ON,
IT'S UP TO US
[LAUGHTER]