Comments (12)

• Mr. Rogers was a rarity in this world. For those who missed his acceptance speech for his Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1997, watch it now:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upm9LnuCBUM

  Comment by Milo — Sunday November 1, 2009 @ 7:45pm PST  Reply to this post

• It is still a beautiful day in the neighborhood and the Land of Make Believe.

  Comment by Lytton Strachey — Sunday November 1, 2009 @ 8:54pm PST  Reply to this post

• I used to make fun of Fred when I was a young adult, but once I had my own children and started to watch his show, I realized what a genius he was. He completely deconstructed TV. One of my favorites of his techniques was how he looked right out at the audience and held that gaze as he moved from scene to scene, which destroyed the pretense of something as elementary as a scene change. I believe he used the medium to get his message across, and happily subverted the medium itself to do so even more effectively. Few performers have the capability to go beyond their own chosen medium.

  Comment by BigBalagan — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 7:16am PST  Reply to this post

• Great news for one of the best shows and hosts of all time (and I really mean that).

  Here’s another YouTube video — Mr. Rogers in 1969 trying to stop Congress from cutting funding to PBS — it’s pretty stunning:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEuEUQIP3Q

  Comment by Michael — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 7:39am PST  Reply to this post

  • Michael,

    That clip is one of my all time favorites. I’m always amazed at how he completely changed the Senator’s gruff mood to one of sincere interest then support.

    Mr. Rogers reminds me of the Dalai Lama’s quote:

    “Be kind whenever Possible. It is always possible.”

    May he forever rest in peace.

    Comment by LoveMr.Rogers — Tuesday November 3, 2009 @ 7:31am PST  Reply to this post

• I knew and worked with Fred Rogers in my early days in Pittsburgh. I did a documentary of him and observed young children watching his show and it was a revelatory experience. The children were captivated. Mr. Rogers’ messages were precise and eloquent in reaching these innocents and addressed their fears, not exploiting them or pandering to them. He would spend his summers in Nantucket working on the shows’ content as he was a psychiatrist and understood his audience. Although he was privately wealthy he refused to show it, admonishing me not to show the tasteful opulence of his home during our filming. I often think of the peacefulness and comfort of his messages and we will likely never see another like him as we continue to exploit our children in advertising and cinema.

  Comment by Joe Pytka — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 9:03am PST  Reply to this post

• Mr. Rogers was a spiritual giant. It’s about time someone built a statue that’s a little more to scale than his actual body was. If you ask me, though, it ought to be twice that size.

  Comment by Steve Boshear — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 10:38am PST  Reply to this post

• God Bless Him. I grew up on Mr. Rogers, and he – like the muppets and sesame street – are a human treasure.

  Comment by Daniel — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 12:15pm PST  Reply to this post

• An annoyingly honest man in a annoyingly dishonest town.

  How is that even possible?

  Comment by PubliusClodius — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 7:14pm PST  Reply to this post

• I was one of those blessed to grow up in Pittsburgh in the 1950’s. Mr. Rogers has been a personal hero ever since the days of The Children’s Corner. Thank you, Mr. Rogers. Looking forward to seeing you one day in heaven.

  Comment by Joy Jackson — Monday November 2, 2009 @ 7:40pm PST  Reply to this post

• It’s especially a privilege when someone with true personal conviction and a genuine love for humanity can reach broadcast audiences for as long as he did. Amid all of the religious preening and culture wars that have sadly survived him, it’s instructive to remember he was an ordained Presbyterian minister, one who simply acted out his calling rather than draw endless attention to it. I guess we were all his mission field. That would make us blessed by God, and would make him a saint.

  Comment by VermontDad — Wednesday November 4, 2009 @ 3:01pm PST  Reply to this post

• this man Mr.Rogers was the best man to ever live on earth, man.

  Comment by Roy marambio — Monday November 9, 2009 @ 11:00am PST  Reply to this post