Won't You be My Neighbor? - / 10
Seriously good. Inspired the hell out of me. Perfect antidote to the cynicism of today's world.
I wanna see this. We've been watching old Mr. Rogers episode with my kids from time to time and they're pretty awesome. Boring as hell by today's kids entertainment standards, but overall so much better for kids I think.
I agree. The frenetic pace of children's programming reflects (and perhaps influences) their shorter attention span and need for constant stimulation, be it visual, oral, whatever. Mr. Rogers was the chill neighbor guy without an evil bone in his body. If I were asked to name I guy I'd consider best candidate for a human being who is literally 100% good, it would be Fred Rogers.
I've never met him, but know two people who have, and they say he is exactly the same "in real life" as he is on the show. I turn that around. He is exactly the same on the show as he is in real life. That's him.
Fred Rogers was a minister, and one of my students was staying at a friend's house (in New England somewhere I seem to recall) and he was the preacher at their church. She said it was bizarre, yet somehow seemed so very normal, to hear this man preach. Talking about being good to each other, loving our neighbors, all those things that he truly believed and worked into his show.
The other "second degree" is through my bandmate John, who was working on a contract years ago with none other than Mr. Rogers. He too said that it was a bizarre experience even talking to this man, because it was like talking to Mister Rogers (which of course he was). The man was infinitely polite, but also very intelligent and a good negotiator, so it was like an episode of The Twilight Zone that takes place in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. "Now John, I'm sorry but I really don't think that's going to work. We need to think of how to make things better for me, but doesn't hurt you. How can we do that?" Bizarre indeed.