Trouble In "The Neighborhood"

A reader, Kris Jensen-Van Heste, emailed me recently with some pretty bad news: Philadelphia's WHYY-TV is relegating "Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood" from Monday – Friday at 1pm to Sundays at 6am.

It's not a terribly surprising decision, but it is alarming.

In the absence of new shows (Mister Rogers taped his last show in 2001), or Mister Rogers himself (Mister Rogers passed away on February 27, 2003), I can understand (but not endorse) how the network might think they need to evolve with the times.

In the era of Teletubbies (sponsored by Langers Juice), Clifford (sponsored by Chuck E. Cheese), and Curious George (sponsored by Universal Studios), I imagine the honest-to-goodness non-profit Family Communications doesn't stand much of a chance. Likewise, all those bright colors, quick cuts, and nonsensical songs.

Of course, I don't agree with the decision. In fact, I'm afraid that the program's marginalization is just a step towards complete cancellation, which would be a huge loss for us all.

I've encouraged Kris to start her own website, and a petition. And I'd encourage you to send a letter, and email, or make a call to the station's program director. In fact, I've written it for you; just click here to download it, then sign it, stamp it, and send it. Or you can contact WHYY yourself:

Mr. Paul Rubinsohn
Program Director WHYY-TV
Independence Mall West
150 N. 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Tel: (215) 351-1200
Fax: (215) 351-0398
E-Mail: talkback@whyy.org

Whether we save the show from extinction or not, we raise or voices together in defense of our values: substance over form, patience over pace, and intimacy over anonymity.

Davy & My "Mister Rogers Day"

I'm so excited.

I just got off the phone with Davy Rothbart. I'm going to Chicago this weekend to cover Lollapalooza for MTV News, and wanted to see if -- by some long-shot -- he'd be there too. See, Davy lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. To guys like me (read: Easter-oriented corporate types sitting at a desk twenty-nine stories above Times Square), Ann Arbor and Chicago are close. They're actually 240 miles apart.

That Davy would be at Lollapalooza, though, isn't such a stretch. He started Found Magazine, a cool, boutique collection of, well, found objects: photographs, love notes, doodles. Somehow, the aesthetic of the magazine seems to fit with Lollapalooza.

Moreover, though, Davy is a contributor to "This American Life," which -- as you know -- is hands-down the best radio out there. In fact, the show is how I came about Davy. "This American Life" is produced by Chicago Public Radio. So -- yeah, you got it! -- I thought maybe Davy'd be in town.

Short answer: no, he won't be in Chicago this weekend.

Still, we had a great conversation. I really relate to this guy. In fact, I'd kinda' like to be in his shoes: author, magazine publisher, documentary filmmaker...

First, though, allow me to explain Davy's connection to Mister Rogers. It's a classic, one he recounts in his New York Times' remembrance shortly after Mister Rogers' death).

When I was 3 years old and my older brother was 6, he wrote a letter to Mr. Rogers. Thrillingly, Mr. Rogers wrote back. They began a little correspondence, and the next summer, when my brother told Mr. Rogers that our family was headed to Massachusetts for a week's vacation, Mr. Rogers invited all of us to chill with him for a day at his summer home on Nantucket.

We had a glorious time. Mr. Rogers sang songs to us, played with us in the sand and told us stories about our friends from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. It was a day I have never stopped glowing about.

Sounds kinda' familiar, right? I especially like how he says that he's "never stopped glowing." I totally feel the same way. This city beats me up almost every day. All I have to do, though, is pause a moment and listen for Mister Rogers voice. He always has the perfect advise. And I always end up glowing.

Pretty lucky.

So Davy's not going to in Chicago, but -- as it ends up -- my timing was (as is often the case when Bigger Things are at play) impecabble.

"Wow," he said. "It's so funny you call. I just emailed Mr. McFeely!"

Here's where the plot thickens.

Davy was emailing Mr. McFeely -- whose real name is David Newell, and who functions as Family Communications Director of Public Relations -- on behalf of his friend Lizzie Gottlieb. Lizzie is a documentary filmmaker whose 2006 film, Today's Man, chronicles her brother Nicky's diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. In the film, Nicky speaks of his life-long ambition to meet Mister Rogers. Cut back to Davy Rothbart, and David Newell's email.

Are you beginning to see why I'm excited!?!

So Davy's going to be in New York in September. And he's invited Chris and I along to Pittsburgh in November.

Now, I'm obviously excited for the film's sake, and our mission of "spreading the message." But I'm also excited that Davy and I spent twenty minutes on the phone talking about growing up, growing old, depth and simplicity, art and commerce, how we each suffer from what Bono calls "the tyranny of ideas" (Davy's in the middle of booking at 65-city book tour, while wrapping production on his documentary, "My Heart Is An Idiot"), and all of the things with which we both wrestle with and aspire to. It was, in short, inspiring, and energizing.

As we hung up, I was reminded of when Tim Madigan told me, "Fred loved bringing people together."

And I was reminded of Chuck Close. He's the artist who paints huge portraits comprised of tiny rectangles and squares. If "Mister Rogers & Me" is anything, it's an attempt to sew together a few portraits -- Davy's, Nikki's, Tim's, Chris', mine -- that, taken together, begin to take the shape of The Man himself.

Speedy Delivery

I've received a few dozen great, really thoughtful emails since posting the trailer a few weeks ago. Some are from friends, some are from strangers, all are appreciated. I thought I'd share excerpts of just a few.

I love Mr. Rogers. I love that as a child, my mom let me watch him despite the fact that she still shudders when she thinks about the instant and entranced calm that came over me as soon as it started, just after Sesame Street, which, in contrast, always included a fair amount of me jumping around and counting out loud and singing and talking back to the television. I love that I still remember her telling me that Mr. Rogers bought a car from her college roommate, and that being the first time I wrapped my head around the idea of him existing on TV and in real life. I love that on a road trip when I was in college, my boyfriend planned a stop at the Crayola factory -- based entirely on the fact that seeing the brochure in our hotel lobby launched me into an insanely detailed recollection of the trip Mr. Rogers once took there on his show.

Jen
New York, NY

I grew up with Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street, Electric Company, etc. Somehow I wish today's children's entertainment would retain some of the innocence of those shows. My background is in advertising/marketing so I can understand the success of much slicker shows like Sponge Bob, Dora, etc. But there's something lacking - a heart and soul. I think Fred Rogers did a great job of that.

Paul
Houston, TX

I just happened upon your story about Fred Rogers and wanted you to know that I loved it and thank you so much for writing it! I have been trying to figure out where to take my family for vacation and we have been punting around the idea of Nantucket, along with Maine, Martha's Vineyard et al. and we asked a friend who we knew had been to Nantucket if they liked it and they loved it and mentioned that they saw Mr. Roger's house.

Something also touched me about your words in that you indicated that your parents were divorced when you were ten. Mine were at six. It is painful isn't it! I am a 46-year-old married man with three kids of my own and I still have issues from my parents divorce and step-parent issues. At any rate, I kind of feel like a blood brother to anyone else, like yourself who suffered that fate.

I assure you that I am not prone to writing strangers, but you opened your heart to the world and I just thought that I would let you know that I appreciate your doing that.

Jamie
Dallas, TX

As you have the Nantucket connection to Mr. Rogers, I have a Pittsburgh connection to him. My youngest sister was an avid fan of Daniel Stripped Tiger and King Friday even before Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was on PBS. I was a little too old to appreciate him then, but often watched with her on our black and white TV in our living room in Leetsdale which is about 18 miles from “downtown” Pittsburgh.

I graduated from Pitt with a degree in early childhood education. My first job after graduating was teaching in a Head Start program in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. Training for this program was at the Arsenal Family & Children’s Center. Not only did Mr. Rogers have an office there, but both of his sons were students there. Often Fred would come into our training sessions. He encouraged us with his slow soothing speech and made us believe we were doing the most important job in the world – loving and caring for young children.

Mr. Rogers was always a force in our household. My son began watching his show at age 2 and I used his records in my creative music classes as a teacher. When he was 4 (or maybe he was 5) he missed a very important show. I think it may have been the wedding of Princess Sara, but I’m not sure. He and I wrote a letter to Fred asking if it would be repeated during the summer months. True to form, Mr. Rogers answered and not only told him the number of the segment but praised him for being able to tell his mother how he felt about missing the show.

Fred Rogers left a legacy of tenderness and caring not often found in today’s TV world. I can’t wait to see your finished tribute to him. Please keep me in the loop.

Hugs,

Sandy
Berwyn, PA

I came across Mister Rogers today on YouTube and it made me recall so many happy thoughts that were once forgotten. I can't really explain why I came across Mister Rogers, or what led me to searching for more videos on him. Just something that made me feel great inside and led me to the film which you are making. I understand you probably have many emails based around interested fans or whomever else is emailing you but good luck on your project.

Matej

As you know, this process has been long and sometimes difficult. Throughout, I have heard Mister Rogers' voice in my head saying, "Look for the helpers." Every email and comment feels like help, like Chris and I aren't alone in all of this. It's gratifying.

Mister Rogers Goes Digital

We were just talking about the MTV "Wiki" initiative to digitize every music video, show, and interview today. For once, we are as timely as today's headlines.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that "A project to digitize 900 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' episodes dating to 1967, as well as thousands of pages of print material, 35 years worth of viewer mail and audio recordings of Fred Rogers' music is now under way at Saint Vincent College."

Continue reading "Mr. Rogers' Shows To Be Digitized" here...

Jeff Erlanger (1970-2007)

I got a nice email just now from someone I don't know who found our "Mister Rogers & Me" trailer on You Tube.

So I was showing Abbi all the great Mister Rogers clips there, like when he saved congressional funding for the newly formed Public Broadcasting System, or his farewell message to viewers.

The third video we watched was beloved "Neighborhood" guest Jeff Erlanger's remembrance of appearing on the show. Christofer and I have discussed flying to Madison, Wisconsin, to meet Jeff, as his story has resonated with generations of viewers.

"Mister Rogers made me feel as if he was talking to me," he said.

Before I had time to tell Abbi that Mister Rogers made me (and everyone he met) feel the same, I read in the comments below the video that Jeff -- who was just a few months older than me -- had died last month.

This is obviously sad news. Jeff was brimming with joy and hope, whether surprising Mister Rogers upon receiving his Lifetime Emmy, or speaking at his tribute. He was a living legacy to Mister Rogers' goodness.

The first person Chris and I discussed interviewing for this film just prior to their passed away unexpectedly was Mister Rogers. Jeff -- a key character in the warm and wonderful story of Fred Rogers life -- is the second.

Now, we're not trying to make the definitive Mister Rogers biopic here. We're trying to tell a story about how one person can inspire change in another. Moreover, I'm pretty sure we're not going to interview Mrs. Rogers (who is 79-years-old), or David Newell (aka Mr. McFeely), as Family Communications CEO Bill Isler pretty much told me so.

Still, it drives home that whole carpe diem thing. "This moment," as singer/songwriter Victoria Williams sang, "will never come again."

In the face of a challenging summer of work, a wedding and honeymoon to plan, and a triathlon and marathon for which to train, it feels overwhelming again.

Even in his absence, then, Mister Rogers speaks to me.

"I know how tough it is some days to look with hope and confidence to the months and years ahead. But I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger: I like you just the way you are."

Misunderstanding Mister Rogers

One of the byproducts of working on ths film has been that we end up hearing some strange myths and untruths about our hero, Fred Rogers.

The big myth is that Mister Rogers was some sort of sniper killed all sorts of people in Vietnam. In fact, we met a few teenagers outside of The Smithsonian who couldn't be convinved otherwise. "That's why he always wore long sleeves," they said. "To hide his tattoos."

Of course, Mister Rogers wasn't a sniper, and didn't kill anyone, or -- for that matter -- have any tattoos. For Heaven's sake, I'd know; I hung out with him at the beach.

This week, The Wall Street Journal published commentary on the affect of Mister Rogers' message on kids.

Don Chance, a finance professor at Louisiana State University, says it dawned on him last spring. The semester was ending, and as usual, students were making a pilgrimage to his office, asking for the extra points needed to lift their grades to A's.

"They felt so entitled," he recalls, "and it just hit me. We can blame Mr. Rogers."

Of course, that Mister Rogers constantly told kids, "You are special," and that phrase somehow created generations of entitlement-crazed kids is absurd. Fortunately, The Huffington Post's Michelle Pilecki took the article to task.

"Whatever 'culture' or 'doting' the WSJ is talking about," she writes, "has nothing to do with the actual mission embodied in the program."

The show (and, ergo, the man), she continues, "is designed for children, encourages children to feel good about themselves, helps children learn the skills needed for learning readiness, is based on solid principles of child development and child psychology, encourages appreciation of and respect for others, and promotes values that are important to all children and families."

"Fred taught us," she concludes, that "we shouldn't be hurtful in our anger, and respect the differences in others while recognizing their shortcomings."

I'm not sure about the shortcomings part, but he didn't lash out when he was angry or hurt, he played piano or went for a swim.

In the time that I knew him, Mister Rogers gave me a few small birthday gifts, and sent me two care packages. one of the care packages contained a booklet of magnetic postcards. My favorite hangs on the fridge. I read it every morning and smile.

It reads, You Are Special.

I've wrestled with self esteem most of my life. I've often felt like I didn't fit in, either because I was new to town, or liked to sing instead of play football, or like to write instead of watch tv. I've been bullied plenty. So Mister Rogers and his message resonated with me long before meeting him. It stil does when I see that postcard on the fridge every morning.

That some kids think Mister Rogers was a sniper is wacky. That some professor somewhere thinks Mister Rogers is to blame for entitlement is nuts. That some bully tossed me up against the lockers because he thought I was a "fag" still makes me sad.

But even today, when my confidence wavers, or I feel persecuted or out of place, I think of Mister Rogers, and I play my guitar or go for a run.

And every time I see Ethan -- in fact, just yesterday -- I whisper in his ear, "you are special!"

Even if he grows up and gets a tattoo.

He's special. And so am I. And so are you.

Update: Professor Don Chance retracted his statement, saying, "The reference to Mr. Rogers was just a metaphor. I have no professional qualifications to evaluate the real problems or propose solutions. Mr. Rogers was a great American. I watched him with my children and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again if I had young children."

Mister Rogers & Me Trailer Premiere

Though Christofer and I began accruing footage in Nantucket in 2004, production on "Mister Rogers & Me" didn't begin in earnest until almost a year ago.

In fact, it was Sunday, June 25, 2006 when we drove to Fredericksburg, Virginia, to interview author Amy Hollingsworth, and then to Chapel Hill, South Carolina, to interview Human Kindness Foundation founder Bo Lozoff.

Just over one year later, we have this trailer to show for our efforts.

We've covered a fair amount of turf in between, including two trips to Washington, D.C. (Tim Russert, Susan Stamberg, and the Smithsonian), and three interviews here in New York (Marc Brown, Tim Madigan, and Linda Ellerbee).

We've also encountered our fair share of obstacles. Both Bill Moyers and Garrison Keillor declined our interview requests.

Still, it's been a terrific process, and easily the most meaningful project of my life. It's provided me with all sorts of insights and epiphanies, and afforded me the opportunity to meet some really inspiration people. Oh, and through the making of this film, I met the gentleman who will be marrying Abbi and me.

So, it's back to the production. We hope to shoot interviews with Katie Couric, Yo Yo Ma, and Found Magazine's Davy Rothbart, and to visit Dave Eggers' 826 organization. With any luck (and it will take a fair dose of luck), Chris and I will wrap it up in time for Mister Rogers' 80th birthday next year.

Stay tuned...

Statue of Mister Rogers Will Adorn the North Shore

I sincerely hope Chris and I are done with our documentary by next March. Recent events give me some hope to that end, but we have a long, long way to go. Besides, I always imagined the end of the story would find me doing something different than working for MTV (the literal crux of Fred and my initial conversation), and given that I'm knee deep in a new life with Abbigail, and wedding planning, I'm not sure that's going to happen. Either way, Chris and I will be there for the dedication next spring.

Plans call for a $3 million sculpture of children's television legend Fred Rogers to be placed on an observation deck bored into an old bridge pier on the North Shore. The 10-foot-tall sculpture shows Mr. Rogers tying his shoes, as he did at the beginning and end of every episode of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

A keyhole shape will be bored into the Manchester Bridge Pier, close to the south entrance to Heinz Field, framing a new view of the Point and giving an entrance to the childhood icon's "living room."

Children will be encouraged to scramble onto the statue -- by the same sculptor who did Mayor Richard S. Caliguiri's on Grant Street -- and construction materials will mimic the "Neighborhood" studio set.

Officials hope the privately funded parklet will become a major sight-seeing destination in the city and the setting for generations of snapshots with Mr. Rogers or the city's keyhole-framed skyline as a backdrop.

The site "creates a distinctive sense of place, a place that fosters civic pride, creates fun and ... recognizes our children and the importance of our children to the future of this community," said William H. Isler, the president of Mr. Rogers' production company, Family Communications.

The project is funded by Colcom Foundation, the $500 million charitable foundation of the late Cordelia S. May, a longtime Rogers family friend. The foundation paid $1.3 million for the sculpture and $1.7 million for developing the parklet plans, and promised to pay for the site's future maintenance.

Supporters stressed the site is not a Fred Rogers memorial. Rather, they are calling it "A Tribute to Children," with hopes it can be a gathering place for children and families.

The old bridge abutment currently sits unadorned along the Allegheny riverfront trail. The city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority once proposed turning it into an observation deck, much like the designers of the Rogers project -- Pittsburgh-based Astorino -- are now planning.

Plans are to circle the statue and elevated observation deck with a railing, creating a 4,100-square-foot visiting space.

Over the past four years, designers looked throughout the city at locations that would make the most of the statue, which Mrs. May commissioned in 2003. Colcom Foundation leaders wanted it near the Point, but with Point State Park being redeveloped, instead focused on the pier, Mr. Isler said, for its high visibility and accessibility to transportation and visitors.

"The site is highly visible -- from Mount Washington, Fort Duquesne Boulevard, the Golden Triangle, Point State Park -- and each time the three rivers are photographed or filmed, it's seen," lead architect Louis Astorino said. "It's seen on 'Monday Night Football.' It's seen nationally when you look at Pittsburgh."

The city's Art Commission has given preliminary, conceptual approval to the plans, which will go to the city planning commission next month.

Plans call for the statue's site to be completed by March 20, which would have been Mr. Rogers' 80th birthday. Construction is also tied to Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary next year.

Mr. Rogers was born in Latrobe in 1928. He wrote and starred in "Neighborhood" at WQED for 33 years, won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, two Peabody Awards and four Emmys, and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999. He died at his Squirrel Hill home in February 2003 at age 74.

The sculptor, Robert Berks, has done many portrait busts and similiar statues of Mr. Caliguiri and Albert Einstein, for the National Academy of Sciences. The Rogers statue will be similar to a child-friendly Hans Christian Anderson statue in New York's Central Park, supporters said, by Georg Lober.

The Rogers statue will be sitting on steps, allowing children access to it, but it will still be oversized. The sculptor, Mr. Astorino said, wanted to convey "the overwhelming awe of seeing this person for the first time as a child."

- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Trailer, Take Two

I've been puzzling for weeks how to boil down the premise of our film into just a few sentences. It's kind of a complicated conceit; it's not a biopic, but instead some sort of inspirational road trip movie. So here's the script:

Mister Rogers summered in modest gray clapboard house on the edge of Nantucked Island.  My family rented a tiny cottage next door. 

On the afternoon of my thirtieth birthday, Mister Rogers asked me about my job as an MTV News producer.

Moments later, the man who singlehandedly saved public television from the congressional chopping block delicately said to me, "I feel so strongly that deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex."

The conversation still haunts me.  And though he's not around to tell me in his own words, I wonder, who was Mister Rogers?  And what did he mean by "deep and simple?"

And so I left my Times Square office, and sought out the neighbors that knew him best.

Tim Russert: "Mister Rogers was a unique human being; forever giving, forever teaching, forever nurturing, forever taking advantage of every moment to tell people that it's important that we respect one another and that we love one another."

Susan Stamberg: "He would walk into a room where there were children -- but not only children because adults reacted this way as well -- and the elctricity and the molecules changed in the air. You felt that you were in the presense of this figure."

Marc Brown: "He used his life so well and so wisely. And he used his time on earth to do so much good! It's just what he was here to do, and he did it so effortlessly."

Linda Ellerbee: "He assumed that everyone watching him had inside themselves a wonderful person that was just dying to get out. And he was going to open the door for them. And the help you open the door for others. That's pretty simple. And that's pretty deep."

Mister Rogers touched millions of lives.

This is the story of Mister Rogers and me.

A Question For You

Though my postings here may have petered off a little bit, it doesn't mean that I'm not thinking about depth and simplicity in general, and this documentary project in specific, every day.

I have a few magnetic postcards that Mister Rogers gave me for my 31st birthday on my refrigerator. Every morning when I'm grabbing half and half for my coffee, I look Mister Rogers in the eyes and he smiles and says, "You Are Special!"

But that's just the beginning. Nothing I do in or out of the office fails to pass through the lens that Mister Rogers helped me to shape.

Right now, I still owe Chris a new musical bed and voice over for the second iteration of our trailer. We want to show it to FCI's Bill Isler to further demonstrate our capabilities, and give him a sense of where the film is going. I have to constantly reinforce to people that we're not trying to make a biopic, we're trying to show that affects of meeting the man, and being inspired by him.

To that end, and with specific inspiration from depth and simplicty-free media conference I attended this week, I've been asking people where they think the good work is being done these days. I asked my buddy James -- a Hollywood agent with the rare distinction of understanding deep and simple -- thusly:

In the era of the blockbuster, the longtail, and internet democracy, who do you think is doing good, substantive, meaningful work? What people? What companies? What studios, labels, or networks? Where's the justice and righteousness coming from? I just know it's not here [at MTV]. And I wanna be at -- or start up -- a place that can be both good business, and good for the world.

So... you tell me. Who's doing the good stuff? Individuals? Organizations?

Please leave your answer in comments.