Won't You Be My Neighbor and Wear a Sweater?

   I'll admit it. When Fred Rogers became a household name in the late sixties and early seventies on the PBS show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," I thought he was smarmy and weasel-y.  I was a teenager, snickering with my friends, speculating what he was REALLY like.

     Then I babysat a couple of kids who insisted on watching him. He sang one of his songs intended to calm childhood fears. I thought it was ridiculous. The song assured kids that they wouldn't be sucked down the bathtub drain, because they wouldn't fit. Pretty dumb, I thought. But I watched the effect the song had on my young charges and suddenly realized Mister Rogers knew what he was doing. He was addressing a need that might not be met otherwise.

     Turns out Mister Rogers really was what he presented himself to be-- a nice guy. Legions of people attested to his dedication and integrity.

      Fred Rogers died of stomach cancer five years ago, at the age of 74, and left a legacy of kindness. 

      In remembrance, the public is being asked tomorrow to wear a sweater, just as the warm and fuzzy TV host did. Mister Rogers' old sidekick, Mr. McFeely, is featured on this videotape encouraging the commemmoration by sweater.

     I'm going to wear one, in tribute to an educator who addressed children's needs and made their world a friendlier place. 

     But I must admit, I still laugh out loud at re-runs of Eddie Murphy's skit on Saturday Night Live, playing Mister Rogers as a folksy house burglar. Since Fred Rogers was a regular guy, he probably got a kick out of the performance too. 

      This sweater's for Mister Rogers!

    

    

Comments

[Charley Foster]

Makes you wonder about some of your other assumptions, huh?