Steel Tadpole blew it. The child version of me was exactly the right age, audience, and temperament to enjoy and learn from Fred Rogers. But me? Oh, no. The sum total of things I remember before age six includes the day my youngest brother was born, the day I ran away from kindergarten (success!), the time I got my head stuck in the bannister, and the fact that I really hated “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
My objections were threefold: 1) What is with the constant changing of jacket and shoes? Dude, couldn’t you have done these things before you went on the air? 2) Puppets suck. Muppets? They’re different. They’re independent movers; they have their own minds, bodies, and personalities. A puppet is just a sock with a hand up its ass. 3) Everyone I knew had a Mr. Rogers impression and nary a one had an ounce of value. You’re not adding anything to the discussion here, people. Perhaps the last challenge was more among the category of, “I just don’t get Fred Rogers; even four-year-old me somehow knew that nobody could be that kind, that genuine, that caring. Nobody.”
I was wrong. And I missed out. And I’m very sorry. Fred Rogers was an American treasure and somebody I have steadily appreciated more and more the older I get.
Fred Rogers was all set to be a minister; I’m shocked. Shocked I tell you. A gentle soul completely devoid of cynicism, ambiguity, and scandal, Fred was all set to go God when TV caught his eye. He was fascinated by the medium and had an idea for an entertainment juggernaut where an unassuming middle-aged man changes shoes, puts on a sweater, and feeds fish every episode. “Can’t miss!” said WQED in Pittsburgh. And soon, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was born. He had this wacko idea that children feel things and decided to go on TV and talk about it. Nut job. Clearly, Fred Rogers is something of an anachronism; I can’t see the good people of the modern age being so pious without being completely out-of-touch. And one might argue that Mr. Rogers or a movie about him has no place in a world so evolved … and yet in 1968, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” devoted his very first week on air to puppet overlord King Friday erecting a barbed-wire WALL around his castle out of fear. That’s as relevant as five minutes ago.
You would never know how subversive pure goodness can be. Fred Rogers had a week on explaining assassination to frightened children when RFK was murdered and a month later invited the neighborhood patrol cop “Officer Clemmons” (François Scarborough Clemmons) to share a foot bath with him on air as a not-so-subtle protest against public swimming pool segregation. The moments from the show alone – moments I ignored time and time again as a child—would be enough to make a quality documentary. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is much more than a character study; it’s a treatise on why being kind is better than not being kind. This is exactly the film Pope Francis: A Man of His Word should have been.
Apparently, Freddy “Boom Boom” Rogers had his detractors, even after death. Always on the cutting edge of finger pointing, Fox News accused Fred of corrupting an entire generation with his belief that every child is “special.” The thought is that such pronouncement has led to a culture of indolence and entitlement. This couldn’t be further from the correct interpretation of Fred Rogers’ words and, of course, makes me wonder exactly how much hate is in a person (or in this case, a network) to judge another by exactly zero percent of the content of his character.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? could have been a standard homage – Here’s Fred; here’s who he is; here’s what he did, etc. In many ways, it is exactly this kind of film. But there’s a lot more to Fred Rogers than many would guess; he is so much more than his demeanor and outlook belie. When President Nixon wanted to cut PBS funding, Fred Rogers stepped in and won the day with his testimony in congress. He’s a man who truly valued the outlook of any child and devoted his life to making childhood better. Sometimes I rant about crappy children’s programming; I have nothing on Fred Rogers. Perhaps it’s a good thing he never lived long enough to see any of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid films.
As a kid, I’m not sure I ever got through an entire episode of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” As an adult, I’m quite sure this is one of my great shortcomings in life. But Won’t You Be My Neighbor? isn’t about blame or hate; it’s a reminder that whatever you screwed up, you can still atone for it if you care enough to make it right. If you’ve got a heart, this film will make you tear up at least twice. Whatever you think of Fred Rogers, it is literally impossible to watch this film and not feel better about yourself afterwards.
♪It’s a beautiful day in the Froggyhood
A beautiful film I near understood
Would you read mine?
My column sublime
Won’t you read my review?
I have always wanted to have a reader just like you
Maybe I’ll drop a profanity or two
Please, won’t you read?
It’s good stuff, indeed
Won’t you read my review?♫
Rated PG-13, 94 Minutes
Director: Morgan Neville
Writer: PBS
Genre: Things that used to make me roll my eyes
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Any child-sympathetic person
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Fox News
♪ Parody Inspired by “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
well… since you asked so nicely, and in parodied musical verse, no less … yes. I will read your review. In fact, I already have.
Additionally, I think this is important enough to state publicly..: re:”Fred was all set to go God when TV caught his eye.” These are not mutually exclusive, though there are copious examples that could suggest otherwise.
Fred Rogers took God with him to TV. He didn’t preach. He didn’t discriminate. He exemplified love and honesty, pure and simple. He embodied what Christianity should look like.