Save Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

[wwfpooh]

I can't believe Fred had the time to write back everyone.

I can't believe that age-old story of how Fred's car was stolen & then brought back almost instantly with a note saying that if the robbers would've known it was Mr. Rogers' car, they would have let it alone.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Hi everyone,

I can't say very much about what PBS is doing, but I can tell you that Mister Rogers was the same person in real life as what we saw on the screen.

It's funny, because so many people have said thins about him. But yeah, I mean he is a very honest person who just gives to him. He was telling a story once about thins wish some school kids and how he didn't have to dress up line a clown suit or say anything silly. He just gave them him and they appreciated him for being strait with them.

 

[Yva Minstrel]

That is such a great story Yva. Just great...and I've heard the same accounts from others. There is a newspaper reporter / journalist who had a similar experience, but got to meet him several times, and wrote a very good book about his friendship with Mister Rogers. It's called "I'm Proud of You" and has great reviews.

I know of this book, I read it. My best friend actually sent it to me for Christmas two years ago because she knew of the bond that I shared with him through writing letters. I did write to the author, just to tell him about what I posted here, but never heard back. I did enjoy reading the book, though.

My greatest regret is the fact that I never met him face to face. I sent him tapes, with my singing and speaking, and there was a time when I could have met him, but didn't. He said in one of his letters that if I happened to be in Pittsburgh that I could stop in and say 'hello', but I never got a chance to. It is one thing I truly regret, but it also taught me something very important and profound. That is to never let fear or uncertainty hold me back. It was perhaps the greatest lesson Mister Rogerss ever taught me.

Truly a unique and wonderful individual and one that I truly do miss.

 

[wwfpooh]

It's funny, because so many people have said thins about him.

Right. People like to think that--just because it occurs with many celebrities--every good-natured person seen on TV is only acting for the camera. Thankfully, Fred was a godsend, being kind to all, even those who criticized him.

 

[sesameguy]

Hi everyone,

I can't say very much about what PBS is doing, but I can tell you that Mister Rogers was the same person in real life as what we saw on the screen. In 1991, when I turned 20, I wrote him a letter and sent him pictures of myself when I was little as well as what I looked like at that time. I confided a great deal about the whole getting picked on in school thing, and how his show helped me.

I also knew him (briefly) through the mail! I sent a letter asking for an autograph after I heard that he would be retiring from the show. He sent me his autograph - It's one of my treasures. He did indeed seem very kind and I'm thankful I got a chance to thank him via the mail.

 

[wwfpooh]

I also knew him (briefly) through the mail! I sent a letter asking for an autograph after I heard that he would be retiring from the show. He sent me his autograph - It's one of my treasures. He did indeed seem very kind and I'm thankful I got a chance to thank him via the mail.

It must be nice to have these moments of a hearfelt moment with someone you hold dear, even if you may not know them personally.

 

[bazooka_beak]

That's such an awesome story, Yva. Perhaps I should've sent him a letter as well - but sadly, that's just another regret to add to my list :/ It was so incredibly sweet of him to write to you!

 

[wwfpooh]

It was so incredibly sweet of him to write to you!

Indeed it was.

 

[Yva Minstrel]

That's such an awesome story, Yva. Perhaps I should've sent him a letter as well - but sadly, that's just another regret to add to my list :/ It was so incredibly sweet of him to write to you!

Yes it was, I agree. The autographed picture of him and Daniel S. Tiger in Russia was sent with his first letter, along with a two page letter as well as articles about his trip to Moscow. Seeing as I had told him that I was fascinated with Russia (and even got a BA Degree in Russian Studies), he sent me a signed photograph that emanated that interest. Today that picture now hangs on our living room wall.

The thing is, I always write people back when they take the time to write me. It's a courtesy that I was raised to do, but I didn't expect him to be the exact same way and return my letters. So when his second letter arrived, I was rather surprised. But, I quickly discovered that that was the way it was and so through the years, I was writing him at least two or three times a year, and always sending him Christmas cards. In 1995, when I moved to Germany, I sent him pictures of the places were we lived, and even sent him a video of German children's shows that I watched and used to help me learn German.

I wanted to share with him whatever I thought might have interested him. At any rate, the last letter I received from him was dated about a year before his passing. I had answered it, but he probably could not have answered it as he would have liked.

When he passed on, I grieved as one would grieve a lost friend. I told him in many of my letters that I considered him one of my friends. To this day, I still do and feel myself totally honored at having been able to write to him as openly as I did.

Today, I often go back and reread his letters and reflect on how his kindness changed me. And it did change me. I think I am a far better person for having written those letters, than I would have been if I had ignored the impulse to write. He was truly a great human being, as well as a good friend.

 

[Erine81981]

All these stories are so fun and sweet to read. I wished i would have wrote him a letter but since i never did things like that being that i either didn't care or never did come to mind but i've loved his show ever since i started watching way back in the 80s.
I really wished that my parents would have recorded those episode being that i read online that back during the 80's they re-ran some of the older shows. I would be so greatful to see these that have never been shown ever again. I know most of them are old and don't have the same as the end of the 70's and on though the 80'sm 90's and 00's.

I have been recording every bit of his show ever since i got a DVR for my Dish Network and have been making DVDs like crazy. At the moment i can't do any more recording because i just haven't the time to sit down and get everyone one of them on to a DVD. I still have pretty much all of them saved on my DVR but i want them all to be put to DVD just like that. I hate having to re-watch them so i try and record them while i'm watching them. But i'll get to it sometime in the future.

Now my PBS is still airing shows of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood but now hearing this is won't be the same if they take this wonderful show of the air and only show one or two episodes on the Weekend. The format is to be seen though a week days period. I really hope that we can all band together and help save this tresure we call Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.

I know one thing i wouldn't mind doing is having a pretison signed in getting some of the older Shows out on DVD as in like Old School Sesame. I would really love to see those older shows even the first one which i've seen a clip on Youtube but i want to see the whold show.