TBH, when I watched him as a kid, I never really thought of him as standing out amongst the other kids shows. I thought it was another kids program. Looking back, I think maybe I would have been a much better person if I did notice.
Fred Rogers is one of the most unique human beings that I have heard or read about or seen. The stories of him, apocryphal or not, are amazing.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of his program being aired nationally on PBS, and it is telling that despite not being technically on the air in first run or reruns for a few years, that his message is still out there.
Instead of talking about many of his attributes, I would like to mention one of his supposed weaknesses. It is believed by some that Mister Rogers made this generation soft. That by saying "You're special just for being you" that my generation is enabled and selfish/expectant. To me, it is about the interpretation of the message. The interpretation should only go as far as to give self confidence in doing things. Mister Rogers also talked about the benefits of school and work and effort. So he was saying that while you are special, you need to give effort to earn things and to feel really good about yourself.
And as for being soft? Go watch, as many people have, Fred testifying before Congress about Nixon trying to cut PBS funding in half. There is a specific moment which shows his mettle.
It begins at 0:51. Senator Pastore, who has a reputation for being tough minded, clearly asks him in an annoyed fashion if Fred would like to read his statement.
Fred's response in words and face reaction is fantastic. In non-Rogers talk, it translates to me as
"I'm not here to fuck around. You will listen to what I have to say and you will not intimidate me." And instantly, Pastore recedes back and Mister Rogers begins to wax poetic.
This is a man with a will of steel wrapped in a mellow package. And there are other instances of this will coming out.
He sued the KKK in 1990 for trying to imitate him on the phone and spreading racism and he won.
In 1984, Burger King was using a "Mr. Rodney" to try and sell their burgers. What does Mister Rogers do? He calls the company up and asks them to stop. And the company pulls the ad. That's all it took.
One more for posterity. Mister Rogers is one of the main reasons that you are allowed to use DVR and back then VHS to tape television shows. The major studios were worried that by losing possible fees because of people not getting their movies legally (sound familiar?) they would be undermined. So they sued Sony, which made Betamax (which got overtaken by VHS) to cease the technology. Into court comes Fred Rogers to testify on behalf of taping television shows and he impressed the court so much that some of his exact words were quoted in the decision ruled in favor of Sony.
Fred Rogers was many things to many different people. But one thing that he was definitely not was soft. Which makes his legacy and persona even more unique and it is why that people still celebrate him today.
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