You know, even more than most TV people, the soap opera industry is a pretty stilted bunch of folks, but watching Fred Rogers get inside their heads and feel human for even a few seconds is a real treat.
Fred Rogers Acceptance Speech - Daytime Emmys 1997 [youtube via andy]
Saw this recently on mentalfloss.com .. I had never seen it before. It was awesome.
Doubt my kids, with their fancy-schmancy kid shows would have any interest in Mr. Rogers, unfortunately...
Fred was looking good there. I think even ol' Tim was a little choked up. He was on in the afternoons for me.
After his death I was amazed to learn he was a pastor and considered this his ministry. Even as a wee one I was vehemently anti-religious, but he kept his show admirably free of an overt message. I can handle the love and tolerance.
Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was my favorite show when I was little, and it was the first TV we allowed my older son to watch other than sports. Mr. Rogers was unfailingly gentle with and respectful of children. There is some good children's television out there now, but there is nothing like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
I met Fred Rogers once. As anyone else who has met him will tell you, his sincerity is palpable. He really is the Mr. Rogers of the show.