Walking into the theater to see Focus Film’s biography about the late Fred Rogers everything was as I had expected- a tiny theater with only one showing and only a half-dozen individuals were in attendance. The only thing that was different from what I expected was where I sat, as for most of my showings I tend to sit in the front seats close to the screen, close to the action. For this viewing I instead had the opportunity to see things from a distance, like one may if they were watching the very first episode of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood on a boxset tv, belly sprawled across the carpet, eyes locked on the program at home in their living room in the 1960’s. I enjoyed having a bit of distance and easiness during the documentary after a long summer of action-packed superhero movies, sequels, and reboots. Eagerly, I settled in for academy-award-winner Morgan Neville’s Won’t You Be My Neighbor and was delighted by the scope and cultural significance that the film carries on its shoulders and the reverence it pays to the star. That star being Fred Rogers, an ordained Minister who, contrary to popular belief, neither served in the Navy nor had a single tattoo on his body. Rogers grew up wealthy and when he was introduced to television, he recognized that the medium had great potential for good or for bad. This lead Rogers to work in children’s television programing, which was unheard of, and Rogers set the precedent for an educational show and even fought Nixon when it came to funding the Public Broadcasting Station. Neville’s documentary brilliantly weaves in an out of Roger’s life and the significance of his show, but the true beauty lies in the words and stories about Rogers himself. “I like you as you are,” Rogers said. “Children need to hear that. I don’t think anyone can grow unless they are accepted exactly as they are.” These words come early in the film and they were powerful coming directly from Rogers himself. Living in 2018 there is so much anger and intolerance going around, the notion that someone believed in the good of humanity and the good in people is refreshing. Rogers spoke to people’s hearts and preached a message of inclusiveness without ever needing to identify as a minister. He spoke to people as himself rather than as a set of beliefs. He said, “In this society children are appreciated for what they will be. [For example] He will be a great consumer one day.” In fact, it is stated in the film that “for someone on television, Rogers hated television.” Much of how today’s society has become is the opposite of what Roger’s taught. We have become more reliant on television and consumerism. In Roger’s time, Nixon approached the media by threatening to cut stations that didn’t “behave” politically. Today we have a leader who acts the same way. As Rogers grew older, he began to wonder if his work was worthwhile. After the September 11th attacks Rogers recorded some PSA’s for PBS and he said, “what’s the point?” something many might find shocking. Now, 15 years after his death and 17 years after his final show, we find ourselves in a divisive time. Rather than critique this film, I’d like to point out some of the lessons Rogers spoke of that stood out to me. He spoke about his childhood and how he grew up learning not to be angry and not to show his emotions. This scared him because he knew if he got upset that he’d be a “bad boy.” He wanted to teach kids that it was okay to be angry and that it is okay to talk about your emotions. He never forgot how vulnerable it is to be a kid and he didn’t accept the socialization of manhood. Instead, he stayed true to himself and that made him much more than a man. In the film, it mentions how Daniel the Tiger and Rogers were symbiotic. The movie teased the audience with the psychoanalysis of Rogers and what made him so unique, but it was his forward thinking on love and kindness, something that many still haven’t grasped. It is ironic that when Rogers took a break from Mister Rogers Neighborhood, he worked on another show called Old Friends…New Friends for adults. However, we don’t remember him for that, because the adults didn’t listen. Fred taught children about life and we grew up into adults who forgot what he taught. Rogers said, “The outside lives of childhood has changed, but not their insides.” In 2018, life for children has changed more than ever, but this fundamental gap that was filled for many by Mister Rogers, isn’t being filled for children today. When Fred returned to his show four years later in 1980, he told himself that things were “as bad as ever” and that he needed “to get to it.” We should all be telling ourselves to get to it today to make a difference. The fact of the matter is, that the news is scarier than ever, and children today know that things are happening. We need to talk to them about it. Mr. Rogers was the victim of bullying, being called “Fat Freddy.” He went out and decided to make a difference even though he never forgot how others made him feel. He said, “Those who make you feel less than what you are, that’s the greatest evil.” The saddest part of this documentary, despite making me happy and hopeful at times, was that Rogers never got away from others making him feel less than what he was. For decades people speculated about his sexuality, even being asked on air whether he was gay or not. Fred weighed himself every day and every day he weighed 143 pounds. This made him happy because he decided that 143 means “I love you.” (1=one word. Love = four words. You = three words.) This made him feel validated. Rogers was the type of person who washed his friend’s feet, literally. I grew up watching reruns of the 80’s and 90’s episodes of the Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. I inherited a respect for Fred Rogers before I even understood why. In his older years, he wasn’t sure that he made a difference. He wasn’t happy ultimately. The world took its toll on him. Looking at the news now, 15 years later, I worry sometimes that the news is taking its toll on me. I worry that I’m already becoming bitter and wondering if things matter. If Mister Rogers struggled to find hope in his last days, where does that leave us? After 1765 shows Rogers was met with anger from parents. Parents who said that Rogers gave their kids a sense of false hope. They said that he told every child they were special and that this created an entitled generation. As a millennial, I am no stranger to hearing that we are the “participation trophy” generation and to see such anger be put towards a man whose motto was to share love, sickens me. Christianity teaches us that we are all loved and that we are special because we are God’s children. When Rogers teaches that same lesson saying that “you don’t have to do anything sensational for people to love you” and that “you are endowed by your creator for good” then suddenly we are creating an entitled generation. It’s sad really. Even Roger’s funeral was protested by anti-gay groups. If we are passed a time when someone this genuine and kind could be a star, what does that leave for us in 2018 when there isn’t a single person in the spotlight who is this genuine? The film highlights the good and the bad in humanity and begs the question that every time someone as wonderful as Fred Rogers comes around, will there be 50 more horrible people in the world? The film let’s this question linger but also offers hope that good people are always around to help if you know where to look for them. Roger’s says to look for the helpers, that they are always there. He says to remember who helped you and shaped who you are. In these trying times, Won’t You Be My Neighbor is a film that tells the story of someone who was too good for this world and asks us to step up to the plate and be what Rogers saw in us.
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Erick L. Graham Wood
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