Mr. Rogers Won’t Affect My Child

There is a big controversy going around that Fox News had impugned the reputation of the departed Mr. Rogers by claiming that he was “evil” and was a major negative role model on children, causing them to have low expectations and a sense of entitlement because Rogers told them that they are ‘special’ the way they are.

You can click to watch the video below.

Actually, Fox News didn’t smear Rogers at all.  They reported on a controversial story published by Don Chance, the professor at Louisiana State University who said this.  When the story was picked up at the Wall St. Journal here, Fox Morning show discussed it, along with the wild accusation that it could somehow be true.

Personally, I don’t think Rogers had any impact whatsoever on children, neither positive, nor negative.  His TV show was pure pablum-  fluff with no educational or moral guidance whatsoever.

I was little when he was on TV.  His show came on after Sesame Street and the Electric Company.  Whenever Mr. Rogers’ show came on, I changed the channel to something more intelligent, challenging and fun.

Goofy puppet shows in Rogers’ utopian basement were neither enlightening to children, nor did they teach any real-life lessons on coping or getting along with others.  And no amount of make-believe was going to convince me that Rogers was not an effeminate weirdo doing a kids show.

Zoom, Sesame Street, the Electric Company, Romper Room, and even Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s puppet shows were far more entertaining and educational.

My kid will likely be raised with childrens shows such as the Wiggles and Baby Einstein.  At least its not the dreaded purple dinosaur!

I noticed the other night that Cartney seemed very interested in Star Trek Voyager when it was on TV, and I told my wife that we should restrict all of this television watching to just Star Trek.  She told me to shut up because she wants grandchildren.