Walking in the Valley A weekly column for those who live and walk in Silicon Valley by Barbara Dahlgren

Nice Guys Don’t Always Finish Last Column for the week of March 2-8, 2003

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The neighborhood will seem a little empty this week. Where were you when you first heard, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine? It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood......please won’t you be my neighbor?” The world lost quite a man this week, a real nice guy, Mister Rogers!

Mention PBS children’s television programming and two signature series will come to mind, Sesame Street and Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. Not a child or a parent probably hasn’t been influenced in one way or another these past 30 some years by the latter’s host, Fred Rogers. He was considered a bit bland by adult standards and his show certainly wasn’t as fast paced or flashy as Sesame Street, but he debunked the theory that children only have an attention span of seconds because kids watched him intently, faithfully. He had that soothing, reassuring effect, carefully keeping reality and the world of make believe separate.

His calm nature seemed to attract parody and ridicule. He’s been referenced in many a comic strip, movie, TV show, and political cartoon and the brunt of comedy sketches from Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Robin Williams to the Tonight Show’s Johnny Carson. I must admit I did find him a bit humorous myself. He was a nice guy but not exactly what I would call a “macho, macho man.” His frail looking frame and soft-spoken nasal voice didn’t appeal to me. But his show wasn’t meant for me was it? It was for children. And children can sense what a real man/father figure should be like even if we adults can’t.

I remember when I first started to see Fred Rogers in a different light. Johnny Carson had continually made fun of Mister Rogers so Fred asked to appear on the Tonight Show. I watched that night as Carson seemed to metamorphose from one who didn’t respect Fred Rogers into someone who did, before my very eyes. I changed my opinion, too. I guess real men do eat quiche.

Perhaps that’s how Fred Rogers won over the world....one person at a time. He started with children, then parents, then colleges, the entertainment industry, political leaders, and the world. His awards are too numerous to mention. He has over 40 honorary degrees from colleges and universities, including Yale, William Smith, and Dartmouth. He’s composed music and lyrics to over 200 songs and written numerous books. He’s been the chairman of scads of committees dealing with children’s issues and the subject of scores of magazine articles. He was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, was Grand Marshall of the Tournament of Roses Parade, and received every major television award that he was eligible for and then some.

At the 1998 Emmys he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award. I was watching along with millions of others when he asked the star-studded audience to take “10 seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are? Ten seconds of silence. I'll watch the time." And they did. So did I. And so did America.

You may wonder how this gentle man could change the hearts of those around him. I think it was because he was a man with a mission. In 1963 Mister Rogers graduated from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, ordained a Presbyterian minister, and given the mission of working with children and families through mass media. I’d say he accomplished his task, ran his race, and ended a winner. (Acts 20:24) It’s good to know that nice guys don’t always finish last!

If you are reading this Mr. Rogers, I want you to know that the neighborhood is going to seem a little empty without you and I’m glad that my kids and I had you for a neighbor. And if you’re listening, “It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor…………”

©March 2003

Be sure to visit this page every week to read the next edition of Walking in the Valley. You can write to the author at bdahlgren@wcgsouthbay.org.