[ APPLAUSE ] >>> 15 YEARS AGO, "MR. ROGERS
NEIGHBORHOOD" PREMIERED,
NEIGHBORHOOD" PREMIERED, CAPTURING HEARTS AND MINDS OF
CHILDREN AROUND THE NATION,
INCLUDING BY THE 1970s, THIS
ONE.
ONE. A HALF-CENTURY AFTER IT ALL
BEGAN, COMES A NEW DOCUMENTARY,
REMINDING US OF THE MAGIC OF THE
MAN KNOWN FOR HIS CARDIGAN
SWEATERS AND THE IMAGINEMAGICAL
MAKE BELIEVE.
MAKE BELIEVE. HIS WIDOW STOPPED BY WITH
FILMMAKER, NICHOLAS MA, TO
DISCUSS THE FILM.
FIRST, A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE.
WATCH.
WATCH. >> IT
>> IT ♪ IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD ♪
NEIGHBORHOOD ♪ >>
>> >> Reporter: FOR HERENEARLY 40
YEARS, MR. ROGERS WAS A
TELEVISION STAPLE, TEACHING US
ABOUT CURIOSITY AND IMAGINATION.
DONNING HIS TRADEMARK SWEATER
AND SNEAKERS, ROGERS, AN
ORDAINED PREACHER, TALKED ABOUT
COOPERATION, TO DIVORCE.
>> MY MOTHER AND DAD, THEY FIGHT
ALL THE TIME.
>> Reporter: TO RACIAL
TOLERANCE.
TOLERANCE. >> IT’S SO WARM.
I WAS JUST PUTTING SOME WATER ON
MY FEET.
MY FEET. >> IT SURE IS.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN ME?
>> IT LOOKS ENJOYABLE.
I DON’T HAVE A TOWEL OR
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. >> YOU CAN SHARE MINE.
>> Reporter: AMONG HIS CHIEF
GOALS, TOBOOSTING CHILDREN’S
SELF-ESTEEM WITH SONG.
♪ IT’S YOU THAT I LIKE ♪
>> Reporter: NOW, A DOCUMENTARY
EXPLORES THE MAGIC BEHIND THE TV
SHOW.
SHOW. >> YOU HAVE "MR. ROGER’S
NEIGHBORHOOD."
NEIGHBORHOOD." LOW PRODUCTION VALUES, SIMPLE
SET.
SET. UNLIKELY STAR.
UNLIKELY STAR. YET, IT WORKED.
>> Reporter: THE FILM EXAMINES
ROGERS’ MANY LAYERS.
>> I FELT I DIDN’T NEED TO PUT
ON A FUNNY HAT OR JUMP THROUGH
THE HOOP TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP
WITH A CHILD.
>> Reporter: ULTIMATELY, THE
FILM REMINDS US OF THE LASTING
LEGACY OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE
NEIGHBOR.
NEIGHBOR. ♪ PLEASE WON’T YOU BE MY
NEIGHBOR ♪
NEIGHBOR ♪ >> PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME JOANNE
ROGERS AND NICHOLAS MA, PRODUCER
OF "WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR."
HI, THERE.
HI, THERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COME OVER HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MY DEAR.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> IT’S LOVELY TO BE WITH YOU.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING US THE STORY IN THIS
LONG FORM, AND YOU WERE LIVING
IT AND BRINGING IT TO US AS IT
HAPPENS.
HAPPENS. >> YES.
>> YES. I AM JUST GOING THROUGH HISTORY,
PERSONAL HISTORY HERE BECAUSE
FRED WORKED HERE.
>> AT 30 ROCK.
>> AT 30 ROCK.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT I WAS AT
FLORIDA STATE, DOING GRADUATE
WORK AND PIANO PLAY.
AND HE WROTE ME A LETTER THE
SECOND YEAR HE WAS HERE.
AND MY LAST YEAR IN FLORIDA
STATE.
STATE. HE WROTE ME A LETTER, PROPOSING
MARRIAGE.
MARRIAGE. >> AW.
>> AW. OH, WOW.
OH, WOW. [ APPLAUSE ]
THAT’S THE THING.
LIKE, YOU HAD TO HAVE KNOWN BACK
THEN WHAT A GOOD SOUL THIS WAS,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? AND THE DOCUMENTARY DOESN’T TELL
US THAT, IT SHOWS US THAT, WHICH
IS A CREDIT TO YOU, NICHOLAS.
>> THANKS.
>> THANKS. >> IT SHOWS, NOT TELLS.
I DID NOT KNOW THAT FRED ROGERS
AND YO-YO MA WERE CLOSE FRIENDS.
AND THAT’S YOUR DAD.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
>> YO-YO MA’S YOUR DAD.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> DID THAT INSPIRE YOU TO DO
THIS?
THIS? >> MORGAN NEVILLE, THE DIRECTOR,
AN EXTRAORDINARY SENSITIVE, AND
COLLABORATIVE FILMMAKER, WAS
DOING A DOCUMENTARY WITH MY
FATHER.
FATHER. AND ASKED MY DAD, HOW DID YOU
LEARN TO BE A PUBLIC FIGURE?
AND MY DAD SAID, MR. ROGERS
TAUGHT ME.
TAUGHT ME. AND THAT WAS THE FIRST BREAD
CRUMB IN A TRAIL OF BREAD CRUMBS
THAT LED TO MORGAN AND I TALKING
ABOUT THIS, AND CONVINCING
JOANNE TO GIVE US HER TRUST TO
MAKE THIS FILM.
>> JOANNE, CAN I TELL YOU, FOR
ME, IT’S THRILLING TO BE RIGHT
NEXT TO THE TROLLEY AND DANIEL
IS DOWN THERE.
LIKE, THE SWEATER.
I REMEMBER, WHO DOESN’T REMEMBER
GROWING UP WATCHING MR. ROGERS?
AND FOR ME, I ALWAYS ROOTED FOR
HIM TO WEAR THE RED SWEATER.
AS YOU WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY,
ONE THING YOU DON’T REALIZE WHEN
YOU’RE ON THE RECEIVING END OF
IT AS A CHILD, IS HOW MANY
IMPORTANT LESSONS ARE IN THERE.
YOU GO OVER SO MANY OF THEM.
HE WASN’T AFRAID TO TOUCH RACE,
DIVORCE, DEATH, EVEN 9/11.
HE CAME BACK ON THE AIR WITH A
SPECIAL MESSAGE THAT IS STILL
RESONATING TODAY.
RESONATING TODAY. CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT THE RACE
EPISODE?
EPISODE? >> SURE.
>> SURE. >> IN THE FILM, THAT IS THE MOST
POWERFUL PIECE OF IT.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> YOU SHOW FOOTAGE OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN AMERICA WHEN IT
CAME TO RACE RELATIONS AND
JUXTAPOSE IT TO WHAT MR. ROGERS
DID IN RESPONSE.
TELL US.
TELL US. >> I THINK IT’S THE REMINDERS.
AT THE TIME, BLACKS AND WHITES
IN MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
WEREN’T WELCOME IN THE SAME
SWIMMING POOLS.
SWIMMING POOLS. HE MADE A POINT OF BRINGING
FRANCOIS CLEMENS, AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AS THE POLICE
CHIEF.
CHIEF. AND THE TWO OF THEM PUT THEIR
FEET IN A POOL TOGETHER.
IT’S SO QUINTESSENTIALLY FRED,
NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT, JUST TO DO
IT, SIMPLY, QUIETLY AND ELEGANT
ELEGANTLY, A REMINDER THAT
KINDNESS IS SOMETHING POSSIBLE
FOR ANYBODY.
FOR ANYBODY. AND I THINK, AT TIMES, A
CHALLENGE, BUT ALSO AN
OBLIGATION.
OBLIGATION. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. WELL SAID.
WELL SAID. SO, I WANT TO PICK IT UP WITH
JOANNE THERE.
JOANNE THERE. WOULDN’T YOU LOVE TO KNOW WHAT
MR. ROGERS WOULD TELL US TO DO
RIGHT NOW, ABOUT HOUR OUR
COUNTRY IS?
COUNTRY IS? WE’RE GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
AND WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK AT SOME OF THE AMAZING
[ APPLAUSE ] >>> I RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH
JOANNE ROGERS, THE WIDOW OF THE
ONE AND ONLY MR. FRED ROGERS,
AND NICHOLAS MA, PRODUCER OF THE
DOCUMENTARY "WON’T YOU BE MY
NEIGHBOR," WHICH CHRONICLES FRED
ROGERS
ROGERS ROGERS’ LIFE AND CAREER.
NICHOLAS WAS A GUEST ON THE
SHOW, WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER, ALONG
WITH CELLIST YO-YO MA.
HERE’S MORE OF OUR CONVERSATION.
MR. ROGERS’ LEGACY IS HOW GREAT
HE WAS WITH CHILDREN, AND HIS
ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE IN THEM,
ALL OF THE EMOTIONS, EVERYTHING
THEY WERE GOING THROUGH.
AND THERE’S A CLIP OF A LITTLE
BOY THAT WOULD STAY IN YOUR
LIVES.
LIVES. HIS NAME IS JEFFREY.
AND HE WAS 10 YEARS OLE AT THE
TIME.
TIME. HE HAD A BRAIN TUMOR.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
HE WENT ON THE SHOW.
AND THE PARENTS WERE SURPRISED
THAT HE BURST OUT INTO SONG WITH
MR. ROGERS.
MR. ROGERS. HERE’S A CLIP.
♪’S YOU I LIKE
THE WAY YOU ARE RIGHT NOW ♪
♪ THE WAY DOWN DEEP INSIDE YOU ♪
♪ NOT THE THINGS THAT HIDE YOU ♪
>> AND THERE MUST BE TIMES WHEN
YOU DO FEEL BLUE.
>> UH-HUH.
>> UH-HUH. >> WHAT DO YOU DO DURING THOSE
TIME S
TIME S TIMES?
TIMES? >> WELL, IT DEPENDS.
>> I’M NOT FEELING BLUE RIGHT
NOW, THOUGH.
NOW, THOUGH. >> ME, NEITHER.
>> THEY WENT ON FROM THERE.
HE KNEW, JOEANNEJOANNE.
HE HAD BEEN BULLIED WHEN HE WAS
A LITTLE BOY.
>> YES.
>> YES. THAT LITTLE BOY CAME IN COLD
BECAUSE THEY WERE LATE GETTING
TO THE STUDIO FOR THE TAPING.
THAT WAS DONE WITHOUT REHEARSAL
OR TELLING HIM.
THEY TOLD HIM, WE’RE GOING TO
SING A SONG.
IS THAT OKAY?
YES.
YES. AND THEY WINGED IT.
>> WENT INTO IT.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> THE THING ABOUT MR. ROGERS
IS, HE RECOGNIZED CHILDREN FOR
THEIR FULL, COMPLETE SELVES.
IT WASN’T ALL, YAY.
BUT IT WAS HANDLED GENTLY.
>> YOU HEAR IT IN THAT CLIP.
HE TALKS ABOUT TIMES WHEN YOU
FEEL BLUE.
FEEL BLUE. HE DOESN’T SAY IT’S IMPOSSIBLE
TO BE SAD.
HE SAYS, NO, SOMETIMES WE GO
THROUGH THINGS THAT ARE HARD.
AND HE TREATED THE CONCERNS THAT
CHILDREN HAD WITH GREAT
SERIOUSNESS AND GREAT
COMPASSION.
COMPASSION. WHEN I WAS ON THE SHOW, THE
SECOND TIME AS A TEENAGER, THE
SCARIEST THING IN THE WORLD AT
THIS POINT WAS PLAYING WITH MY
FATHER.
FATHER. YOU DON’T HAVE TO INVITE THE
COMPARISON.
COMPARISON. >> LIKE THE CELLO.
>> HE JUST SAID TO ME, I THINK
IT’S SOMETHING YOU’LL BE GLAD
YOU DID WHEN YOU’RE OLDER.
I’M GLAD HE UNDERSTOOD THAT FEAR
AND HELPED ME MANAGE IT BECAUSE
I’M SO GLAD THAT I DID IT.
>> THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE WAS
ALWAYS BELOVED.
ALWAYS BELOVED. I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M SITTING NEXT
TO THE TROLLEY.
BUT YOU SAID, JOEANNEJOANNE, DAN
HIS FAVORITE.
HIS FAVORITE. HE WAS THE VOICE OF MR. ROGERS.
>> I THINK SO.
>> AND HE USED HIM TO GREAT
EFFECT.
EFFECT. >> HE DID.
>> WHAT WOULD HE SAY NOW?
YOU LOOK AROUND AMERICA AND
WE’RE SO DWIGHTED.
PEOPLE HAVE STEPPED AWAY FROM
KINDNESS.
KINDNESS. >> PEOPLE SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK
HE WOULD DO ABOUT ALL THIS?
IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE CHILDREN.
IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE IMMIGRANTS
AND THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES.
IT BREAKS MY HEART.
I KNOW IT BREAKS EVERYBODY’S
HEART.
HEART. >> HE WENT BACK ON THE AIR FOR A
SPECIAL WEEK OF PROGRAMMING
AFTER CHILDREN WERE HURTING
THEMSELVES, NOT WILLINGLY, BUT
WHEN THE SUPERMAN MOVIES CAME
OUT.
OUT. THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD JUMP OUT
OF WINDOWS WITH CAPES ON.
HE DID A WEEK OF PROGRAMMING TO
HELP THEM UNDERSTAND, YOU
CANNOT.
CANNOT. THAT’S NOT AN ABILITY YOU HAVE.
AFTER 9/11, HE WENT ON THE AIR
AND SAID SOMETHING I QUOTE TO
THIS DAY WHEN WE HAVE TERROR
ATTACKS, WHICH IS, IN THESE
TIMES, LOOK FOR THE HELPERS.
>> LOOK FOR THE HELPERS.
>> SOMETHING HIS MOTHER TOLD HIM
WHEN HE WAS A CHILD.
WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE’S ALWAYS
PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO HELP.
AND AS A CHILD, I THINK IT’S A
WONDERFULLY APT MESSAGE.
NOT TO TRY TO EXPLAIN WHY THERE
ARE TERRIBLE THINGS THAT
HAPPENED IN THE WORLD.
BUT TO REMIND YOU THAT EVEN IN
THOSE REALLY DARK MOMENTS,
THERE’S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT
TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER
PLACE.
PLACE. >> WHAT WERE HIS WORDS?
WHAT WERE THE WORDS HE WANTED US
TO REMEMBER?
TO REMEMBER? >> AT THE END OF THIS PIECE IN
9/11, HE SAID, THANK YOU TO THE
PEOPLE WHO WORK TO BRING -- AND
HE SAID SIX IDEAS.
JOY AND LIGHT AND HOPE AND FAITH
AND PARDON AND LOVE.
AND TO ME, IT’S THE LAST THREE,
FAITH AND PARDON AND LOVE, THAT,
IF WE HAVE THOSE IN OUR LIFE IN
WHATEVER CAPACITY, IN WHATEVER
WAY, WE’RE STRONGER PEOPLE,
BETTER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY,
AND BETTER CITIZENS OF OUR
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> AMEN.
>> AMEN. YOU’VE DONE A BEAUTIFUL JOB OF
BRINGING THAT TO US IN THIS
FILM.
FILM. I’M FOREVER GRAFRTEFUL FOR YOU.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND "WON’T YOU BE