# Its a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 22, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466 "2019-07-22T17:56:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/21 "2019-07-23T15:54:47Z")
I first became aware of Fred Rogers when I was about six years old. I had a friend in the first grade named Rebecca whose house I would sometimes go to after school. We would always watch _Mr Rogers_, because she absolutely refused to switch to _Garfield Goose_, which was my preferred program.
I remember very clearly thinking Mr Rogers and his puppets were the most boring saps on television. On _Garfield Goose_, a local Chicago puppet show for kids, Garfield had a clacking giant beak that he would sometimes whack Frasier Thomas in the head with. Nobody got whacked in the head on _Mr Rogers_, It was all people and puppets talking softly for the whole damn show. No cartoons like on _Garfield Goose_ or _Ray Rayner_. I liked the Daniel Tiger Puppet okay, but that was only because I was a big _Jungle Book_ fan, and I liked to look at tigers. I still thought Daniel was an awful wuss for a tiger though.
I had a hard edge, even as a kid.
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### Author:  [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/22 "2019-07-23T16:53:34Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#):
>
> Hanks certainly got the look and demeanor right, but I found his voice slightly distracting at first.
Indeed, like Happy Lendervedder mentioned Hank’s attempts to immitate Mr. Rogers’ manner of speaking came out sounding just a little too much like Forrest Gump at times. And I did find that kind of distracting.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/23 "2019-07-23T17:05:06Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#):
>
> Eddie Murphy?
> [@don\_t\_ask](#):
>
> That is quite a silly choice as Eddie Murphy is only 5 foot 9.
[Whoosh!](https://youtu.be/K_MDCH-W2WU)
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/24 "2019-07-23T17:15:31Z")
[Derf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derf) was a poor art student in Pittsburgh; he was walking to school in a snowstorm when a stranger offered him a ride. Yep, that stranger was Fred Rogers and Derf was too shocked to say anything until he got out, then could only manage “B-b-bye, neighbor.”
This encounter appeared as a series of strips at [derfcity.com](http://derfcity.com) but the strips are no longer there.
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### Author:  [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/25 "2019-07-23T20:50:33Z")
Mr. Rogers show was an integral part of my childhood. I would always stop and slow down to watch him. I was deeply enthralled by him.
If this movie does anything but deify the man, I will hunt down the directors and give them a stern talking-to!.
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### Author:  [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/26 "2019-07-23T21:16:35Z")
While Mr. Rogers was period-appropriate for my early-80s childhood and I certainly watched it, I don’t remember having a very strong fondness for the show as a kid. I think the pacing was a little too slow and the puppets were a little too strange-looking and strangely-voiced for me at the time.
But my appreciation has grown since, and I have counted him among my personal heroes for a long while now (including years before it was “cool” to like him). Very glad to see the attention he’s getting again, especially having children of my own and seeing just how damned good his lessons and approach were.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/27 "2019-07-23T21:57:01Z")
> [@Noelq](#):
>
> If this movie does anything but deify the man, I will hunt down the directors and give them a stern talking-to!.
I think it’s safe to assume that this is going to be the uncensored, true story of Fred Rogers and the many, many affairs that went on in what appeared to be a quiet neighborhood. There was of course, the usual shenanigans among the human residents, but there was all sorts of dalliances amongst the puppet residents as well as inter-species relationships between puppets and humans. I think it’s safe to assume you will be surprised by the true story.
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2019, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/28 "2019-07-23T23:11:57Z")
Just out of curiosity, was anyone here who watched the show as a little kid bitterly disappointed when he or she entered the real world and found it was nothing at all like Mr Rogers’ neighborhood? :dubious: 😕
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### Author:  [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/29 "2019-07-24T00:32:52Z")
Perfect casting choice 🙂
… of course, my evil side is saying “someone recut this trailer into the style of a horror movie” 😉
Can you say… horror?.. sure you can!
SAY IT!
SAY HORROR!
NOW!..
(It puts the lotion on its skin!)
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### Author:  [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/30 "2019-07-24T03:35:29Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#):
>
> Hanks doesn’t look all that much like Rogers, but who else could play him?
How about [Christopher Kimball?](https://www.eater.com/2016/5/31/11825280/christopher-kimball-milk-street-kitchen) Looks and voice are pretty close.
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### Author:  [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/31 "2019-07-24T05:19:37Z")
My eyes played a trick on me when I caught a glimpse of a screenshot of Facebook. For a brief moment I thought I was looking at Bill O’reilly rather than Tom Hanks ☹
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/32 "2019-07-24T07:48:10Z")
I’m looking forward to seeing the movie. I have actually had a “Mr. Rogers Moment.”
It was the 1980s, and I was in Los Angeles. I was in the audience at a taping of “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” and prior to the actual show taping, various celebrities were wandering around the set. One of whom was Mr. Rogers, for some reason (he was not a scheduled guest on Johnny’s show, but being Mr. Rogers, NBC likely let him go wherever he wanted). Tony Randall was a scheduled guest, and he made us all laugh with some improv before the show. Mr. Rogers watched from the sidelines while Tony Randall did his thing, but he also looked out into the audience.
Everybody was watching Tony Randall, but I waved at Mr. Rogers. Just a little wave, nothing outrageous or huge. But Mr. Rogers saw me, and he waved back to me, with that nice smile I knew so well from TV. Mr. Rogers may have played to an audience of millions, but he made us each feel as if he cared for, and was playing to us individually. With a wave and a smile, he proved that to me, that day.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/33 "2019-07-24T08:16:06Z")
> [@Gyrate](#):
>
> If anyone was going to play Mr. Rogers, it was going to be Tom Hanks.
>
> On a similar topic, I’m still [loving this meme](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/476/059/491.jpg).
That’s just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen!
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### Author:  [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/34 "2019-07-24T09:00:24Z")
> [@terentii](#):
>
> Just out of curiosity, was anyone here who watched the show as a little kid bitterly disappointed when he or she entered the real world and found it was nothing at all like Mr Rogers’ neighborhood? :dubious: 😕
Not I. Are you wondering if Mr Rogers ill-equipped children by presenting them with a unrealistic view of the world? The question makes me think that you have a vague, cultural touchstone idea of the show, or maybe a Fox News view of it from when they inexplicably decided to demonize him awhile back.
Mr Rogers tried to build children’s self-esteem, help them to understand and not be afraid of things that were frightening, and to treat others with kindness and respect. He did not create a neighborhood of make-believe in which to hide from the world, but to take bits and pieces of the world and explain it to children, without talking down to them.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/35 "2019-07-24T11:42:39Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#):
>
> Eddie Murphy?
“if I move to your neighborhood, y’all move away!”
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### Author:  [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/36 "2019-07-24T13:26:50Z")
I thing Edward Norton could make a passable young Fred Rogers:
[ ](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/palestineherald.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b9/db98e57a-870a-11e8-9b0d-9f8b37bde77f/5b495be97cfe7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C375)
[ ](https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://hiddenremote.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/999062868.jpeg&c=sc&w=3200&h=2070)
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/37 "2019-07-24T13:40:08Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#):
>
> I thing Edward Norton could make a passable young Fred Rogers:
> [https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/palestineherald.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b9/db98e57a-870a-11e8-9b0d-9f8b37bde77f/5b495be97cfe7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C375](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/palestineherald.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/b9/db98e57a-870a-11e8-9b0d-9f8b37bde77f/5b495be97cfe7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C375)
> [https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://hiddenremote.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/999062868.jpeg&c=sc&w=3200&h=2070](https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?url=https://hiddenremote.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/999062868.jpeg&c=sc&w=3200&h=2070)
He’s already played a children’s television show presenter. And I’d hate to get any Smoochy on Mister Rogers.
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/38 "2019-07-24T13:46:06Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#):
>
> Mr Rogers tried to build children’s self-esteem, help them to understand and not be afraid of things that were frightening, and to treat others with kindness and respect. He did not create a neighborhood of make-believe in which to hide from the world, but to take bits and pieces of the world and explain it to children, without talking down to them.
Concur.
Fred Rogers wasn’t creating a fantasy to hide in. There was divorce and death, bullies and bad guys. Fred just showed us how to deal with such things in a positive, caring manner.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [July 24, 2019, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/39 "2019-07-24T13:48:50Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#):
>
> Jim Parsons could pull it off, looks wise. I don’t know who else could bring as much heart as Hanks, though.
If Jim Parsons and his husband Todd Spiewak moved into some people’s neighborhood, some people would move away.
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### Author:  [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2019, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/837466/40 "2019-07-25T00:54:57Z")
Someone in another thread mentioned the character of Johnny in _Airplane!_. I noticed something relevant to it when I searched YouTube for his scenes. Look at 0:19 to 0:28 in this video:
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5neabZ5pVQ)
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