Mr. Rogers And Me

Friday, June 18th, 2010 | Uncategorized | 5 Comments

I’m very honored to have two songs off “Love Is Here To Stay” (The title track and “The World Is Waking Up!”) in the new documentary, “Mr. Rogers And Me.” As you may have guessed, the documentary is about everyone’s favorite neighbor, Mr. Rogers, and features interviews by the late Tim Russert, Susan Stamburg, Marc Brown and many more. The movie premieres tonight at The Nantucket Film Festival, and I’m here to witness it!

My good friend Ben Wagner and his brother Chris have been working on this for years, and I’m quite excited, as a friend and huge Mr. Rogers fan, to finally see the finished product!

Ben first met “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” creator and star, Fred Rogers, at Rogers’ summer home on Nantucket, Massachusetts. His mother rented the cottage next door, so Mister Rogers really was his neighbor.

On the afternoon of their first meeting, “America’s Favorite Neighbor” asked the young journalist about his job as an MTV News producer. Wagner felt exposed and embarrassed, a PBS mind in a jump-cut, sound-bit MTV world.

Mister Rogers said warmly, “I feel so strongly that deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex.”

Later, Rogers said simply, “Spread the message, Benjamin.” I think it’s safe to say Ben is doing his part. Check out the trailer below!

Tags: ben wagner, marc brown, mister rogers, mister rogers and me, nantucket film festival, susan stamburg, tim russert