CASE STUDY 8.2 AUTHENTICITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: THE LEGACY OF MR. ROGERS Journalists report that children's television star Fred Rogers, who died in 2003, was a tough person to interview. It wasn't because he was unfriendly and demanding. Instead, it was because "he was just too gosh-darned nice."1 The host of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was as kind and curious off screen as he was on screen. Instead of talking about himself, he would focus on the interviewer. The interviewers frequently spent so much time talking about themselves that they ran out of time to interview Fred. At the end of each interview session, Rogers would present the visitor with a little photo album of their time together. He became particularly close with Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Tim Madigan. Fred became a source of encouragement to Madigan as he struggled with depression, marital problems, and the death of his brother, ending each letter with IPOY (I Am Proud of You).

Rogers hosted 895 episodes of his television program for preschoolers over three decades. In each episode, Rogers would enter singing his trademark song "Won't You Be My Neighbor" (one of 200 songs he wrote). He would take off his coat and shoes and put on sneakers and a cardigan sweater knitted by his mother. In calm, measured tones Rogers would talk directly to his young audience. A typical episode would include films or segments on how things were made and a visit to the Neighborhood of Make Believe, which was populated by King Friday, Lady Elaine, and other puppets brought to life by Rogers and cast members. The show addressed both ordinary and difficult topics like getting a haircut, big and little, the fear of being sucked down a drain, coping with change, angry emotions, divorce, war, and caring for the environment. Visitors to the neighborhood included cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Tony Bennett, Julia Child, quadriplegic Leroy Erlanger, Lynn Swann, David Copperfield, and the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz movie. Rogers also visited Koko the gorilla, a regular viewer of his show; architect Maya Lim; and the Apollo 15 command module pilot. He would reply to every letter sent to the show.

Rogers was disgusted with television when he first watched it. ("There were people throwing pies at one another.")2 He went into television because he hated it and thought that the medium could be used to nurture viewers. He combined his spiritual values (Fred was an ordained Presbyterian minister) and training in child development to make a series designed to "encourage children to feel good about themselves." He would frequently tell viewers "you are the only person like you in the whole world" and would sing the song "It's You I Like" to reinforce this point.

Fred strove for transparency. For that reason, he vowed to be the same persona both on and off screen, believing that "kids can spot a phony a mile away."3 Rogers also believed that his young audience deserved his best effort. He would reshoot scenes and "agonize" over every word and movement in the show. However, he wasn't afraid to make mistakes to demonstrate the importance of learning from failure. Once, for instance, he tried and failed to make a rainbow using mist only to later succeed with the help of speedy deliveryman Mr. McFeeley (David Newell). The lesson wasn't about rainbows but about working together to be successful.

Fred Rogers was a broadcasting pioneer. When fledgling public television was in danger of losing Congressional funding in 1969, he appeared before a Senate committee to explain the importance of speaking to children and to share the lyrics of a song about being mad. Skeptical committee chair, John Pastore, who had never heard of Rogers's program, said, "I'm supposed to be a pretty tough guy, and this is the first time I've had goose bumps for the last two days. Looks like you just earned the $20 million."4 Later, Fred defended VCR manufacturers being sued by the television industry for copyright infringement. Television executives objected to "time shifting," where viewers would record shows to watch later. Not Fred. He hoped that parents would record his shows if they were broadcast when children couldn't see them and view them at another time as a family. He believed that "anything that allows a person to be more active in the control of his or her life, in a healthy way, is important."5 The Supreme Court cited Rogers in their ruling in favor of the VCR manufacturers.

Rogers was also a pioneer in race relations. He recruited Francois Clemmons to play a police officer, making him one of the first black men to play a recurring role as an authority figure on American television. In a particularly bold move, he and Clemmons soaked their feet together in a wading pool. This came just 5 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, when many swimming pools were still segregated, and after an interracial group had been assaulted for conducting a wade in at a St. Augustine, Florida, "whites only" beach.

Mr. Rogers received four daytime Emmys, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, two Congressional citations, and 40 honorary doctorates. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, had an asteroid named after him, and one his sweaters is displayed in the Smithsonian as a "treasure of American History." All these accolades didn't shield him from criticism and ridicule, however. Conservative groups attacked him for not condemning gays and lesbians. Some cast members complained that he didn't do enough to promote sexual and civil rights. Sceptics called him a wimp who was not manly enough. Saturday Night Live comedian Eddie Murphy parodied Rogers in his Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood sketches. (Rogers once surprised Murphy in his dressing room. The two hugged.)

The 50th anniversary of the show's debut in 1968 sparked renewed interest in Mr. Rogers. He was the subject of a PBS primetime show, a documentary, a motion picture starring Tom Hanks, and a commemorative U.S. postage stamp showing Rogers along with puppet King Friday XIII of the Neighborhood of Make Believe. His mission continues through the Fred Rogers Center and the Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood children's show produced by his company.

Fred attributed his ability to connect with children to the human attraction to authenticity: "Every one of us longs to be in touch with honesty . . . I think we're really attracted to people who will share some of their real self with us."6 Mr. Rogers's willingness to share his real self continues to attract children and adults long after his death.

Read Case Study 8.2 from ch 08, p. 271. Answer questions 1 - 6 from this case.

1. Answers to each question must be 2+ paragraphs and demonstrate your understanding of authentic and servant leadership.

2. You are required to use at least two learned chapter concepts in each answer.

Discussion Probes Did you watch Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood or Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood while growing up? What do you remember from these shows? What impact did they have on your life? What made Fred Rogers an authentic leader? A servant leader? What does it mean for a leader to share her or his "real self?" Does this include mistakes and failures?

Are followers always attracted to authentic leaders?

Is it possible for a leader to be too transparent? To share too much with followers?

Why does Fred Rogers remain an important figure years after his death?