We need Mr. Rogers now, more than ever. The good news is that NPR has some tape.
Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson contributed to the latest buzz around Mr. Rogers by re-broadcasting an interview he did with NPR's Susan Stamberg about her relationship with the wise teacher. In the seventies and early eighties Stamberg would call Rogers on mic and ask him to help us get our arms around challenging events, like the Iran hostage crisis, the Challenger explosion and Three Mile Island. "He just gave people — young people particularly, but all of us could learn those lessons — tools with which to handle the big emotions,” she says.
At the end of this radio production both Hobson and Stamberg agree that we need Mr. Rogers now more than ever. I couldn't agree more. This article has links to archival recordings of Mr. Rogers on NPR. And, if you haven’t seen the film, you’ve run out of excuses. It’s streaming and is on DVD now.
Article: When Bad News Broke, This Public Radio Veteran Turned To Mister Rogers