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Epic video of Mister Rogers addressing Congress resurfaces amid threats to gut PBS funding

"Looks like you just earned yourself the $20 million."

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Epic video of Mister Rogers addressing congress for PBS resurfaces

PBS has been around for generations providing families with wholesome family entertainment, educational programming, and fair and balanced news. Many people rely on PBS for emergency alerts in rural areas as it can be one of the only broadcasting channels available in some places. But recently, Congress has brought up the idea of cutting critical funding to PBS and NPR, both of which are publicly funded as a means to keep people informed.

The services provided by PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) and NPR (National Public Radio) are public and partly funded by taxpayer dollars. Congress members are considering legislation that would essentially prohibit the federal government from allocating tax dollars to support public broadcasting. This proposal to gut funding led to the chief executives from PBS and NPR being questioned at length during a congressional hearing.

While some of the optics and questions from the hearing were amusing, the need to (once again) defend public broadcasting caused a decades old clip of Mister Rogers to circulate social media. In May 1969, Mister Rogers headed to Congress to stress the importance of funding for the newly formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes the government funding to PBS and NPR. At the time, Congress was wanting to slash their $20 million in funding to just $10 million—which would've had significant consequences for shows like his.

Fred Rogers was up against a tough crowd, but the PBS executive that introduced him prepped the Congressional committee for his kind nature.

mr rogers, pbs, npr, funding, defensepbs digital studios GIF by PBSGiphy

"Mister Rogers is certainly one of the best things to ever happen to public television and his Peabody Award is testament to that fact. We in public television are proud of Fred Rogers and I'm proud to present Mister Rogers to you now," the executive says.

If you've ever seen an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood then you're aware of his kind, gentle nature, but Subcommittee chairman, Senator John Pastore (D-RI), didn't know anything about everyone's favorite neighbor. The senator was quite rude towards him and appeared to be overall annoyed with Mister Rogers' presence—but that didn't deter the children's show creator.

Rogers shares how his program went from a $30 budget to a $6,000 budget with the help of additional funding before dropping shocking information.

"But $6,000 pays for less than two minutes of cartoons. Two minutes of animated, what I sometimes say, bombardment. I'm very much concerned as I know you are about what's being delivered to our children in this country and I've worked in the field of child development for six years now, trying to understand the inner needs of children. We deal with such things as the inner drama of childhood," Roger tells the subcommittee.

Mister Rogers delivers his whole speech in that familiar comforting cadence which clearly impacts how his message is received. You can watch the congressman relax and become more engaged in real time while Rogers explains what he does with his thirty minute kids show.

mr rogers, mr rogers neighborhood, pbs, pbs funding, fred rogershappy pbs digital studios GIF by PBSGiphy

"We made a hundred programs for EEN, the Eastern Educational Network, and then when the money ran out, people in Boston, in Pittsburgh, and Chicago all came to the floor and said 'we've got to have more of this neighborhood expression of care' and this is what...this is what I give. I give an expression of care every day to each child to help him realize that he is unique," he says in part.

By the end of the meeting Mister Rogers had won over the senator. "I think it's wonderful. I think it's wonderful. Looks like you just earned yourself the $20 million," the senator says.

Watch Mister Rogers' full speech to Congress here:


There's no Mister Rogers this time to head to Congress and try to convince them not to cut vital public broadcasting funding, but it's important to remain hopeful. Communities still rely on the programming for news, alerts, and educational programs like Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, (reruns of which still air on the network today).

For now, the fate of federal funding for PBS and NPR is still in the air, but the recirculation of Mister Rogers' congressional visit is reminding us exactly why public broadcasting is so important.

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'It's all a lie': Woman who returned from Europe shares why life is much harder in the U.S.

Why work harder for a lower quality of life?

via Kayleigh Donahue/TikTok and Zeeshan Kundi/Pexels

Kayleigh Donahue explains the differences between the U.S. and Europe.

American-born TikTok user Kayleigh Donahue is going viral on the platform because of her unflinching take on why it was a mistake for her to move back to the U.S. after spending 4 years in Ireland.

She moved back to the Boston area. Kayleigh moved back to the U.S. from Ireland to make more money, but that didn’t go as planned. Even though she got paid more, the cost of living was so much higher that she saved less money than she did in Ireland. She also missed the generous number of vacation days she got in Europe as compared to America.

@kayshaynee

popping off always #americanabroad #usavseurope #movingabroad #livingabroad #europevsamerica #fyp

“Basically, I really got sucked into the American Dream way of living when I was abroad, which is funny because I loved living abroad,” Kayleigh said. “But you know, making more money, that’s enticing. Good job, that’s enticing. It’s not true. It used to be. It definitely used to be. You could come here and make a ton of money, make a great life for yourself. But the younger generation today, in this country — screwed. It’s literally all a lie that is sold to you. It’s such a struggle, and the older generation doesn’t seem to see how much of a struggle it is for the younger generation here.”

In the end, who wants to work harder for a lower quality of life?

“Needless to say, I will most likely be moving back to Europe where 20-plus days of paid vacation a year is literally the law, and I will make less money, but somehow, you know, the cost of living is lower there and I can save more,” Kayleigh concluded the video.

Kayleigh made good on her promise. As of January 2025, she now lives in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband, and they seem to be loving their life abroad.


@kayshaynee

first weekend in amsterdam complete✨🇳🇱🫡 #americanabroad #dutchtiktok #thenetherlands #amsterdam #fyp #movingabroad

This article originally appeared last year.

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Millennial says boomers have it backward when they talk about wasting money on 'luxuries'

Things couldn't have been more different.

via Canva

A young couple can't handle high prices and their dad says to save money.

One of the big talking points in the great American millennials versus baby boomers debate is whether the younger generation has knee-capped itself by its lavish spending habits that have prevented them from owning homes. If millennials stopped buying $14 avocado toast and $1,000 iPhones, would they be able to save enough for a down payment on a modest home?

Freddie Smith, 36, of Orlando, Florida, recently went viral on TikTok for a video in which he challenged the boomer argument with statistics from the Bureau of Labor, Federal Reserve, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Smith believes that the older generations misunderstand millennial finances because their concept of luxury is based on 1980s economics. Smith says that for baby boomers, essentials such as rent and child care were much more affordable, but items considered luxuries (TVs, CD players, computers) were much more expensive.

How is the economy different for millennials than it was for baby boomers?

"The main shift is that core essentials—housing, education, healthcare, and even food—have become more expensive," Smith said. "Housing and rent, for instance, now outpace wage growth, making homeownership feel unattainable for many. The cost of childcare has also skyrocketed, and food prices have increased.”

"As a result, I think older generations have a different perspective on luxury versus necessity,” Smith continued. “They grew up in a time when hard work typically led to financial stability, whereas today, even with hard work, many people struggle with the high costs of housing, rent and medical expenses. Basic survival used to be far more affordable, allowing people more financial room to build a stable life."

Smith’s numbers don’t lie. For a person in the '80s to own three TVs, a CD player, a cellphone, a microwave, and a computer, it would cost them 3.5 years of rent or a 20% downpayment on the average home. So, it was irresponsible for someone in that period to purchase all of what was known then as luxuries. However, these days, for a Millennial to have the average apartment and the equivalent amount of "luxuries" would only cost a little over one month's rent.

1980s, boomers, millennialsA 1980s computer and television. via Canva

"But if you skip that daily $6 Starbucks drink, you’ll have enough for the downpayment in 29.22 years," Yokahana joked in the comments. "I hate that housing and transportation have become luxuries," Molly added. "Imagine spending 3x your rent on a microwave," Donutdisaster wrote.

Why are luxury goods more affordable now than they were in the '80s?

The price of manufactured goods has steadily fallen over the last few decades due to technological improvements and trade policies that have allowed the U.S. to import goods from places where labor costs are cheaper. "International, global competition lowers prices directly from lower-cost imported goods, and indirectly by forcing U.S. manufacturers to behave more competitively, with lower prices, higher quality, better service, et cetera," Sociologist Joseph Cohen of Queens University said, according to Providence Journal.

Why are housing prices so high?

Housing prices in the US have soared due to the low inventory caused by the Great Recession, mortgage rates, and zoning laws that make building more challenging. Rents have increased considerably since the pandemic due to low inventory, inflation, barriers to home ownership, and the fact that more people want to live alone than with a roommate or romantic partner.

Smith’s breakdown of the economic changes over the past two generations makes a strong case for the idea that millennial financial troubles have more to do with systemic problems than spending habits. The boomers got a bad deal regarding luxury items, and the millennials with necessities. Wouldn’t living in a world where both were affordable in the same era be great?

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American woman living in London admits there are 10 things she totally misses about the U.S.

"The default American personality when meeting strangers is happiness."

via Canva/Photos

Some of the best things about America.

Every American probably has a long list of things they would change about their country, whether it’s the cost of rent, political divisions, or the bill you get from going to the ER. However, if you took the same person to Europe for an extended period, there would probably be many things that they would begin to miss. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fond, especially if you’re an expat.

TikToker @AnAmericanInLondon recently graduated from William and Mary College and moved to London to start her career posts about the cultural differences between the US and the UK. Recently, she posted a photo collage about the things she misses about the US, and it’s sure to make Americans feel a twinge of pride, even those with a long list of gripes about the country.

Here are 10 favorite things that AnAmericanInLondon misses about living in the US. (Note: You can see the full photo carousel on TikTok).

tiktok, us, ukTikTok · AnAmericanInLondonwww.tiktok.com


1. Nature

“We really do have the best nature out there, from California to New York Island. From the redwood forest to the gulfstream waters. From the Grand Canyon to the rocks at Yosemite. The diversity of nature in the USA is *chef's kiss*.”

2. Happiness

“The default American personality when meeting strangers is happiness. Yeah, people say we're loud and overly friendly, but I'd rather be that than perpetually gray and depressing all the time.”

3. Big glasses of FREE water

“Why am I paying for water everywhere else? And why, when I pay, is it poured into the tiniest glass, not even big enough for a chihuahua!?”


4. The food

“We have amazing food, and I won't hear any slander for it. You wonder why we're all fat. It's 'cause our food rocks. Mexican, southern fried chicken, New York bagels, Chicago pizza. You can't beat all the local food in the USA.”

5. Thanksgiving

“It's honestly more fun, lowkey, not as stressful as Christmas. Americans get two days off for Thanksgiving rather than one day for Christmas, so it's a better vibe if you get me. The food is unreal! Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, dressing, green beans, apple pie. So much better than Christmas.”

6. Driving in my car

“Now that I live in London, I never drive, and I really miss when I was in high school driving with my best friends to school. Stopping at Starbusk singing Jason Derulo's 'In My Head' at the top of our lungs. Ahh, the good ol' days.”


7. College (uni) sports

“College sports are so much fun. Especially since, in the USA, this is how players go pro. Imagine sitting next to Peyton Manning in calculus on a Tuesday morning.”

8. Fahrenheit

“I just will never wrap my head around Celsius or Kelvin. They will never make me like you, Kelvin!”


9. Diversity of choice

“There are so many options in the USA. More variety. According to Econ, more choice = higher utility = better preferences = happier people.”

10. The American Dream

“The idea is that every American should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. Americans value success and are proud of their achievements, which should be celebrated.”

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