1. The problem began not with Mr. Rogers but with sesame street. Sesame street implied that each and every lesson in education was 30 seconds in length, you didn't have to work to learn it and learning should be FUN every single second. Eventually sesame street gave us no child left behind which said the educational playing field MUST BE leveled and that's where we are today, self-discipline, hard work, and motivation. Sadly while everyone may be special, noone is the same.

Susan at 8:37AM on Jul 9th 2007

2. Firstly, Jeff, it is silly and deprecating to ask if this is news because it appeared on the Fox morning show. Typically, this type of venue has a range of hard news and provocative discussion topics just such as this one. I find it interesting. It makes one consider reality that none of us are "special" just because we are. It takes hard work and talent to differentiate an individual from the pack in school and in life. There is not, and should not be a sense of entitlement for children for this teaches that you deserve special treatment for who you are and not what you are, which runs contrary to the idea that "all men are created equal". If all of us are "special", then none of us are.

TJB at 8:44AM on Jul 9th 2007

3. THE GREAT AMERICAN WAY! Take a pill,blame the World,do anything Else but take responsibility for your own actions!!!! Please stop wasting time! LIFE IS TOO SHORT! Not happy with yourself? It is Your job to improve it! Sitting around blaming Mr.Rogers or anyone else is counter-productive! Maybe we should all take a look at why Immigrants without speaking English and without an education from their own countries can come here and work hard and become Millionaires .They do not need self-help shows! While America is lost in space,even the India and other third world countries are busy getting an education and using it! Here alot of our young population is taking time to "find" themselves while still living off their parents at age 25 at home! They have grown up being scheduled and delivered,had their educations paid for by someone else,and some even have credit cards paid for by their parents! The only way to get them out of the house is to Buy them a house! You already bought the car! At what point do these people get some self-esteem from being able to do it themselves? I am for EMPOWERMENT! We are considerered grown-ups at the age of 21! That means we are "GROWN-UP! Not happy? Look in the Mirror,then look inward! Do what is necessary to Fix it! Exercise

JHoughton at 8:51AM on Jul 9th 2007

4. Come on Jeff, you're becoming a bottom feeder like that Young Turk writer Jill Pike. You know, the Chinese may have a point when they claim their news people and writers are better informed and educated than ours.

You're making them sound pretty much on target.

Willet at 8:53AM on Jul 9th 2007

5. What morons. If this is really true, why didn't kids growing up in the '70s and '80s have the same tendencies?

Maria at 9:43AM on Jul 9th 2007

6. I have to agree completely with the point that if everyone is "special", then nobody is "special", and perhaps some of this comes from the endless self-esteem message of Mr. Roberts.
It is true that our eductional system has been harmed by the notion that everyone "deserves" an A, and so forth. As a college teacher myself, it is completely-silly for those students begging for an "extra=credit" assignment so that they can get a better grade. I have the attitude of, "Why didn't you do your assigned work, and do it well, to begin with? You knew what was expected of you, so why didn't you work at it when it was assigned to you?"
Dale, assistant professor.

Dale at 9:59AM on Jul 9th 2007

7. You have got to be kidding me!!!! I grew up on Mr. Rogers and I never for once thought I was entitled to anything b/c he said I was special. This has got to be the biggest load I have ever heard. It was a fun, non-violent, educational program. Anyone who blames their problems on this show has bigger promblems than that.

Heather at 9:57AM on Jul 9th 2007

8. Seems to me that Mr. Rodgers and Sesame Street and any number of other children's shows extant then, and now, are a reflection of the problem, not the problem itself. Listen to Randy Newman's song "My Life Is Good" and you'll know where the blame lies. The parents and grandparents of today's "entitled" youth are the baby-boomers - of which I, too, am one. We were the first generation tempted to think that consequences could be divorced from actions. If there's a difference recently, might it be that parents now are more willing, and able, to actively insulate their children from the consequences of their actions?

OhLuckyMan at 12:10AM on Jul 11th 2007

9. I can live with The Simpsons poking fun at Mr. Rogers, but this is just plain ridiculous. This report is such a waste of valuable time, like the endless reports last month on Paris Hilton. Good news, as I define it, motivates the viewer to do more research (a: because they're interested and b: because they want all the facts and refuse to take news on its word) and take action. So I guess this report has some merits, because it makes me want to get up and kick these idiot reporters in the ass.

So, does this mean I can blame Sesame Street for my love of cookies? I mean, I watched Cookie Monster alot as a kid, so surely he is to blame for my cookie addiction.

Marta R. at 4:07PM on Jul 9th 2007

10. u i loved mr.rodgers how things r made & worked @ factories. mr.rodgers was only trying 2 help kids w/ their self esteem/self worth thats all he was trying 2 do.he did tell kids they d/n have 2 work hard & do their best. i think hr even told us in 1 show 2 always do our best. ? do people knock dn something/innocent they tried 2 knock dn .barney,even tony the tiger.it said people r this way sometime.tammy, southaven,ms.

tammy at 4:50PM on Jul 9th 2007

11. Ok. This can't be serious. How are folks gonna blame a television show for their issues? Now, I watched both Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street when I was younger (at 22, every so often I sing along with Elmo still)and well, I consider myself a successful woman. I don't feel overly entitled because Mr. Rogers said "You are Special." I know all learning isn't gonna be fun. But I still like to learn.

This is some foolishness. Please find something else to complain about.

SparklingDiamond at 5:48PM on Jul 9th 2007

12. This seems like a ploy to pull away credibility from PBS. Fox is just outrageous. They don't even cite the "Study." I suppose that kids should grow up watching Fox News, to gain insight on reality, such as corruption, fear, and death. I hope that no one belives this joke.

Jason at 6:09PM on Jul 9th 2007

13. The only thing we need to remember about Mr. Rogers
is that the man is a war HERO and deserves nothing
but out deepest respect, anything less is a disgrace
and does not deserve to be mentioned.

Larry Leonard at 6:39PM on Jul 9th 2007

14. What utter nonsense. If we have a generation of lazy young teens/adults who expect everything handed to them, don't blame Mr. Rogers. Blame over-indulgent parents who cater to their kids every whim and hover over them and won't let them stand on their own two feet. They even have a term for these parents now "helicopter parents," who call their kids in high school/college continuously on their cell phones and monitor their every move.
The way kids turn out starts at home..always has, always will. It has nothing to do with some fictitous guy named Mr. Rogers.

David S. at 6:42PM on Jul 9th 2007

15. It's the same old thing "Blame Someone Else for Your Mistakes In Life." Grow up already, when Rodgers first did his show lifestyles were different then, than they are today. Sure those kids are adults now, but that also should make them understand that even though you can be influenced by others. Ultimately you alone make the decisions to do good or bad.

David at 6:45PM on Jul 9th 2007