Almost Comedy: If Mr. Rogers Was The Face Of America

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

If Mr. Rogers Was The Face Of America

Right now the entire world views America as the Guido country that gets drunk at Jersey Shore and loves to join wars, all while eating McDonald's and drinking mayonnaise shakes. That's not entirely true, well, it's actually pretty spot on. But why do they have that view of us?

"Welcome to America."
© Melis82 | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

It all stems from how we conduct ourselves and what we choose to show other nations. They see the shows Jersey Shore and Sex and the City and think we're a bunch of sex-crazed tan assholes. What if we changed what shows we sent overseas? Replace Rock of Love with the show Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and watch the respect for our country skyrocket.

I can see why this would be offensive in some countries.

I see no downside to this solution. Foreigners would fly to our country and expect to see everyone wearing home-made sweaters and sneakers and playing with puppets. How pleasant of a sight would that be? I guess the only bad thing would be the disappointment in the visitors' eyes when they see all of the Americans wearing baggy jeans, low-cut shirts, gold-hoop earring and flat-brimmed hats. But they would assume that that is the airport crowd and maybe we act differently in our homes.

"Wait, other grown men don't play with puppets?"

Upon entering a home, there would be no toy train or puppets, just empty promises of a house filled with joy...and a stoplight. Once again the visitors would be disappointed. I guess Mr. Rogers would raise the expectations of America too high, so high we aren't able to achieve that level of perfection. Maybe sending other countries our worst television shows isn't that bad of an idea. And come to think of it, who really cares what other countries think of us? Let us be America: Land of the Free and Home of the Big Mac...and Snookie.