Re: Fred Rogers

[Aaron Read <aread@speakeasy.net>]

At 01:07 PM 2/28/2003 -0500, Dan Billings wrote:
>  >I don't see PBS developing new talent like that that doesn't translate
> > >to merchandise.  [...]
>
>And what's wrong with that?  PBS needs income just like any organization.
>They shouldn't be selling the merchandise during the show but I don't see
>any harm in such merchandise being made available.  I was thrilled to get my
>Grover puppet when I was a little kid.  I don't think the existence of such
>merchandise made Sesame Street any less valuable.

Bill Watterson vehemently disagreed with Dan's stance when it came to 
Calvin & Hobbes.  AFAIK, there has never been any legal merchandising of 
C&H besides the books.   Watterson attempted to explain his feelings about 
this in his 10th Anniversary C&H anthology.   Personally I felt he came off 
way too preachy, and took himself & his work far too seriously...and I 
think that attitude is at least in part why the strip was hit or miss 
(sometimes it was fabulous, other times just kinda dumb) and definitely why 
he burned out so often while drawing it.

I've got the book in question at home, and I think it's hard to come by in 
stores these days...I'll try and find some time to transcribe the paragraph 
or two about it to the list over the weekend as it's well-written even if 
you don't agree with him.



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Aaron "Bishop" Read             aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting          AOL-IM: readaaron
http://www.friedbagels.com      Boston, MA