Last week I happened upon a Reddit video post of the Fred Rogers remix video below, which at the time had just a few hundred views. I thought it was a spoof, but it was created by PBSDigitalStudios (see YouTube channel) by fellow fans of Mr. Rogers. I told my family it was going to explode, and I played it over and over. Just 9 years after Rogers’ death he’s going viral.

I grew up with Mr. Rogers, even though I often found myself bored (relative to the fast-paced Sesame Street and Villa Alegre). How can a wise old man compete with Mahna Mahna?

Mr. Rogers was calm and encouraging, and I still remember the lyrics to his “feelings” song. “You shouldn’t hide your feelings. No you should let them grow. For if you keep them cooped up inside of you, I wonder where they go.”

In the spirit of Rogers’ advice, I have to say this video is downright creepy. It looks like it’s appealing to Fred Rogers enthusiasts, but I have to imagine it’s being shared by Dead Heads and druggies… it’s freakish and almost surreal.

What do you think?