Tears at PBS Annual Meeting

Thank you everyone at PBS Kids for a wonderful Annual Meeting in Denver, CO to announce the Premiere of DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD this LABOR DAY, SEPT 3RD at 11am EST.  

Me & Mrs Joanne Rogers in the Trolley at our PBS Kids breakfast to showcase Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood!

I was close to tears the whole day….

It started at 6:15am as I walked into the room transformed beautifully into the Neighborhood of Make Believe by Karen Fritz and Suzanne Masri from WETA.  Incredible work!

Paul Siefken (PBS Kids) started our presentation talking about Daniel as a “signature show” for PBS.  He said, “Everyone knows not to interrupt me when I’m with my Daniel.  I first have to dab my eyes, because the show is that sweet.  And the characters are that cute.”

It was then our turn. Kevin Morrison (CEO Fred Rogers Company) and I gave some “inside scoop” into the show.  We talked about our passion for the show and I revealed that they practically had to rip the first script out of my hands.  Someone from the Fred Rogers Company said, “It’s not like Fred is going to read it!”  But I thought differently.  “Maybe he will….. and if he does, will he like it?”

But my favorite moment?  Announcing Bill Isler, President of Fred Rogers Company and Mrs. Joanne Rogers to a standing ovation!  Joanne got up on stage and gave me the biggest hug.  I turned to Bill Isler, he had tears in his eyes, and I flashed back to 15 years ago, when Bill allowed me behind the “velvet red ropes” to greet Fred after a keynote speech at NAEYC.  Now look where we are today.

Tears all day…

Angela Santomero, Karen Fritz, Joanne Rogers, Suzanne Masri & Kevin Morrison