PBS's actions are extreme and unwarranted. If PBS thinks having George Carlin hosting a kids show after having his words become the basis of a Supreme Court obscenity case, you can have Melanie reading stories to kids.
Dr. Ruth can be on in the morning on between the lions but this woman get's fired over a comedic film made many years ago. The public wants her back. remember what PBS stands for? Public Brodacasting System. you people make me sick.
because my daughter adores her and misses her very much. Is PBS going to stop showing Thomas the Tank Engine that are narrated by George Carlin and Alec Baldwin.
because having a fine actress like Melanie Martinez endorse anal sex is fantastic. Anal sex with Melanie would be even better. I knew she was freaky-deaky. PBS shouldn't have let her get away, a chic that will take it up the poopshoot is a one of a kind. I've got a new show she could host.
I support this petition because She is my grandchilds friend, though it be throughtelevision. Someone to help her go to sleep. Hermother and I are there, but Melanie was her friend. BRING HER BACK!!!!!!!!!
I support this petition and also encourage a boycott of Sprout to send a message. Most parents today who have children young enough to watch Melanie are not so uptight to believe that she shoud be perfect. I feel that if PBS hadn't made such a big deal about this, it could have gone away quietly. Instead they punish Melanie (who was upfront and honest about this) and make even more public this situation. Is this what people get for being honest about their (harmless) pasts???
What excuse do I give my 2 year-old who was so excited that Melanie had brought Yoga onto the show!!
She is my childs friend, though it be through television. Someone to help her go to sleep. Her mother and I are there, but Melanie was he friend. BRING HER BACK!!!!!!!!!
I am writing to you in regard to the recent dismissal of Melanie Martinez. I read your statement on your web site, and subsequently viewed the videos that Melanie made on the Internet. I am saddened by the state of the world today that would allow such innocuous and completely unrelated content to deprive my child of seeing his favorite TV host every night.
I know "innocuous" is only my opinion - however I believe that every opinion counts. If one person came along and said the videos were immoral and unfitting of a person in her position, BOY would you listen! However I believe my opinion will be tossed aside, in fear of the vocal minority. This happens all the time in our society and it is a shame. People have the right to turn off their TV or change the channel, but instead they complain and force everyone to their opinion. And somehow, a small number of actual complaints results in huge programming decisions.
I say unrelated because of the fact that my child will never know about these videos. He is 4 years old and is asking me "Where's Melanie?" every day since she has been removed. I had to tell him she was on vacation because I wasn't sure what happened. A few days later he told me, he doesn't like when Melanie is on vacation. He looked forward to seeing her show every night. I had no idea he was so attached to her specifically, until recently. Although I can see why. She is a perfect match for the show she is doing, she is like a preschool teacher.
I have also heard other people make the connection that you feature Geaorge Carlin on your network. He doesn't say his 7 dirty words on Sprout though, does he? And he stays on for some reason.
I hope you will consider bringing her back on the air. And I hope you receive lots of letters like this one. Maybe a vocal majority will sway your decision.
my 2 children love melanie and for PBS to overreact and fire her is unbelievable.there will be no more pledges to PBS in the future because of this poor decision.
I would like to see Melanie back on the show. I have viewed the video clip and find absolutley no reason for the action of firing her. it was done years ago and was dark humor not pornography. She allows the kids to sing and dance and also time to bond with the parents while watching Sprout TV. If you care so much about these kids bring Melanie back and let everyone get back to normalicy.
her firing his absolutely absurd. The video she participated in seven years ago is obviously a piece of satire. The last time I checked,PBS was a supporter of the arts. To terminate Ms. Martinez because she was featured in a segment that made some PBS execs uncomfortable is sanctimonius, malicious, and hypocritical.
There is still time to rectify this mistake. Her termination could be restructured as a "leave of absence." Until that time, you can be assured that your duplicitous acts have caused me to withdraw any future pledges towards PBS' mission.
Letting her go was a cruel thing to do. I have viewed the video and can see it was done in bad humor but nothing to devastate her career or cause the heartache of so many kids who loved to tune in to sing and dance with Melanie each night. As a granmother, I see no reason to blow this out of proportion by firing Melanie. Bring her back if you really do care for these kids.
my family and I find it completely rediculous that Sprout found it important to remove such a clearly talented and refreshing kids show personality based on something as trivial as a satirical video done 7 years ago probably when she was in college. PBS has basically made an issue where none existed by publicising this. please, reconsider your actions and bring Melanie back to the Goodnight Show. Sprout, I used to be your biggest advocate, not any longer. this is just pathetic. I want to assure you that my family will not be watching sprout until Melanie is returned, and I will have no problem spreading the word to my many many friends with kids who I formerly sang your praises to.
My son is devastated. PBS is sending the wrong message to kids by throwing her away for something she did 7 years ago. Who are these producers, Judge and Jury? What is important is that kids love Melanie and she is a wonderful host who speaks to them in a way they can respond to. Bring her back or we won't be supporting Sprout anymore.
This is absolutely ridiculous. Melanie obviously made the clip years prior to being a hostess on PBS. She is great at connecting with children. That stupid Star character can no way replace her.
Please bring Melanie back.
because it's ridiculous! This is a knee jerk reaction on PBS' part and in my opinion a poor decision. If the situation was that this was a personal home video actually showing @*x then, yeah, boot her. Otherwise, my kids would never know that this video existed. I didn't know this video existed and even after watching it (or a portion of it) I might not have even recognized her. Nobody is indispensable but now was not her time to go. Reconsider PBS and bring her back!
Because this is just silly. So she made a video in bad taste a few years back? So what, it's not like my son or daughter will be watching those and getting confused over it. And even if they did, a firm grounding in reality teaches them that the people on TV are just actors with different parts to play. Firing Melanie was a knee jerk reaction to the overly loud far right nutcases.
I support this petition because Melanie's connection with children is much more pertinent in my life than the incident seven years ago. It is crazy that numerous celebrities are compensated greatly for their work with children, even after having a shady past. The whole person is much more important than a few actions years ago.
This is ridiculous! To fire a talented, sweet, and beloved person such as Melanie because of something she did years ago is outrageous. My five year old daughter adores Melanie and the Goodnight Show; it the one thing I never have to worry about her watching. As a parent, I couldn't care less about what Melanie has done in her past - all I know is how much she means to my kid. Believe me, I will remember this incident at pledge time!
...because I think Melanie is a great host. My two sons love her and miss her on TV.
Melanie if you read this I say good luck and we want you back on TV.
Unbelievable. Seven years ago Melanie makes two comedic, albeit in bad taste, 30 second spots and this is reason enough to terminate her? My son is crazy for Melanie, part of our bedtime ritual, alas no more. I can appreciate your concern for the PBS Sprout Brand but this firing seems rash and uncalled for. There is absolutely no way one of your target age viewers would have ever come across this regional video segment. If they had Melanie would not be the culprit to exact revenge upon, it should be the parent that would allow such content into their homes.
Please bring Melanie back.
Kevin Lund
Outrageous hyprocrisy. I am disgusted by PBS's double-standards and their willingness to be 'victimized' by the atmosphere of fear in the media over what constitutes appropriate content. PBS was once a beacon of creative, engaging, and thought-provoking programming in a corporate-dominated industry. I hope this incident sparks enough outrage to wake some people up before it's too late.
I support this petition because (a) this was something that was done over 7 years ago, (b) Melanie is perfect for the show.
In many ways, this makes it harder on me by firing her than by keeping her. How am I supposed to explain to my children why they are firing her?
Good luck finding someone with a flawless past. Get a sense of humor! My daughter loved watching Melanie, and I will make sure she never sees the satirical video, so what harm would have been done by letting her continue? Bring her back!
Melanie is wonderful. I absolutely love her.
However, if PBS is getting rid of her on those grounds, I guess they have to rethink other things. George Carlin, Alec Baldwin, and others have narrated for PBS shows.. Have they NEVER said anything inappropriate? Why is Melanie being judged? My daughter loves her.
My 2 ½ year old daughter and my 5 year old son really enjoyed watching the Good Night Show.
We had been wondering why we weren’t seeing Melanie at night anymore. She was very fun to watch and she gets the kids involved, especially with her "I'm a Little Sprout Now"... routine, my daughter really loved that.
I think she would rather watch Melanie than some of the shows. I really think you made a big mistake of firing her over something that happened 7 years ago.
I think everyone at some point in their life does something that someone won’t approve of.
I really think you should hire her back and give her a raise. I don’t think the Good Night show will ever be the same without Melanie with her spunky, fun loving attitude she had every night.
PBS is being silly over this.My kids won't be watching it anymore and if this is the thinking of the management at PBS, I guess I'll just have to switch over to the Science channel/Discovery Network.
Watching Melanie at night with my two year old daughter has become a daily ritual. My daughter would mimic her yoga stretches. Melanie would get my daughter ready for bed. She will be sadly missed. Good luck Melanie!!!
My name is Matthew She is my favorite person of all. How can u just fire her like that. She makes me very happy and i get to laugh and play before i go to bed everynite. so now what do i do. Drive my mommy crazy. She is not going to be happy about that.
This is truly absurd. I am an actor myself, and I can assure you I have taken many unusual and possibly questionable parts to pay my bills and put food on the table. The fact that Melanie appeared in a 30 second comedy short 7 YEARS AGO is nothing compared to the past careers of both Ringo Starr and George Carlin, and yet they have created beloved characters on children's TV as well. Melanie has embraced a new chapter in career by creating a beloved children's TV host. It is unfortunate that her overwhelming contributions as a children's educator and insprational figure of today, do not outweigh her minor performance in an amusing, albeit off-color comedy sketch of the past.
because there is no possible asociation between the two for our children. You really have to look yourself in the mirror if you think you just let this talent slip through your hands.
I support this petition because Melanie is awesome! There are so many little kids out there that absolutely LOVE her. I know personally, my son gets excited when he sees her on TV. He's only 11 months old. He would be devastated if he saw someone else on the goodnight show. It doesn't matter what she did. It's in the past. IT WAS 7 YEARS AGO! Let it go and let her have her job back. PBS Sprout won't ever be the same. They will lose a lot of viewers. I know my son and I haven't watched it since The Goodnight Show has been off air.
What the heck is wrong you have nothing better to do with ur time but to fire someone that great over something so stupid. Anyways she is my son's favorite how dare u just take her from him do u have any shame at all. I mean the boy is crying right now as we speak. So what do u think now do u feel good about yourself. Bring her back for the sake of the children and the parents!
Ridiculous - look at George Carlin on Thomas, etc. what she did 7 years earlier has no bearing - are preschoolers really going to see the Technical Virgin video and get confused? Shame on you, PBS.
I support this petition. I also thing she should NOT have been fired over something like this. I really hope they bring her back with an appology for their over-reaction!
because actors play many different roles and just because PBS didn't like an earlier role Melanie chose to act in should not get her fired. Have all actors who have appeared on PBS played only in programming rated "G".
my kids LOVE Melanie! they could care less about the 37 second film she did 7 years ago! I could care less! I did view it earlier today and BIG DEAL! WE WANT MELANIE!
PBS stations should be a bastian for free-thinking, not some conservative group of cowards afraid to make a stand. What Melanie did was in no way wrong, and she should not be punished. I will no longer support PBS affiliates financially until they formally apologize to Melanie for their treatment of her and show her Goodnight show for my daughter, who by the way, has never been to technicalvirgin.com.
Our nighttime routine is not the same without Melanie. My three year old son love her. Shame on all of you people at PBS for judging. Let the parents be responsible for their children and what they watch and hear.
Give Melanie a break. My kids love her and have no access to see her other “performance”. It was just a spoof and not as if she has done something that would be deemed immoral or irresponsible. Good luck finding someone so chaste and pure that they have never even told an off color joke (which is all it seems she’s done). Some of the programs are FAR more offensive. Big Sister Little Brother runs like a lesson in bad behavior. We’ll certainly miss Melanie, but whose idea was that freaky talking star pillow. That thing frightens my 2 year old.
I found the entire situation an outrage. I had been expecting her to leave since they started with the new star hosting the show with her. My son was not so sure about the star but I can tell you his world lit up everytime Melanie was on the TV and to be quite honest we are saden with the news she will no longer be a part of our sons life. We had hoped we would have many years to come with Melanie... My son has been in love with her since he was 3 months old. We too have started to make up a new routine which does not include SPROUT you see at our house no Melanie= no Sprout PERIOD. I think the network Execs have a large problem on there hands and there show will NEVER BE THE SAME... IDOITS!!! Think about it we all have some thing in our past! There is no denying that! Iwonder how the viewers would feel if we did a back round search on KEY EXECS for PBS and Comcast since birth and posted there mistakes on THE INTERNET!! I believe what they have done borderlines defamation!
I just read about the firing of The Good Night Show host Melanie Martinez, due to her work in the Technical Virgin videos. To say that I am appalled at PBS's decision to let her go is an understatement.
The firing of Melanie Martinez is an act of complete hypocrisy on the part of PBS. Melanie's on-air character is separate from whatever work she has done outside of her position with PBS. I doubt that the target audience of the Good Night Show (like my 6 year old daughter, who loves Melanie and her new friend Star), would be exposed to the Virgin videos. I believe PBS overreacted at the least, and at the worst capitulated to the conservatism that is threatening our First Amendment rights.
So much for the integrity of PBS. I am utterly disgusted by your actions and will seek out other TV viewing options for my daughter.
she's pretty good on the show and has become part of my 2 year old son's bedtime routine. And I really don't think the target demographic for the Goodnight Show (age 2-6) is going to come across her parody video. I think PBS Sprout has overreacted that could very easily have been broadcast on MadTV or SNL.
Melanie did not deserve to be fired over her "adult topic" video. My 2 year old absolutely adored her and that's what's important to me. Not some silly video from 7 years ago not is not that offensive to me. My son will never again break into a beaming smile at the sight of her, nor the sound of her voice.
I also agree there is a double standard with George Carlin and Alec Baldwin. I don't think those 2 actors should be removed too, but rather bring Melanie back.
I hope PBS will consider reversing this decision.
she connected to our viewers (including my 6 year old daughter) in a special way and her ~30 second 7 yo video is adult humor without nudity or profanity. The bond she's created with her little viewers is not easily replaceable, don't blow a good thing PBS Sprout executives!
I am a mother of two daughters, ages 5 and 2, who love Melanie and miss her greatly. I do not consider what Melanie did as inappropriate. How dare PBS Kids Sprout state "their foremost priority was to do what is best for our young viewers and their families". PBS Kids Sprout failed; they did what was best for themselves.
why is it that men (George Carlin, Alec Baldwin) can do inappropriate actions and still be on the channel but not Melanie. My 2 year old Granddaughter is heartbroken with Melanie being gone. BRING BACK MELANIE!
As a parent of a three and five-year old who love Sprout and Melanie, we are shocked and upset by her dismissal.
Is it a not a clear and blatant dobule standard that George Carlin, and to a lesser extent, Alec Baldwin narrate episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine? Any American adult is familiar with the comedy and satire of George Carlin. Alec Baldwin has particpiated in numerous bits of satire over the years, and on national television. According to the standards by which Melanie Martinez was released, all episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine narrated by either of the two men who have made a career out of filthy humor should be removed from programming immediately.
The Good Night show with Melanie has been a positive influence on my children, and they are visibly upset that she no longer hosts the show. So much to the point, in fact, that they really have no interest in watching the show anymore, nor do I have any desire that we view any form of PBS children's programming. This is hypocracy at its peak and I can assure you that mass of the population who are tuned in to Sprout would and do find your decision rash, unfair, unwarranted, and contradictory.
The options should be obiouvs, either remove episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine narrated by either George Carlin or Alec Baldwin, or allow Melanie Martinez to return to her role as host of the Good Night Show
I think firing her over these videos is ludicrous. She's an actress. I suppose if she appeared in a movie role that conflicted with the PBS Sprout image they would also have a problem with that. Get real! It was SEVEN years ago.
