My child loves Melanie!! WE ARE BLOCKING PBS KIDS NETWORK on our cable in protest. (and so are all our friends!) Stop pretending to have morals and give the kids of America want they want, idiots!!
My wife and I have 3 small children - they loved her, and went to bed watching her show. Now we will never turn on sprout again - no more pingu,thomas,jay jay,bob the builder,james the cat etc. It's too bad,she was wonderful. There is something seriously wrong with you decision makers - "Zero Sense"
It deeply saddens me to sit my kids down at night and find that Melanie is not where she belongs, on her oversized chair talking to my kids, and singing to them, acting goofy with her little dances which make my kids laugh. It saddens me even more to learn why. Melanie Martinez is a great host with a great audience who cares for her and likes her very much. She shares herself with millions of children each and everyday. The videos she has made years ago should not be her down fall. I am sure she feels very embarrassed by them. The question is though, why does what she did years before she started at Sprout have an effect on her job today? And my answer is….. it doesn’t…… well at least it shouldn’t. Bring Melanie back to her rightful place. She is immensely talented and missed by her fans. I’m not sure why this was such a big deal in the first place. Considering you have one of the filthiest people in the world narrating for Thomas the Train, in George Carlin. When Thomas comes on I sit there and I wait for him to drop an ‘f’ bomb. But he doesn’t, and saying the ‘f’ word is not just his past, its who Mr. Carlin is. Melanie is the host of a childrens show which is watched by millions of kids, well used to be, until word got out (which was by her) about her videos. It doesn’t say too much for the people who let this girl go. What they should have done was been the bigger person and sat her down and said to her thank you for coming forward we feel these videos are in your past and do not pose a threat on children watching, you’re a great host, that was your past and we stand behind you 110% if theres any problems we will address them together, now get back out there and keep those kids happy. PBS/Sprout bring back Melanie Martinez, it’s the right thing to do.
George Carlin- THE 7 WORDS YOU CAN'T SAY-comedian entertains my kids when they watch PBS. Being a good parent other videos of Mr. Carlin will not be seen by my children. This should apply to Ms. Martinez as well. THIS APPEARS EITHER RACIAL AND/OR SEXIST! regardless of what the truth is this it doesn't seem right.
I have been a constant contributor to PBS (Electric Company taught me to read) but not anymore. I am a conservative Republican, and this firing offends me.
I have not seen the "video" and I think she should remain on the good night show. I have 2 children and they like the show very much. Now I have to "lie" to my children as to why she no longer hosts the show. I really don't think she did anything wrong and I think people are WAY to critical of what some people in their lives. Put her back on!!!!
I find it hard to believe that any 5-year old would understand what a virgin was, much less a "technical" one. Let's be realistic, and handle a joke with some tact.
because Mel is a friend and collaborator in film and theatre, a wonderful teacher and leader of children in real life, and an excellent actress who has (as have most of us trying to get by in the business) done MANY different kinds of roles. The children who know and love her on the show are of an age where there's almost certainly no way of them finding out about these videos, so why fire poor Mel? More odds now that they'll find out about the videos sometime than if it had just been left alone.
Why not see what the public's opinion was before firing someone over a satire they made 7 years ago?
Since when did PBS become the arbiter of public morality? I thought that was the arena of (once again) public opinion.
"If every skeleton was drug out of every public figure's closet the US (in fact, the world!!) would be in deep trouble!! If every public figure was persecuted for skeletons in their closet like Melanis was, the US (in fact, the WORLD!!) would be left leaderless and voiceless!!!"
- davec_va on ifilm.
"If every host was fired for somthing they did in the past, well we would have no "Price is Right" no "Oprah Show" no "American Idol" - Laura24277 on ifilm.
"There are a lot of comedians, actors, and actresses with skeletons in their closet having a lot to do with kids shows today
Pee Wee Herman was an adult comedian who ended up with a kids show. Robin Williams was a filthy comedian before he landed on a couple of Children's movies. Sal Silverstein was a hell raising, smoke pot, kind of guy before he found his niche in Children's Literature. Sandra Bernhardt has a shady past, but yet I see her contributions in children movies and programming. Its OK for Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock to voice charactors in children's movies and cartoons. Yet these people continue to do very filthy stand up." - Doobles on ifilm.
"PBS allows Dr. Ruth to make regular appearances on the PBS show "Between The Lions"!! Its OK for George Carlin to be involved with "Thomas the Tank Engine". Isn't this a double standard?" - Doobles on ifilm.
After having reviewed the video and the context in which it was done and when it was made I find it disheartening that you'd fire someone over such a thing. Trying to explain to my kids why they can longer view one of their favorite people on TV isn't going to be easy, in fact, it would have been easier to explain the video (not that they'd see it before they're 14 anyway) to them.
I'd like to ask you to please, please, reconsider your actions. While some people would have wished she had not made the video, the fact is that we all have made statements or comments that might run afoul of the PC police at one time or another. To go digging up long lost and forgotten videos up from our youth and holding us to account for our actions then, now, I think is just plain wrong.
I think that it should be sufficient to require that she not make any such videos while under contract with the show now.
Please, reconsider your decision. Think of my kids, they _are_ your audience. None of your audience is going to complain about the video, they are just too young. By the time they are older, sure, they might see the video, but so what, they'll get a laugh, or an oh my gosh or whatever, but it isn't going to affect their lives. I don't honestly think that parents are going to insist their kids watch another channel because of this.
If you step back and consider all the content George Carlin has made over the years and compare it to her one minute video, I think you'll find that the depth and breadth of his videos outdoes hers by a wide, wide margin. What next, pulling episodes of Thomas?
Please, bring Melanie back. For my kids.
I can assure you that at least 95% of all teachers and/or even parents have made at LEAST one 'dirty joke' in their past.
Melanie Martinez deserves an apology from PBS and to be reinstated with retroactive pay.
-Jimmy Cheung
I don't think she should be fired for a joke. No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes and this is a way to show kids that not everyone is perfect and that it's ok to make a mistake once in a while, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.
As some one who donates money to PBS every year, I hate to think that I'm supporting an organization that would fire someone simply for taking part in a joke long ago. PBS's actions are far more embarassing than anything Melanie ever did.
Those videos were done a long time ago and were failry tame. There is no way the target audience of the Good Night Show would ever see those, and frankly NO ONE would have seen them if PBS hadn't pointed EVERYONE in there general direction. Melanie deserves a second chance.
The film has nothing to do with her present work, it is the past and I know my preschoolers will not see the clip in question. Therefore it is ridiculous to fire her based on credibility as her target audience will not be viewing the clip and nor will she be using similar dialogue on Sprout. Shame on you PBS!!!
because it is unacceptable to fire somebody for their past work. Ms Martinez's actions in the film have no bearing whatsoever on her performance and relivance to the show she was fired from. PBS is being ridiculous doing this.
To whom it may concern:
I am very concerned over your decision to terminate Melanie based on the grounds stated in the wire story. I am a 66 year old grandfather who greatly enjoys watching Sprout with my grandchildren 2 and 4. They both love Melanie and enjoy watching her more than they do the features. She has been educational, entertaining and a very positive role model for my grandchildren. Your Sprout channel is the only channel they watch and it is going to be difficult to explain Melanie's absence to them.
I am interested in the pubic's reaction on this matter. I would guess that a greater percentage of people share my opinion but in this age of one strike and your out I could be wrong.
Please reconsider.
Steve Papalas
28376 Brookfield Ct.
Brownstown, MI 48183
I support this petetion because removing her from my children's life was FAR more detrimental to them then her past works, which they will not view anyway!
Rediculous that an actor can be held accountable for a role on a past project. What's more rediculous-- that PBS is overtly suggesting that 2-5 year olds are aware of this role Melanie took and are now affected negatively, such that her PBS role is no longer believable to them(?). How sheltered PBS wants their youth audience to be--but how savvy they accuse their 2-5 yr. old youth audience of ALREADY being!!
We watch the goodnight show every evening with our 20 month old daughter. We will not watch any more. Becasue of PBS decesion to terminate Melanie, what kind of lesson is PBS trying to teach us? no forgiveness, no mercy. In all honesty I would have never known about her video until PBS pointed it out.
I strongly believe that it was wrong to fire Melanie for something that she did in her past. It is my understanding that Melanie herself was the one that informed PBS about the video and then she got fired.
it is wrong to fire an actress for her past work. What she did in the past has no bearing on her current character.
"PBS Kids Sprout has determined that the dialogue in this video is inappropriate for her role as a preschool program host and may undermine her character's credibility with our audience," said Sandy Wax, network president.--This is the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard. Yes, her dialogue in the Virgin clip would be inappropriate in her role as a preschool program host, but she is not repeating that dialogue on The Good Night Show. She is an actress with a new character and should have her job back. I'm very disappointed and hope that PBS reconsiders it's decision.
