I say to the administrators at PBS --bare your souls of everything you ever did in high school and college and then maybe you would find that you shouldn't be involved in childrens programming either for your past adventures. Bring this lovely and talented young lady back --she doesn't deserve to be treated like this.
This was clearly a spoof video and I think her firing is completely WRONG!! All I can say to my little boy is that Melanie went 'bye bye'. When is PBS going to come 'explain where Melanie is to him?? WRONG WRONG WRONG!!
That is so wrong! She is an actress it was just to be funny! My kids enjoy The Good Night Show! I'm pretty sure you execs over at PBS Got more skeletons in your closet than a cheesy 30 second clip. No Support from me on the next pledge!
I only found the videos because PBS fired Melanie. There is no way that my 4 1/2 year old daughter would "stumble" across these videos. Firing Melanie puts a bad taste in my mouth for PBS as a whole. They promote gays on Sesame street, but have a problem with something someone did in their past that was really nothing more than a joke. I'd bet that the same execs who fired Melanie probably share far more offensive videos and jokes in emails with their friends... What an unfortunate sham. PBS is trying to show how "kid friendly" they are, but they are really showing everyone else how hypocritical they are. Shame on them.
I can't believe PBS would do this to this actress. I am sure there have been guests on Sesame Street and other shows PBS airs who have made comments like or worse than Ms. Martinez.
Please re-instate Melanie Martinez! and Please stop making descisions for me and my son!
If you can air Thomas the tank engine with narrations By George Carlin and Alec Baldwin Im sure Melanie can be brought back! George Carlin is well known for his harsh, truthful, and entirely necessary humor, and Alec Baldwin Played the Pedophile Boy Scout Leader in Saturday night Lives "Cateen Boy Skit!" No More double Standards PBS!!!
Put Meanie Back On the Air!!!!
Clearly a stupid decision motivated by the politics of fear. There is overwhelming evidence that so-called Abstinence Programs actually increase the likelihood of STD's and pregnancy in teens due to false and misleading information in their curriculum about the “dangers” of birth control, condom failure rates, and anti-abortion scare tactics. Stand up to the wing-nutz and Just Say No to TheoFascism by giving this woman back her job.
because Melanie shouldn't be punished for something she did seven years ago as a struggling actor. Maybe PBS should standy by her right now - it's not like her current audience will be viewing that sort of material.
I think PBS really needs to review its double standard; PBS will showcase documentaries on homosexuality, but will fire someone for taking part in an obvious parody video? Pretty sad.
I agree, if PBS was to go back on every actor currently employed by them; every show would be canceled. It's a shame. My two youngest children adore Melanie. They won't even watch Sprout anymore. I hope Noggin picks her up.
As a recovering addict who has been clean for ten years, I would hate to think I could be penalized for something I did so long ago that I may be sorry for. Melanie is a bright, talented, young woman who made a silly video a long time ago.If you are relly trying to find someone with a crystal clean past. GOOD LUCK! Everyone has a skeleton in their closet. Hers seems awfully tiny.
PBS needs a sense of humor. I have been an avid supporter of PBS for many years and my children are 2nd-generation fans of PBS children's programming. Did you fire George Carlin or Ringo Starr from "Shining Time Station" for their past well-documented drug use? Don't be hypocritical, please.
PBS needs a sense of humor. I have been an avid supporter of PBS for many years and my children are 2nd-generation fans of PBS children's programming. Did you fire George Carlin or Ringo Starr from "Shining Time Station" for their past well-documented drug use? Don't be hypocritical, please.
I find it amusing that someone would show strenght of character by telling their employers about their past works, and their employers would be totally overreactive and fire that person. It almost seems illegal grounds for dismissal, however i have no access to the original contract, so i wouldn't know.
I am a single father of a 2year old and the hightlight of our day was watching Melanie we learned so much from her and we miss her terribly. I have seen those videos she did and i thought they were funny but hardly enough to fire Melanie Who was young and probably Hungry or needed rent money. Please put Melanie back on the air!!!!
Wait, wait...this poor girl is NOT okay, but the guy who created the Seven Dirty Words standup bit is okey dokey to be Mister Conductor on Thomas the Tank Engine? You have lost your minds. Give this girl her job back. I am canceling my monthly donation to my local PBS station because you clearly do not represent the ideals of "viewers like me". (I love Carlin, and he's great on TTTE, this is just hypocritical nonsense.
because firing Melanie was wrong! If PBS hadn't ever fired her and then made a press release about WHY they fired her, no one would ever have known! Bring back Melanie!
My son was asking where Melanie went the other night, and now I know. Who cares if she used a few "naughty" words our kids will never know about. It's not like she was in a porno.
PBS and the red states need to get over themselves. If this is the standard then, Eddie Murphy, George Carlin and a host of other childrens programming hosts need to be tossed as well. The same standard should apply. Re-instate Melanie. Martinez.
I support this petition because This firing was a ridiculous decision! Their statement cited concerns that this remote clip would undermine Ms.Martinez's credibility with her audience- whatis the likelihood of 2-5 year olds encountering this clip? Zero!
It is PBS who has lost their credibility. We miss Melanie greatly. She was the sparkle that made The Goodnight Show the wonderful program that it was. No more Sprout at our house: if there is no Melanie, there is no Sprout.
Shame on PBS!
Enough insanity.
For a network that has prided itself on its independence, I find the decision to terminate Maelanie martines for a career decision she made seven years ago to be, not only outrageous, but highly hypocritical. it is exactly this form of pandering to consetrvatives that sickens me about network television. It was something I from which had hoped PBS would remain immune. Obviously, I was wrong, deluded, or both. If PBS can't remain independent and open-minded; if it can't continue to encourage the freedom of thoiught and diversity of opinion that it has for so long claimed, then I question my wisdom in supporting, with my donations, public broadcasting. As a parent, a supporter, and a concerend citizen, i urge you to re-consider your actions toward Ms. Martinez, though, for the life of me, I wonder why she would ever want to work for you again.
the AP story quotes PBS as saying, "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" Really? Why would 2-5 year olds, the audience for the show in question know or care about a satirical project its host once made?
So my daughter's favorite character gets axed, yet Between the Lions features Dr. Ruth Westheimer??? Something is seriously wrong with the judgment of some people. She should be re-hired.
who is afraid that this woman is a detriment to any child. she is sweet, calm, patient and my children liked her. I hate this lesson my children learned. never joke or have any fun in college . it might destroy your career years later. Melanie has a young child, now her mother has no job. get a sense of humour, everyone.
This is crazy! George Carlin and Alec Baldwin is the voice of Thomas the Tank Engine and their behavior is more inexcusable. This decision needs to be reviewed!
I, as a grandmother who lives with my daughter's family, including a 2 and a 3 year old , was so happy to see Melanie on Sprout. I am less than delighted to say that I will no longer subscribe to Sprout.
This "SNL" type spoof will never be seen by any 2 to 6 year old, unless the parents choose to show it to them. If they do, maybe there judgment should be questioned.
because the hypocritic nature of pbs. they air programming with george carlin's voice(the man that made a career on the 7 words you cant say on tv or radio), alec baldwin with his questionable morals and politics, and ringo starr(i cant list everything for him). Ms. Martinez was a great part of the good night show.
As a viewer, my son and I will no longer waste the time on the programming on that station. And as a contributor to all the pbs fund raising telethons, they will no longer see a penny of money from my family.
Although I agree these videos are not what children should be watching, THEY ARE NOT SEEING IT. She is a wonderful host, loved by her audience, and firing her is a peurile and puritanical move. I believe she was hired for her abilities, not for her past. Shame on PBS.
I would not have known about the video if you had not fired her and thereby created the news story. I have two kids and they watch her show all the time.
