Posted on May 1, 2020 at 9:55 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
If you grew up in the 1980s — or raised children or grandchildren then — you may remember Officer Clemmons of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame.
The actor who played him, Dr. François S. Clemmons, will publish a memoir next week, titled simply Officer Clemmons.
NPR’s Nicholas Cannariato was among the generation to watch Clemmons, and that made him nervous about reviewing the book.
What if the memoir was poorly written or revealed ugly truths that tarnished his childhood memories?
Fortunately, he says, the former didn’t come to pass. And as for the latter?
Well, it’s true that Rogers told Clemmons that he couldn’t be openly gay and also appear on the show.
It’s uncomfortable for Cannariato to read, true, and it isn’t the only difficult moment in Clemmons’s life.
But all that said, Rogers does tell Clemmons that he doesn’t care about his sexuality, and the bond between the two men is crystal clear to Cannariato.
Read more about the memoir in his review on NPR.
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Categories: Today in Books