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Jacalyn Wetzel

Politics

Epic video of Mister Rogers addressing Congress resurfaces amid threats to gut PBS funding

"Looks like you just earned yourself the $20 million."

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Epic video of Mister Rogers addressing congress for PBS resurfaces

PBS has been around for generations providing families with wholesome family entertainment, educational programming, and fair and balanced news. Many people rely on PBS for emergency alerts in rural areas as it can be one of the only broadcasting channels available in some places. But recently, Congress has brought up the idea of cutting critical funding to PBS and NPR, both of which are publicly funded as a means to keep people informed.

The services provided by PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) and NPR (National Public Radio) are public and partly funded by taxpayer dollars. Congress members are considering legislation that would essentially prohibit the federal government from allocating tax dollars to support public broadcasting. This proposal to gut funding led to the chief executives from PBS and NPR being questioned at length during a congressional hearing.

While some of the optics and questions from the hearing were amusing, the need to (once again) defend public broadcasting caused a decades old clip of Mister Rogers to circulate social media. In May 1969, Mister Rogers headed to Congress to stress the importance of funding for the newly formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes the government funding to PBS and NPR. At the time, Congress was wanting to slash their $20 million in funding to just $10 million—which would've had significant consequences for shows like his.

Fred Rogers was up against a tough crowd, but the PBS executive that introduced him prepped the Congressional committee for his kind nature.

mr rogers, pbs, npr, funding, defensepbs digital studios GIF by PBSGiphy

"Mister Rogers is certainly one of the best things to ever happen to public television and his Peabody Award is testament to that fact. We in public television are proud of Fred Rogers and I'm proud to present Mister Rogers to you now," the executive says.

If you've ever seen an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood then you're aware of his kind, gentle nature, but Subcommittee chairman, Senator John Pastore (D-RI), didn't know anything about everyone's favorite neighbor. The senator was quite rude towards him and appeared to be overall annoyed with Mister Rogers' presence—but that didn't deter the children's show creator.

Rogers shares how his program went from a $30 budget to a $6,000 budget with the help of additional funding before dropping shocking information.

"But $6,000 pays for less than two minutes of cartoons. Two minutes of animated, what I sometimes say, bombardment. I'm very much concerned as I know you are about what's being delivered to our children in this country and I've worked in the field of child development for six years now, trying to understand the inner needs of children. We deal with such things as the inner drama of childhood," Roger tells the subcommittee.

Mister Rogers delivers his whole speech in that familiar comforting cadence which clearly impacts how his message is received. You can watch the congressman relax and become more engaged in real time while Rogers explains what he does with his thirty minute kids show.

mr rogers, mr rogers neighborhood, pbs, pbs funding, fred rogershappy pbs digital studios GIF by PBSGiphy

"We made a hundred programs for EEN, the Eastern Educational Network, and then when the money ran out, people in Boston, in Pittsburgh, and Chicago all came to the floor and said 'we've got to have more of this neighborhood expression of care' and this is what...this is what I give. I give an expression of care every day to each child to help him realize that he is unique," he says in part.

By the end of the meeting Mister Rogers had won over the senator. "I think it's wonderful. I think it's wonderful. Looks like you just earned yourself the $20 million," the senator says.

Watch Mister Rogers' full speech to Congress here:


There's no Mister Rogers this time to head to Congress and try to convince them not to cut vital public broadcasting funding, but it's important to remain hopeful. Communities still rely on the programming for news, alerts, and educational programs like Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, (reruns of which still air on the network today).

For now, the fate of federal funding for PBS and NPR is still in the air, but the recirculation of Mister Rogers' congressional visit is reminding us exactly why public broadcasting is so important.

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Love Stories

103-yr-old man forgot he needed a walker in his joy over wife's hospital release

This is so pure.

enfermeraestilosa|Instagram

The joy of reuniting with your love.

Love is a beautiful thing no matter how old the couple is, but there's something special about a love that's spanned most of a lifetime. Many people dream about growing old with the love of their life, making plans to have babies and sit in a rocking chair holding their babies' babies, but few get to actually live out that dream.

When you come across a couple who have been married for 50 or 60 years or longer, it's common to ask them their secret to long-lasting love. But there's at least one centenarian who simply embodies what true love looks like in the golden years. He doesn't offer up any secret advice, just a spontaneous act of pure, unadulterated love and people cannot get enough of it.

animation love GIFGiphy

A woman from Colombia posted a video to her Instagram page, enfermeraestilosa, showing the moment her 103-year-old grandfather reunited with his wife after a month-long hospitalization. He was so excited that he forgot he needed his walker when he went running towards the love of his life.

The text that accompanies the video translates from Spanish to English to say, "This is how my 103-year-old grandfather receives the love of his life after a month in hospital where we thought she would leave forever. How sad that things have to happen to realize that the lottery touches us every day with health, with family and with the love of the people we are close to. Yes, today is one more day that we have hit the jackpot. Merry Christmas, grandparents, you are together again."

Commenters just couldn't get enough of his enthusiastic joy over seeing his wife.

"I wish nothing else in this life that a love so pure and sincere that lasts forever."

"How beautiful, you made me cry with joy and excitement. What a pity that love of that generation is lost! Cheers to them, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and maybe great-grandchildren."

"True love is forever without doubt."

"I want a love like this.... How beautiful it made me cry."

"I'm crying on the subway and I don't think I'm the only one."

Miraculously, the grandfather in the video reached his 104th birthday in March of 2025, and yes, he is clearly still madly in love with his wife.

"Days before he turned 104 my grandfather became very very ill and I was afraid to lose him, but to him, what scares him the most is losing her," reads the translated caption on a video of the couple embracing on his birthday. "To her and to life. It sounds strange, but he never talks about death. He talks about life."

His granddaughter shared that she'd asked him years ago what he thought the key to happiness was. He answered:

- Do what you want and not what you 'should do for fear of.'

- Do no harm to anyone.

- Have a dream (and not a material one).

"I know you are not eternal and one day you won't be and I won't be able to see your wrinkles and your look when you see grandma, but you will always be eternal," the granddaughter wrote. "Grandparents are eternal."

grandpa, grandma, grandparents, old couple"Grandparents are eternal."Photo credit: Canva

What a beautiful tribute not only to long-lasting love but to the lessons we can learn from our elders, especially those who have lived such a long life and found so much success in a marriage. It's a good reminder of what truly matters and how love can endure when we treasure it like this 104-year-old treasures his wife. No matter how much time they have left together, it's clear they'll make the most of it.

This article originally appeared last year.

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Pop Culture

Woman with world record 24-foot-long fingernails finally gets them cut and it's so satisfying

30 years of growth gone in a couple swipes of an industrial powered circular saw.

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Viewers watch in awe as the woman with world's longest fingernails finally gets them cut

There's something about seeing something out of the ordinary, be it a strange animal, an accident or even an argument between strangers. Humans are naturally curious beings and seeing a random argument between your neighbor and her teenage son will have some people outside taking their goldfish for a walk just to gawk.

So it's not surprising that thousands of viewers tuned in when Ayanna Williams, the Guinness World Record holder for the world's longest nails went to have them all cut off. Williams had her record breaking nails for 29 years but decided it was finally time to bid them adieu and the entire thing was filmed. It's a monumental moment for the record holder after having lived with the 24 foot nails for decades.

(If 24 feet sounds absolutely outrageous for fingernails, it is! But keep in mind that Guinness tallies the total length of all ten finger nails, making each of Williams' nails an average of 2.4 feet long.)

Most of us would simply need to grab a pair of fingernail clippers and get clipping, but for Williams the process was a bit more complicated.

The record holder couldn't just head to her nearest nail salon for a fresh manicure, although she did treat her nails to one last pampering first. The manicure took more than three whole bottles of polish and took several days to complete. For reference, a manicure for a normal set of nails takes about 30 minutes.

nails, long nails, manicure, world record, guinness world record, longest fingernails, longest nailsThese nails are what we like to call "amateur hour"Canva Photos

Then she had to have her nails trimmed by a professional: Dr. Allison Readinger at Trinity Vista Dermatology, where the dermatologist used a special hand held circular saw. Williams disclosed the two foot nails were causing her joint pain and one of her thumbs was extremely tender so she was relieved to lose the weight of the nails. The nails are now on display at Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum in Orlando, Florida.

Viewers couldn't look away from this re-shared video of Williams said goodbye to her long nails. Some comments were supportive while others...not so much.

"I’m so happy she was able to finally make this decision! I love it," one person writes.

"Wooww! It's a incredible it's been a 29 yrs," another says.

"Oh gosh so satisfying. Can't even have mine passed my finger tips. Ouf," someone exclaims.

According to Guinness World Records, Williams went through over two bottles of nail polish and gave up 20 hours of her time with every nail polish change. If nothing else, cutting her nails will be a money saver and whether you support her nail growth or not, there's something satisfying about watching them be cut off.

Watch the captivating video below:


So what of Williams' throne and title?

It now belongs to a woman named Diana Armstrong, who owns astonishing 42 foot long fingernails. You may have seen people in the news with fingernails that seem much longer, but those people often only grow the nails on one hand — halving their chances at becoming the world champ!

Diana was crowed in April of 2024.

Going for a World Record in fingernails is an extremely taxing undertaking. The nails begin to dominate your entire life, with Williams even admitting she couldn't do many daily tasks like washing dishes or changing her sheets without assistance. Not to mention all the pain and discomfort they caused her. Plus there's the upkeep, which involves rigorous cleaning that takes hours, moisturizing, and more. The question on everyone's mind, of course, is how do people with the longest nails in the world wipe after they go to the bathroom? Alas, for now it remains a trade secret, but some theorize people gunning for the world prize in nails may use wiping devices similar to the ones used by obese folks who have similar mobility troubles.

In any case, Williams was glad to retire on top, but also glad to be free of the huge burden of maintaining her hefty nails. She looks forward to seeing the next World Record holders crowned.

This article originally appeared two years ago.

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Community

A single mom started a nonprofit to help other single moms and now adidas is honoring her

Jaycina Almond is a model, writer, and single mom making an impact on her community.

Courtesy of Jaycina Almond

A single mom built a nonprofit to help other single moms. She's now being honored by adidas.

Being a single mom is hard work no matter how you got there (in vitro fertilization, a breakup, or being widowed). If you don't have the increasingly elusive village nearby to assist, it can make the solo parenting experience extremely difficult. Add in being of lower socioeconomic status and you've got a recipe for overwhelm and burnout while trying to make ends meet.

Jaycina Almond is a model, writer, and single mom who has taken it upon herself to impact her community by helping other single moms. The model became a single mom at the young age of 20, which caused her to notice the lack of resources available to those in her position. Her experience in early single motherhood is what sparked her passion for making a difference by creating the nonprofit, The Tender Foundation.

The Tender Foundation is comprised of some of the things Almond herself would've greatly benefited from when she was first starting out as a single mom. For those without a village, the Foundation can serve as that safety net for women in the Atlanta area.

Jaycina Almond, family, portrait, adidas Honoree, honorAlmond and family. Courtesy of Jaycina Almond

Almond tells Upworthy how she chose the programs for Tender Foundation, saying, "Tender initially started with just one program: emergency bill pay assistance for rent, utilities, and childcare costs. That program was inspired by my own experiences, what my peers were going through, extensive research, and a strong desire to support moms like me. The rest of our programming evolved in response to what our families told us they needed. During COVID, we started delivering diapers, wipes, and formula—and that grew into our full-scale Diaper Bank because it was something families truly relied on."

Childcare costs can be astronomical, especially in large cities like Atlanta. The Tender Foundation doesn't stop there, though. They even have a guaranteed income program called The Bridge that provides a monthly $500 stipend to 25 single Black moms in the Atlanta metro area. According to Almond, it's a program that was co-designed with the mothers they serve.

mothers, single mothers, motherhood, community, childcare, assistanceA mother and daughter hug. Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash

Almond shares with Upworthy, "While there are eligibility requirements for some programs, we prioritize trust-based solutions that are simple and dignified. For example, with our Diaper Bank, you don’t even need to be a single mom—we believe all babies should have access to clean diapers. For our other programs, the main criteria are being a single mom with financial need living in the metro Atlanta area."

To some, it may seem exclusionary for The Tender Foundation to focus mainly on Black single moms, but there's a good reason for it. Statistics show that 28% of single mothers live in poverty and nearly 50% of Black moms are single parents.

"The work we do is special to me because everyday I experience women who look like me making ends meet despite the odds being stacked against them! Our mamas have been stretching and maneuvering their money way before we started this work—we just want to make it a bit easier. Building friendships with our mamas, getting parenting advice, and comparing notes about our children—all these little things make it special," Almond says.

Jaycina Almond, family, smiling, single mothers, adidas HonoreeAlmond with her family. Courtesy of Jaycina Almond

While she loves what she does, she knows there are stereotypes single Black moms are up against and it's something she wishes she could change. "I think one of the biggest stereotypes for Black single moms, poor Black single moms specifically, is the “welfare queen” trope. That we are irresponsible, promiscuous, negligent parents, and that being poor is an individual failing."

The wealth gap for Black families has always been a large one, while different racial and ethnic groups in America have made gains financially, the gap remains wide. According to Pew Research, in 2021, the average white household held 9.2 times as much wealth as the average Black household. This is contributed to systemic issues and lack of generational wealth. These figures support Almond's experience with seeing more single Black moms living in poverty, driving her determination to help.

Thanks to her monumental effort to help single moms in Atlanta, Almond is being recognized as an adidas Honoring Black Excellence Honoree.

mother and daughter, mother, daughter, child, single momsAlmond is being honored by adidas. Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

The single mom couldn't be prouder of this recognition, telling Upworthy, "Receiving such recognition on such a large scale is so surreal! When you are in the thick of it, there’s always more you feel like you could be and should be doing. I want to make sure all our families stay housed, everybody has enough for groceries this month, all the things right! But being named one of adidas HBE Honorees made me take time to reflect on everything we’ve been able to accomplish, reflect on how my community and my village are the folks who made it possible for me to be where I am today. I’m so grateful to be named one of the honorees for 2025. I’m a Black girl from Kentucky who got pregnant at 20 you know? I’m not supposed to be sitting here having this conversation with you."

Being an adidas Honoree comes along with shooting a short film about all the work she's doing for her community with The Tender Foundation. You can view the video below:

Almond describes the experience of shooting the film, saying, "Honestly, the whole day was great! Working with a majority Black crew and being able to welcome them into my home to share my story—that was something special. I was proud to just be there. I hope after watching, people understand the power of community and community care. I hope even one person is inspired to make an effort to care for the folks around them."

The Tender Foundation comes from a place of love and determination according to the writer. She explains to Upworthy that she wouldn't be doing what she's doing without her experience as a single mother before adding, "My daughter was the reason I worked so hard—I wanted to build something of my own for her."

The single mom has some advice that applies to any single mom out there no matter how motherhood found them. She says, "Don't be afraid to ask for help," —though she admits this is something she still struggles with on occasion, too. Getting into the community mindset of childrearing early can be a life changer.

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