10/4/11

Actor Says US Going 'Third World'

He used to be in the sitcom, Cheers. Now he spends time advocating for American manufacturing and the blue-collar worker. John Ratzenberger's (pictured, right) Q&A, with AOL, is well worth a read! (He brings up illegal immigration in the interview.)

An excerpt:

You are interested in changing the image of blue collar workers. How do we do that?

Well, I term them essential workers. Shaquille O'Neal's job is not essential. Lady Gaga's job is not essential. The essential people are the ones who prepare and maintain the air conditioning in this building, or repair the elevators. Those are the essential people, because without them we go nowhere. So the media for the last 30 or 40 years have depicted people with toolboxes as being stupid, or drunk. So why would a kid growing up and seeing that depiction on a movie screen want to be that? It seems like we've become a society that honors failure and not success. We should be honoring the people who make it all work. You have to get the writers or producers and say, why not have a sitcom or film based on a bricklayer, or a truck driver. And give them dignity and respect.

3 comments:

Chris said...

Ooh, I like him already. I maintain and install Air Conditioning control systems in buildings. I must be an essential worker! :)

TCC said...

You betcha, Chris!

Anonymous said...

I used to drive a school bus -- and, well, Lady Gaga is cuter than I...