Photo & story - Henry "The Fonz" Winkler speaks at Aberdeen NC elementary school, 5/13/10

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Henry Winkler interacts with Aberdeen Elementary School students this morning.

http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/13/winkler-entertains-aberdeen-students/

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Today was a happy day for Aberdeen Elementary School.

Students and faculty were treated to an appearance by Henry Winkler, the actor turned author who is best known for his iconic performance as The Fonz on the hit television series “Happy Days.” Winkler came to Moore County to talk about his popular Hank Zipzer children’s book series, which deals with overcoming learning disabilities.

Winkler spoke about the books and his life in the school’s auditorium, often leaving his young audience in stitches. Winkler himself is dyslexic and overcame that challenge on his way to stardom — despite criticism from his parents and teachers.

“I am in the bottom 3 percent in America academically,” he said. “Spelling was hard. English was hard. Math was hard. History was hard. You know, I was great at lunch. I could eat a tuna fish sandwich better than anybody I ever met. But school was unbelievably difficult.”

Despite whatever challenges that might come their way, he encouraged the youngsters to believe in themselves no matter what.

“Every single one of you sitting in this auditorium today has greatness inside you,” he said. “You have greatness inside you. You don’t know what it is yet, maybe, but you have a gift. Everybody has got a great gift in this room.

“Your job is to figure out what your gift is, dig it out and give it to the world.”

[Starbucks Anarchist]

1. He was my commencement speaker.

Very nice guy. When I shook his hand, I said, "Nice to meet you." As I walked to the end of the stage, he said, "Nice to meet you too." :D

[MilesColtrane]

2. The Fonz is a mensch.

Just don't get me started on that cocknose, Ralph Malph

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. Malph is one for the trunk

During the second season of "The Sopranos," TV Guide interviewed a handful of real New Jersey "wiseguys" and asked them to rank "The Sopranos" on its authenticity. They gave high marks on everything except Michael Imperioli's character "Christopher," saying that even though was related to Tony, no one would have put up with him, that he'd have been dead by the first couple of episodes of the first season, A.K.A. "one for the trunk."

:rofl:

[MilesColtrane]

4. Don't get me started about that Christopher.

What a gavone!

[MiddleFingerMom]

5. What made him UBER-tolerable...

.
...was Adriana. When she was gone... meh.
.

[MilesColtrane]

7. Bada bing.

[geardaddy]

8. What about that twat Potsie Weber.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. "Dren"

That squirm-inducing episode where Joanie had a crush on Potsie and nicknamed him "Dren" because everyone called him a "nerd" and "Dren" was "nerd" spelled backward and he was the opposite of a nerd.

For that theory to hold true, she should have nicknamed him "Kcid."

:rofl:

[geardaddy]

10. lmao

:rofl:

I remember that one. Thanks for helping me lose my lunch. ;)

[MilesColtrane]

11. Keep your pre-teen daughters away from that shmendrik.

[Captain Hilts]

6. GREAT talk. He's obviously a pretty smart guy, yet schooling was difficult. When you

look at this along with the school shit Susan Boyle has spoken about - being regularly beaten by teachers whose lead schoolmates followed into bullying - school is pretty rough for some. A lot of smart people have learning disabilities - can't spell or take a half step longer to compute things - get the crap beaten out of them in school.

And what do schools do but cut budgets for art and music despite the fact that so many kids learn better through those things.