And we'll see you in another YouTube
video.
Thank you.
We're going to do a challenge in
this one. OK.
And? I don't know if we're going be
able to count them all, because it's
so quick.
It's a quick challenge break.
Quick, quick.
Right.
Fun and do something I wouldn't
normally do.
And what's
the challenge?
Is it for new members?
When you address from the member
channel.
When you're joining us.
When you join.
$2,000
Just a friendly reminder, we've
got spike marks.
So just center your body right on
that tape.
Perfect, perfect, perfect.
And just a friendly remind, we got
spike mark here.
Center our body right.
Center. Center your body right
there.
Fantastic. Right down the barrel.
I was going to hip that baby, but...
Center
Yeah.
And I'm assuming I'm going low to
high.
Yes, from New South Wales.
Thank you.
Wow, this is
great.
Apparently, your rider included that
you get camera number one pointed at
you.
I see how it is.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
When will there be a camera angle
that he can get up here?
Yes,
so Bucky's going to come up
when we're on Linda.
So Bucky is actually going to go
come around the.
Hi, I'm David Hofford, a volunteer
here at PBS Wisconsin, breaking into
the NewsHour just briefly to
ask you on this Giving Tuesday
to make a pledge of financial
support to PBS Wisconsin so
that we can continue to bring you
programs like the News Hour for
many years to come.
The number is there on the bottom of
your screen, 1-800-236-3636.
And in light of it being Giving
Tuesday, this is a challenge
break.
When you call during the next seven
minutes, your money will
be doubled by friends
of PBS Wisconsin who care
about sustaining this kind of
programming for the entire
community. Now I know you know it's
Giving Tuesday because if you're
like me, you've been inundated with
emails all day long asking
you for your money.
And perhaps you're wondering how can
I decide which of these worthy
organizations to give to?
Well, here's my suggestion.
You're watching this now.
That means that You
use this service.
This service matters to you.
That's how you can decide to give us
a call right now at 1-800-236-3636.
Hi, I'm Linda Berman, a volunteer
here, just like David at PBS
Wisconsin.
It's a great opportunity to call
right now.
It is Giving Tuesday and we are
challenging you, challenging you to
become part of our team here
at PBS, Wisconsin.
We've got some very special thank
you gifts when you call in.
If you call at the $10 a month
level, you'll get this really,
really cute hat.
It's I heart or love PBS
Wisconsin Perfect for
our weather as we look outside
and we know winter is here.
If you call it the $12 a
month level We've got this really
incredible book.
This is the US Constitution
and other writings I mean their
writings from Ben Franklin if you
want the original Star-Spangled
Banner That's in here
if you wanna know about the Monroe
Doctrine. It's in hear This
is a way to know history to
see it and to share it if
you call at $15 a month We have
our PBS, Wisconsin mug
This mug is like a cup
of sunshine.
We said you can use it right-handed
or left-handed.
One way you see the bee
and all of native plants or the
other side, you see PBS Wisconsin.
No matter which side, it means
you're supporting PBS Wisconsin
if you call it $20 a
month, you get it all.
You get the Wisconsin winter hat,
the constitution book and our PBS
Wisconsin mug.
And just to remind you, no matter
what level you call you will
get our airwaves magazine.
To know what's happening and see
what's coming up.
But he has to start with your call
now on this challenge
1-800-236-3636.
Hi, I'm Eric Greiling.
I'm the director of Friends of PBS
Wisconsin, and I want to
say thank you to all the sustaining
members of PBS, Wisconsin.
Now more than ever,
it is generosity that powers
this service.
And we want to invite you to become
a sustainer as well.
It's Giving Tuesday.
We have a challenge break for Giving
Tuesday, if you call now,
our generous current members will
sponsor your gift one-to-one
match.
Give us a call, become a sustainer.
Being a sustainers simply means it's
a monthly ongoing deduction
from your checking
account or from your credit card,
and it continues on until you ask us
to stop. It's great for us, it
really helps us know what we
can budget for, what we could do.
And if you are already a sustainor,
again, thank you and consider adding
to that sustaining gift.
Let us say thank you, signal your
support for PBS NewsHour.
Give us a call at 1-800-236-3636.
And I am now joined by a very
special guest, Buckingham U.
Badger. You may know him by his
nickname, Bucky.
But it's a big night for you, Buccy,
right? We're right after the news
hour tonight. We are premiering
your biography.
That's, I mean, let's
see here.
How long did it take you to earn a
biography? You are, I think, are
you, are, no, you don't wanna,
well listen, listen, this is a
sensitive subject, but I
hear that Bucky is 85
years old.
And I have to say, Bucky,
I have to say I hope I look
as good as you.
When I'm 85 years old.
That's pretty impressive.
But what is also impressive is the
quality of news programming that
you get on PBS Wisconsin.
So give us a call right now.
Where else but Wisconsin?
Can you find Bucky Badger
at PBS Wisconsin?
Here we are going to present to
you Bucky coming up.
But before then, we are celebrating
the news hour.
And just to remind you, at $10 a
month, you get the Wisconsin, the
PBS Wisconsin winter hat,
which is really adorable and
keeping you warm.
$12 a month.
You get this great The U.S.
Constitution and other writings.
And this is a true.
Keepsake, one to share with your
family, especially with the holidays
coming up.
You know, kids in history need to
learn this, and civics.
If you call at $15 a month,
you get this wonderful cup of
sunshine, our PBS Wisconsin
mug with our native plants in front,
or PBS Wisconsin on the other side.
$20 a month.
You get the PBS Wisconsin hat.
You get a book on the Constitution.
You get mug, as well
as airwaves.
But it starts with your call and our
volunteers are waiting to talk to
you at 1-800-236-3636.
And it is a challenge break.
It's a challenge for Giving Tuesday.
Show your support for PBS NewsHour.
We're having a little bit of fun in
the studio today with Bucky.
We're gonna go back to Bucky, I
think he's got some things he wants
to share with you, but the NewsHours
is serious business.
We expect you to tune in to NewsHOUR
regularly.
Show your for NewsHhour.
Help us keep this service here with
you. I also wanna say thank you
to donors who give in another way,
the members of our Heritage Society,
those members who have included us.
In their wills, in their estate
plans.
That kind of giving is so important
to our future to keep PBS
Wisconsin here for generations
to come.
Become a member, become a sustainer,
become a member of the Heritage
Society. Go online or give us a call
at 1-800-236-3636.
So Bucky, I have a very important
question for you.
Do you think the viewers at home
should be giving money to PBS
Wisconsin tonight?
I know, it's, yes?
Okay, that's, well, okay, we're
thinking about it.
I think yes, though, and I think
this is the time to do it because
it is a challenge break,
right? So Bucy, help me do the
math here. If they donate and
that donation is matched,
How much is that?
That's, yeah,
well, let's see.
I think it's twice as much money
for PBS Wisconsin.
It's seven times as much as money,
says Bucky. We'll work on the math
on that one, but what's important is
that you give us a call.
1-800-236-3636,
and now back to the news.
And you see by
the dawn's early
light
That's fair.
All right.
Do you all have a tentative?
I do not, Charlie.
I'm tired.
I am hungry.
And we'll catch you.
I have a question.
Okay, yeah, I'm not, I am not going
to lie to you.
I feel like I'm part of the family
this time.
I've been volunteering as long as
I've done a lot.
Yeah, I thought I know who you want.
That's the boy.
No way. Really? That's awesome.
All right.
Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
Yeah.
Yeah. Oh,
wow. Who are you guys?
Whoever you are.
She's in charge.
Oh, you're in charge?
Okay, got it.
You're in the charge.
Yeah, so there's a video.
I like that.
Who's the worst fan?
You got your glasses.
Oh, and you looked right where it
was. Right over there.
All
right, nice.
On the Christmas card, you go that
way. Oh, my God, Christmas card.
Here, I'll take it.
Thanks.
All right.
Thanks.
Come this way.
I'm still wired.
You got your leash.
Thank you. Great.
You sounded great on the 11th.
Oh, thank you.
Can you do me, do me?
Got it, got it. Can I do my camera?
Oh sure, and I'll do this one too.
Thank you so much.
Real quick, let's just talk about
what we're going to talk about.
I was thinking, first we can
just say what drew you to
working on this project.
Yeah. Yeah.
Anything you want to fill in
there? And then I
was thinking for a second question.
She didn't feel the same way, so I
want to get your take.
Asking whether you ever considered
being Bucky and what made
you do it or not,
try for it or try not for it.
Yeah, yeah we can do that.
Okay.
And I think the things that
I'd like to touch on, because we're
talking people in Wisconsin, just
PBS is a bit very Wisconsin, right?
And so we're all about celebrating
Wisconsin.
Touch base on like,
you know, you kind of made Wisconsin
your, you
brand.
So what is it about Wisconsin,
people resonate with this all over
the place. What is about Wisconsin
that you think people really
connect with?
So what's at the heart of
Buckingham? What's at heart of
the Wisconsin brand
that people kind of connect with
brand feels like a weird
non-Wisconsin thing to say.
Well, okay, so what is the Wisconsin
version of the word brand?
Uh, the idea.
Well, there you go,
because, you know, that's the whole
Wisconsin idea.
Oh, there he is!
There he is.
Bucky in the
fur.
Yeah. Doing good?
Can I do a picture with all three of
us?
Because that would be amazing.
Yeah, we gotta go.
Oh, man.
OK, afterwards, afterwards.
This first time around, though, I
mean.
Go first.
When we set this up the first time
around though, and you're asking
about like, you know what, so
why'd you decide to get involved
with this project? That's a setup
you also talk about being at UW.
Mm-hmm.
You were in front of school here in
Vilas Hall, being a Badger,
with the commencement speech.
You know, you can actually really connect
to UW and
it's a, you know, part of your life.
Yes, bring up all
those.
Those things and it'll be like a
minute Yes
Yeah, so we
can do just that
one question that first minute and
then we'll do the other two questions
in the second minute.
Two questions in the second minute.
Okay. Yeah.
And you'll have time to finish.
Yeah. The gistical matter.
All right.
You
You're starting with me.
Come on in the
middle of the show.
Target right now.
And you're going to hang out.
Okay.
After the camera goes over to Eric,
we're going to go over to go with
Linda. And then you're going help
Linda.
A little, yeah.
Hi, I'm David Hofford, a volunteer
here at PBS Wisconsin, joined by
no other.
Than Buckingham U Badger,
the subject of tonight's program.
And we together, I think I can speak
for you if I may, are here to
ask you to help PBS
Wisconsin
produce local programming like
you're watching tonight by making
a pledge of financial support.
The number is there on the bottom of
your screen, 1-800-236-3636.
And here's the simple reality,
no other television station
would ever have been able or
willing to make a documentary
about you.
I guess it's not really a documentary,
it's a biography, right?
This must be bringing up all sorts
of memories for you.
I heard a rumor that Bucky doesn't
like me to tell, but just between
friends, that he's 85
years old.
So imagine the content that is
yet to come in tonight's broadcast.
What we need you to do in the
meantime is to give us a call.
1-800-236-3636.
Hi, I'm Linda Berman, a volunteer
here at PBS Wisconsin, and it is
an honor and a joy and so
much fun to be here
with Bucky and other
special guests who you'll see
shortly. But the most important
thing is you pledge your support
right now.
We've got wonderful volunteers here
in the studio waiting to talk to you
and explain what wonderful
gifts we have for you.
If you call the $10 a month level,
you can get the Bucky DVD.
The program you're watching now is a
Blu-ray.
Or and DVD combination.
At $12 a month, we have this
adorable 10-inch
mini Bucky.
I mean, this is a child's
dream because you can carry it
around. It's not gonna overshadow
the child.
$15 a month.
We have this incredible sweatshirt,
I Heart PBS, but
it's The Heart is Wisconsin.
So you know where your heart is and
our heart is too.
Now I wanna explain that
at $25 a month You can get
the DVDs.
You can get the plush Bucky, as
well as the sweatshirt.
We also have something special,
because we know that the story
of Bucky is one you want to share
with your family, but it's
like, no, we can give you five
copies so you can give these as
holiday gifts to your friends,
because the story Bucky all
ages, from kids to people
my age, even enjoy hearing
about Bucky.
So this is a great opportunity, but
it starts with your call
1-800-236-3636.
Hi, I'm Eric Greiling.
I'm the director of Friends of PBS
Wisconsin.
Bucky Badger is Iconically
Wisconsin.
And just like David said, we
here at PBS Wisconsin are here
to explore all of
Wisconsin as thoroughly as we can,
to highlight this, to share it with
you, to find the iconic
things that are so much Wisconsin,
whether that's food traditions or
culture or history or
natural beauty.
We're here to share that with you.
But it depends upon your
support. And one of the best ways
you can support is by becoming
a sustainer.
Being a sustainor just means you
sign up to make an automatic monthly
gift. It continues as long as you
want it to.
And you have the knowledge that you
are supporting PBS Wisconsin
month after month.
Allowing us to bring you programs
like this become a sustainer today
by going online or giving us
a call and Support programs
like, this let us say thank you with
one of the wonderful gifts that
linda shared with you please give us
a Call at 1-800-236-3636
So let's talk for a moment about why
it matters that you call and make a
pledge. As you're probably aware,
federal funding for public media has
recently gone away, and in
the case of PBS Wisconsin, that's
several million dollars that
we now have to account for
differently in budgeting here
at the station. Now I'm just a
volunteer here, but I can tell you,
talking to the staff, what hasn't
gone away.
Is the sense of mission?
Or the devotion
to the work.
But senior leadership are making
tough decisions right now.
For example, how much of the budget
goes to acquiring and
distributing the national PBS
broadcasting that you appreciate?
And how much can we devote to making
truly hyper-local programming
like this for you?
So when you call, you are
stating your values.
You're voting with your dollar.
You're saying, I want more programs
like these homemade documentaries.
That's why you should call
1-800-236-3636.
And who best to tell you
about the story of Bucky is...
The one and only Bucky,
yes.
And this is the story of Bucky at
$10 a month. We can get this
wonderful DVD
Blu-ray of the story of
Buccy, that's your opportunity.
At $12 a month, you can get a
mini Bucky.
A 10 inch Bucky like little
Bucky here and big Bucky
here, but you only get the little
one for $12 a month I'm sorry.
Yeah, that it.
$15 a month you get the sweatshirt,
which we have online.
I heart PBS Wisconsin
and that's of course.
Yes, I know you you do too.
You heart was gone. I love it.
At $25 a month you can get
baby Bucky.
You can get the DVD.
You can also get the sweatshirt.
Now, for those who want the story of
you to share with their family, at
$20 a month, you can Get five
of these five.
Can you count them?
One, two, three, four, five.
No, I think you passed that there.
It's okay. 5.
It's right, Bucky, it's been a big
night for you. It's very exciting.
But if you call right now,
Bucky will even sign our
Airwaves magazine.
So this better be at the $25 a
month. Bucky we'll autograph the
Airwavs magazine, right Bucky?
That's right.
But you have to start with
1-800-236-3636.
Just like David told you,
we are facing some challenging times
here at PBS Wisconsin with the
elimination of federal funding, but
there is a bright spot.
It is the generosity of viewers
like you who have called us,
who have written to us, who have
gone online and said,
what PBS Wisconsin brings
to their homes, to their
communities matters.
The programs like this, About
Wisconsin, For Wisconsin,
matter, and we can do this together.
We are here to stay.
But we're here to stay because of
your support, your generosity.
Whether you're a new member calling
in for the first time saying, this
matters, I like programs like this,
I like the work that you do here
at PBS Wisconsin, it matters in our
community. Maybe it's the work we
do that goes beyond the broadcast
our education work, the work we
do to maintain emergency
alert systems all around the state.
All of that matters and all
of it is because of you.
If you're already a sustainer
or a member, generous donor.
Please consider giving us an
additional gift during this break,
during this program.
We can say thank you with some of
the lovely gifts that Linda
mentioned, and it all starts with
your call to our volunteers,
1-800-236-3636.
It is now my distinct honor to
be on set with Charlie
Barons. You may know him as the
creator of the Man at the Walk
Minute. You may known as the
narrator of this documentary
tonight.
Charlie, on behalf of all the
folks here at PBS Wisconsin, we were
so thrilled when you agreed to
be the narrator for this program.
But, you know, I'm a fan of yours,
I am a little starstruck actually
right now. Oh, thank you.
You're a busy guy, so what, of all
the things you can be working on,
what drew you to working on this
program in particular?
Well, for starters, right here.
OK, do I get the donations?
$10, $10 right?
I think it's $10 a month.
$10 bucks a month, totally worth it,
very soft.
But you know, I went to school here.
And I did the
commencement, which was really cool.
And you know if they let me
do the commencement you just you got
to do whatever they ask after that.
Oh, whatever they ask.
Well, that's good. Keep that in
mind, folks. He's on the hook now.
I am absolutely only 10 bucks
a month you guys come on.
I mean it's 12 bucks.
Okay with 12 That's a different
story, but you know, I think it's
still a good deal.
So what I did there I
I do.
I think everything else is a good
deal, too, right?
You know what I think is a good deal
is $100.
$100. Guys, go get the WD-40,
spray it on your wall, let the
credit card come slide him right
out. You won't regret it.
I promise you that.
I really do.
So here's a question for you.
You're about the same height as I
am, which means?
6'1".
Well, OK, fine.
You win.
In heels.
Which means that you would have been
eligible to be Bucky Badger.
Did you ever look into that?
I did, I had ambitions of being a
Bucky Badger.
What held you back, or were
you? I mean, maybe you weren't.
No, no, pretty much laziness,
procrastination that got in the way.
Sure. But I, so when you
look at Bucky out there on the, you
know that he put one foot
in front of the other.
Yeah. And also I couldn't do enough
pushups.
Oh yeah, we'll talk more about
push-ups in a moment, but give us a
call 1-800-236-3636.
So right now it's an opportunity
to call our volunteers who are
on the phone banks and Bucky Badgers
back there helping them
is what we could say.
At $10 a month you can get the Bucky
DVD which is the wonderful story
and history narrated by Charlie
Barons.
At $12 a month, you can the 10-inch
Bucky plush toy and it
is adorable.
At $15 a month we have the
Sweatshirt Eye and it's the state
of Wisconsin with heart PBS because
we love PBS Wisconsin.
At $25 a month, you can get
them all. You can get the Blu-ray
DVD story.
You can the plush Bucky.
You can also get the sweatshirt.
Now, at $20 a month you can
five. This is real special.
Five of the 10,
five of the, excuse me, of the DVD
Blu rays.
This is so that you can share them
and give them as gifts because no
one's gonna be happy with just one
because everybody's gonna wanna see
it. This way you can give everybody
their own. Now you can use the
QR code with your phone on the
screen now or talk to our
volunteers. They're wonderful and
they're busy with Bucky, but I'm
sure they'll talk to you at
1-800-236-3636.
So many great ways for us to say
thank you to you when you make your
call and become a member or add
to your membership.
So many ways to feel good about
giving from knowing that
you're doing your part to support
PBS Wisconsin and keep this service
alive.
Let's keep PBS Wisconsin strong
together.
Maybe it's the sensation of
you're responding to Charlie
Barron's call to go ahead
and give $100 a month,
WD-40 that credit card and give
us a call, go online, use the QR
code. The important thing is that
you give now, give during this
show, and show your generosity
for the work that we do.
We have so many ways to say thank
you. At all of the gift levels that
Linda's described, we'll say thank
with a subscription to our
Airways magazine, and you'll have
access to Passport, a deep
catalog of additional programming
that's available to you when you
use that PBS app on any of your
devices.
Give us a call, 1-800-236-3636.
Charlie, you've talked some about
how actually your
accent was a hindrance in
the beginning of your career going
into the news, but then you've
clearly turned it into an asset.
And there's clearly something about
Wisconsin people, Wisconsin
ideas that resonates.
How would you say Wisconsin fits
into the broader landscape of
the world?
My gosh, I mean everyone wants
to be us, you know for starters
and they just didn't know
it yet You know or they don't
but you know as soon as you kind of
see like especially where Bucky
comes from, you know
It's it's hard to not want to
be right here Spending
twelve dollars a month on this
beautiful toy.
See I got you see
I mean, I went to school here and
you do have the Wisconsin idea that
the idea of helping others and
keep in moving things forward and
you know forward.
We got that in the whole slogan
there on the state plane.
There on the safe side. You've said Wisconsin Idea
and Forward in one...
I got them all.
You're doing. I got $13.
No, but it's just it's an honor to
like be part of this thing.
We have great sense of humor here
too because we don't take ourselves
too seriously.
I mean I you know we we're cheese
heads to baptisms here you know
so I think that's part well I
do anyways but I think that's
that's. Part of it. We just have fun
and we we care about people and we
take care of each other.
So do me a favor, go put on your
cheese head and then call
1-800-236-3636.
And we'll take another look at the
wonderful thank you gifts we have
before we get back to seeing Bucky's
story. And just to remind you, it's
an opportunity.
You can use your QR code.
You can go online.
But we all have here in the studio
with our wonderful volunteers.
So at $10 a month, you can get the
DVD, Blu-ray, The Story of Bucky.
It is narrated by Charlie Barron's.
At $12 a month, we have the
wonderful Bucky plush toy.
At $15 a month you can get the
sweatshirt. At $25 a month.
You can get all of those.
At $20 a month it seems
backwards. You can five of the DVDs.
But most importantly, you are gonna
get your Airwaves magazine with,
no matter what level you pledge
at. This is a great opportunity
for you.
We are having so much fun here and
Bucky keeps walking around the
studio. You never know where Bucky's
gonna be. Here comes Bucky.
Bucky, come on up.
Okay, here's Bucky, and we're gonna
say, give us a call right now at
1-800-236-3636.
Well Charlie, thank you so much for
joining us here
and congratulations on an incredible
documentary.
Thank you. Bucky, thank for being
here. We're going back to see more
and I hope you enjoy
Roseanne Donovan has always
been the life of the party.
The personality is animated.
I think if you would ask anyone
from back in the day or my
current students, everyone would
say the same thing.
Loud, energetic,
emotional.
In the fall of 1978.
Rawr, I will show it.
And just joyful.
After graduating, Roseanne's
reign as Bucky came to an end,
but she always remained a Badger
at heart.
When I see Bucky now,
oh my gosh, I
did that.
It is kind of hard to believe.
Yeah, that was really amazing.
That was really Amazing.
I've thought about it for a long
time. All I do is base
on my voice.
And I would do my word for it.
I just can't talk.
It's like, how am I going to do it?
Yes. You can still do it.
We can do it in the morning.
Yes.
We can stop in the driveway.
No.
We can...
Welcome to the choir.
I'll do that.
Okay, so let me spell that.
You just kind of have to move your
hands and hope for the best.
Simply no other job like
this I can think of.
Flexin' like a winner
The most important thing, I think,
is to have fun.
You
Turkey Mama
and then it's like you forget about
all of that hard work and
you're like wow like this is what
it
down to at the end.
The people that work here are just
amazing. It's the reason why I come
back every day, it's the reasons why
I have a smile on my face, it's a
reason why I love coming to
work because it's a great group of
people and we get to make some
really fun stuff.
You
Thank you.
As many hooks as you can.
To use.
You can bring your Bucky with you
then. Hi, I'm-
David Hoffert, a volunteer here at
PBS Wisconsin, and we have just
concluded watching the
Bucky documentary.
I hope you appreciated it as much as
I did.
It really gave me an appreciation
for Bucky, but
also, and this may be like a taboo
topic, but for the people behind
Bucky or inside Bucky
or however you wanna think about
that, but like the people who bring
this to life, right?
And I think understanding
their stories and understanding
the cultural impact
of this icon that
we have in our state is
really meaningful and it's really
personal for a lot of us in
Wisconsin.
So my ask of you is
that if this meant something to
you, that you
make a pledge of financial support.
Tell the staff at PBS Wisconsin
that local programming like
this matters to you.
The number's there on your screen,
1-800- 236-3636.
Hi, I'm Linda Berman,
and this has been an thrilling
evening, being with Bucky Badger
and just watching
the story and the history of
Bucky. I'm a
second generation.
My son is a third generation Badger.
And this is the kind of
program that I want to share with
him. And at $10 a month,
this wonderful DVD Blu-ray
is one I am going to share him.
At $12 a month we have this
adorable.
10-Inch little Bucky Badger,
this plush toy.
Children all ages, including 70s,
80s, and 90s, would still like this.
Fifteen dollars a month, we have the
iHeart, which is the state of
Wisconsin PBS, because PBS
Wisconsin is the heart of
our state.
At $25 a month you get
all of them. You get the DVD,
you get the little plush toys, you
got the sweatshirt.
Now we have a special at $20 a
month. And you know what it sounds
like why we're going backwards?
You can get five copies of the
DVD so you can share them.
You can give them as gifts.
The holidays are coming.
This is your opportunity to let
everybody enjoy the story of Bucky.
But the most important thing you
should know is that it all starts
with you and your call.
This very special production.
We even have a special, special
feature for you coming up.
But the important thing is your
pledge of support.
So you can do that right now at
1-800-236-36.
Three, six.
Hi, I'm Eric Reiling.
I'm director of Friends of PBS
Wisconsin.
We wanna say thank you to you when
you make your call, when you show
your pledge of support.
And this is a
member challenge break.
That means if you call in and offer
your support as a member, a new
member, your gift can go
twice as far thanks to the support
of existing members of
PBS, Wisconsin.
So show your support for this kind
of programming, Wisconsin
programming that's fun, that's
poignant, that matters.
Let us say thank you with one of
these wonderful member gifts.
And also know that during
this member challenge break, your
gift goes even further.
We want to hit 50 gifts during
this pledge break, and we've
got some really special treats for
you. So stick with us.
We've got guests.
We've special encore
additional footage
to share with you.
I also want to thank our producers
of this program, Grant Fenster,
John Hornbacher.
Programs like this take months,
sometimes even years.
To work, we actively choose
to make them for you, and your
support is what makes it possible.
Take advantage of this challenge
break, take advantage of saying,
we like Bucky.
Let us say thank you with these
gifts.
Starts with your call
1-800-236-3636.
And indeed, there is actually more
coming. We finished the official
documentary, but during this
challenge break, we're gonna show
you some bonus footage that we've
put together highlighting
Roseanne Donovan, who you saw in
the documentary. So stay tuned for
that.
I mentioned earlier the importance
of local programming and how only
PBS Wisconsin would have made a
documentary like the one you've been
watching tonight.
Well, there's more to come, right?
The producers here are already
working on Wisconsin hometown
stories.
John McGivern Jerry apps all
those programs that you have come to
expect and rely on
and they're made possible by
your Donations we are
up to eight calls during this
challenge break now is the time
to join them 1-800-236-3636
We're having our own challenge break
here. We know, no, no Bucky,
no. Now we know you're gonna call
in and pledge your support.
This is the challenge break, more
than just an arm wrestling
challenge.
I have to say, yeah, okay,
you won.
It's a great opportunity to know
that tonight we are just so honored.
We have Roseanne Donovan coming.
The producers saw this documentary
in the works making it and said,
wait, there's some special things we
need to go back to.
There are special people we need to
interview. And that is coming up.
But I wanna remind you, at $10 a
month, you can get the story of
Bucky, right on the DVD,
you and the history of Buccy.
At $12 a month you get
little Bucky.
It's a plush toy.
You can see even Bucky
it's beloved for Bucky $15
a month.
You get the sweatshirt, I Heart
Wisconsin in
PBS because PBS Wisconsin is
in my heart and has been for
the last 49 years.
And I want to say, at $25
a month, you can get the little
Bucky. You can get a DVD.
You can the sweatshirt with all
pledges. You will also get airwaves
with Bucky on the
cover. Yes, for this month.
And remind you, at 20 dollars a
month you can five of the
DVDs.
Oh, hi Bucky, Bucky
likes my sweatshirts because I'm
wearing your face.
Yes, but you can call and
pledge and have five DVDs to
share with your family.
To give them as wonderful gifts.
Remember, it's a challenge break.
We are at 10 calls now.
We know we can get more.
This is the time.
We've got Bucky Badger is gonna go
back to the phone, but you can
call us.
I don't know if Bucky will say much,
but he's saying, call now,
1-800-236-3636.
Some great and unique ways
for us to say thank you when you
call with your pledge of support
during this program or go online,
use that QR code that's on your
screen to make a gift of support
for this program right now.
We can say thank with these unique
gifts for this unique program and
it is a challenge break.
We want you to call in
now so that you take advantage of
that challenge and your gift can
go even further.
We're on our way towards our goal of
50 calls during this break.
If you don't get through right away,
please be patient.
Our volunteers are doing their best
to keep up.
Go ahead and go online if you like.
And just know that we
do depend upon you to bring
you programs like this, programs
that celebrate Wisconsin,
programs that unite us together, but
also reveal some of the poignancy
behind a story we thought
we knew going even
deeper with Bucky.
We wanna say thank you, but we
need your support. We're going
through some challenging times here.
We are committed to continuing to
bring stories like this about
Wisconsin for Wisconsin,
and we can stay strong
together.
It starts with your support using
that QR code, going online,
or giving us a call at 1-800-236.
3636.
Linda's been talking about some of
the great thank you gifts that are
available to you when you call.
1-800-236-3636.
But remember, there are other
benefits as well.
Any of the levels that Linda's been
talking about comes with Airwaves
Magazine, your monthly program
guide. I don't know about you, but
it's getting harder and harder just
to get a simple TV guide of
what's gonna be on coming up, but
you know what?
The one that matters is PBS
Wisconsin, and that one comes to
your mail.
And also PBS Passport, where you can
go get on-demand programming
through your streaming device,
programs that are on air,
programs that aren't on air or
haven't been on air for a long time.
All of those are additional member
benefits and of course really what
matters here.
Is the feeling you get of
being a supporter, being a member
of PBS Wisconsin, making
all of this possible for you
and your family and your neighbors
and the entire Wisconsin community.
Give us a call, 1-800-236-3636.
And I just want to remind you, at
$10 a month, you have the DVD
of the story you're watching now,
the history, the story
behind, and all the wonderfulness
of being Bucky Badger.
$12 a month we have the 10
inch adorable little plush Bucky,
and we got Bucky Big Bucky
seal of approval.
$15 a month.
We have this wonderful sweater.
I want to say something about it.
It is navy and it's got raglan
sleeves.
It is unisex.
It's got a slim fit.
But it can also have a
looser fit.
Make sure you talk to your
volunteer to ask more
about that.
At the $25 a month level, you
get all of these wonderful
gifts, the DVD, you get the
plush Bucky, you get this sweater,
and of course you get Airwaves
Magazine with every pledge of
support. Now, I just wanna let you
know what's coming up.
We have a very special feature.
We've been tantalizing you with
this. As I said, the producers
saw
absolutely wonderfulness out of
Roseanne Donovan and her story.
And this is something we're sharing
with you. She has not seen it yet.
This was literally just
finished.
So you get to see the premiere of
this. It's a very short little
documentary, but it's something
you're going to so enjoy.
So please stay tuned.
This very special feature is coming
up right now.
So stay, but you can give us a
call as soon as it's over, but
stay watching because this is
Something Special.
Roseanne Donovan has always
been the life of the party.
Is animated.
I think if you would ask anyone
from back in the day or my
current students, everyone would
say the same thing.
Loud, energetic,
emotional.
In the fall of 1978,
Roseanne and her over-the-top
personality enrolled at
the University of Wisconsin-Madison,
officially becoming a Badger.
Did I have any concept of
what was to come?
I certainly did not.
Roseanne pledged sorority and
reveled in Greek social life.
Yet she was on the hunt for
more adventure.
Many of my friends,
my sorority sisters, and some of our
guy friends were in fraternities,
and they all happened to be
cheerleaders and
just talked about how
much fun they had and
game days and getting to
do all kinds of fabulous things.
But a suggestion from a friend would
soon change the course of
Roseanne's college life.
One of the guys said, well,
Roseanne, why don't you try out
for Bucky?
And I'm like, well Bucky, I can't
try out for Buccy, Bucky's a guy.
He said, no, I don't think it
says anywhere that it has to be a
guy, you just have to be tall
enough. And I was like, oh my gosh,
I'm gonna do that.
In the spring of 1981,
Roseanne dug into preparations for
the Bucky Badger tryouts.
I thought if I'm gonna go
for it, I'm going to go for
Roseanne brought her fighting badger
spirit to the audition,
and a little something extra.
One of the judges,
like on cue, said,
well, you know, one of the
traditions is that Bucky goes
to the opposing side and picks
up one of cheerleaders.
And I just looked at him and said,
wait right here.
I run over to the door, I fling
the door open.
There's my roommate, Kelly.
I hoist her up and
run around the room
and she's cheering, go Badgers.
I think the panel of judges just
were like, what in the world
just happened?
The group of aspiring Buckees
waited in the bleachers for the
judge's verdict.
You know, ooh, Dremel.
And they announced the
first guy.
His name was Mike Mathias.
And everyone's like, hey, way to
go. And people are screaming and
cheering and all this.
And our second Bucky Badger
for the 1981-82 season
is Roseanne Pamisano.
Dead silence.
And I just remember
like walking out like,
what?
What the hell just happened?
It turns out Roseanne had
just joined an exclusive
Badger Club.
As far as I know, I am the
first woman who has gotten
the honor to play a
Bucky Badger.
Roseanne was soon relishing that
honor as Wisconsin's
furry, big-headed mascot.
When you are Bucky, you
are truly a celebrity around here.
People busted out and are
screaming, Bucky!
Mommy!
And that photo op,
you know, the little one looking up
and wanting an autograph
and just to see the
faces light up was really,
was really amazing.
Roseanne spent her senior year at
UW becoming Bucky,
for basketball and hockey games,
and at countless other memorable
events.
I think my favorite
part about being Bucky was
that every
time I put that suit on, it
was going to be a different
experience.
Whether it was at
a game, a big win,
or a heartbreaking loss,
or it was a parade
to The kids
excited and screaming,
it was always something
fun and uplifting.
And just joyful.
After graduating, Roseanne's
reign as Bucky came to an end,
but she always remained a Badger
at heart.
When I see Bucky now,
I go, oh my gosh, I
did that.
It is kind of hard to believe.
Yeah, that was really amazing.
That was really Amazing.
And we are back still in the middle
of a challenge break, still with an
opportunity to have your money
doubled. But I have standing with me
now, the one, the only,
Roseanne Donovan, the very first
female Bucky Badger.
Thank you so much for joining us.
You're welcome.
Boy, it's an honor to be here.
We heard you say in that clip
that, you know, I can't be Bucky,
Bucky's a guy.
How did you get over that hump to
actually go and try out?
You know, I think for anybody who
knows my personality, that
just was a challenge.
When somebody was like, Bucky's a
guy, but like, really?
And then when I investigated
it, it was like well, no, it doesn't
say anywhere.
Just have to be tall enough.
And I'm 5'9",
I was tall enough,
and so kind of on a dare, I
did it.
And here we are.
Here we are!
So what was it like,
both to be Bucky and also to be this
kind of groundbreaking Bucky?
You know, I think to
be Bucky at the time,
I didn't fully appreciate
what a big deal it
was.
And I'm learning more and more, and
even through this journey,
being the first female,
and the response I have gotten
just at some of our events,
it is a big, it
is big deal.
And...
Just really, really a fun part
of my college experience.
And, you know, went on, I was
a teacher, educator for 43 years,
so I performed, I like
being in front of a crowd,
and so it all fits.
Anybody who knows me, like this
tracks. This is not a surprise.
Did your students know that you were
once Bucky? Were you able to reveal
your secret identity?
No, while I was bucking,
no, but after when I went into the
classroom, that was always
one of the very fun things that
I got to share with students.
I would always do kind of an opening
circle and what's something,
an interesting fact about yourself
and students would share.
I was homecoming queen or I
broke a football record and I
would say, wait for it.
Yeah, right.
Well, we're going to have more from
Rosanna in just a moment, but give
us a call 1-800-236-3636.
And just want to remind everybody
that you will get Airwaves magazine
with no matter where you...
Bucky, you need to turn it upside
the other way.
There, you can get your Airwavs
magazine.
And we are so happy to say that with
every pledge of support, you will
the story of Bucky.
You will get the Airwave magazine.
You can read it upside down.
You will the great
plush little...
I've got two Buckeys here.
Yeah, you and this one.
Yeah, the plush toy.
And that's $12 a month.
$15 a month you get the adorable
sweatshirt, I Heart Wisconsin
is perfect, not to worry.
$25 a month, you can get everything,
the whole package, the DVD, the
plush little Bucky,
the beautiful sweatshirts, and at
$20 a month.
You can get five copies of the DVD
so that you can give them as gifts.
Now this is a challenge break Bucky.
No, you cannot eat it.
Challenge break, Bucky.
How many calls do we have right now?
Da da da da.
47 calls.
We know we can get at least 50
before the break's over.
This is an opportunity to double the
money, so give us a call
1-800-236-3636.
Thank you, Linda. It is a challenge
break and we're on our way.
Our volunteers are super busy on the
phone. If you call in
1-800-236-3636,
be patient. We'll get to you.
Or go online to PBSWisconsin.org
or use that QR code
on your screen. When you do,
it will pull up the gifts for you
and you can see right there.
And you can choose.
And speaking of choosing.
You don't have to choose between a
DVD and a Blu-ray because
when you select a DVD
as your thank you gift,
we'll include both a DVD in a
Bluray. And that's true with the
five set DVD
Blurays as well.
At $20 a month, five DVDs
and Bluras, that's five each, DVD
and Blu ray.
So you don't to choose whether it's
a DVD or Blur-ray and it gives
you opportunity to share
Bucky as a gift.
So if you've got a lot of badges in
your life.
It's a lot of gifts you can share
out. If you have
people who are associated with other
mascots, you can
send them the Bucky DVD and let
them know what really
matters and what the
best mascot in the country
is really like and the
behind the scenes story.
So QR code, go online, give
us a call.
Let us say thank you to you for your
support. It's challenge break.
We've exceeded our goal and we're
gonna keep going.
So please do give us call.
1-800-236-3636.
You know, Eric, it's funny you
mentioned that, because I was
actually sitting at lunch today at
work with a colleague who, it turns
out, was a different Big Ten mascot.
We will not name the school, because
that's not what matters right now.
I still have with me Roseanne
Donovan, and Roseanne,
what was the most memorable
experience you had as
Bucky Badger?
You know what, I think probably
there were two.
I think the coolest
was filming a commercial
back in the day, and it was
for a car dealership.
I don't remember which one, so
sorry, out there.
But I actually filmed it with a
live badger.
What? And...
Under the costume they had
me all like with these
sleeves protective sleeves on
because of of the claws
and this gigantic
badger running around Camp Randall
so that was probably the
coolest.
The most memorable would have been
getting to start the first crazy
legs race.
The first one. Okay.
And we didn't know at the time it
was gonna be an annual event.
I think now it's on number
45.
So it's been a while.
Yeah. And I actually got a letter
from Arley Mucks thanking
me for starting that first
race. So that was pretty cool.
So here you are, a Bucky
alumni.
I mean, do you stay in touch?
Is this a community that forms?
Not all of them were your year, but.
Right, and I think
because I was
the only female that I
know of, I do think there is
a community.
This has really brought me closer
and in touch with many.
I plan to play in the Bucky
Open golf outing
next year, so that's
a reason to up my game a little bit,
but it's
just been a really fabulous
experience.
Thank you so much for being with us
and we are going to ask
you to call 1-800-236-3636
and keep those calls coming.
Come on, Gamma Phi's and Fiji's,
call.
And I just want to show you our
little plush bucky and...
Oh!
See what your calls are doing.
It's made Bucky stand on
his head.
If plush Bucky can do it,
so could big Bucky.
So your calls so important.
There are 55 calls now, you can
see it. We know we can get,
we're gonna go to 70.
This is such an exciting evening.
Being here with the Buckeys is
outstanding.
And it's your opportunity to call so
you can get the Bucky DVD.
And if I talk fast enough, he'll
stay on his hat. $10 a month,
you can get the...
DVD, CD all at once at
$15 a month.
You get the plush Bucky who right
here is standing on his head.
At $25 a month, I'm sorry,
$15 a month you get the sweatshirt,
the blue sweatshirts, I Wisconsin
Heart PBS, Wisconsin.
$25 dollars a month you get this
sweatshurt, the Bucky, the DVD.
$20 dollars a months you get the
five pack of the DVDs.
Bucky's made it on his head, show
him that Bucky is still on his
head, yay Bucky.
But your calls we'll keep them
there 1-800-236-3636.
The score is 57.
That's going to be, I think, 57
pushups. Is that how that works?
At least 58 pushups,
so please keep your calls coming.
1-800-236-3636.
Let's push that pushup count up
as far as we can go.
And we want to say thank you to you.
I also want to thank the donors
who gave to this project on the
front end of it without knowing what
it would look like, without knowing
how.
Much we could cover about Bucky,
share about Bockey, share the
history, the rich history, the
poignancy, and of course
underscore the fact that we
absolutely have the best mascot
in the country.
Those donors really make this work
possible, but so do you.
Your gift of support makes a
huge difference.
Together we can keep PBS Wisconsin
strong.
We will be here.
We will allow, your
gift will allow us to continue to
bring this kind of programming.
Programming that focuses
Wisconsin.
And speaking of Wisconsin
programming, we've got another treat
for you.
Another story about mascots,
one from Wisconsin Life.
So we wanna keep bringing you this
programming.
We're gonna share it with you now.
Give us a call 1-800-236-3636.
Thank you.
You just kind of have to move your
hands and hope for the best.
Simply no other job like
this I can think of.
Flexin' like a winner
The most important thing, I think,
is to have fun.
Yo!
So I'm a little bit like a superhero
in a way.
Winner
You have everybody in the stadium
looking at you and you just run out.
It's a big responsibility, I'd say.
Olympus Mascots was created at some
point back in the 1960s.
We have 250-ish
total employees.
They reached out to me and they're
like, Hey, do you want to be a
mascot sewer?
And I'm like, I have never heard
of anything like that before.
So sure, why not?
We've probably done 25 to 30,000
mascots through the year.
We did a forklift, like
a wearable forklifts costume.
Then it had the forks in the front
that just kind of went up and down
and a hidden button on the other
side for like the backup noise.
Full body robot,
top to bottom.
The racing sausages come through
here. We probably make new ones
every, I don't know, five years.
We're working on a very high profile
project right now that I can't
tell you about.
Most of our costumes are in between
60 to 120 hours
with the average of them being
probably in the 70 to 80 hour range.
We consider like the performer's
activity level.
We we go a lot by like height range
too to make sure it fits like a
certain height range of person.
There's a lot of different aspects
that I'll kind of go into it.
So when I see the picture,
I have to navigate how I'm going
to make this a 3D thing.
I go onto the mannequin, I
start measuring out things so
that I know what the proportions
are so I know how to make something,
what it should look like on the
form.
So a lot of it's fur.
We have fur, tempo, double knit,
are probably the big ones that we
use.
I particularly like when we do fur
costumes just because it's cool to
put different colors together and
different textures.
We work with hundreds of
customers every single year,
pro sports teams, collegiate sports
teams restaurants, brands,
different characters, representing
everything down to even elementary
schools.
It's very strange sometimes
to just be like watching a
Packer game or something.
And a commercial comes on and is
like, I made that, you know, and
it's like, you know, it gives me a
certain level of pride and just like
this costume made
it onto TV and looks
pretty good.
Feels like art come to life,
like our art that we're working on
here, you know, becomes this
full-scale, realized thing.
And then it's like you forget about
all of that hard work and
you're like wow like this is what
it
down to at the end.
The people that work here are just
amazing. It's the reason why I come
back every day, it's the reasons why
I have a smile on my face, it's a
reason why I love coming to
work because it's a great group of
people and we get to make some
really fun stuff.
Wow, this has been amazing.
Bucky, how many are on our challenge
break?
Da da da da, 71 calls,
this is outstanding.
This has just been an exciting
evening. I just want to remind you,
at $10 a month, you get the story of
Bucky.
The history.
$12 a month you get The Little
Bucky Plush Toy, the 10 inch
adorable toy.
$15 a month it's
a blue sweatshirt that says
I Heart PBS and it's Wisconsin
the Heart.
At $25 a month, you get the
Bucky story, you get plush
Bucky, you the shirt.
And at $20 a month you get five
pack of Buckeys.
This is great.
How about we're at 72, we can
make 75 calls.
Yes Bucky?
Yes, this is a great thing but it
starts with your call at
1-800-236-3636.
Take it away Bucky.
And I just have so many thank yous
to say. Thank you to all the
volunteers on the phone bank tonight
who have answered 73 calls
and counting.
Thank you, Charlie Barons.
Thank you too Bucky, Bucky Bucky
Bucky, Bucky and
Bucky.
And most importantly, thank you
to you.
Thank you for making it possible
for programs like this
to exist anywhere.
On your television dial at
PBS Wisconsin.
It's all because of you and it's not
too late to be because of
YOU in particular when you call
1-800-236-3636
and when you go to PBSWisconsin.org
there's even a QR code on
your screen if you know how to work
those things which frankly,
sometimes I still can't figure it
out but I bet these guys know what
they're doing.
What matters is that
programs like this happen, and
we know that you want them when you
call. That's your
vote in all of this.
I mean, when you're a member, you also get
a member survey.
But that's the vote that tells
us that this
is what matters to you.
And it's what makes public
media, right?
PBS, Public Broadcasting Service,
it's makes the public in
public broadcasting.
So, on behalf of
so many people who they didn't give
a microphone to and that's why I'm
still talking.
What I'm asking you to do right now
is give a call and make a pledge of
financial support.
The number again, 1-800-236-3636.
I'm surrounded by more Buckees
than I will ever be in my entire
life, combined probably.
It's been quite a fun night.
It's a hectic night, hectic
because you've been calling.
We appreciate you so much.
And thank you.
And keep it coming.
Thanks for your support.
You