Not so neighborly!
Brad Lander is being forced to face the music after using the trademarked song “Won’t you be my neighbor” for his Mister Rogers-themed congressional campaign launch video, The Post has learned.
Fred Rogers Productions – which owns the catalogue of music from the beloved 1990s PBS kids show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” – sent Lander’s team an email requesting the campaign stop using the tune.
“While we appreciate your enthusiasm for Fred Rogers and his work, we must kindly ask you to refrain from any further use of Fred’s songs, including in your current campaign ad,” the message obtained by The Post read.
The outgoing city comptroller, who last week announced his run against Democrat Manhattan Rep. Dan Goldman for the 10th Congressional District, did not request a license before using the song, a source confirmed.
But even if he had, the answer would have been a firm “no” as any content by the public TV icon can’t be used for political purposes.
“Fred Rogers is prohibited from all political activity. As such, we have a strict policy prohibiting the use of any Intellectual Property that we own or control in political messaging,” the non-profit production company said in its email.
The policy applies regardless of political ideology, the email noted.
Under New York and federal law, most intellectual property requires a synchronization license to use in visual productions of any kind.
The Lander campaign did not respond to The Post’s request for comment Tuesday.
— Additional reporting by Samuel Chamberlain
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