some of questions people were asking were a bit specialised - I mean they guy is dyslexic but surely he's not expected to be an expert on dyslexia and the British education system

MNHQ - got any pet celebs/people of influence (including lovely Henry) who might be interested in supporting this?

I know the people behind it and they need all the help they can get to get this off the ground and helping (re)build children's self esteem and confidence .

Fivegomad yes that is annoying, but at the same time, if someone came on to do a webchat and stuck strictly to the subject matter without any general chat then everyone would complain that they hadn't really engaged with us. Must be hard to get the balance right if you are the person doing the webchat.

I thought this chat was good because he seemed to engage in the conversation and bantered a bit, as well as saying some pretty inspirational stuff.

The thread was good but I thought he was here to talk about dyslexia which was the basis of the questions I asked, which were not answered.

lol rhubarb.. don't run too fast..i'm not running after you....[nonchalant]

<<runs away VERY fast!>>

<< swoons over rhubarb >>

My only criticism is that, not necessarily on the Fonz thread, but some people do tend to 'take over' and post lots and lots of mundane questions, or have a chat within the chat iyswim and other questions get lost.

If you have a speaker, then I do feel that with the short timeframe you have, it's a pity if a question about dyslexia got lost in a sea of other comments about hair or make-up.

DP, don't lump my comment in with yours please! Mine was a general comment about webchats and said nothing about swooning.

If we cut, pasted and added to a list of questions we could group them too which would facilitate follow up.

I would like a way to make sure that the victim guest does have all our questions, so that they have a chance to be answered. I was interested in his roles in pantomime, but my question was never answered. I know it's because he was here, really, to talk about dyslexia, but I felt a bit short changed that my question wasn't dealt with as well.

And I didn't do any swooning, DP, I promise.

ok have read rhubarb's posts and yours.

The thread is still generally nice...

hmm
off to ...wel...do something else

Aw, what a nice guy.

Yes, can we have the Depp person now?

you're missing the point popsycal....read rhubarbs posts...read mine....nothing wrong in wanting to keep things sensible.

oh...and good old mumsnet hasn't gone anywhere..

And there was I thinking that the good old mumsnet had returned with this really nice, positive (and tongue-in-cheek-in-places) thread last night

if you were that bothered, you should hvae posted it on teh webchat

bit arsey to come back to the thread and get annoyed with people for being a bit giddy about a childhood icon doing a webchat.

i am sure a teeny tiny bit of him was probably quite pleased with the adulation

''and it doesn't matter that you think he's hot...you have to stay cool...didn't you learn anything from him?... ''

lol DP - that's very good

hey Dp

we disagree
lets leave it at that

i'm not putting a downer on anything...that would have been my question..

" are you jealous of Ron Howard"...?

no swooning...no i love yous...no nothings...

dang I thought you meant HW not RH



<note to self - read more carefully>

DP "just know how to behave in the company of men" not relevant.

I am not ashamed of anything, he is an icon to some of us. You sound like a teen telling her mother off for enjoying herself too much at the Christmas Party.

Swoon at Ron Howard?? DOes anyone swoon at Ron Howard?

no i wish i'd shown off a bit though, he could have cast me in one of his movies.

sea did you swoon

Oh dafty
chillax

wow, DP, do you have to go out of your way to put a downer on things?

yes there was some silliness and swooning

but many heartfelt compliments and respect.

i've walked past ron howard in a corridor

did any of you ask him if he was jealous of Ron Howards success....after all, he wasn't the "cool" one, but went on to be one of Hollywoods top film directors....

and it doesn't matter that you think he's hot...you have to stay cool...didn't you learn anything from him?...

DP - for many of us, the Fonz was The Man!! The Dude! A childhood Icon!

For those of us with children with dyslexia or similar difficulties, HW is an inspiration and some hope that, no matter how hard life is for our little dudes, some people out there DO understand and can achieve and follow their dream.

(plus, he is HOT! )

i'm not sour...i just know how to behave in the company of men...and that's not swooning all over them like a lovesick teenager...

I think people were caught up in the emotion of it all

don't be so sour

jesus man...he must have been laughing his head off...

thought it was fun! someone always complains

dp I thought it really sweet that all these posters were palpitating

awww

i read abit of this thread but got put off by all the ..<< swoon >>.. and "love you so much".....what was all that about...how old are you.. 13 ??

have we a [holding a grudge] emoticon

LOl at rhubarbs LOOOOOOOOOONG memory.

Geraldine does he want my mobile number?
1090 78887 224366778 or text
wotzy is looking hot

<needy>

Geraldine, did he give you any feedback? Does he love us too? < needy >

I've noticed that on some of the webchats they tend to get clogged up with a couple of posters, posting all the time. This makes the thread unnecessarily long and the proper questions get lost.

I remember way back I got really annoyed because I had just one question I wanted to ask David Cameron and instead Cod was arsing about taking up the entire thread with others, talking about fashion. She did email to apologise, which was nice of her, but this still goes on and it does get really annoying.

I suppose as well, a chat guest person doesn't have to wade through a discussion about whether or not everyone is going to be rude to them or not.

Lots of people on this thread that I've not seen for aaaages.

Yes I think that would be a good idea BUT the guest MUST copy the question into the actual chat thread so we know what they're answering.

Ooh, yes - separate threads.

Before seeing my first MN webchat I assumed that 'get your questions in beforehand' meant emailing them to MNHQ, rather than adding them to a thread...that seems like a potentially less confusing option for the chattee, who wouldn't have to wade through all the swooning etc. Or is that missing the point a bit?!

yes yes separate threads

Oh OK, we could clarify points as well.

<<Faints>>
<<Slaps>>

It would also give the super-organised ones prep time and the chat could then be spent clarifying/digging deeper into the interesting bits etc

I quite like Leningrad's idea - would make it easier for the 'proper' questions to be visible, before we descend into swooning or bitch-slapping

We could have a 'cut and add to this list of Qs thread' so we don't get repeats and then start the actual chat with those...

Geraldine I do, but I don't.
You won't be able to stop the frenzy of MNers posting. The only way (i can see) would be to have a webchat which MN vets posts on before they are published (blog like) IYKWIM.

So you suggest how it would work..put it on site stuff.

yes grealdine i do

I think it would be difficult for those who want to read it after the event. (separate threads)

In the warm afterglow of the Fonzie chat (and chillier post-Daisy aftermath), want to get your thoughts on a possible change to webchats.

Do you think it would be good or bad idea to start a fresh thread for the actual chat?

So we'd have one thread to flag it up, invite questions etc, then new thread on the day for chat itself?

Or would we lose the plot coherence etc?

Thanks
MNHQ

I have been thinking. Henry Winkler is much cooler than The FOnz. Wayheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey cooler

Fab stuff

Henry Winkler I salute you

I can't believe I chose Torchwood over this.

Henry Winkler, you are officially my favouritest person ever.

<swoon>

That was fab, can he come back another day???

I'm fine thanks, you?
<kisses Bocos little wet nose and long furry ears> Still wearing that big mask?

Hello Wotz, how are you? where have you been?

Oh arse ON A STICK I missed him. Botherbotherbother.

LOLOLOL at 'My parents were very, very, very, very short Germans.'

It's so exciting having proper real STARS on MN isn't it?

Silly me here's the

The-webchat-appreciation-society

At the moment there is one member ! That's me!

I have started a webcaht appreciation society, could we put suggestions on there?

Hi Boco, long time no see (on my part, only popped in for Henry)
<waves>

Can we have the Dalai Lama next?

I have read this back this morning and have tears rolling down my face. It's so funny.

Henry you were great last night, an hour wasn't enough.
You were excellent, and I'm sure you can tell through all the swooning that we appreciate your webchat.

<wails>

lulumama did you see he actually replied to you by your name? You are now, very officially, my best friend.

And I know you won't be reading this anymore but may I say, as the mum of a very beautiful and cool 11-year-old who has been very badly let down by some staff at school, and every day is a battle, your warmth and wisdom have made me cry.
Bless you Mr Winkler.
x

ohhhh I missed this.

Henry - I have always loved you!

the best and most inspiring webchat ever



why, MNHQ, with theeese guests you are reeeeeally spoiling us...

i also think this should be an MN classic thread.

the screaming
the fainting

brilliant

Sigh - wasn't online while this was going on but just wanted to say that I worked at one of the theatres where Henry did panto a few years ago and he WAS genuinely lovely to everyone and particularly the children (stage school brats, all of 'em ).

Marion Cunningham? Oh yeeessss!!

She was positively flirty and confident with it I'd say!

Actually the mum is/was quite sexy. All coquettish and glinty eyed, even if a bit deliberately stoopid.

God, I loved that programme when I was young enough to appreciate it. How 'too cool' we all became too quickly, and then hated it, when it was really quite good.

<tries not to say out loud that preferred the mum>

with the greatest respect to someone who is probably HW's pal, but i can't imagine joanie floated anyone's boat. even chachi looked like it was quite an acting challenge.

leather tuscadero, otoh.

OK. You get Joanie then, Lenin?

I could stretch to a beer and a few games of pool Lupisina, will that do? I'd pass on your phone numbers of course

I certainly would. He was fab as Captain Hook in Peter Pan a couple of years ago too.

he's to be the father of ron howard's children should the gingery god pop his clogs, i'm sure he'll be in it. i've been looking at some of the youtube clips just now. ron howard is hilarious in it too.

Oh god, he is so funny all on his own without writers. Unless he has a team sat behind him.

'My parents were very, very, very, very, very short Germans'.

And <blub> at: 'I tell every child I meet, without exception, that they have a special gift inside them.

Their job is to figure out what it is and give it to the world.'

Get him back. Immediately.

63? We all would though, right?

he's to be the father of ron howard's children should the gingery god pop his clogs, i'm sure he'll be in it. i've been looking at some of the youtube clips just now. ron howard is hilarious in it too.

He was wonderful wasn't he? I love him more than ever now.

Aitch - look here. It looks like the Arrested Development movie 2010 is really happening. But I see that he's not listed in the cast. So now I feel like a real twat for pestering him with questions about the show.

<narrows eyes>
what does she lend you?

Cannot. Believe. I. Missed. This.

Am in love.

Kudos for getting the Shark in.

Derek Griffiths

and

Brian Cant

Looks like everyone's working on Doctors these days...

yes but i'll never watch it
i have no dedication
boco lends me funny dvds and i return them months late saying "sorry i never quite got round to it"

i KNOW. i thought you were prepared to make judicious purchases though. this is one of them.

no i've never seen anything
i stopped watching tv circa 1982

have you seen arrested development, frank? you will thank me hugely if you invest in the box set.

derek griffififififidfths
as i used to call him

aargh i missed the end

"now that we know each other so well,

just plain Henry"

oh ser - er - WOOOOOOON
with knobs on

god he was charming wasn't he
what a great guest

Me too Aitch

derek somebody. i want to say griffiths. he's doing a voiceover for something right now, it makes me feel all fuzzy inside.

that is the one

where is he?

Derek Griffiths Simples?

Is it safe to venture back in now? Didn't want to get crushed in the stampede as everyone rushed to the car park to watch him disappear into the distance on his motorbike. Who got to ride pillion?

lol @ MP
Nearly posted the same thing!

lol or the mixed race guy
who was he.. abotu the same time

what about brian cant??!

O yy, we must have Johnny, I have a few things I'd like to ask him [shameless letch emoticon]

There should be a collective post-Henry cigarette lighting now.

Yep he was great

Night all. I'm going to persuade my husband to wear a leather jacket and speedos bed now

That was just GREAT
thanks MN and

Henry

OH MY GOD

but this is SO SO funny read back

you all sound like screaming beatles fans.

very good

bugger i missed it! seems like a fab web chat though!

Can we have Johnny Depp next, please?

Agree - fab chat, thanks MNHQ, you've set the bar high now for other guests!

For those interested in reading Hank Ziper -

The Night I Flunked my Field Trip

Help! Somebody get me out of Fourth Grade

Summer School - What Genius Thought That Up?

I got a 'D' in Salami

There are lots more titles so do check them out.

So I didn't get to re-post my sensible question about pantomime. No swooning here. Oh no.

Ha! Torchwood. Loooooooser

You missed the Fonz

We've ALL wet ourselves with excitement

He was AMAZING

i think i love henry

look out for an AIBU tomorrow

"AIBU to leave my husband to become a henry winkler groupie fan ?"

Oh rats. I forgot about this and was watching Torchwood instead

What a gent

Wow. Now that was good.

<sigh>

i hope henry will visit again

AAAAAAAAyyyyyyyyyyyyyy <snaps fingers>

FADE

Wow

And one final <<swoon.. for the Fonz. Thank you

<faints>

am I allowed to do just one more <swoon>

<arf> @ 'I've never done Graham Norton'

Oooh! Now I want the Pinky Truscadero gossip!!

Cooler than The Fonz.

Oi, Daisy Goodwin!! That's how to do a webchat.

Hi.

We lost connection.

Can I still chat with you?

Anyway,

Here are answers that never got to you:

Pinky Tuscadero:

I didn't like her much.

Leather Tuscadero:

Just saw her two years ago in London while I was doing Panto in Wimbledon.

Still a rocker. Still working hard. A beautiful grandmother. And I mean beautiful.

Michael Jackson:

He had such a hard time living. I hope he is finally resting in peace.

Walker Books and First News for Kids have brought me over twice to tour the UK with Hank Zipzer.

And no matter where I go, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, London, Bristol, Milton Keynes, the kids and I, at every school, laughed about Hank's imagination.

As a side note, I really enjoy doing the Paul O'Grady show and Loose Women. And the One Show.

I've never done Grahm Norton. He seems like a lot of fun. He's very fast and funny.

So my hour is up.

And from the bottom of my heart I thank you, and hope you have a most wonderful summer.

To every child, I will end where I began:

A learning challenge is just that: an obstacle we deal with, but it doesn't stop us from reaching out destiny.

Hugs to you all.

Warmly,

Henry Winkler

or

now that we know each other so well,

just plain Henry.

Crap, I'm meant to be at work. Is it acceptable to say, "I'm so sorry I'm late, I was chatting with The Fonz"?

Thank you to Henry and the Mumsnet for such an inspiring chat.

Bye Henry -you are lovely. I can't wait to read your books to my son.

That brings us to the end of the hour - thanks to you all for your questions - and particularly to morningpaper for the link to the shark jump - it all went a bit hysterical for a moment after that, didn't it ? Big thanks to Henry for joining us.

Bye Henry - you've been wonderful

rofl littlelamb

lol @ bubblerock

Think he's gone over to the Gardening topic to ask advice on his pepper tree

Thank you Henry for taking the time to chat

aitch, we will just have to be happy with this

Superbunny, Daisy Goodwin v The Fonz is hardly a fair fight

Wow he was just so lovely and chilled and wonderful and lovely again

so has he gone, then? no AD gossip? a wee film?

I think this is the best webchat I have seen on mumsnet.

Henry, you sound very humble and answered so many of our questions, with detail and honesty. That is always appreciated on here. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us and to MN for organising.

Dasiy Goodwin, this is how you do a webchat.

Henry Winkler.

You are THE MAN.

<swoon>

We need more of these random fantastically well chosen webchat guests MN - this one has been great.

Henry, thankyou so much for doing this- you have brightened my day

has he gone?

<my fingers have stopped working there >

Keep it, SuperBunny! I've got my dad's Kelly AFB basketball team 1963-1964 jacket among my prized possessions!

Many thanks, Mr Winkler, for joining us tonight .

<screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeam>

<tut> that Max boy looks about 10

He might be good for mowing the lawn I suppose

My dear husband was interested to discover me participating in the webchat with Mr. Winkler. He just pointed out that the Fonz was not originally the star of Happy Days but became so, as it were, by force of character.

If you could posta tip of the day for Mumsnet (the box on the right) what would it be?

*please8 answer *before8 8you go*

It was truely great of you to come on here. Brilliant advice. I will be watching out for future tours of UK schools.....

I was about to dispose of my leather jacket but I might just have to keep it now

Just time for another <<swoon>>?

i can see a long line of swoonworthy winkler boys stretching away into the future <happy sigh>

Henry, thanks for coming here to chat with us.
Your words are wise and very motivating.
Sorry if some are star stuck, but I they don't get out much.

Gosh, you'd never think that a leather jacket and trunks would be a good look, but, somehow..

Wow, doesn't Max look the spitting image of his dad? < respectful swoon >

thanks a million henry. you are a star

That's a nice looking Max but mine is even cuter

Its old Tech in disguise (he went stateside didn't he )

Ahem, I believe I had first dibs squeaver

I think you may be the most sensible and well rounded guest that MN has ever hosted Henry

Some incredibly wise words here, so thank you very much.

Henry, do you still waterski?

i cannot believe how cool you are, mr winkler. thank you for doing this.

we need t shirt with henry speech bubbles on with his excellent advice

So, are you going to become a Mumsnet member under a pseudonym now that you have met us all?

here's young Max

Swoon away ladies!!

Amen to that F+Z. I thought I was on a different website when I first started reading this.

henry, you are a guru.

truly.

am going to read all this again and make copious notes.

Legend.

The Fonz jumping the shark for anyone interested in Henry in a small pair of trunks the historical side of things

blimey <gulp>
this webchat is not the run of the mill is it

Wow. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us, Mr Winkler!

<<Waves at Flibberty>>

Henry - how did you get on with your parents in later life? Were they around for your dyslexia diagnosis, and what did they make of it?

littlelamb - i was thinking the very same thing but daren't type

Hnery - you sound like a lovely dad

Henry, you are seriously cool- really

Mr Winkler, you rock. What lucky children you have. I hope they appreciate you [stern]

So Henry, about your son Max....

ooh yes the pepper tree
and the lowdown on your daughter's forthcoming wedding

Henry, are you aware of this dyslexia charity?

Dyscovered

Playing the Fonz:

The response to the character when the show was first on the air was overwhelming.

But this is what I learned:

I didn't get any smarter, I was still short,
and I wasn't sure why all of a sudden girls who would pay no attention were available all of a sudden.

In time, it became very clear, that playing the Fonz was my job, not my transformation.

I really enjoyed him.

He introduced me to the world.

To this day, people invite me into their homes for dinner, whereever I am in the world.

BUT

I have never been, one day of my life, as cool as he is.

My 25 year old son Max, however, IS.

Hopefully, he will direct his first film that he wrote, this summer.

And no,

he did not cast me in it.

My parents were very, very, very, very, very short Germans. They escaped Nazi Germany.

They believed in education and did not have a clue that my doing poorly in school had nothing to do with me being lazy.

I made a promise to myself that I would never be that kind of parent.

That I would listen to my children.

And if they made sense, I would literally change policy in the way we did things in the Winkler household.

Can we have an update on the men tackling the pepper tree

can i just say THANK YOU MNHQ, for this webchat.

<<hopes other participants daisygoodwin are watching and learning !>>

Oh, I've just found this and barged in.

I SOOOO wanted to be Pinky Tuscadero when I was a kid.

HW, you're great.

I guess the shoulder pads don't help expat! How big tall are you Henry?

Am loving all the positive advice, my dd will LOVE all the stuff about soaring and greatness

Yeah, yeah, I believe you Pan

Thousands, however, would not...

and the punter.

Hi

I really loved Happy Days! And I thought your character was fab, so cool but with a great heart!

Can I ask, given the leather jacket etc., did you really like motor bikes yourself? (my husband loves them is why I ask)

Were you a really cool kid at school?

How much of yourself went into The Fonz? I felt you played that character with a little smile inside, was that because you felt he was really very like you or really very unlike you?

Respect!!

thanks Henry, And for answering my son's questions

great stuff that the books are on tape

<heads off to order them. >

Thank you!

I hope you did find a way to cope with squealing girlies...there are enough of them here!

Bubble, except for perhaps the running backs, most American professional football players are HUGE.

staffing the crush ( so appt )barriers, shiney!!

henry your advice is s o sincere

Tomorrow I'm telling everyone I chatted to Henry Winkler about the film Holes, and his scene in the apartment which he made up!

<<goes round room silently screaming and pulling a face like a happy trout>> Yes we must lulu, catch up.

Three more answers:

Are you having fun?

I'm loving this.

Okay!

i LOVE 'school is the law', lulu.

ahhh, I was watching the waterboy last night and you looked so little amongst the American Football players

gosh, henry, you are solid gold.

Ah but Pan... I notice you are here too

<< hands bucket right back >>

henry, you are really very erudite. am going to note down all these phrases and let DS read them, I';m sure he will be encouraged hugely.

Henry, if you could put a tune on the jukebox right now, what would it be?

I went to a playscheme once when I was a kid and we were split up into two teams; one had a really fun leader, and they were called Fonzies Favourites, and I was in the group led by a weird woman with starey eyes and we were called something to do with Kermit fgs

I told my mum in no uncertain terms at the end of the first day that I was NOT GOING BACK

that's my Fonz memory right there

oh god that was meant to be not [lush] though perhaps the secoond is more appropriate....

morningpaper - i am already trying to construct a cover story in my head as to how it came about...[lush]

<< hands out the dribble buckets..>>

Henry, my question is were your own teenage years as much fun as the ones you acted out on Happy Days, and did the squealing girls get a bit much all of the time as the show progressed?

oh my GOD Henry can you get Liza on for a webchat? we would worship her also, and i think she'd enjoy it. she could be our agony aunt and you can be our agony uncle.

BCNS,

Yes, I was picked on. Because I went to an all boys private high school.

The other kids were pretty smart.

It was so hard for me to keep up.

But,

Where are they now?

And here I am. Really enjoying myself, talking to you.

Remember, and I can't say this often enough, do not focus on what you can't do. Just remember school is the law. And when you are done, you will soar like and eagle.

Being famous:

Being famous is really a myth.

Because at the bottom of it all, we are all the same.

You cannot, CANNOT, get carried away, because some people think you are famous.

I have seen it destroy lots of actors and actresses.

Being famous is a result, NOT THE GOAL.

AND YES, one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life is read the first four books of Hank Zipzer on tape.

They are published in the UK by Walker Books.

First News, the newspaper for kids, was the very first publication to see Hank's value.

I think the MN team are having far too much fun (we want pictures later you know).

STOP chatting to him, his ours for the hour, after that do what you will......

oh henry i bet you're a lovely dad. and it's true, you never hear a bad word said about you.

lol at lucille austero, my GOD she was magnificent in that, wasn't she? what's liza like, henry? lusty?

thanks for your email wotz. we do need anotehr meet up in the park, don't we ?

Excellent Popsycal, I hope you will say "It's funny but the other day I was actually talking to Henry Winkler ..."

Did playing a cool character like the fonz help with your own self image? Did you become more like him?

Hi Henry, thanks for coming to talk with us

Are there any plans for a Happy Days reunion film/TV show?

Mwah x

Great idea for the speech bubble- I love it!

aitch - jason bateman...another crush odm mine - tho more of a 13 year old one

thanks lulu, I should work in promotions and marketing
(oh, silly me I do already)

I will post the speech bubble on thursday whrn i am back at work

genius buy this.

Children sleeping:

We had an earthquake here in LA in 93 or 94.

Our son Max was about 11.

It frightened him so, he slept at the end of our bed on the floor on uncomfortable cusions...

For two years.

My leather jacket is in the Smithsonian Museam in Washington, D.C.

They made 5 because the first one was stolen from the costume department at Paramount.

The one I used to jump the shark had the lining ripped out of to make it easier for me to water-ski.

My proudest moment, outside my children, are the funny children's novels I write with my partner Lin Oliver.

HANK ZIPZER: THE WORLD'S GREATEST UNDERACHIEVER!

We make the kids laugh first.

The message...

it does not matter how you learn.

HOW YOU LEARN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW BRILLENT YOU ARE. HOW INVENTIVE YOU ARE. HOW CREATIVE YOU ARE.

My parner Lin and I are writting the 17th novel right now.

We are on chapter 14.

A speech bubble:

On a teacher's poster board -

"Children, you have greatness inside you."

Yes, please tell us about Arrested Development. Is it possible that we will see Barry Zuckerkorn on the screen again?

What would you say to people who insist that dyslexia does not exist?

good idea , wotzy!

"Smart. Warm. Intuitive. Feisty. Lusty. And Funny."
oh god that is great
i love her too
can we have her on next

I don't have anything witty to say

So will sit and <<swoon>>

Henry: is this the SWOONIEST chat/interview you've ever done??

Mirror, signal, manoeuvre

lusty, i KNEW it. please send her the love of an imaginary person off the internet next time you see her, henry. och, all that happy days cast were great, weren't they?

and please tell will arnett that i wish to marry him. he's legitimately on my okayed list with dh. all he has to do is sort it out his end with that talented beautiful wife of his and we're away.

teeeeeeeeelllll me about arrested development. what did it feel like when the moron execs told you it was canned? (ladies, if you take nothing away from this webchat, please buy the box set, you will thank me).

I think you've done some charity work for cerebral palsy

is there a personal connection with someone with cerebral palsy?

Also how did being dyslexic affect your relatinship with your children regarding encouraging them to read, bed time stories etc.

Oh, wow. I've been away for the 4th, and look you guys have THE FONZ. I don't really have a question, just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the Funny or Die spot you guys did for Barack Obama. And I just wanted to brag that I'm in the same time zone as he is. Neener-neener.

(Ok, seriously, I don't get that giddy about famous people, but he's one of my first crushes, and you always hear what a great guy he is, never anything bad about him.)

For goodness sake get MN to put a link to your book.

Can you sign one and we can do a MN auction for a charity for it?

Who is Brian Cant? Was he the British version of Mr Rogers (I can never look at him without thinking of the Eddie Murphy SNL version )?

Hurrah!!! for Marion/Ron goss.

what's your favourite band henry? or musician, i imagine you're a bit of a hippy rather than a rocker

<< swoon >>

Nothing but that.

As you were.

Hi Henry :0 :0

okay first question.. are your new books going to be available on CD or downloadable MP3 ?.. we're a dyslexic family we love books and this would make it so much more accessible (sp)

BTW it is very very cool to be able to tell DS's that the fonz is dyslexic to!!

secondly, did you have a scribe, or voice recognition programme to write the books.. or have you worked through your issues and found ways round it or just tackled it all a bit head on? ( I remember the patterns of the words on the keyboard )

when did you eventually get diagnosed and with that how did you feel?

( my experience of this was that I had spent so long being the best I could in more artist areas, sidelined that fact that I struggle with the written word. so when I was diagnosed much later on 20/21 years old.. it was all a bit ohhh ahhh so how do we fix it then.. and of course that doesn't actually happen as such.. it has really taken me until recently that, actually if I hadn't been awful at english.. I wouldn't be doing the best job in the world now!.. but it took a while to get my head round.)

questions from my ds's.

ds1:

did you get picket on at school becouse you found it harder than others to spell?

(ds1 wrote that and now for ds2 and I'm letting him type his question as well .. he's 10 )

ds2 :

what is it like being famous but disliksik?

<preen with pride at my boys!!>
By BCNS Thu 02-Jul-09 18:06:30 Add a message | Report post | Contact poster

ooops ds1 is 14..

sorry just incase Igot missed

signal, manoeuvre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMxkMy9JvXI
16 seconds

hi henry do you ever read any of the mumsnet threads

Err, Brian Cant the 'Playaway ' guy? How did we get on to him?!

BRIAN CANT?

oh good grief

you have the king of cool here and you start wittering on about Brian Cant

When you learn your lines do you have a specific learning strategy to help? Did anyone help you or did you just get on with it yourself?

Sorry 3rd and last qeustion, I have worked a lot with dyslexic children and one had the coloured glasses which helped but I also found that she learnt in a different way to the rest of the class and was very frustrated when the teacher told her she had to do it his way even though she struggled but we found a way that she could understand. Basically what I am saying is how can teachers help dyslexics better?

Ron Howard:

He named his children after the places they were concieved.

He asked Stacey and I to be the godparents of all of them if God forbid anything happened to Ron or Cheryl.

They both said we could Bar Mitzvah them if we wanted to. Just take them.

And they're not Jewish.

Marion:

Truly one of the great women of the 21st century.

Smart. Warm. Intuitive. Feisty. Lusty. And Funny.

I had lunch with her two Mondays ago.

On the set of Happy Days, if I needed wisdom, I went directly to her.

Get outta town, you're 63?! OMG. And here I was shocked to find out my other crush, Alan Rickman is also in his 60s.

And to think, I almost shut down my laptop to go dye all the grey out of my hair.

They say Brian Cant.

I say he can.

63? Never

(aside to franny....and jonny ball???)

Aitch- Brian Cant is my hero!

<gulps at henry being a year older than my dad....>

Henry: What has been your proudest moment as a dad?

brian CANT
what are you DOING to my pulse rate ladies

Fantastic, at the scene all being made up. It YOU were excellent.

Hi Henry, have you enjoyed performing in theatre more or less than you did filming on tv?

p.s did you keep all of the leather jackets and do you still wear them?

Several answers:

One of my favorite things to do here in America or in the UK is to visit schools and talk directly to the kids.

I am very honest about my journey.

And they are very warm with their interest and with sharing their stories.

It touches me deep in my heart.

We are all the same.

I am 63 and sometimes when the children are asking me questions, it is so evident that we share the same experience.

oh bugger ds3 is here too now

henry - did any of your children Not Sleep?

franny- I was just about to say- yes- he spaces out his lines just like she does
You are v naughty!

lol at expat/hw confusion. i see it, frank, i do.

gosh this is exciting. if we get brian cant on now i'll die happy.

can i please draw your attention to the question about happy days gossip, Henry?
Esp Marion. We need to know about Marion

Whoa!

My question is: were you close enough to Ron Howard to tell him he was naming his kids ker-azee names?

<rofls at memory of Gob> i love arrested dev.
henry how much money will you get when i buy the box set that your presence has just reminded me dh NEEDS for his next birthday?

franny, that would be the stealth reveal to end them all

but but he types like her

<is pulled off stage left with big hook>

Henry - if Happy Days was re-done, who would play your part? As if....

O yy, and are they really ever going to get round to making an AD movie?? Please please please

Henry, I enjoyed your performance in Arrested Development more than I can say. What was it like working on the show, and why do you think it has not been more widely recognised as the best US comedy of the last 10 years? Which it surely was.

Holes was fun because most of my part as the father was not written.

The director let me make a lot of it up.

There is a scene when the police come to our house to interview my son and I ask if I can smell his shoe.

All made up.

Henry, I am currently assembling flatpack furniture, and it is very arduous. Do you recommend I ignore the instructions from now on and just bash it together very hard < remembers jukebox fondly >?



I won't blame you if it goes wrong...

Nope Franny - just you

has anyone else got the funny feeling HW is actually expat in drag

Hi Henry, I don't really have a question but I couldn't not say anything... so just hello!

DH and I are chortling away with glee.... we love you henry !!!

can we buy your books on Amazon?

I will answer a few questions all at once.

Happy Days: standing in front of the mirror, I was about to comb my hair and stopped.

I made that up on the spot.

I didn't want to comb my hair in the scene because every actor who played a Fonz like character before me, did.

So,

I brought the comb up and realized

my hair was perfect.

New Subject:

Reading was very difficult for me and still is.

Every novel I finish is like a triumph.

When I first started as an actor, it was like my worst nightmare.

Reading was at the center of everything.

But what I found was that if you really want something, you put out that extra effort to accomplish it.

I had to rehearse longer than other actors in the same show.

I didn't care.

I watched Holes (film) recently and love you in that..great film

<<still swooning>>

Oh, good LORD, you lot!

<nonchalant>

Hi, Henry.

We, like, share an initial.

Cool, eh?

<joins fawning over AD with Aitch>
Bobloblowlawblog.com. Genius

My question... sorry, a little shallow.

What did you think of the video by Weezer, which accompanied their song ' Buddy Holly? ' It featured you and the Happy Days actors. I thought it was fantastic...

Which regions of the UK did you visit in your tour of schools? Will you come to mine?

So how did the books come about? Was it your idea or from someone else? And is it easier or harder to be taken seriously with a different project when you're such a huge icon?

<<faints a little>>

<<weeps with joy at being answered first>>

thank you henry... that has described my DH at school.. severely dyslexic, never diagnosed...

was told he would not amount to anythign ,so gave up but has done exceptionally well in his chosen field.

we will ensure DS does not endure the same at school

thank you

oh oh OH i actually have something to say other than 'ooooooh it's henry winkler'. it's not about dyslexia though, it's just that i LOVED you in arrested development and think it's one of the finest comedies ever made.

ooo I want to know [shallow] is it crazy busy in LA gearing up for MJs funeral?

Hnery - does the school system in USA really tell you what % you are in? (guessing it must if you know that statistic)

What do you think of sharing such statistics with children in schools?

Do you do work with schools in the US too? Do you ever come to Chicago?

<blubs> aaaaaay. that is lovely, i will remind my child of her power tomorrow. mind you she's three and a half and pretty much omnipotent but i think as she grows up it will be a lovelier and lovelier thing to say.

my other very important question, which may have got lost in the hysteria:

have a question which I will preface with the fact that I am a 30-smething year old teacher of small children......

If I were to add a speech bubble to the poster of you on the back of my cupboard door at work, what shoudl it say???

super advice thus far....

Lulumama, I was the class clown.

I did cover up a lot with my humor.

I was disruptive.

We don't mean to be.

We want so badly to get school right.

We don't fail on purpose, but sometimes the embarrasment is so overwhelming it forces us to react.

Or overact, as the case may be.

I am in the bottom 3% in America academically.

That sounds like very good advice. Thank you!

And I agree with is to tell your child how "great and powerful" they are - that is a lovely way of putting it.

you are destined, franny
if you can shove me out of the way

and back to the questions

did anyone notice that i posted at EXACTLY the same time as the fonz earlier?

it's fate

oops crossed posts

ooh a pepper tree, never thought about them growing on trees

<<throws cold water on franny>>

and....

What would be your advice to children who have dyslexia or struggle at school for a specific reason?

First of all, Hopes for the best and plans for the worst, I am right handed and I think learning challenges do not discriminate.

I have found the most important thing for a parent is to be your child's advocate.

No matter how good a school system is, a child that requires extra time will somehow fall through the cracks.

You must be a relentless, positive voice.

The other thing that is most important is support.

You can never mention enough, with sencerity, how great and powerful your child is.

I tell every child I meet, without exception, that they have a special gift inside them.

Their job is to figure out what it is and give it to the world.

<shamelessly re-posts question in case it's been missed>

Do you have any plans to write more books for children? If so, will you be continuing with the Hank stories or do you have a new character in mind?

"I thought it would be a lot of fun and interesting for us to chat together."

he loves us
he loves us

my real questions:

I am a teacher and have had several puils in my classes over the past 12 years with dyslexia. Who was your favourite teacher and why? And what helped you at school to come to terms with dyslexia?

And my next question, could you please do that thing from the Happy Days opening credits where you look in the mirror to comb your hair and then shrug and smile at how mighty fine you look? I will just imagine it.....

Hi Henry
Welcome to Mumsnet

Henry, we are very happy to have you here (in case you hadn't noticed). I work with children with SEN I am especially glad that you chose to do this.

Have a very lovely wedding!

here it is again, just in case
Ds says he has 'lysdexia, so he can't spell very well.'
proper question for henry
I would like to know if Henry had other quirky pronounciations when he was a child, and if he developed confidence and showmanship and went into acting because of or despite his dyslexia?

DS is v v confident and dramatic and funny, and I do wonder if he would have been less so if he had not been trying to cover up how hard he was struggling to do his school work.. he had to really play on his strengths, IFYSWIM, to cover up his weaknesses..

(has everyone else noticed that MN is refreshing very slowly all of a sudden? )

henry, i hope you saw my question .. i posted it days ago , before too much hysteria took over !

have you perused the question already posted or should we repost

ooooooh, have a LOVELY wedding, henrywinkler. i'm sure it'll all be gorgeous, even with a stump.

Right
(opens popcorn and puts feet up)

where do you like to spend time with your family?

Do you have an iPhone and do use Twitter or facebook?

Superbunny, I'm here because I thought it would be a lot of fun and interesting for us to chat together.

Hi Henry!

(you don't need coins for the jukebox with fonzy around)

welcome henry
sorry to hear abotu your pepper tree!
tell us about your duatgther's wedding

Hello

Hello Henry!
I'll just repeat my earlier question before MN crashes due to hysterical FonzFans logging on

my sister was diagnosed as dyslexic quite late (she was still at school, but it was just before her GSCEs). She did get some help, and managed to do well in her exames.
However, her daughter, who is 6, is left-handed and looks like she is having similar problems to my sister, especially when it comes to reading and writing. The school is being extremely unhelpful, to the point where a TA was actually trying to make her write with her right hand. My sister can only help so much herself. What would you adise is the best way to proceed with the school to ensure that her dd gets the help and assistance that she needs?

Eeeeek!

Hi Henry- it's a pleasure!

[breathless]

You have all scared him off.......

(gosh and someone outside is wheeling out a very very full recycling bin....)

Fonz ! <faints dramatically>

<puts coin in jukebox>

First of all, thank you so much staying up.

For me, it is one oclock in the afternoon on Monday, the sun is shining, and as i look out my window, five men are cutting down our gigantic pepper tree that has just decided to die right before our daughter's wedding.

Gosh, I have no exciting questions to ask, other than is the bike on Happy Days really the bike that Steve McQueen rode in The Great Escape, because I keep using that as my useless facts you know!

argh I can hear ds3 grunting...sleep vibes please....

<<swishes poodle skirt and unbuttons top button of tight sweater>>

I'm here!

Henry, why are you on mumsnet of all places?

<refresh, refresh, refresh.....>

<<pats chair>> come and sit with the us popsy !!

sooooooooo exciting.

sunday monday happy days.....

The time has come...Henry will be attempting to answer as many as your questions as poss within the hour but judging by the response to this thread we are in for a lively night so please don't be too disappointed if he doesn't get round to answering your question. May we warmly welcome to mumsnet, Mr Henry Winkler...

Me too Lulu

Shove up Lulu! <<tucks in next to Lulu on the sofa.>>

dhis luckily having his monthly 'go to sleep when the boys go to sleep' night.

I have wine, my fpnz t shirt .....and am waiting...

I'm ready !!

dp has the hump with me
i have shoved him off the computer when strictly speaking it was his turn, saying "BUT IT'S THE FONZ"

hahaha I also have a retro bag that ds1 'bought' for me for his first Christmas....

I am a fonzie geek

no.....

more like this

popsy - is this the poster you've got?

it's bit like bidding on ebay isn't it? Scrummaging around the final bid time. Cept here it's for a human being!!

22 mins

Is this going to be the most popular webchat MN has ever hosted?

I'm foreseeing hordes of hormonal women simultaneously logging on at 8.55 virtually elbowing each other to baggsie the front seats

oooh I have a question which I will preface with the fact that I am a 30-smething year old teacher of small children......

If I were to add a speech bubble to the poster of you on the back of my cupboard door at work, what shoudl it say???

<pushes Olivia out of the way and proffers cupcakes>

You could make a list of the actual questions...as in things that have a question mark as opposed to teh <eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeks> and <thuds>

<Finishes icing virtual cake for The Fonz>

no - i will leave it. I am bound to start a ruck into what constitues a 'real' question.

I will just go and get into my The Fonz t shirt and polka dot pyjama bottms

shall I summarise the real questions?

Just remembered after talking to my dad on the phone. He used to have a leather jacket he called his 'jerkin' (pmsl) and do impressions of The Fonz for me when I was little.

I have another proper question. What would be your advice to children who have dyslexia or struggle at school for a specific reason?

Oh, and can you do that mirror thing again please?

Come on! DS3 is bound to wake up bang on 9pm!

What are you wearing Henry?

Do you think DP will believe me if I tell him I am talking to The FOnz....he doens't believe that anyone else on this site is real.....

(Okay, BCNS beat me to the first question there. Sort of lost that among all the 'OMG!' other posts )

Noooooooooooooooo make him name change. He needs to be TheFONZ......

Oh and one thing i hate about these webchats is that all the questions get scattered in amongst the idol chitchat, bitchfests or (in this case) swooning before hand.

Could someone go through at 8:45 and make a bullet pointed list of all teh proper questions that have been asked?

There are some great questions BTW. The one from Popsy about what made it easier at school for you. and probably the best is "what made you agree to do a MN webchat?" second best has to be why did you turn down Olivia's cakes and decide to join remotely (that's my question BTW )?

How does one get invited for a web-chat? DOes Justine go through her special address book and if so how does one find your telephone number?

I would like to know when/how you discovered you were dyslexic, and how did you feel when you were first diagnosed?

Also do you read much for pleasure as an adult or did your experiences at school put you off? (If you do read for pleasure, what book are you reading at the moment and would you recommend it?)

Sorry if there are too many questions in there!!

Did you fancy Joanie Cunningham just a bit?
But she was too young?
And then going out with your cousin, chachi?
Was he your cousin?
How old were you supposed to be?

I thjink they mean 9pm ou time as opposed to LA time (but they need to get their BST and GMT right )

So what time is the Fonz coming? Is it 9pm GMT? Or BST? And what's the difference? I don't want to miss him.

<<thud>>

The Daily Mail is going to have a field day with us lot. Not only are we middle class lactifists we are all hot under the collar for The Fonz

StillStarStruckTiggaxx

omgomgomg
was that him>????

Wow, a webchat that us stateside folk can be part of, hooray! And with the Fonz too... wow.

Henry, I would like to know what made you agree to do a webchat on Mumsnet. And why you spend so much time in the UK. I am sure your work would be appreciated just as much in the US (speaking as someone who lives in an area with some of the worst schools in the US ). Do you have a special connection with the UK?

O

M

G

He is among us!!!

Squeeeeeeee! < waves frantically at Mr Winkler in a rather uncool way >

testing

so did i....

MNHQ i asked a proper question, plllllleeeeeeeease make sure Saint Henry of the Fonz sees it

So nice of someone like "The Fonz" to take time out to come and talk to us lot!

My Question - What was it like trying to learn your scripts, did you have to get help or did you have a method of your own you came with to help?

OMG the fonz !

heeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy !

the fonz is a legend and totally hot

of course i am most impressed to find out about your work with dyslexia

but i dont have a question - im too busy swooning

i sghould be looking after my childrne but instead am watching fonzie on youtube

MNHQ

Please can we have a Fonz 'Heeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy' emoticon for the webchat?

This is so exciting! I am looking forward to seeing you later even though I have lost several kitchen appliances by bashing them like a jukebox - why has that never worked for me?

I can't think of anything else. Just that I love you

I would just like to add, too, that on the back of the cupborad door of my walk-in cupboard at work, there is a large poster of you.....

do I win saddest thirty-something fan????

ok Mr The Fonz

I am a teacher and have had several puils in my classes over the past 12 years with dyslexia. Who was your favourite teacher and why? And what helped you at school to come to terms with dyslexia?

And my next question, could you please do that thing from the Happy Days opening credits where you look in the mirror to comb your hair and then shrug and smile at how mighty fine you look? I will just imagine it.....

Oooooh off to hunt out my The Fonz t shirt inpreparation for 9pm (or 8pm - MN you need to specifiy whether you mean BST or GMT

tonight?!?!?
tonight?!?!
OMG I will have to stay awake...

racking my brain trying ot think of a sensible question.....

oh my god =- no WAY

Really?

REALLY???

He was my childhood first crsh when I was around four!!!



when is it?

Bumping up my active conv for later

Met him once, he's modest and smart, yup I may have fallen for him a tiny bit

Wonder what he thought about the move to make a world wide Fonz/Henry Winkler day in the manner of the talk like a pirate day?

He rocked in Holes

StarstruckTigga xx

I'm back. Do you think sometimes diagnosing dyslexia too early can allow a child to think that he shouldn't try as he has an excuse?
When should children be tested for dyslexia?
Sometimes I wonder if I was tested earlier I might have coped better at work OR would I have not bothered apply?
P.S I have not had the test as I'm a little afraid. What of? I'm not sure opinion of work collegues & bosses?

Hi Henry, my 16yo nephew Jake thinks you're fab and had a big picture of you on his birthday cake this year!

So, please say "Hi" to Jake and give him some tips about what to do/wear/say to achieve the heights of coolness. (He's pretty cool already, of course!)

Should he buy a cardigan, as he has threatened? (His Mother's bemused by that, I must say!)

at starbear

please let the webchat not be rude

Must look at my calender before I post !

Hello Henry!

Although Happy Days was a little before my time (a hem) I do have a couple of questions for you...

1. What did you think of the video by ' Weezer' for their song 'Buddy Holly,' in which the band used footage from Happy Days and dressed up like the characters from the show?

2. Do you still have your leather jacket?

Feeling a bit trembly, so off to have a biscuit and calm down.

You're a legend!

in this Fonz-fest frenzy, hasn't anyone noticed he will be gracing us with his presence at 9pm British Summer Time, not Greenwich Mean Time.

Or..or..is this considered something entirely unnecessary to point out??

Oh! I missed him!. Can you get him again. I know he'll be back for panto season he was great. Love him. Brought back lovely memories of meeting American kids in Spain, on a beach and his programme was a talking point for all the kids Spanish, Austrian included. Just reminds me of a great summer's day

lol at peachy and at thumbs up sign

<<throws a wnaky basket at Franny>>

<<gets badge saying Official Oldie >>

Mi Henry, sorry we didn't catch up in the Trafford centre, the day you did your book signing, but there was a big queue and the kids were driving me mad. Hope it went well. Stay in touch, from wotz!

b d
<thumbs up Fonz sign> cool

omg the foooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonz <runs up and down shrieking>

(just in case he gets the idea from peachy's post that we are serious or intelligent or something )

<<looks at all the fonz mentions>>

<<wears big T Shirt saying I Am Not With These People>>

A question please.

My son has dyslexia amongst a pile of other things that get addressed more immediately- behavioural problems stemming from Aspergers etc. If you could say just one thing thats most omportant for kkids with dyslexia etc what would you suggest? therapy, downtime, morale bosoting, extra calsses?

Thank you

hi Fonz!

Listened to you win the Who's Calling Christian game on Virgin Radio and loved the fact that you gave the money to the Teachers Awards Projects. Thought you sounded inspirational (and still as funny as ever)!

Do you have a special connection to teachers here in the UK?

OK I JUST READ MY POST AND NOTICED THE SPELLING MISTAKES ETC. NO I THE KIDS DID NOT GET THE DYSLEXIA FROM ME AS IT MAY APPEAR. I WORK THIRD SHIFT AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY SLEEP YET. LOL ANOTHER QUESTION I JUST THOUGHT OF FOR THE FONZ. DO YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE SPELLING? MARISSA'S SPELLING IS TERRIBLE AND WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT IMPROVE. IF YOU HAVE FOUND ANYTHING BESIDES A SPELL CHECK THAT HELPS I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT IT IS. THANKS BUSYGRAMMY

I saw this website in an article and looked it up to check it out. I have a grandchild who is extremely dyslexic. Her mother is also dyslexic. After fighting with the schools about my daughter for years before she was diagnosed I knew better than to even talk to them when Marissa had trouble learning to read in first grade. We took her straight to a specialist to have her tested and it has made all the difference in the world. She got help right away in second grade but not from the school!! I found that the Masons don't just run the Shriners Hospital for Burns they also have learning centers set up where you can get free tutoring for reading disabled children until they are at grade level. [I should mention that I live in the U.S. in New Hampshire]Marissa is an extremely talented artist. She has won awards for her work. She says she is glad she is dyslexic as she feels she would not be able to draw if she was not. I do not recommend getting your child tested at school as they don't really use good tests, at least here they don't. The schools also want to wait until third grade to test and by then the child is so far behind it is sad. Marissa's tutor use Orton-Gillingham to teach her,the results were amazing. You can buy this program online and use it yourself. Barbara Wilson is another program that works well. The schools in New Hampshire offer almost no help for dyslexic children. I think it is a disgrace. If we had not gone out on our own for testing and tutoring she would not able to read enough to do anything. OK now a question, when did you find out you were dyslexic? Were you still in school and did you get any help from the school? I am a fan of the Fonz but never realized you were dyslexic. I am going to check out your books. My other 2 grandchild do not seem to have any issues with reading although only one is old enough at 7 [Jonathan] to tell. Olivia is only just turned 3 but we are keeping an eye on her. I am very proud of Marissa,she works hard, does well in school despite being a very social 15 year old now. She has never used the dyslexia as an excuse for anything. Thinking of Happy Days and the Fonz makes want to go and see if I still have my poodle skirt tucked away someplace.

Okay, a weird one. Did you ever babysit in Hamden, Ct (just outside New Haven) in 1969-70? My mother claims that 'the Fonz' babysat for us. I tell her that she is fantasising.

I've been lurking on this for 2 days now, and I still can't think of a proper question.

So - improper question - are you just a little bit proud to be the original shark-jumper of 'jumping the shark'? Cos I would be .

(When I was 8 my most treasured piece of clothing was my navy jumpsuit with a 'Fonz' patch on the front)

(Am grinning inanely here)

Fonz - when I was younger I wanted to be one of Fonz's girls when you clicked your fingers, but they never looked like me - was that a conscious decision by the writers? Or did I miss an episode? I am both jamaican and nigerian.

are MNHQ going to edit out the questions from all the screaming/fainting/ general hysteria??

Just got to say...

OMFG! The Fonz is coming on MN. How utterly fab is that?!

<goes away to think of a question to ask him>

He will click his fingers and Justine and carrie will be on each arm in their pink hot pants

Lynette i can see it now

<<boss wanders over..."what are you doing??"

<<scavo - "erm erm ok im talking to the fonz on a parenting website!!">>

<<"ok scavo you can go home youve had too much sun!!">>

You know that mn will crash!!!

You have been warned

<<rains on parade>>

I would like to know how you got your Tee shirts soooooooooooo white??

O - M - G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've just seen this!

I love, love, luuuuuuuuurve The Fonz!

Now do I take the monday off work, or do I try to chat with him secretly while in the office?

The Foooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonz!!

I love you, do you know that?

If I hadn't had them already, I would want YOU to father my babies.

I love you, do you know that?

Oh, despite the name, I'm a girl by the way

(Hangs head in shame at calling oneself a 'girl' at age 46......)

oh.
my.
god.

this is so cool!!!!!!!!!

Heeeey

[hits juke box with fist]

Wanna go to lookout point?

no seroiusly thats my question..ok no its not but if you don't ask you don't get!

Whats your view about the range of dsylexia? Do you think we know enough about it and the extent to which it affects people? For example at school i was tested and confirmed as not having dsylexia, although certainly not getting a perfect score, was told just not quite bad enough.....sooo am I stupid, in the way that people with get called stupid and then find out they have dsylexia, if I don't have it, am I just thick???

OMG Charles in Charge
can we have Chachi on as well???

Here you go, Midnight Express; here's what happened to Scott Baio

When at home with morning sickness I watched him in endless episodes of Diagnosis Murder.

MNHQ, you are seriously spoiling us
<clears diary>

Midnight Express - Did Charles in Charge pass you by? I loved that as a teen

D'oh! Can't believe it's taken me this long to realise that HW and I share a name.

From one Henry to another: Hi, Henners! D'you think we're related?

Were you cool as a child? What was your self-image like when you were at school?
Do you think that your strengths are enhanced by your dyslexia? If so, in what way? (Does that makes sense-it's very hot!)

Whatever happened to Chachi (sp?)?

OMG OMG OMG
<tries to calm down>

<fails>

When I was a tiny girl, we lived in America, and one of my absolute first memories (we even have it on that old cine-film) is me pretending that my dad is The Fonz and I am some Super Cool Chick (aged about 3 )....Do you think my naming our son Henry was some sort of throwback to my very first crush????


Ok, but seriously, a question about dyslexia:
my sister was diagnosed as dyslexic quite late (she was still at school, but it was just before her GSCEs). She did get some help, and managed to do well in her exames.
However, her daughter, who is 6, is left-handed and looks like she is having similar problems to my sister, especially when it comes to reading and writing. The school is being extremely unhelpful, to the point where a TA was actually trying to make her write with her right hand. My sister can only help so much herself. What would you adise is the best way to proceed with the school to ensure that her dd gets the help and assistance that she needs?

<Cannot believe I have just written a question that is going to be read by Henry Winkler! Am too old to be feeling so teenagery!>

well, when googling for you Franny, I found this
Now that is one episode I would have loved to see

did Happy Days not win oscars then? are you sure about that?

WOW!

I luuuurve Henry Winkler!

Allow me to rephrase
'greater' things
such as, you know, all those oscars. Just for example

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH MMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

I LOVE HIM!

<<scream>>

DS has dyslexia.... we shall be watching with interest. and buy his books

Ds says he has 'lysdexia, so he can't spell very well.'
proper question for henry
I would like to know if Henry had other quirky pronounciations when he was a child, and if he developed confidence and showmanship and went into acting because of or despite his dyslexia?

DS is v v confident and dramatic and funny, and I do wonder if he would have been less so if he had not been trying to cover up how hard he was struggling to do his school work.. he had to really play on his strengths, IFYSWIM, to cover up his weaknesses..

"greater things"??
than Happy Days?
surely some mistake

Ooo yy, I would love it if Marion Ross was actually an old crone taking swigs from a hip flask inbetween takes.
I wonder if they knew Ron Howard would go onto greater things?

Ok i am embarrassed at my own shallowness now and want to ask something else as well

(if you have time)

when and how did you discover you had dyslexia? and how did it feel to find out what had been causing your problems at school?

ok i can't think of anything sensible or non-fonz-related
but i would love to know:

what were the other actors in Happy Days like to work with? Can you share some gossip please? For instance I would love to know if Tom Bosley was actually a grumpy old sod, or if Marion Ross had a drink problem

(i bet you are going to say they were ALL lovely)

Littlelamb, if the answer to your last question is yes, I think most of us are already in trouble!

Hope you don't mind lots of Happy Days questions.

Are you still friends with Ron Howard and/or anyone else from the Happy Days days?

sorry

i'll be back with a proper question when i have stopped palpitating

OMG

the fonz

OMG

OMG

MNHQ, you have surpassed yourselves

I want to know if he liked this music video

ANd if he ever gets fed up of being the Fonz

ooops ds1 is 14..

questions from my ds's.

ds1:

did you get picket on at school becouse you found it harder than others to spell?

(ds1 wrote that and now for ds2 and I'm letting him type his question as well .. he's 10 )

ds2 :

what is it like being famous but disliksik?

<preen with pride at my boys!!>

<scream>
<scream>


OK, now I've got that out of the way, a serious question...
Do you have any suggestions for keeping a child with dyslexia motivated at school?

yay the fonz!! very very cool!

okay first question.. are your new books going to be available on CD or downloadable MP3 ?.. we're a dyslexic family we love books and this would make it so much more accessible (sp)

BTW it is very very cool to be able to tell DS's that the fonz is dyslexic to!!

secondly, did you have a scribe, or voice recognition programme to write the books.. or have you worked through your issues and found ways round it or just tackled it all a bit head on? ( I remember the patterns of the words on the keyboard )

when did you eventually get diagnosed and with that how did you feel?

( my experience of this was that I had spent so long being the best I could in more artist areas, sidelined that fact that I struggle with the written word. so when I was diagnosed much later on 20/21 years old.. it was all a bit ohhh ahhh so how do we fix it then.. and of course that doesn't actually happen as such.. it has really taken me until recently that, actually if I hadn't been awful at english.. I wouldn't be doing the best job in the world now!.. but it took a while to get my head round.)

Thanks Pan - your link put a on my face!

Oh dear. I think my s have heatstroke.

[gri n]

How utterly brilliant. I loved The Fonz as a kid.

Hi, Henry! What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever done?

[ grin]

<thumps the Jukebox and Suzi Quattro Leather Tuscadero blares out>

Oh dear I have come over all unecessary now and can't think of a suitable proper question

OK here's one, will there ever be a Happy Days reunion special?

<fluffs hair, chews gum, swishes poodle skirt>

Can I ask in advance:

Do you have any plans to write more books for children? If so, will you be continuing with the Hank stories or do you have a new character in mind?

Thanks!

Fonz life webchat, Biscuit-threads, 'tis midsummer madness at HQ

OMG is this for real? the real actual Fonz?! Sorry, that must be really irritating for the poor man, after all these years, but you have to know your character is a huge sex icon for women of a certain age.

Gosh need to think of a question quick so I can say I once corresponded with the Fonz....

ummm....I loved your look on Happy Days, do you ever wear a black leather jacket and if so, how old do you think a man should be when he hangs up his leather jacket for good? (dh stopped wearing his years ago and I would like to get him back into it - well, a new one actually).

Also, are you still in contact with any of the old Happy Days cast members and has knowing Ron Howard brought you any jobs?

Interesting article in Wikipedia which suggests pantomime might exist in other countries, although not quite as we know it to be:

here

OK - a serious question - how did you get involved in pantomime, given that it's a uniquely British tradition? (I think I'm right in saying this?)

I assume that it was, as much as anything, for the money (!), but was it a tradition that you were aware of/knew anything about?

And is there anything similar in the theatre in the US?

Happy Days! This is so cool (overused word but appropriate here!)

DD1 is dyslexic. I do worry that she will be judged by her writing and spelling forever more. She really doesn't care that she can't spell for toffee but I do. Hadn't heard about te Hank Zipper book so am heading over to amazon to have a looksy. Will also try to think of an interesting question. and again!

Goodbye grey sky
Hello blue.