Mary Tyler Moore Set The Bar

Show Set The Precedent For Working Women While Putting The Twin Cities On The Map

(CBS)  Although Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has been getting all of the attention in Minneapolis this week -- making her case as a strong working woman and a "hockey mom," we can't forget the woman who brought working women into focus in the 70s, Mary Tyler Moore.

CBS' "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" introduced the country to Mary Richards, the single 30-something working as a television producer in Minneapolis. Moore, who still reigns supreme in the twin cities, is immortalized in bronze at the site of the most famous hat toss in history.

Younger generations may know Minnesota as a place where TV twins Brenda and Brandon Walsh lived before heading to "Beverly Hills 90210." "The Mighty Ducks" was also filmed in Minnesota, a place where hockey rules.

Actors Vince Vaughn and Josh Hartnett and the legendary singer Prince also grew up in the twin cities, providing some more star quality.

And while these celebrities may have lost their accents along the way, Minnesotans have a very distinct way of speaking.

The accent is comparable to how the actors speak in "Fargo," which was set in North Dakota but filmed mostly in Minneapolis.

Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriquez chatted with a few Minnesotans, who say that the real authentic sound of the word Minnesota is when it’s really drawn out.

Before leaving Minneapolis, Rodriguez, who bears some similarities to Moore, tossed her hat in the air in true Mary Tyler Moore fashion.

"That was so much fun. Everybody said I kind of look like Mary Tyler Moore, which is a compliment," she said.

It turns out that like Moore, Rodriguez just made it after all.

[keithle1]

"The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was great. Fantastic actors. Witty, smart scripts. A true TV sitcom classic.

[gatofeo]

Great show. Witty and creative. The spinoff show "Lou Grant" was terrible. Ed Asner constantly pushed his leftist views into it.
But MTM show knew that it was entertainment and not a crusader. Some points were made, especially about birth control, tolerance and so on but were done with minimal preaching.
It''s worth watching reruns of the MTM show. Today''s sitcom writers can''t begin to match it.