The Fonz talks dyslexia on Radio 4
| 10:30 UK time, Thursday, 23 June 2011
Henry Winkler, known to many as The Fonz from Happy Days, co-hosted the launch of the First News My Way! awards at Downing Street with Chancellor George Osborne on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday morning the actor/director popped in to the Midweek studios to chat with presenter Libby Purves and her other guests.
Winkler has dyslexia and admitted he didn't read a novel until he reached his thirties due to "feeling intimidated by all those words inside the covers." He is now the author of a 17 book series about Hank Zipzer, who he says is modelled on himself.
He told Libby: "They're funny books that happen to be about a kid with learning challenges and it turns out that reluctant readers read one, and then read five, because they identify."
He received an OBE earlier this year in recognition of his work on the My Way! campaign and tells children: "Just because we learn differently, that does not mean that we are not incredibly smart human beings. That's something I need every child to understand."
Listen to Midweek on 91Èȱ¬ iPlayer now or download it as a podcast.
Fast Show comedian Simon Day also appears on the programme and talks about growing up with Attention Deficit Disorder and an addictive personality.
Midweek airs every Wednesday on Radio 4 at 9 am.
First News is a weekly newspaper for children published every Friday.
• Every Friday morning on the Ouch! Blog we retrospectively bring you a list of disability themed programmes from 91Èȱ¬ TV and radio which are available to watch on iPlayer or via podcast. Watch out for it.
Comment number 1.
At 24th Jun 2011, jessieth wrote:I was on the Ouch message board and I keep being redirected to here the board is not closed yet I was just going to post as well can you tell me why?
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Comment number 2.
At 24th Jun 2011, Chris_Page wrote:They tricked us, Jessie.
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Comment number 3.
At 28th Jun 2011, Noenix wrote:They lied to us by implying that it was management who scuppered the messageboard. Then they tricked us by erasing most links to the boards. Here's one: /ouch/messageboards/NF2322273?thread=8247452
Just watch the comments on your blogs in future, guys, and see how impressed we'll be.
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Comment number 4.
At 21st Apr 2012, Randomise wrote:Henry Winkler aka "The Fonz" is a role model and goes to show that some of these celebrities keep their feet firmly on the ground and don't allow all the fame to go to their heads Well done Fonz, you're "cool".
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