Speak Up, Francine! Arthur

# Every day when you're walkin' down the street

# Everybody that you meet

# Has an original point of view

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

# What a wonderful kind of day If we can learn to work and play

# And get along with each other

# You gotta listen to your heart Listen to the beat

# Listen to the rhythm The rhythm of the street

# Open up your eyes! Open up your ears!

# Get together and make things better by working together

# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart

# Oh, believe in yourself For that's the place to start

-# And I say, hey!

-Hey!

-What a wonderful kind of day

# If we can learn to work and play And get along with each other

# What a wonderful kind of day, hey! What a wonderful kind of day, HEY! #

Hey, DW!

-Hey!

-Whoa!

CRASH!

There are some people who just love being in the spotlight.

No, let me go! I won't do it!

AUDIENCE GASPS

They're natural-born leaders who feel just as comfortable

on stage as they do in their own rooms.

Coming through!

-Francine, come back!

-You said you wanted to do this.

I changed my mind!

And there's no-one I know who fits this description more than...

..Francine.

AUDIENCE MUMBLES

ALL CHANT: Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech!

Uh-uh...

Um, we're experiencing technical difficulties.

Thank you for your patience. Start the show!

Here we go. The perfect spot for a picnic.

Uh, guys. You should come and look at this.

Eww! Why are all those fishes dead?

I don't know, but I just lost my appetite.

I know. That creek gets worse and worse.

It's mainly due to the way people care for their lawns.

What do lawns have to do with it?

Some fertilisers contain toxic chemicals.

When we use too much or let the water

spill into the streets, it ends up in the creek.

So, someone's green lawn can wind up killing fish? That's terrible.

I know, but it's pretty hard to get people to change their habits.

My lawn is green, but I wish it was even greener.

I want it to be so green that it glows in the dark!

Hmm! I know, I'll use some extra lawn fertiliser.

Hey! That sneaky Pete is using extra lawn fertiliser.

There's no way I'm going to let his grass be greener than mine.

Nice lawn, Mr Smith.

Looking good, Mr Jones.

Lawn fertiliser, it sounds harmless,

but if you use too much or

don't follow the directions, those chemicals can end up here

and nothing can live without clean drinking water. Don't believe me?

Just ask them.

A green lawn is nice, but it shouldn't cost this much.

It looks so professional.

Since I put it up yesterday, we have 429 views!

Someone from the Elwood City Parks Department called.

They'd like one of you to give a speech about lawn care

at the Earth Day Rally.

Wow! That's a pretty big event. Who should do it?

Oh, I will!

It'll also be a great opportunity to promote Alien Awareness Day.

Guys, I think the choice is pretty obvious.

We need someone fearless, someone who commands respect

and is not afraid to speak her mind.

I accept!

Muffy Crosswire? Speaking about the environment?

SHE LAUGHS

I'll have you know the Crosswires are very green.

We only use 100 percent natural modified growth hormones

on our lawn.

-I vote for Francine.

-I second it.

Those events never get any media coverage anyway.

Well, Francine, do you want to do it? It's a big responsibility.

OK, I guess I've already spoken to 429 people on the internet.

How hard can this be?

Very informative report on Portugal, George.

Next up is Francine, whose presentation is about Luxembourg.

Mr Ratburn, may I introduce her?

(Just a little advance press for your big speech.)

As some of you may know, Francine will be speaking

at the Earth Day Rally next week to thousands of people.

We all know, she's a great public speaker,

but let's give her a little extra encouragement and support.

THEY CHEER

CLASS: Go, Francine! Way to go!

Um, thanks.

OK, Luxembourg, whose motto might be,

"We're not as small as Liechtenstein!"

Oh, I should have said first that Luxembourg is really small,

and so is Liechtenstein.

That's why it's funny.

OK, well, um, the capital city is Luxembourg, which is

actually the same name as the country. Um...

Potatoes! They love potatoes in Luxembourg.

In fact, there's a saying I found...something with potatoes.

Um...

The end.

OK, your presentation was a disaster,

but it was just a silly report on an unremarkable nation.

Yeah, and I still got nervous.

If I can't even talk to my class, how am I going to talk to a big crowd?

You have lots of time to practise.

Great! Test it out on me.

SHE CLEARS HER THROAT Ladies and gentlemen,

I know I'm only a third grader...

-You're losing me.

-What?

-Boring!

-I just started.

SHE SNORES

-That's it, I quit!

-What? I'm just being a tough crowd.

Try again. This time relax and be yourself...but better.

Hey, I overheard you. If you want, I can help you.

We had public speaking at my old school. I was pretty good at it.

Thanks, Ladonna,

but I think I know a little more about winning people over than you.

My dad sells cars.

Why are you giving me this pen?

That's not just any pen, Muffy.

I've been saving it for when I find the person who would do

anything to help their friend, even if it meant letting that friend go.

Today, I think I've found the person who deserves that pen.

Am I right, Muffy Alice Crosswire? Is that person you?

-Uh-huh.

-So, are you letting me help Francine?

-Uh-huh.

-Great!

OK, let's start with breathing.

In from the diaphragm, out through the mouth.

What just happened?

Hey, there's my pen! I knew I dropped it somewhere. Thanks!

SHE SIGHS

So, in short, if we take care of our planet,

it'll keep on taking care of us. Thank you.

-That was great! You're going to be the hit of the rally!

-I am?

Of course! All you have to do is listen to me.

First thing, I want that speech memorised.

You should be able to give it in your sleep. Let's hear it again.

SHE SIGHS

Ladies and gentlemen, I know I am just...

Up at me, you're talking to people, not paper.

Ladies and gentlemen...

Smile, this isn't a funeral.

Ladies and gentlemen...

It was filled with dead fish,

so my friends and I decided to do something about it.

-MOUSE SQUEAKS

-Again!

SHOUTING: And those fertilisers can contain nitrates and phosphates!

-VERY LOUD:

-Did you say ice skates and moth plates?

Nitrates and phosphates!

Mah, mah, mah, mah.

Mah, mah, mah, mah.

Wah, wah, wah, wah.

Wah, wah, wah, wah.

-Atchoo!

-Atchoo!

-No, that was real.

-No, that was real.

SHE SIGHS

And if we take care of our planet, it'll keep on taking care of us.

Thank you.

Francine, I think you're ready.

There's just one little thing left to do.

Give it in front of an audience.

SHE GASPS

Prepare to engage responsible lawn care speech.

-IN SCOTTISH ACCENT:

-Oh, captain, the anxiety capacitors

have been overloaded.

-We've lost control of all voice functions.

-Put us on autopilot.

I can't. The courage boosters aren't responding.

Come on, Francine.

Keep it together. You can do this.

Uh...

It was short, but very powerful.

I can't do it.

Sure you can. It's just one little speech.

Yeah, one little speech in front of a huge crowd of strangers!

And the worst part is, this is an issue I really care about.

If only someone else could do it.

Hey!

Ladies and gentlemen, this speech is by Francine Frensky,

a tireless crusader for the environment and my friend. Ahem.

I know I'm only a third grader, but I know

a lot about the environment cos I play in it every...

SHE GASPS

So, as I was saying.

Fascinating things, lawns.

See, if you use too much, uh, nitrous fish-face...

(It's OK. I got it.)

(If you get nervous, just say the speech to me.)

Um, I've discovered two things in the past week -

that our creek is polluted and that I'm a terrible public speaker.

THEY LAUGH

I play outside every day. Yes, even when it's raining.

And this all started

when I was having a picnic with my friends by this creek.

So, in short, this is the only home we have.

Let's take care of this yard as well as we take care of our own yards.

Thank you.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

You were amazing. That was even better than the speech you wrote!

It was? I don't even remember what I said.

Don't worry. I filmed it all.

You'll probably be flooded with invitations to speak.

No! No more public speaking!

But you're so good at it.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd