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20 Years Ago Today
May. 16th, 2010 09:20 amWe lost Jim Henson. A generation has grown up never having met the man but knowing his influence in the world. A generation hasn't had the good fortune of seeing Kermit perform live and in person with his original voice.
I can still remember where I was when I heard the news. I was in the Green Room at the Yale Rep Theater. I was deck crew for Pygmalion. Someone I didn't trust told me first but I had it confirmed by the friend who was worried about me. I went to the deck to my station and had a really good cry. I went to the service. I gave the butterfly puppet to a little girl who was squeezing her Ernie for all it was worth. I lost the program in my move from Yale. The memorial service was a celebration of the man's life rather than a somber remembrance.
I met Jim a couple of times. Mostly at Science Fiction conventions like World Con. The first time I met him it was because the crowd pushed him into me at the opening of the Center for Puppetry Arts. I found myself telling Kermit that I was OK thank you.
Jim has influenced a generation and beyond. The things he did allowed others to dream of what they could do. Everyone I have met that worked with him said that he asked a lot out of you but nothing less that what he would ask for himself. He recognized talent and potential and surrounded himself with people who had that spark of creativity with a side of slight lunacy. And he encouraged others to be creative.
My work is influenced by his. I make no bones about it. I think I would have taken up puppetry but Jim's work sealed the deal for me. He showed me what could be done with puppets and puppetry. Labyrinth and Dark Crystal are still in my top 10 movies of all times long with the Muppet Movie.
The Muppets are a touchstone for many of us. It is something that we all have in common that we can discuss. We can talk about the films or our favorite Muppet or our favorite Muppet moment.
Now we have new videos to talk about with some of the old Muppet magical lunacy shining through. Have you seen the one that the Muppets comment on LOST?
So let us today celebrate the career of a man who did so much for so many. I plan to watch a lot of Muppet Shows today.
The toast is to Jim Henson, a man among Puppets.
I am grateful that I did get to meet Jim more than once.
I can still remember where I was when I heard the news. I was in the Green Room at the Yale Rep Theater. I was deck crew for Pygmalion. Someone I didn't trust told me first but I had it confirmed by the friend who was worried about me. I went to the deck to my station and had a really good cry. I went to the service. I gave the butterfly puppet to a little girl who was squeezing her Ernie for all it was worth. I lost the program in my move from Yale. The memorial service was a celebration of the man's life rather than a somber remembrance.
I met Jim a couple of times. Mostly at Science Fiction conventions like World Con. The first time I met him it was because the crowd pushed him into me at the opening of the Center for Puppetry Arts. I found myself telling Kermit that I was OK thank you.
Jim has influenced a generation and beyond. The things he did allowed others to dream of what they could do. Everyone I have met that worked with him said that he asked a lot out of you but nothing less that what he would ask for himself. He recognized talent and potential and surrounded himself with people who had that spark of creativity with a side of slight lunacy. And he encouraged others to be creative.
My work is influenced by his. I make no bones about it. I think I would have taken up puppetry but Jim's work sealed the deal for me. He showed me what could be done with puppets and puppetry. Labyrinth and Dark Crystal are still in my top 10 movies of all times long with the Muppet Movie.
The Muppets are a touchstone for many of us. It is something that we all have in common that we can discuss. We can talk about the films or our favorite Muppet or our favorite Muppet moment.
Now we have new videos to talk about with some of the old Muppet magical lunacy shining through. Have you seen the one that the Muppets comment on LOST?
So let us today celebrate the career of a man who did so much for so many. I plan to watch a lot of Muppet Shows today.
The toast is to Jim Henson, a man among Puppets.
I am grateful that I did get to meet Jim more than once.
