It was one of the biggest tragedies of my young life. May 16, 1990, Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, died. I was heartbroken, I cried real tears. Not just for the characters I loved — Kermit the Frog, Ernie, Guy Smiley, Rowlf the Dog — but for Jim Henson and his family. The last major project before he died was “The Jim Henson Hour” on NBC. That show had a shifting format — sometimes it had classic Muppet characters, sometimes “Storyteller” tales, but most episodes had Jim Henson, with a calmer-than-Cosby-sweater, talking to the audience about inspiration, creativity, sometimes showing us how Muppets work, things like that. This was in 1989, and even though it only lasted nine episodes, it was my last contact with the man who became my inspiration. A big part of the reason I became a teacher was because of “Sesame Street.” Any sense of humor or music or art or creativity I have came from admiration for the work that he did. And losing him was more than I could handle.
Aside from all of the Muppety stuff that Jim Henson had his hands in (literally)(don’t go there), he had these nuggets of wisdom that came out in interviews and in more candid moments. Some of my favorites:
“As children, we all live in a world of imagination, of fantasy, and for some of us that world of make-believe continues into adulthood. Certainly I’ve lived my whole life through my imagination. But the world of imagination is there for all of us–a sense of play, of pretending, of wonder. It’s there with us as we live.”
“There is a sense of our characters caring for each other and having respect for each other. A positive feeling. A positive view of life. That’s a key to everything we do. I believe that everything we do should have part of that. Sometimes we’re too heavy in terms of ourselves and trying to carry an idea, and telling kids what life is about. I often have to tell myself that too.”
“The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from more than what you tell them. They don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
I read all of his words with his own voice in my head, which, although a slightly lower register than Kermit the Frog’s, definitely has a lot of Kermit and Ernie in it. Those voices sang some of my favorite songs, from “Rubber Duckie” to “The Rainbow Connection” to “Movin’ Right along” and “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green.” I can’t separate the man from his characters, or the characters from what they did for me, shaping me as a person.
25 years later, it still stings. If it’s possible to still miss someone you’ve never met, I do. Muppet fans divide movies, television series, and other projects into “Jim” and “Post-Jim.” After he was gone, the Muppets seemed to have a hard time finding their way. Movies included adaptations of classic works, television series and specials struggled to find a tone that was family friendly, but still…interesting. I’m still a fan, I’ll always be a fan. But there were a lot of Muppet projects I watched more out of loyalty than excitement.
After Disney acquired the characters, things started looking up. “The Muppets” in 2011 was a bona fide hit, while “Muppets Most Wanted” didn’t light the box office on fire in 2014, but is still very, very funny, and you should watch it. These movies have tightened the Muppet family up, recasting dormant secondary characters like Rowlf and Scooter, putting them back alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo. With a the gang more complete than they’ve been in 25 years, they’re ready. For…something.
The Muppet family is more complete than it’s been in years
Now, no doubt due to Disney owning ABC, the Muppets get another crack at a television series, with the (for me personally irritating) confusing title “The Muppets.” not to be confused with the recent movie of the same name, nor the characters themselves. For anyone who happens to write about the series, it’s going to be a pain in the neck.
But you know what? Looking at the trailer, it looks like it’s going to be good. Funny. I’m actually excited to watch it, instead of watching it out of sentiment or loyalty, or nostalgia of past projects. “The Muppets” looks family friendly, but with enough edge that it won’t be sugary sweet. Will this format allow there to be singing and dancing and guest stars and cameos? Probably. Will it be different than what we’ve seen the Muppets do before? I hope so. It looks like Fozzie is continuing the cross-species dating that Muppets seem to be into by having a relationship with a human, but we also have some classic Miss Piggy action, and some quick jokes that are perfect for our hyperactive generation. They break the fourth wall, which is something the characters have always done, but fits in perfectly with the “documentary” style. Hopefully this catch on like the viral viruses tv execs want in a 21st century series. It will be airing on Tuesdays this fall, and hopefully they’ll have enough success to warrant a whole season. In my very, very biased opinion, the show looks fantastic. And it feels like something Jim would have had his hands in.
Jim Henson is gone. And not gone. With projects like this, with permanent museum exhibits opening in Atlanta and New York, with “Sesame Street” entering its 46th season…he’s got a place in most of our hearts, whether we know him or his creations. I still miss him. But I’ll never forget him.
