Many people have phobias. Some, like fear of heights, enclosed spaces and even clowns can be considered mostly normal, but others are considered more rare. For instance, have you ever known anyone to have a fear of Muppets?
Automatonophobia is a phobia of puppets, but for Lindsay Broom of Wales, a 37 year old mother to a three year old daughter and a newborn, she is specifically scared of the creations of the late Jim Henson, who would have celebrated his birthday last month.
According to MailOnline, “In Mrs Broom’s case, the phobia is limited strictly to characters from three popular television shows. She said: ‘I’m fine with most puppets. It’s only The Muppets, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock I can’t stand.”
Visiting Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts would be the stuff of nightmares for her. “’When I see them, I automatically imagine the puppets’ facial features twisting and distorting, and I have to get away from them,” she says in the article.
And while I completely understand having phobias, it breaks my heart that there are people in this world who can’t fully enjoy the wonder and joy that is The Muppets. Imagine life without The Swedish Chef or Miss Piggy or Grover. And can you imagine her terror if she read “The Monster at the End of this Book?”
Mrs. Broom traces her fear to a childhood incident that coincided with “The Muppet Show” playing on the television. But how that relates to the extension of being afraid of Fraggles and the residents of Sesame Street is anyone’s guess. The style similarity? Specific voices? There is no mention in the article of a fear of Yoda, so one might infer that she doesn’t associate Frank Oz with her terror. He is, after all, the voice of Miss Piggy, Grover, Cookie Monster, and others.
And though there is no cure, treatment is an option, but “I haven’t sought medical advice – the phobia is so specialised that I can’t imagine anyone will be able to help me,” Mrs. Broom says. And it is very specific. Most puppets don’t bother her at all. Her fear exists only for Muppets and Fraggles.
I hope, for her children’s sakes, that she is able to seek treatment, so that they can grow up with the same joy at watching The Muppets that I did. I honestly can’t imagine life without all those colorful zany characters.
(via MailOnline)