Today would have been Jim Henson’s 88th birthday. During his long career, Henson gave us Sesame Street, The Muppets, iconic films like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal and so much more. He was an incredible talent who was so much more than a puppeteer, but today those puppets have come together to remember him in an emotional tribute.
A new video on YouTube brings together three characters that Jim Henson created, Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Gobo Fraggle. It’s a rare thing to see characters from different TV series together, and that’s only more true today. It’s a touching and emotional video. Check it out.
Barring the occasional TV special or Big Bird’s cameo in The Muppet Movie, it’s rare to see these characters from different series or films together in one place. That’s only more true today. The Muppets of Sesame Street are owned by Sesame Workshop, while Kermit and the rest of the Muppet Show characters are owned by Disney. Fraggle Rock is still part of the The Jim Henson Company. This means all three companies had to work together to put this tribute together.
The companies don't always get along. Sesame Workshop sued over The Happytime Murders, a movie put out by the Henson Company, a few years ago. Some of the original Muppet performers are less than thrilled with how Disney has managed the Muppets. Disney recently replaced the voice of Kermit the Frog, who had originally been voiced by Henson himself.
Disney certainly hasn't forgotten Henson. A new documentary on Henson's life recently debuted on Disney+. Henson's final creation, MuppetVision 3D at Disney World is still in operation, and while there have been rumors it may be closing, the outcry from fans who love MuppetVision may have saved the attraction.
All of Jim Henson’s creations mean a lot to a lot of people. Whether you grew up watching Sesame Street or watching The Muppets on TV or in theaters, most of for the past 50 years became fans of Jim Henson’s characters at one time or another. I certainly remember watching Sesame Street as a child before moving on to the original Fraggle Rock. Watching reruns of The Muppet Show has always been comfort viewing for me. It’s one of the primary uses of my Disney+ subscription most months.
Then when I got a little older I saw Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Jim Henson was really an incredible filmmaker, it's one of his talents that he really doesn’t get enough credit for. Both films have become cult classics but largely flopped upon their initial release.
It’s nice that even though so many of Jim Henson’s creations have changed so much, they were able to come together for something like this. Jim Henson’s birthday is absolutely a day that should be celebrated, and considering just how many fans he had, and how many new fans continue to discover his work in every generation, hopefully, this won’t be the last time we see these characters coming together to honor him.
