Jim Henson, The Muppetmaster (1936 - 1990)

Bugg's Take

Well, time sure does fly. It's been more than 2 months since my last post and much has happened since then. So I finally managed to squeeze a simdgen of time to post something, and I've decided to honour the memory of someone who has shaped the thinking and development of my generation. Muppetmaster Jim Henson.

His effect on the entertainment world was so profound, that his creations are still shaping the lives of young kids today. Name me someone who hasn't heard or played with an Elmo or a Cookie Monster toy. His genius gave birth to timeless characters like Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch and Mr Snuffleupagus.

Aside from those Sesame Street alumnus, who can forget the delightful creatures from the Muppet Show? Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and gang. Of all the motley bunch of characters, I always identified with Kermit the most. His immortal phrase "It isn't easy being green...." has struck a particularly close chord with me and has remained with me since I've heard it. Kermit was the quintessestial nice guy. Always eager to please Miss Piggy (HAI-YA!! *karate chop*) and ever ready to lend a listening ear to his fellow Muppets. So guess what I dug up? It's a Muppet Personality test. No surprise who I turned out to be.

In 1990, at age 53, Henson suddenly died after contracting an extremely aggressive form of pneumonia. He remains a powerful presence, though, on account of Sesame Street and the Henson Co., whose next venture will be a global family-entertainment network called the Kermit Channel. Because the works we encounter as children are so potent, Henson may influence the next century as much as this one, as his viewers grow up carrying his vision within them.

We miss you Jim.