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  "path": "/jim-henson-interviewing-with-muppets",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-20T02:54:42.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.upworthy.com",
  "tags": [
    "on the childhoods",
    "Sesame Street",
    "Gen Xers",
    "guests and crew members alike",
    "@guygilchrist",
    "www.youtube.com",
    "\"A Boy and His Frog\"",
    "youtu.be",
    "have carried on his work",
    "Creature Shop",
    "Five Nights at Freddy's"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nFew individuals have had an impact on the childhoods of millions and the imaginations of people of all ages like Jim Henson. From _Sesame Street_ to _The Muppet Show_ to _The Dark Crystal_ and _Labyrinth,_Gen Xers grew up with Henson's magic being a familiar and comforting presence. And to this day, over three decades after his death, the characters he created are still household names.\n\nFor those of us who were raised on Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Kermit, and Miss Piggy, Henson's creatures feel as real as any living, breathing performer from our childhoods. But it's not just because we were kids when we were introduced to them. Even adults who met the Muppets found themselves transported into Henson's imaginary world, and after seeing interviews of the puppeteer with his creatures, it's easy to see why.\n\nWatch:\n\n> \n\nHenson didn't even pretend to _not_ be controlling Kermit. He didn't bother with ventriloquism. And yet, Kermit feels truly alive and separate from the person animating him. It almost feels surreal. Or perhaps just...real.\n\n### Henson's characters even convinced film crew members\n\nBoth guests and crew members alike found themselves pulled into Henson's world, even while fully understanding that the puppets were being controlled by people. The crew would sometimes move the boom mic to a puppet instead of the puppeteer. Directors would sometimes give stage directions directly to the Muppet instead of the human animating it. Dick Cavett, who interviewed Henson with his Muppets, said, “No matter how much you know about this, it’s completely convincing.”\n\nEven when a Muppet would explain the fact that the person was speaking to a puppet, it still seemed like a sentient being. Case in point:\n\n(This may be the one time you see Henson swear, but in context, it's brilliantly wholesome.)\n\n> @guygilchrist\n>\n> My old boss’s last public performance as Rowlf.🐶🙏🏻 . . #jimhenson #jimhensonscartoonist #themuppets #fyp #foryoupage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n### Frank Oz shared what it was like to work with Henson\n\nOf course, Henson didn't work alone. Bringing his characters to life in all the ways he envisioned took the work of many people, but none were more aligned with Henson himself than his partner-in-puppetry, Frank Oz. Oz was the Miss Piggy to Henson's Kermit, the Bert to his Ernie, the Animal to his Dr. Teeth.\n\nOz started working with Henson when he was just 19 years old, and for 27 years the duo created unforgettable magic together. It wasn't just the puppets. It was the voices, the comedic timing, the way they could make you laugh in one moment and well up with tears in the next. Their creatures entertained us but also taught us about being human, which was a truly remarkable feat.\n\nOz shared what it was like to work with Henson with Gene Shalit after Henson's death in 1990:\n\n- YouTube www.youtube.com\n\nLike Fred Rogers, Jim Henson is remembered for being a distinctly decent person in addition to his creative work. He brought the ancient art of puppetry into the modern world, touching every generation in his lifetime and after in a way that remains unmatched. As the tribute song \"A Boy and His Frog\" by Tom Smith says:\n\n_\"They say, 'Oh that's foam and a wire, attached to a green velvet sleeve. Anyone can do that.' Well, that's true, I suppose, but who else can make them believe?\"_(Grab a tissue before listening to this song, Henson lovers. It's a doozy.)\n\n- YouTube youtu.be\n\nHow his legacy lives on\n\nHenson’s children, Lisa, Cheryl, Brian, John, and Heather, have carried on his work by running the Jim Henson Company and Jim Henson Foundation, performing themselves, and continuing to advocate for the art of puppetry. They've also kept Jim Henson's Creature Shop running, creating puppets, animatronics, and even digital puppetry. The shop designed and built the full-size animatronic puppets for the 2023 _Five Nights at Freddy's_ movie and works on television, commercial, and themed projects as well.\n\nIn 2024, renowned director Ron Howard released a documentary about Henson's life and work, _Jim Henson: Idea Man_ , which can be found on Disney +.\n\n- YouTube www.youtube.com\n\n\n",
  "title": "Jim Henson interviewing with Muppets is a delightful reminder of his magical genius"
}