Jim Henson is my god

While I was watching TV over the weekend, a stray thought crept into my head and rummaged around a bit before making itself at home. Whenever pop culture comes up, friends of mine have heard me say “Jim Henson is my god.” It’s either been that, or “Jim Henson and Chuck Jones are my gods.” To me, this is pretty much the truth. There are a few people that I can hold up as being the creators of something, in this case entertainment, that reaches into my soul and says “Oh yes, we know each other, don’t we?” In this case, Jim Henson and Chuck Jones are at the top of my list for Personal Gods.

Why? Well that’s where it gets a little bit more introspective. I’ve battled depression my whole life. It hit hard when I was in high school and by the end of my second year at my first college, I was a mess. The things that made me still laugh and think that the world wasn’t completely full of bullshit? Kermit the Frog and Bugs Bunny. I’m sure someone out there could do (or has done) a very nice thesis on Kermit, Bugs and the relationship of their characters to the Inner Child. Me? I like to laugh, cos enough bad things happen in life, we need to find joy somewhere.

Today, I’m looking at Jim Henson. I wish he was still around today, cos I’d love to see where he would have taken his productions with today’s technologies. He brought puppetry up to a new level in the industry, and managed to get people to learn about other cultures’ methods at the same time. He treated it not as a gag, but as an art form. He didn’t create Sesame Street, but I honestly can’t imagine it without his creations.

His Muppets were the embodiment of everyone. They encompassed the childlike wonder that so many have lost over the years, as well as the sense of joy from playing with friends. His more adult versions, such as the ones in The Dark Crystal, reflected our own disregard for others, greed and cruelty, but also the capacity for love, giving, and peace.

So now, here’s my top 5 on why Jim Henson is my god.

1. Sesame Street
Sesame Street Muppets allowed kids to see that even monsters and animals had the same problems as them. If a giant yellow bird couldn’t cross the street without holding onto an adult, then kids probably needed to as well. Grover and Big Bird embodied the kid in all of us, and made us feel not so alone. Kermit was the cool older kid/adult that knew everything and we looked up to. And Grover and Kermit together? Hysterical.

2. The Muppet Show
The Muppets doing a “variety” TV show at night? People must have thought he was insane for trying this, but Henson knew what he was doing. In The Muppet Show, he managed to get his cast of Muppets to show that no matter what you looked like, there was a home and friends for you. Everyone could work together for a common goal, and while there was chaos and mayhem around, by the end of the show, there was a sense of accomplishment from all, human and Muppet alike. Even better, he used the show to introduce the US to even more types of puppetry from around the country and world. Not to mention, he got some amazing performers to play along with the Muppets. And as amusing as Alice Cooper surrounded by Muppets is, my favorite episode is still Harry Belafonte’s.

3. Oh hell with it. Alice Cooper and the Muppets. (Seriously, can you imagine the phone call that happened to make this show? “Hi, we’d like to invite Mr. Cooper to perform on the Muppet Show. He’ll be performing with our monster Muppets for a Halloween show.” “…What?”)

4. The Muppet Movie
The Muppet Movie made it clear that the Muppets meant some serious funny business. A frog’s simple dream, to become “rich and famous”, is the driving force. Along the way, he picks up the rest of the usual cast, and hijinks ensue. The cameos from various stars through the whole film make the amusement factor even greater. And then there’s the song, Rainbow Connection: hope, longing, dreams, and a belief that life might be good and okay.

5. Muppet Christmas Carol
Now this was released after his death, but it still reflects his personality. I drive people nuts humming this around Christmas.

His kids are carrying on the traditions and businesses. The Creature Shop shows up in more places than people realize, including Batman Begins and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. His son, Brian, proved that you can take Muppets into space and not have them look like Miss Piggy with the show Farscape. He’s shown us all that we can aspire to be the best we can be, because if a giant yellow bird and a very green frog can get along with monsters, kids, and adults of all colors, sizes and beliefs, then maybe we humans can too. and just maybe, we can laugh at ourselves and the silliness that is life while we’re at it.

And that’s why Jim Henson is my god.