On Sunday, September 22nd, Muppet fans descended on New York City to celebrate Jim Henson’s birthday. (Yes, we know his birthday is the 24th, but it’s way more difficult to assemble a bunch of Muppet nerds on a Tuesday.) From singalongs to shopping sprees, there was plenty of fun to be had in the Big Apple. So whether you couldn’t make it, or just want to relive it in article form, here’s a recap of what went down!
To kick things off, a huge group of folks who purchased VIP tickets were treated to a “Sing-Along, Stroll-Along” walking tour of “Jim Henson’s New York,” led by Jim Henson’s youngest daughter Heather Henson and ToughPigs’ own Joe Hennes. But it was more than just a walk through Central Park – we were also joined by banjo man Lucas Ross who led our group of 40-ish Muppet fanatics in song as we strolled through the city. The highlight of the tour was the stop at Jim Henson’s bench, where we decorated the area with chalk and felt, sang more Muppety songs, and paid tribute to Jim in the Muppetiest way possible.
Before the big presentation kicked off, banjo virtuoso and pal of ToughPigs Lucas Ross led a singalong of some classic Muppet songs, including “Grandma’s Feather Bed,” “Happiness Hotel,” and “Caribbean Amphibian.” (You’ve never heard “Can You Picture That?” until you’ve heard it with the opening guitar riff to AC/DC’s “Back in Black”… in banjo.)
During the performance, Heather Henson made a surprise appearance! Sure, when Heather does it, it’s delightful, but when I do it, it’s “sir, please return to your seat, you’re scaring the talent. No one cares if you know all the words to ‘The Alligator King.'”
Did you really think he wasn’t going to end with “Rainbow Connection?”
Then, with a quick introduction from President of the Jim Henson Legacy Craig Shemin, it was Karen Falk’s turn to take us on a magical history tour.
In her presentation, “Exploring the Archives of a Creative Mind,” Falk took us on a whirlwind ride through Jim’s life and career through the lens of his famed red book, which chronicled his work from the debut of Sam & Friends in 1955 to 1988 and beyond. We also got to see some rare footage from the filming of the Wilkins and Wontkins commercials, along with Henson’s 1967 short film Wheels That Go, as well as Kermit and Dr. Teeth’s appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in March 1975 to promote The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.
To show you how extensive The Jim Henson Company Archives are, Falk noted that they still retain receipts for animation equipment Jim purchased in 1960, inspired by a trip to Disneyland.
After that, it was trivia time! Shemin, assisted by his wife, Muppet performer Stephanie D’Abruzzo, offered several categories of questions ranging from easy to head-scratcher. (Thankfully, in a theater full of Muppet nerds, there was always somebody who could help out with the answer.) Can you answer these questions?
One of the highlights was “Kermit, Kennedy, or Both?,” which presented facts about Kermit the Frog and John F. Kennedy. Word to the wise: Kermit the Frog was not the 35th President of the United States.
Following the trivia, fans raced to the Digital Learning Suite to get a prime spot at the Swa(m)p Meet, presented by our friends at Muppet Stuff, where collectors and artisans offered hard-to-find and one-of-a-kind treasures. If you shopped or swapped there, be sure to head to the ToughPigs Discord to show off your hauls!
Shemin and D’Abruzzo had lots of rare memorabilia, including a Sesame Street style guide and apparel from MuppetFest!
There was reading material galore at Chris Stulz’s table, including a bin full of books and some issues of Muppet Magazine.
Mel had a table full of incredible Muppet art, including a card-sized replica of the portrait of Kermit from The Muppets Take Manhattan!
Emily Engel had her famous Muppet replicas for sale. In keeping with the celebratory theme, many were holding cupcakes or wearing party hats!
Naturally, we at ToughPigs weren’t going to be left out. Our own Joe Hennes offered handmade cross-stitches, while Becca Petunia made an assortment of magnets. Normally, you have to win Hubba-Wha?! to get one of those!
Another high point of the day was held in the museum lobby, where the Jane Henson Amphitheater was dedicated. Cheryl and Heather Henson were joined by Falk to speak about Jane before the unveiling.
During the ceremony, Heather talked about how much Jane loved and supported the arts, in addition to being a gifted artist herself. Cheryl also discussed how Jane was Jim’s first big creative advocate, and even after his passing, she continued to keep his work vibrant and relevant. In a way, Jane Henson was the first big Muppet fan!
It was a worthy tribute to a very deserving figure in the Muppet world. The next time you’re at MoMI, you can see the dedication to Jane as you go up the staircase to the second floor.
Of course, what’s a birthday party without cake? With help from Ross and John Koozin and the Neighborhood, fans gathered in the courtyard to sing “Happy Birthday” before cake was served while the band played some jazzy arrangements of Muppet tunes.
The cake depicted a rainbow over an image of Jim performing Kermit. In the end, everyone found the Rainbow Confection. (Wocka wocka!)
Of course, we couldn’t help but laugh as the piece with Kermit’s head on it went to the frog’s occasional banjo assistant, Lucas Ross.
All in all, New York City was a Muppet fanatic’s paradise as we celebrated Jim Henson. It’s the biggest celebration yet… until we hopefully do it again next year!
(PS: The answers to the trivia questions above, in order of appearance, are A, C, and B.)
Click here to swap a Baby Bear plush for a phone book with Kermit on the cover on the ToughPigs Discord!
by Matthew Soberman – Matthew@ToughPigs.com
