It was a sad day when Jim Henson died....

[Garland]

I live in NYC and attended the Jim Henson memorial...
The Cathedral (St. John the Divine) was packed with people and the Cathedral itself is enormous.

Many of the small children attending were dressed in their best Sesame Street tee shirts.
They had passed out to the crowd hundreds of butterfly puppets attached to long wobbly wires and these butterflys would just sway back and forth in the air just above our heads. It made the Catherdral look like it was filled with swaying, dancing flowers. It was unreal.
I will never forget the faces of joy and excitement of the children in the choir when Big Bird made his entrance to sing "It's not Easy Being Green".

 

[Muppet Matt]

I live in NYC and attended the Jim Henson memorial...
The Cathedral (St. John the Divine) was packed with people and the Cathedral itself is enormous.

Many of the small children attending were dressed in their best Sesame Street tee shirts.
They had passed out to the crowd hundreds of butterfly puppets attached to long wobbly wires and these butterflys would just sway back and forth in the air just above our heads. It made the Catherdral look like it was filled with swaying, dancing flowers. It was unreal.
I will never forget the faces of joy and excitement of the children in the choir when Big Bird made his entrance to sing "It's not Easy Being Green".

How old were you when he died?

 

[Garland]

I was only 30 years old at the time. A long time muppet fan.

 

[MeepBorkMeep]

Ooh, you were there, Garland? What was it like when they sang Just One Person? How close were you to the front? Did any Muppeteers make speeches besides Frank Oz? Sorry for the bombardment of questions, I've been desperate for information about this for quite some time...

 

[ReneeLouvier]

I concur with MeepBorkMeep's questions! I'd love to know some insider stuff too.

 

[Muppet Matt]

I was only 30 years old at the time. A long time muppet fan.

Did you ever get to meet or write to him? Did you meet any of the Muppeteers after the funeral?

 

[Garland]

I'm no insider...just a fan who was there. I do remember the whole place laughing when I believe it was Sir or Lord Lew Grade (Producer of Muppet movie) proclaimed that he had always thought Jim was British. I can't remember his exact quote but he provided a funny moment. Frank Oz told a beautiful and funny story about a Bert Statue that Jim had made for him...Surely that is published somewhere???
I've never met an actual muppeteer but I did pass Jim Henson once on 55th Street and 9th Avenue years before he died. I did not speak... I was too in awe and I only smiled...he smiled back. He was wearing a long winter coat.

 

[Garland]

Ooh, you were there, Garland? What was it like when they sang Just One Person? How close were you to the front? Did any Muppeteers make speeches besides Frank Oz? Sorry for the bombardment of questions, I've been desperate for information about this for quite some time...

"One Person" was a real tear jerker...the muppets adding on and on until the front was filled with muppets...kinda like at the end of original muppet movie...really colorful and pretty. Then I think they broke the mood with the Dixie Land Band.
I was standing and roaming in the aisles so I watched from different areas. This Cathedral is enormous...they have a Service for the Animals each year...real animals not drummers and have brought in elephants down the aisles...its big.

 

[Muppet Matt]

I'm no insider...just a fan who was there. I do remember the whole place laughing when I believe it was Sir or Lord Lew Grade (Producer of Muppet movie) proclaimed that he had always thought Jim was British. I can't remember his exact quote but he provided a funny moment. Frank Oz told a beautiful and funny story about a Bert Statue that Jim had made for him...Surely that is published somewhere???
I've never met an actual muppeteer but I did pass Jim Henson once on 55th Street and 9th Avenue years before he died. I did not speak... I was too in awe and I only smiled...he smiled back. He was wearing a long winter coat.

That's so neat that you saw him in person!!!!! Do you still have the butterfly that they gave you? I'll look for that story.

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Wow....I really wish I could see that funeral. It sounds so moving and so touching. I've only seen a few clips of it here and there.