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Sam and Friends BookI know, I know everyone's sick of this, and I'm not going to open a kettle of boomerang fish, I'm sick of debating the availability of this material as much as you are of reading it.
Up until now, my opinions have been made without actually seeing the entire service, so I'm only addressing this thread to those members who've actually been to or seen Jim's memorial on video. I'm writing this as though I attended in person, and am passing this along to anyone curious to know what took place. This is not a debate, just some feeling about what I saw, and if you would care to comment in the same way, please do.
I found the service to be both beautiful and surprising. It was warm, loving, at times heartbraking at others wonderfully funny and downright silly-everything Jim was. There was respect, tears laughter and applause, and I think he would have absolutely loved it.
The sheer size and complexty of putting this thing together in no time had to be an awsome undertaking. I don't know who or how they did it, but the Comapany and/or the family is to be totaly commended. Thousands of flowers and beatuiful black and white photos of Jim were everywhere.
I was taken back by the Christian overtones, since Jim didn't seem to activly practice any one belief. The mixture of a boys choir and dixieland band inside the huge gothic chapel would seem strange if it were not for the understanding of Jim's take on life.
There was someone representing nearly every aspect of his career from Sesame Street to The Creature Shop to his own family. Memories were shared even jokes were told, with Frank Oz (as usual) stealing the show. A long outrageos story of Jim taking a photo of Frank "buck naked" followed by his breaking down and hastly exit said it all for everyone. Similar was Bernie Brillstein (appearing after Big Bird's touching version of "Bein' Green"), first noting "Jim always told me 'Never follow the Bird.' ", and unable to continue his comments moments later.
It was wonderful seeing Jerry Juhl, Richard Hunt and Jon Stone again along with Disney's Frank Wells in attendance along with Michael Eisner-as they should have been. However why Darryl Hannah and her sister were there escapes me.
Most spoke with a warm, serious quality, yet many (including the Minister) actually got big laughs. Jane spoke in a somewhat strangly upbeat manner (?) while the kids were obviosly taking it harder, yet pulling together for their father.
Jerry Nelson read a "beatnik" type of speech in Floyd's voice in tribute to Jim's characters, and sang along with Louise Gold. Harry Belafonte did "Turn The World Around" with such energy it drew applause. The core group of performers did a mock "recording session" singing a Muppet medly in character starting with "Baby Face" done in chicken clucks (ina chapel!) and finishing with the puppeteers and their respective Muppet characters doing "Just One Person". The band led everyone out to "When The Saints Go Marching In" just as Jim wanted.
I didn't feel the least bit depressed afterwards, and I only wished I could have attended in person. I felt that this was not so much a sad goodbye, but as Richard said in the begining a celebration of someone's life. I don't see how anyone witnessing this could not feel anything but love and even more respect for this man. I KNOW Jim, if he was able to, loved what he saw.
Up until now, my opinions have been made without actually seeing the entire service, so I'm only addressing this thread to those members who've actually been to or seen Jim's memorial on video. I'm writing this as though I attended in person, and am passing this along to anyone curious to know what took place. This is not a debate, just some feeling about what I saw, and if you would care to comment in the same way, please do.
I found the service to be both beautiful and surprising. It was warm, loving, at times heartbraking at others wonderfully funny and downright silly-everything Jim was. There was respect, tears laughter and applause, and I think he would have absolutely loved it.
The sheer size and complexty of putting this thing together in no time had to be an awsome undertaking. I don't know who or how they did it, but the Comapany and/or the family is to be totaly commended. Thousands of flowers and beatuiful black and white photos of Jim were everywhere.
I was taken back by the Christian overtones, since Jim didn't seem to activly practice any one belief. The mixture of a boys choir and dixieland band inside the huge gothic chapel would seem strange if it were not for the understanding of Jim's take on life.
There was someone representing nearly every aspect of his career from Sesame Street to The Creature Shop to his own family. Memories were shared even jokes were told, with Frank Oz (as usual) stealing the show. A long outrageos story of Jim taking a photo of Frank "buck naked" followed by his breaking down and hastly exit said it all for everyone. Similar was Bernie Brillstein (appearing after Big Bird's touching version of "Bein' Green"), first noting "Jim always told me 'Never follow the Bird.' ", and unable to continue his comments moments later.
It was wonderful seeing Jerry Juhl, Richard Hunt and Jon Stone again along with Disney's Frank Wells in attendance along with Michael Eisner-as they should have been. However why Darryl Hannah and her sister were there escapes me.
Most spoke with a warm, serious quality, yet many (including the Minister) actually got big laughs. Jane spoke in a somewhat strangly upbeat manner (?) while the kids were obviosly taking it harder, yet pulling together for their father.
Jerry Nelson read a "beatnik" type of speech in Floyd's voice in tribute to Jim's characters, and sang along with Louise Gold. Harry Belafonte did "Turn The World Around" with such energy it drew applause. The core group of performers did a mock "recording session" singing a Muppet medly in character starting with "Baby Face" done in chicken clucks (ina chapel!) and finishing with the puppeteers and their respective Muppet characters doing "Just One Person". The band led everyone out to "When The Saints Go Marching In" just as Jim wanted.
I didn't feel the least bit depressed afterwards, and I only wished I could have attended in person. I felt that this was not so much a sad goodbye, but as Richard said in the begining a celebration of someone's life. I don't see how anyone witnessing this could not feel anything but love and even more respect for this man. I KNOW Jim, if he was able to, loved what he saw.
