Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Gobo Fraggle Got Together to Celebrate Jim Henson’s Birthday, and It’s Incredible That It Happened

Today would have been Jim Henson’s 88th birthday. During his long career, Henson gave us Sesame Street, The Muppets, cult films such as Maze AND Dark Crystal and much more. He was an incredible talent who was so much more than just a puppeteer, but today these puppets came together to honor him in an emotional tribute.

A new YouTube video brings together three of Jim Henson’s characters: Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Gobo Fraggle. It’s rare to see characters from different TV shows come together, and that’s even more true today. It’s a touching and emotional video. Check it out.

Happy Birthday Jim Henson! | The Muppets – YouTube

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Except for the occasional TV special or Big Bird appearance The Muppets MovieIt’s rare to see these characters from different shows or movies together in one place. That’s even more true today. The Sesame Street Muppets are owned by Sesame Workshop, while Kermit and the rest The Muppet Show characters are property of Disney. Fraggle Rock is still a part Jim Henson’s CompanyThis means all three companies had to work together to create this tribute.

Companies don’t always get along. Sesame Workshop sued for Happytime Murdersfilm released by the Henson Company a few years ago. Some of the original Muppet performers are not thrilled with the way Disney is managing the Muppets. Disney recently replaced Kermit the Frog, who was originally voiced by Henson himself.

Disney certainly hasn’t forgotten about Henson. A new documentary about Henson’s life recently debuted on Disney+. Henson’s latest creation, MuppetVision 3D at Disney World, is still running, and while there were rumors it might be closing, a backlash from fans who love MuppetVision may have saved the attraction.

All of Jim Henson’s work means a lot to a lot of people. Whether you grew up watching Sesame Street or watching The Muppets on TV or in the cinemas, most of the last 50 years have become fans of Jim Henson’s characters at one point or another. I certainly remember watching Sesame Street as a child before I went to the original Fraggle Rock. Watching replays The Muppet Show has always been a convenient viewing experience for me. It’s one of the main uses for my Disney+ subscription most months.

Then, when I grew up a bit, I saw Maze AND Dark Crystal. Jim Henson was truly an incredible filmmaker, it’s one of his talents that he really doesn’t get enough credit for. Both films became cult classics, but were largely failures upon release.

It’s nice that despite so many changes in Jim Henson’s work, they were able to come together to create something like this. Jim Henson’s birthday is definitely a day to celebrate, and considering how many fans he had and how many new fans discover his work in each generation, let’s hope this won’t be the last time we see these characters come together to honor him.