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Check out their conversation below, and pick upI Am Jim Hensonwherever books are sold.
But I do think that we influenced who Kermit was.
Credit: Courtesy PR
There were five children in our family.
When they were developingSesame Street, we were the target age for the show.
When my father madeThe Muppet Show, we were teenagers with lots of things going on all the time.
Courtesy Marisa Russell / Penguin Young Readers
BM: Thats exactly how I see Kermit.
The calm at the center who brings everyone together.
The only time I recall him saying you must watch this was whenMonty Pythoncame on PBS.
We were teenagers by then and it was sheer genius.
When you researched my fathers childhood, was there anything that surprised you?
BM:Your grandparents.
Id heard stories that your grandmother always encouraged his creativity.
We all know that we love the Muppets sense of humor.
We all know theres an inherent kindness at its core.
But I loved that you could trace that to actual people.
And in honor of that kindness, I just have to ask.
I know it was Frank Oz.
I want this to be true.CH:Ha ha.
I was nine years old and I fell in love with Robin.
He was a miniature version of Kermit, just right for a childs hand.
After the production wrapped, my father gave me a Robin from the show.
I used to go in my room and secretly practice puppeteering.
Robin was performed by Jerry Nelson who had an amazing singing voice.
I found that puppet with a box of things that I packed away when I went to collage.
It was in my mothers attic when she passed away.
BM: It sounds like he was really special to you.
CH:
I love the title of this series Ordinary People Change the World.
It is so empowering!
Why is this idea of ordinary people changing the world important for kids today?
BM: Look around.
People who are famous for being famous.
With each refresh, our kids are being fed garbage through their eyes.
Weve confused the word fame with the word hero.
So thats where this series was born.
For my own kids.
We build statues and say theyre perfect.
And then no kid can ever relate to them.
No one is born brave.
You came up with a wonderful list of people.
What qualities did you look for when choosing your heroes?
It was the morality version ofWeird Science: the kindness of Mr. Rogers.
Determination of Rosa Parks.
Creativity of Jim Henson… We love who we love.
It was such a treat to meet and get to work with these amazing people.
They had so much fun together.
It really was a special time.
BM: What about you?
Who were you most excited to meet?CH:I loved Elton John!
But there were so many great guests!
Leo Sayer was fabulous.
You dont hear about him anymore but he was such fun.
Do you remember when you first watchedSesame Street?
Im that generation that was truly there as it launched.CH:Did you have a favorite Muppets character?
BM: Kermit and Ernie are just too obvious.
So of the more obscure, Sam the Eagle.
And I always had a soft spot for the Boomerang Fish guy.CH:Lew Zealand.
BM: Love Lew Zealand.
The voice just makes me laugh.CH:He throws the fish away and they come back to him!
Jerry Nelson performed that character and Jerry was a genius with voices.
BM: What about you?
in tune when bonked on the head.
Bobby Bensons all Baby Band was another musical favorite.
BM: I loved the Baby Band, but it also scared me.
Evil babies are a push button for me.
:)CH:The bluegrass musicians that were made to look like Jim, Frank and Jerry.
There were so many unusual musical combos.
So much good humor and fun.
I love the physicality of puppets.
Unlike animated characters, you’re able to really imagine reaching out and hugging a Muppet.
Can you apply your theory on objects to puppets?
BM: In that talk, I said that museums are like giant books.
Because theyre filled with stories.
Thats why we go there.
Like a good story, the objects there make us feel something.
We see an object and it can transport uslike were magically somewhere else.
But the best museums, like the best stories…they tell us something aboutourselves.
