Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of puppet grandmaster Jim Henson's unexpected death from organ failure, a passing that, for some, was easily as paralyzing as the loss of John Lennon. Following his 30-plus years of work, in which he gave us Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and many other projects, Jim Henson's surviving colleagues convened in London for what is still a devastatingly emotional ceremony to watch, even now. Videos of the poignant event after the jump.
Legendary Henson collaborator Frank Oz gave this speech at the memorial, reflecting on Jim's kooky humor and meticulous workmanship.
Here come the tears: Big Bird's rendition of "Bein' Green" is so overwhelmingly sad that even Statler and Waldorf were silenced for a few moments.
Near the end of the ceremony, a klatch of Henson's fellow puppeteers gathered to sing his favorite songs. In the first part of the medley, Kevin Clash brings out his effervescent Elmo voice. It's important to know that, before he died, Henson mandated that no one wear black at his memorial. That explains Steve Whitmire's lime green suit.
Here it is, the staggering climax: In part two of the medley, the puppeteers introduce old friends to the stage and belt a powerful version of "Just One Person" that brings the audience to its feet. You'll notice they're waving around glittery butterflies on sticks, in honor of Henson's love of butterflies.
Lastly, puppeteer Richard Hunt (who voiced Scooter, among others) gave a confident, but poignant closing speech. A certain peace emanates from Hunt, who died less than two years later of AIDS-related illness. Pitch-perfect from start to finish.