The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson and Jim Henson's death parralells

[minor muppetz]

I've noticed some parralells between Jim Henson's death and The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, and this was probably intentional, but I wonder if anybody else has noticed.

First of all, Jim Henson had just died, and the performers now had to work without him leading. In thiss pecial, Kermit is away traveling (much likie Jim Henson often did in his last years), and so the Mupets had to put a show together without Kermit's leadershop (though this wasn't the first production that teh main performers worked on after Henson's death... Bily Bunny's Animal Songs had already been taped before the special).

Jim Henson requested to have a dixieland band play at his memorial, and in the show, Fozzie had a dixieland band play for the tribute. A group of vikings also apeared, chanting to Turn the World Around, a song that was performed at the memorial. And of coruse, the special ended with the Muppets singing Just One Person, which the Muppets also sang at the memorial.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Was Billy Bunny taped after Jims death but before the Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson?

 

[Skekayuk]

I've noticed some parralells between Jim Henson's death and The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, and this was probably intentional, but I wonder if anybody else has noticed..

Well I hadn't noticed, but now you mention it, good point. I think it's highly likely to have been intentionally. The Muppets have had a strong tendency to incorporate parallels into their work.

Occassionally this has been a bit unintentional as in the Nancy Walker episode of TMS. However from everything I've read I get the impression that parallels have usually be intended. for example Muppet characters being parodies of performers, or performers very definitely putting elements of themselves into their characters. Sometimes one can't help looking at a sketch and thinking "Did the writers base that on the puppeteers? They must've done".

 

[Super Scooter]

Was Billy Bunny taped after Jims death but before the Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson?

I thought Billy Bunny was right after the Jim Henson special. Steve Whitmire always says that The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson was his first performance of Kermit, but Kermit's in the Billy Bunny tape, isn't he?