Hey Folks,
I've just finished reading all of these posts. Some very touching stuff. I had to go into work earlier than usual today, and what an awful way to wake up. My wife came into the bedroom and alerted me "I think Jerry Nelson died". She and I are friends with a guy named Jesse, (who goes by Ploobis on here, if memory serves) and she'd seen a post of his on Facebook. This was quite a shock, though I guess also not so much, because of years of hearing about health issues. I'm very glad and grateful we had him stick around this long.
I don't know if it was just the still waking up or genuine sadness, but tears were starting to flow from my eyes, though just slowly, and not an outpouring cry, which might come lately. I've been spending a good part of my day reading on here and other places about Jerry and people's reactions to his passing, but it still feels like that "hasn't quite hit me, yet" mode. It's quite sad, especially having seen him appear often on my Mutual Friends suggestion on the sidebar, being connected to him through others, often wishing to give it a shot, as I did successfully with Matt Vogel, but also not wanting to be so bold and assume a "friendship" just by our mutual Facebook friends and/or the two brief times we met, which he probably didn't remember.
I know I addressed him on posts of others, but I did wish to further contact him and express my genuine gratitude for all he's done and given us all, and though I didn't, I'm sure I'm represented by all the fans who have done so, over the decades, and I am super-grateful to have gotten those two times to meet him. Though I am Jewish, I've married a Catholic woman who I love very much, and have come to share Christmas with her and her family. We watched The Muppet Christmas Carol with her mother, this past year, and seeing the character of the Ghost Of Christmas Present really filled me with cheer, despite not being especially connected with that holiday and those traditions. That's what made we want to reach out.
Though I didn't, I had a status dedicated to him, today, and I went into my old hard drive and found a picture of me and him in the lobby of BAM from 2005, I believe, from a big Muppet event they had, where I also had the pleasure of meeting Jerry Juhl, amongst others. It's a really huge loss for the Muppet community, and I think I feel it more because of the years that my connection to and enjoyment of these characters and performers has grown. Sure, I will always remember when and where I was when I learned of Jim's passing, but I was still a kid, and he was an icon beyond just being a performer. Richard's death did not get my attention because I was still mostly a kid and I wasn't as familiar with all of the men and women behind these characters other than Jim. I've come to appreciate them all much more, since then, and they have all been a HUGE inspiration in my own creative endeavors.
I am not especially spiritual, but I do hope/believe that Richard and Jerry will be getting into all sorts of goofy hijinks, while Jim smiles and looks on, and I'm sure Christine will be happy to see her dad, again, and vice-versa. Additionally, I hope more coverage in the media comes out. Sure, they'll probably mostly point out The Count, but we all know he was so much more than that, and it's nice to see some of the posted tributes notice that, especially when one just credited him as a "voice actor". Don't these people know how puppets work? Well, I don't want to end it on a bitter-sounding note. Keep posting all of your rememberances. I think it really helps to have a community to share with and virtual shoulders to cry on. Rest In Peace, Jerry.
-Squigiman
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