Meeting Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacobson. (A Day I'll Never forget)

[KingR76]

What a beautiful story! I am very envious of you right now, even with the lost picture (my guess is: it didn't get "stored" or "saved" right away, so was automatically deleted, happens on my Grammas phone - and my old one - all the time). I'm sure if we EVER figure out where to send fan mail, Mr. Whitmire would be happy to oblige you with an autographed photo, and possibly a heads-up for the next time he and Kermit are in your neck of the woods.

Again, great story! Thanks so much for sharing. Cheers,

Anthony

If I was anyone else but me I know I'd be very envious of me. Let me say that Steve has a Warmth that I've only encountered once before and that was when I met Mr. Oz, Frank was so kind and accomodating towards me and the fact that the three Muppeteers I've met Frank, Steve and Eric have been so kind shows to me just how honest to goodness they were/still are and the wholesomeness that remains.

I'd love to be able to Write to Mr. Whitmire and tell him this, even now I remember how he reciprocated when I hugged him Hopefully him and Kermit will be back here some time soon.

You're very welcome.

 

[Misskermie]

It would have been nice if there were true Genuine Fans so would have been nice to have seen you there

That might be a bad idea. Here's me if I see Steve and Eric.

"OMGONZO! yOUGUYSARESOAWESOMEiREALLYREALLYREALLYLIKEYOURPUPPETEERING,CANIHOLDMISSPIGGY?KERMIT?NO?DARN.AUTOGRAPHPLZ!"

BAD IDEA I SAY!

 

[KingR76]

Great story. I was wandering if many fans turned up outside radio one. Steve is amazing, I met him in 2006 and he was thrilled that muppet fans had made the effort to go see him.... And kermit!!

So so sorry you lost your pics, but on a positive you always have the story, memories and the signed treasures!!

Chris

Thank you

I was the very first Fan outside, in fact I turned up just before Chris Moyles turned up, I was joined by another person who had no idea what Steve or Eric looked like when they turned up and then two other people, the rest of the people who turned up were paps, papping Fearne Cotton (she remained expressionless as they were going about their job) but as soon as Fearne saw us (obviously not paps) she smiled and said "Good morning." to us.

Was surprised there weren't more Fans outside Radio 1

Can only concur about Steve, he's filled with such an awesome Magick - I appreciate it, it took me quite some time to stop giving myself a hard time over it.

The story, the memories and the signed Treasures are wonderful and something I will forever hold on to

 

[KingR76]

Wow King! That sounds amazing!! The fact that you got to meet them in person! I'm sorry about your picture..But look at it this way, Steve remembered you, and you'll remember him! And now that this story is on here, the whole community will remember! ..And I'm sure Steve and Eric read Muppet Central as well

It was beyond amazing, Mr. Whitmire was so Lovely, I could say this until the cows came home but it still wouldnt be enough, the picture is something that will be at the back of my mind for a long time to come.

Yep, when Steve came out, he came over to me first and it was nice to have that amazing recognition from him. This post has made me happy, and I'm hoping that if Steve and Eric do read this they'll know that meeting them was a true and memorable pleasure

 

[KingR76]

OMG if i could see any puppeteer that would be amazing even a retired one like frank oz or jerry nelson

I met Mr. Oz last year he was so lovely and kind and appreciated that I was a Fan

 

[KingR76]

KingR76, you simultaneously have my envy and my sympathy. I'm really sorry about your picture but, conversely, I think you're truly blessed to have met and gotten autographs from Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacobsen, who both sounded like complete and total gentlemen.

It's amazing that they could be so kind to so many fans as they head into the latest round of what must be the craziest media tour - and one of their most hectic experiences in general - that they've taken in their entire lives.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I must admit that I would probably hug Steve Whitmire if I ever have the good fortune to meet him. He has been front and centre (ironically, while being mostly hidden) in preserving the Muppet legacy over the past 22 years and I can't quantify how grateful I am for this.

Many thanks and believe me I hold the same level of ambivalence towards myself as well, I can only reiterate what I've said before that Mr. Whitmire and Mr. Jacobson were very Lovely and accommodating, heres from what I can recollect the moment I met Eric.

*Eric gets out of the Transport.*

Me: Eric, hi

*Eric seems very surprised that I know who he is and is even more surprised when I ask him for his Autograph*

The fact that they were so kind holds testament to the characters that the World over instantly recognises, those of Love and Happiness.

Hugging him felt nothing short of the most natural thing I could have done, a quick wave of the hand with a "Thanks Steve." would surely not have done justice, hugging Steve was not just hugging Kermit, but Steve but most of all (in my own way) hugging Jim Henson and the legacy he's left behind.

 

[KingR76]

That might be a bad idea. Here's me if I see Steve and Eric.

"OMGONZO! yOUGUYSARESOAWESOMEiREALLYREALLYREALLYLIKEYOURPUPPETEERING,CANIHOLDMISSPIGGY?KERMIT?NO?DARN.AUTOGRAPHPLZ!"

BAD IDEA I SAY!

Kermit, Miss Piggy and Fozzie weren't on their arms They were brought in in specical heavy duty carry cases. But I think they'd have loved to have seen your input

 

[panmanthe2nd]

Wow! I would have loved to have been there. It sound's like it was great.

 

[KingR76]

As I mentioned in "Miss Piggy will be on the Red Carpet for the Baftas today." people would be yelling out the names of those strutting the Red Carpet in all their majestic Hollywood glory hoping to get hallowed Autographs, Photos etc and I knew that Miss Piggy was going to be on the Red Carpet interviewing which is why I braved the almost below zero temperatures to camp out overnight.

Miss Piggy had already been Filmed arriving on the Red Carpet and shortly afterwards she was carried (covered up) by a pr up the Red Carpet closely followed by Eric...

Its obvious that as a Muppet Fan I knew exactly who Eric was because out of EVERYONE behind the barriers containing upwards of two thousand people only I yelled out:

"Eric!"

He came over and we had a really good nice chat (normally meeting someone is about five seconds an Autograph, a Photo (if lucky) and then off to the next person, with Eric we had around a three minute chat, he remembered me from when we first met as mentioned in the first post in this thread, I asked how Steve was and graciously signed "Its a very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie." I'd told him about how I'd posted on here about meeting him and Steve, he also mentioned how he'd seen this thread so it is true - the Muppeteers actually do check out Muppet Central!!!!!!!!!!!

Also I mentioned how great the "The Muppets" was, I saw it when it was released here on Friday, and said how it made me smile, laugh and (when Kermit and Miss Piggy sing Rainbow Connection) cry also said how I found the scenes showing nods to Jim very lovely indeed - to be honest it was nice seeing Jim Henson on screen

I asked him if he would kindly say something in character as Miss Piggy but it was understandable he didnt want me to film him doing it (because he wasn't performing Miss Piggy at the time) he was lovely for stopping and chatting but I kid you not its no exaggeration that I was the only person who as a Muppet Fan knew what Eric looked like.

Eric. Thank you for stopping and spending the time you spent with myself and my Friends - as I've mentioned the real reason I did the Baftas this year (subjecting myself to utter uk coldness was to see Miss Piggy on the Red Carpet) thank you again, it was the highlight of this years Baftas

 

[Walter]

Wow King, That's amazing! and to think that the muppeteers really do read muppetcentral!!

"If you're reading this right now, Hi Mr.Jacobson and thank you for being awesome!!!"

But anways, Congradulations on having an awesome time at the BAFTA's!