The RHLC!

[CensoredAlso]

Cool, MN, have a good time! Hope you do get to see St. John's.

Ok, awhile ago I read that a November 1992 issue of Entertainment Weekly did a feature on "The Faces of AIDS" and they did include Richard. It's really easy to get back issues. I emailed customer service and they give you the address to mail the order to. And it's only $4.00! I enjoy trying to find old magazines anyway, so this was a great opportunity.

The idea behind the feature was that the number of AIDS related obituaries was continuing to grow and crowd the pages of newspapers. A great number of people were getting lost in the shuffle, so to speak, and not getting their due tribute. ("From December 1991 to September 1992...AIDS claimed another 16,503 American lives.")

So to coincide with the fourth annual "Day Without Art" World AIDS Day tribute, Entertainment Weekly decided to dedicate five pages to photos and brief bios of people who had died in 1992.

The photo I think I saw before on that "15 Seconds to Curtain" site.

And his brief bio says "A puppeteer with Jim Henson Productions known for his work on The Muppet Show and Sesame Street."

I think I'll wait to share the whole blurb from the general feature until January; I think that would be more appropriate.

Obviously, it's a very melancholy article and piece. Very informative about the period. However, I have to say, Richard has one of the brighest smiles on the page.

On a brighter note, the magazine is an awesome thing to have, almost a time capsule. Giant camcorders, the new Apple Macintosh Performa, Beauty & the Beast out on video, cracks about Bill Clinton (Man, was he President for that long? Lol) For all the varied reasons, I'm very happy to have found this.

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Right - if we do manage to stop in, I'll let you know if I spot any familiar-looking angels hanging around.

16,503 people. All of whom could have done (or continued to do) great things in life...and that number's for the U.S. alone. Sounds like a really interesting (and heart-rending) piece...now I really can't wait for January 7.

And the photo they used for Richard's section - I think I know the one you're talking about. It might be the one they used in an article for USA Today in January 1992 - it's a black and white photo, and it's a head shot of Richard in an Aran sweater and a dark-colored turtleneck - and that well-known gap in his incisors is conspicuously absent...

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

Not to break the mood or anything, but I had a quasi-disturbing Muppet-related dream last night.

I dreamed that I had gone home to visit the family, and for some reason or other everyone was really tightly wound (myself included). And among ten different other things, I'm standing over the work table in my mother's sewing room, looking down at Richard's quilt. And it's coming apart at the seams in several places, and Mom and I are trying to figure out the best way to fix it while all sorts of chaos rages in the background.

I'm probably going to chalk it up to academic stress, it being that time of the semester and all that.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I dreamed that I had gone home to visit the family, and for some reason or other everyone was really tightly wound (myself included). And among ten different other things, I'm standing over the work table in my mother's sewing room, looking down at Richard's quilt. And it's coming apart at the seams in several places, and Mom and I are trying to figure out the best way to fix it while all sorts of chaos rages in the background.

I'm probably going to chalk it up to academic stress, it being that time of the semester and all that.

"Coming apart at the seams..." Hmm, rather symbolic! I agree, it's probably academic stress. I've often found your mind tends to mix familiar scenarios all together in dreams in order to make a point. Hope the stress eventually gets better! And remember, the quilt made it safely to its destination in real life! Lol

And the photo they used for Richard's section - I think I know the one you're talking about. It might be the one they used in an article for USA Today in January 1992 - it's a black and white photo, and it's a head shot of Richard in an Aran sweater and a dark-colored turtleneck - and that well-known gap in his incisors is conspicuously absent...

Yup, that's the one. I've always liked that photo, again for the smile.

Another thing I noticed about the feature was how unusual Richard's bio was compared to everyone else's. Not to be critical of the other people in the article, they all acomplished great things in their careers. But you're looking down the list and you see "actor," "dancer," "casting director" etc. Then suddenly you see "Puppeteer for Jim Henson..." It really stands out.

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

I know - there are lots of actors, dancers and casting directors in the world. But puppeteers for Jim Henson - they're a somewhat rarer species.

And that is a good photo - in the photo, he really does look like someone you'd want to know, someone you can sit down and have a cup of coffee (or other caffeine-laden drink) and a chat with.

About the quilt - that's true; last December, we saw the quilt off at the local UPS place, and according to the photo on the AIDS quilt site, it arrived in one piece. And they've got a crew of people who go in and make periodic repairs after a block comes back from being on display. But still, in the dream, I remember feeling really on edge - and we were trying all sorts of ways to patch up the seams and none of them worked and...like I said, academic stress.

I'd say it was senioritis, but for the fact that I went through the same stress in my junior year...and my sophomore year...and my freshman year.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Personally, I think senioritis starts Senior year of High School and then never really leaves! Lol

I think that's one of the reasons Richard never drifted too far from the Muppets. As I said before, where else do you get to play an opera singing pig alongside Beverly Sills?

 

[Muppet Newsgirl]

And that's only part of it...let's face it, being with the Muppets really allows one to hobnob with some of the most famous names (and the people those names belong to, natch) in the world. The Muppets are the Beatles of the puppetry world, and the chance to work with them is the proverbial golden handshake.

It's like I said in an earlier post...Richard Hunt might not have made it to his 41st birthday, but with all the things he accomplished, all the people he met and all the places he got to visit, he lived enough for three lifetimes.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Ohhhh, The Peace Carol!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nm7PxV5Uf3E

Merry Christmas!

Another thing I like about the photo is that he doesn't look miserable, though he'd have every right to. He manages to smile even in such a trying time. I'm not sure I could do that, but then again, perhaps it is possible.

As far careers, it reminds me of Star Trek. Over the years, various actors have chosen to left the show to persue other opportunities. Now it was their choice and I'm sure they found great opportunities elsewhere. On the other hand, for the most part, they ended up in obsurity; an actor's life is tough! But the actors who remained on Star Trek had a steady job for years and will always be remembered for having been a part of such a wonderful and influential show.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I just found this page on Muppet Wiki, about the Daytime Emmy awards Sesame Street won over the years. Very nice photo included (though I imagine it would make some of the puppteers blush now; sort of like looking at an old yearbook photo hehe):

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Daytime_Emmy_Awards

It seems we were right after all, Richard was definitely sporting a ponytail at the end of the Sex and Violence pilot, lol. I have to say, I really like this look!

Another thing I noticed, the other puppeteers are simply holding their Emmys, while Richard is clearly shoving his to the front for all the world to see, lol. He looks so proud and this is also one of those instances where he really looks like Scooter.

Couple of sidenotes, is Richard the only one wearing light pants? And now that I look at it, I think the jacket is different too, it looks more felt-ish. Lol, dare to be different as usual!

It's also nice to see Fran Brill and Caroll Spinney; they don't get included in group photos very often.

 

[BeakerSqueedom]

Well, I hope this does not sound offensive.
But AIDs derived from green monkeys..

Alright, I may be getting over the line here.
Curiosity has claimed me like a plague, and I just had to figure out where it came from. There it is.

Green monkeys.

Possibly some helpless explorer got bitten and began to spread it about.

This may sound awfully silly, but I thought it was something that came from humans...

I was terribly wrong.

--

Not to start a sympathy campaign!
I just wanted to know where it came from.

Based on recent studies, AIDs spreads like a wildfire.
I dislike reading of it, because I get overly paranoid (more than usual)...
Though, it's better to know than to remain ignorant of it.

On a lighter note, Mr. Hunt's brother played Scooter well in Muppets From Space (even if it was just a cameo). Sounded very much like Scooter.

I am flattered by Rickey Boyd's voice (that his name?)...perfect imitation of Richard's light boyish voice.



However, based on observation...
He has his own way of doing Scoot's movement.
While Richard's control over Scooter was a little bouncy and had tilts of the head here and there....

Rick's was a little too settled.

I missed Richard's way with Scooter.



Great muppeteering from Rick still!