YMMV / Jim Henson

• Animation Age Ghetto: Henson was cured of this when a vacation in Europe showed what the art of puppetry can do with the serious practitioners there. For the rest of his life, Henson was determined to spread that respect, but it proved a frustrating uphill struggle.
• Common Knowledge: It's widely believed that Henson died of bacterial pneumonia, but that's because his doctor initially identified it as such when talking to the media about what happened. A couple of weeks later after further investigation, the doctor decided that the cause of death was actually organ failure from a different type of Streptococcus infection. However, his correction wasn't as widely reported, so most people weren't aware that it wasn't pneumonia after all.
• Creator Worship: Jim Henson is heavily respected and worshiped for his talent, creativity, and being an integral part of millions of people's childhoods as well as being, by all accounts, a remarkably kind and gentle person who was beloved by those he worked with. Criticizing him — and, by extension, the Muppets themselves — will earn you plenty of enemies!
• Genre Turning Point: How many people today look at all the various different puppets on TV, the Internet, movies, and such, and think that none of them would probably even be here today if it wasn't for Henson practically reinventing the art form of puppetry?
  • Frank Oz actually Lampshaded this in an interview, in which he said when you see puppets on TV today, they're Muppets, and even compares it to the way all paper tissues are called "Kleenex" or all copiers are "Xerox machines".
• Harsher in Hindsight:
  • "Tick Tock Sick", a catchy jazz piece written and performed by Henson in 1960 about the rhythm of ticking clocks (until Henson can't take it anymore and gets rid of the clocks). The song becomes depressing once you realize the deal with all those clocks: in 1956, Jim's older brother, Paul Henson Jr., was killed in a car accident. This had the positive side effect of pushing the Muppets toward more zany, colorful humor rather than dark and gritty material, but the negative side effect of making Jim aware of his own mortality, symbolized by (what else?) a ticking clock. Suddenly, the song goes from a rhythm of ticking clocks set to jazz music to Henson trying to thwart the looming shadow of death he believed was catching up to him. A fact made even worse when Jim himself died in 1990.
    • Need proof? One of the song's lyrics goes, "All night long, cozily sleeping / Never suspecting of the end that was coming..."
  • As Henson's health rapidly deteriorated before finally admitting himself to the hospital, he actually joked, "Maybe I'm dying."
  • In his letter to his children in the event of his death, Henson mentioned that his funeral could be emceed by Richard Hunt, "If he's still around". While Hunt would still be around for the funeral, he would be the next Muppet Performer to die just two years later.
  • Jim took interest in CGI during its early commercial years and believed it could one day be used to further advance the art of puppetry. Since the Henson Company's re-purchasing from Constatin Medien in 2003, and the acquisition of The Muppets by Disney, their most successful shows have been computer-animated while most of their puppet shows are lucky to make it past the first season before getting the ax. Worse, their first post-Henson adult puppet film was a complete flop.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Always thrilled by new technology, Jim was excited to dabble in both chroma key and CGI when they were both still relatively new... fast-forward to the 21st century, where practically almost all of traditional puppetry in film and television has been replaced by chroma key and CGI (and not necessarily as advances in technology as also interested Henson, but rather because it's cheaper and easier than to stage elaborate scenes with traditional puppetry).
• Posthumous Popularity Potential: Henson was well appreciated before, but after his death, his reputation as the master puppeteer and television producer cemented fully, to the point where previously underappreciated projects of his like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal became regarded as Cult Classics.
• Tear Jerker: While Henson's death alone would certainly fit this trope, his memorial takes the cake. Specifically, Big Bird taking center stage to sing "It's Not Easy Being Green". Made even worse as you can hear performer Caroll Spinney clearly holding back tears during his performance.
  Big Bird: Thank you, Kermit.
  • Frank Oz's speech during the memorial was probably the most emotional. It gets to the point where he begins to break down and can't even continue speaking after talking about a very elaborate and well thought-out gift that Jim once gave him, and how that ultimately defined how close he and Jim were.
  Frank Oz: And the simplicity of the concept was also Jim. And the quality of the gift, and the craftsmanship, and it all speaks so much of Jim, that gift. And I think the love...I think that’s when I knew...he loved me and I loved him...
  • Bernie Brillstein's speech is pretty heart-wrenching too. Like Frank Oz, towards the end of his speech he comes close to breaking down and walks away from the podium. His near-breakdown is a bit more subtle than Frank Oz, but you can still clearly see the man holding back tears. But it was what he said right before he started to break down that really gets to you.
  Bernie Brillstein: Jim inspired people to be better than they thought they could be - to be more creative, more daring, more outrageous, and ultimately, more successful. And he did it all without raising his voice. That whisper will stay with all of us for a long time. Now we'll just have to listen a little harder to hear it...
  • And then there was the special also in dedication to Jim: The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson: For context, Fozzie and the rest of the Muppets are planning a tribute for someone, but don't know who it is, and Kermit's not around to help. Through clips and letter, the group learns all about Jim Henson and his work and are amazed at what a creative person he is...until a condolence letter from a young fan causes them to suddenly realize Jim is dead. To say they're heartbroken is an understatement. The revelation leads to a Despair Event Horizon when Fozzie cancels their planned tribute, feeling that Jim was such an amazing and brilliant person that their tribute can't do him justice. Instead, they, alongside Muppets from Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock, sing a very touching take on Just One Person.
    Gonzo: But we were just starting to get to know him...
    • It gets a lot sadder when you consider that, in a sense, Henson was the father of the Muppets...and it's their tribute to their dear old dad.
    • And sadder still in that without saying as much, the Muppets are grieving the loss of not only their father, but their friend Kermit, who has been conspicuously missing through the whole tribute. Many children (and adults) were concerned that the death of Jim Henson meant that his primary character, Kermit, would be permanently retired. In the final moments of the special, after the Muppets pull together and pull a touching number for Jim after all, Kermit, now performed by Steve Whitmire, addressed the audience directly, assuring them that the show will go on because "that's what the boss would want."

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