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Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Original Kermit the Frog

“Hi Ho! Kermit the Frog, here!”

Can’t tell you how many times I sat down in my grandparent’s kitchen to watch “The Muppet Show” with my grandpa over the years and heard that phrase.

Grandpa was partial to the two elderly muppets, Statler & Waldorf, who sat in the balcony and provided commentary throughout the show. Grandpa would smile and laugh at their comments. That made me smile and laugh.

I was always partial to Kermit. I understood his humor better. I also liked Fozzie Bear, Beaker and Animal. I wasn’t really a Miss Piggy fan, but I loved the “Pigs in Space” skit.

All of this is why the “Original Kermit the Frog donated to the Smithsonian” story in the USA Today caught my eye. Jim Henson’s widow, Jane, recently donated 10 of her husband’s original characters.

The original Kermit was made from an old dull-green coat that Henson’s mother threw away initially (see the above pictures). His eyes were made of ping pong balls.

You have to love creative types.

This trip down memory lane today, led me to YouTube where I found this adorable clip of Kermit interviewing Animal: