The Muppets and Heretic

I've spent some time lately watching my season 2 DVD of the Muppet Show. Most people who know me know I am a rabid fan of the Muppets and have been since childhood. (I'm referring to JIM HENSON'S Muppets, of course, not anything that has happened since The Muppets Take Manahttan). I've been known to call them magical because no other puppet or animated character has been more real to me than Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, The Electric Mayhem Band and all the rest. Even the odd little side characters with no name have personality and dimension.

I learned so much from the Muppets. I got a great music education from them. I heard so many of the standards for the first time performed by Muppets. The greatest of entertainers guest-starred on The Muppet Show, many of whom were hold outs from the days of Vaudeville. The Muppets represented and respected art forms from many ages and many cultures and were friends to all who entered their domain.

The best thing I learned from the Muppets is the importance of silliness and the great joy to be found in embracing our own goofiness. From the Muppets I learned that it is not only okay to be weird, but actually preferable. I learned early and well not to take myself too seriously. I did forget for a while, but having had the lesson firmly established early, it has not been difficult to come back to this golden philosophy.

The Muppets represented an allignment of talents and energies so profound that there was no option but for the world to take notice and learn something, and everyone wanted to be a part of it, puppets or not.

I am a part of a group of people right now who are about to bring the world the next phase of the lessons the Muppets introduced to the world. The same magic, the same allignment, the same joy in our own dumb-ass-ness is present in what I get to do, and I am so profoundly greatful.

Thank you Jim Henson and The Muppets, and thank you Heretics.

-Ady