When Jim Henson passed away, his memorial services were anything but sad! Learn more about this amazing event

There was nothing sad about the memorial services of the creator of the Muppets, Jim Henson. There was a memorial service held in London and one in New York. The events were open to the public, but there were rules, and they were stipulated by Henson himself: Nobody who attended was allowed to wear black, and every mourner received a colourful butterfly. The butterflies were crafted by the Muppet Workshop and mounted on metal stems.

The services were opened with the Sesame Street theme song played on an organ, and the last song was a solo by Big Bird, who was later joined by a mass of puppeteers and the Muppets, performing the song ‘Just One Person.’

Harry Belafonte was present at the New York event and paid tribute to Henson by saying: "There is no question about Jim Henson's great artistry and the extent to which we have all been touched by it. Greater than his artistry was his humanity."

Henson’s sense of humor was present throughout the services, as evident in an excerpt from a letter read that he wrote four years before his death, in which he said: "It feels strange writing this kind of thing while I'm still alive, but it wouldn't be easy to do after I go."

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