It's Not Easy Being Green

Today marks the 62nd birthday of Kermit the Frog. Hard to believe the little green guy could be a card carrying member of AARP, but he is, or is he? He is not because, unlike us, Kermit has never aged from the time he broke onto the scene in 1955. I grew up with Kermit on Sesame Street, one of the first original characters of that show, and so did my daughters. Kermit was the star in our house daily as my oldest daughter at the age of 2 played a Sesame Street video of a "Greatest Hits Countdown" type of show Muppet Style over and over. Kermit's contribution to the countdown was a song called "Doo Wop Hop" Most afternoons Leah was in the living room hopping right along with Kermit. My earliest memories of Kermit were the Reporter on Sesame Street with standing in Trench Coat and Press Hat, and always opening with "Kermit the Frog here." I was in high school when The Muppet Movie came out, and I knew all the words to Rainbow Connection. I saw it at The Willow Lawn theater, now torn down, and I'm pretty sure I saw it more than once. Kermit was always the straight man, and he played it well. I have always said that Jim Henson, Kermit's creator and his voice, was a genius. I have never watched Kermit or any of the Muppets for that matter, and thought, "That's just a puppet." They have always been real live personalities to me. I used to say I would never want to go to the warehouse or room where they are kept when they are not "performing." It's pretty amazing to think that some green felt with half ping pong balls for eyes can be that real, but he was to me, and still is, and I imagine will be for many years and generations to come. Happy Birthday, Kermit! Thanks for making our lives a little greener!