Personal Award: Jim Henson and The Muppets

Back in 1978 the Peabody Board recognized Jim Henson for “gentle satire, clever characters, genuine good humor and for high standards for family viewing.” So, what else is new? Viewers still get treated in the same gentle satirical way when the Muppets appear, they still find their appearances filled with good humor, and the family can still sit together and watch and enjoy without fear of embarrassment. Now, thirty years after Jim Henson began the creation of the Muppet family (which, incidentally now numbers more than 200 characters) members of the Peabody Board (many of whom are still genuinely children at heart) use the traditional certificate and medallion to make a personal recognition of Jim Henson’s fantastic contributions to American television (and indeed to the entire American scene). In honoring Jim Henson the Peabody Board also honors “Miss Piggy” and “Kermit The Frog,” and a myriad cast of others, all of whom document that America is still a nation where “rags to riches” dreams do come true and where even pigs and frogs don’t have to present an American Express card to be instantly recognizable. A personal Peabody to Jim Henson and the Muppets for thirty years of good, clean fun and outstanding entertainment!