As Washington and Lee’s resident puppeteer, I would be remiss if I allowed the year to go by without acknowledging a most important cultural anniversary. This significant event is the 70th anniversary of the creation of the American puppet ensemble “The Muppets.”

Almost 70 years ago, in 1955, American puppeteer Jim Henson debuted a character on a local Washington, D.C. television show “Sam and Friends.” That character was Kermit the Frog, a highly articulated hand puppet of a humanized green frog whose later appearance in the 1969 show “Sesame Street” ultimately shot Henson and the puppet himself to national stardom.

However, it wasn’t until the premiere of the Muppets’ 1976 variety sketch comedy show that the Muppets as a whole became prominent worldwide. This sketch comedy show featured musical numbers intertwined with appearances from well-known celebrities such as Liza Minnelli, Don Knotts and Debbie Harry. The show became one of the most sought-after for celebrities to appear on, which in turn granted the Muppets their own celebrity status.

Since their original variety show, Kermit and his Muppet family have been fixtures of the entertainment industry worldwide. While Kermit is typically viewed as the leader and most famous Muppet, there are many other notable Muppet characters including Miss Piggy, Fozzy Bear, Sam Eagle and over 3,500 other unique and beloved Muppets.

Even after the untimely death of Henson in 1990, the Muppets have continued to expand their media empire and, especially with the Muppet Studio’s acquisition by Disney in 2004, their audience.

Through variety shows, sitcoms, blockbuster movies and more, the Muppets have found success in practically every form of entertainment media. Their time in the industry has earned them numerous Oscar and Emmy wins as well as two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Kermit’s 2002 star and The Muppet’s 2012 star).

The Muppets’ dominance isn’t limited to just movies and television, however. Kermit the Frog’s popular 2006 autobiography, “A Frog’s Eye View of Life’s Greatest Lessons,” even became a bestseller during the time of its publication. Furthermore, two Muppets’ songs have cracked the Top 40 Billboard Chart, and Kermit’s famous banjo hit “Rainbow Connection,” was selected in 2020 by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Recording Registry.

The Muppets have even spoken in academic settings, such as when in 1996 Kermit the Frog was awarded an honorary doctorate on “Amphibious Letters” from Southampton College in New York where he also gave the graduation commencement speech. While the Muppets’ academic value can be debated, it is still fascinating that people have a willingness to listen to the Muppets when they speak. They are treated as almost human, which is the function of a puppet after all.

On another note, President Dudley, if you are reading this, please invite a Muppet to speak at Washington and Lee.

With the Muppets’ longstanding cultural relevance, it’s no wonder that generations of people find comfort and joy in them. In my own experience headlining a children’s puppet show, I can attest to the observation that puppets are unique vessels for storytelling. Children will treat puppets as fully living beings, even when their performers are in complete view. Children and adults alike will tolerate the antics of an entertaining puppet, and I have seen many adults emotionally moved by puppet theatre.

My entire life I have been a fan of the Muppets, and they’ve always had a magnetism that has attracted me. I vividly remember my excitement when going to see the 2011 Muppet Movie in a theatre and looking forward to the “The Muppet Christmas Carol” coming on TV every December. The Muppets are living proof of the versatility that puppets offer within performance space, and puppeteers like Jim Henson have paved the way for countless contemporaries to tell stories with their own puppet creations.

As far as what the next 70 years hold for the Muppets, nobody can know for sure. Still, I have no doubt that whatever the Muppets do next, they will find plenty of support amongst the lovers, the dreamers, and of course, me.