15 Minutes of Heaven

For the longest time, there was only one video available of the moving memorial service for Jim Henson, from May 21, 1990, though by itself that one was plenty enough, with an enthralling performance of the song, "Just One Person."  Within the past year, however, a few additional videos have appeared, each absolutely wonderful.

I just came across a new one.  And this might be competing for the title of best of them all. 

It's six of the Muppet performers as themselves, but using their famous voices, singing a long medley of Jim Henson's favorite songs, the way (as they explain) that they'd do it during recording sessions.  There are some lovely surprises in this, including a sequence that puts another video from the service in a larger perspective and ultimately turns something great into ethereal.  (Sorry about being coy, but I don't want to give any of the surprises away.)

One other thing I loved here was the inclusion of two dear poems by A.A. Milne (who of course wrote Winnie the Pooh) that had been set to music years ago, and which I had a little kid.  One of them is "Halfway Down the Stairs" and the other "Cottleston Pie."

There were two memorials held, the other in London.  For both the public was invited, though there was only one stipulation -- that no one wear black.

Sit back for the next 15 minutes and revel in something moving and glorious, all the more so in its simplicity.

From left to right are Dave Goelz, Frank Oz, Kevin Clash, Steve Whitmire (who proves it is easy being green), Jerry Nelson (not seen in the image below, with a beard)) and Richard Hunt who introduces it all.