No, it’s not an early April Fool’s Day joke, although it sounds like one. The University of Maryland has announced that this year’s commencement speaker at the school will be…Kermit the Frog!
Now, there is a reason for this. Kermit’s creator, the late Jim Henson graduated from the school in 1960. His major? Home Economics. The Muppet master has told the story about how Kermit the Frog came to be many times over the years. Kermit was one of Henson’s first Muppets that he created himself. No fancy supplies. He just used one of his mother’s old wool coats for the body. For the eyes, he cut a ping pong ball in half and drew pupils with a Sharpie pen.
“Nothing could make these feet happier than to speak at the University of Maryland,” Kermit said in the news release. “I just know the class of 2025 is going to leap into the world and make it a better place, so if a few encouraging words from a frog can help, then I’ll be there!”
The video announcement about the frog’s upcoming speech is priceless.
Kermit has about a month and a half to prepare his speech which will be presented to the university’s summer 2024, winter 2024 and spring 2025 graduates on May 21, 2025. It is presumed that Matt Vogel, the puppeteer who has voiced Kermit since 2017, will be the one speaking, but probably from under a table.
“I am thrilled that our graduates and their families will experience the optimism and insight of the world-renowned Kermit the Frog at such a meaningful time in their lives,” UMD President Darryll J. Pines said. “Our pride in Jim Henson knows no bounds, and it is an honor to welcome Kermit the Frog to our campus, 65 years after Mr. Henson graduated from the University of Maryland.”
Kermit is known for starring on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, numerous movies and TV specials. Kermit’s last visit to the campus last fall as part of the College of Arts and Humanities Dean’s Lecture Series must have made an impact to invite him back so soon.
Last year, Disney+ aired the Ron Howard’s documentary, Jim Henson: Idea Man which chronicles the life and times of both Henson and Kermit.
Main Image: Disney+
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