Richard Hunt: The Gay Man Behind the Muppets

[@DennisDegan]

I worked on Sesame Street as part of the technical crew doing videotape and video control 1979-85 and remember Richard Hunt very well. Though we never had any direct conversations, he made a big impact on me as I watched him perform on the show. I thought he was one of the most talented, outgoing muppet performers on the show and I was deeply saddened when I heard of his passing. He will always be special to me as the shining star taken from us too soon.

[@AvgJane19]

❤

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@AvgJane19 Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@philstrachan]

❤

[@Spankydoodle]

That’s really cool. Did you get to meet Jim?

[@SewardWriter]

Dude, you helped to build one of the good parts of my childhood. Thank you. 💖

[@VioletCatbird]

"Gay Muppets? That'll be a fun one to watch while getting ready." *15 minutes later, WEEPING* "I guess I won't be wearing mascara today after all..."

[@rotomblack8389]

OMG I started watching this on break at WORK!?!?! I just told everyone I have bad allergies then politely excused myself lol

[@rafaelmonroyrojas4240]

Same 🥺😭😭

[@JamesChessman]

Really, I was about to watch this video and since I saw your comments about crying, well forget it, I'm not gonna watch it right now!! I don't feel like crying at the moment!!

[@zuglymonster]

Same. I'm sitting here bawling now

[@NoahSpurrier]

I know,,right? It hurts, but I’m also happy.

[@sopraltenass13]

I will admit it. I got a little emotional when Frank Oz said "Thanks for helping me understand."

[@thebiggestcauldron]

I did too!

[@stevem2646]

me too

[@averyeml]

Literally at this point I can’t see a clip from any Muppet production without wanting to cry. There aren’t a ton of things made with half the love, warmth, and care that Muppet productions have. It warms my heart even in the sad moments.

[@UnicornFairy42]

@Emma Avery Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@IlaughedIcried]

Same. Exactly.

[@ttintagel]

Richard Hunt is the unsung hero of the Muppets. It's about time he got the recognition he deserved.

[@erikschultz934]

I completely agree. Same should be said about Dave Goelz and the late Jerry Nelson.

[@RaymondHng]

@@erikschultz934 Hunt has won four Emmy Awards and two Grammy Awards.

[@erikschultz934]

@@RaymondHng I did not know that. Thank you.

[@ttintagel]

@@erikschultz934 While I totally agree about Dave's and Jerry's importance, I feel that they at least got a chance to be somewhat better-known due to their survival into the Internet age.

[@tyrone42ful]

I thought jim henson was gay as well .. then there was whalan and madam

[@NotContinuum]

Re: Bert and Ernie. I can respect when a straight man says he doesn't feel he can authentically play a gay character or he doesn't want to create a token gay character just to pander to a group. That said, the way around that is to educate yourself on gay life/hire a gay person to do it, and create a gay character that isn't a token but an actual important part of the show.

[@CPTDoom]

I saw the special where the CTW executive apologized for denying the possibility they could be gay, and it was incredibly meaningful.

[@curtismartin2866]

I was on that Twitter thread!

[@TheSongwritingCat]

YMMV. Personally, I think queer readings can be valid and interesting but I don't like insisting that characters that are not canonically gay secretly are and pushing for that acknowledgement by the creators. I think it can be messy. However, while the best option is creating a new character, as new actors take on roles in long-running stories, why not let the characters evolve into a "new version" of the character? If you can do it with James Bond and Doctor Who, why not Bert and Ernie?

[@nathanfeatherstone9807]

the amount of rules gays have for how everyone should act is unreal

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@curtismartin2866 Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@SchneiderGeorge]

This video has a special meaning for me. Back in the 70s I shared an apartment for a while with Chuck Gibson, who brought Richard over a few times. I never got to know him all that well, but he was there. Those lines you quoted of "Charles Gibson" meant a lot. Chuck moved to San Francisco about then. I lost track of him. I seriously doubt he's still alive.

[@ForrestFox626]

Lucky!

[@VeracityLH]

Thank you for sharing, George. We never know how we touch the lives of others.

[@TyrekeCorrea]

Are you using this identity as a guise?

[@gigiduhermoine890]

Check out Wikipedia...

[@gigiduhermoine890]

He died of Aids in 1992. Rip 🙏

[@em-cj2zw]

i cried watching this. there’s just something so reassuring about a classic, widely-beloved tv show being so accepting and open minded so ahead of its time, even if just mostly behind the scenes.

[@UnicornFairy42]

@em Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@blackphillip8486]

The Fraggle Rock part about letting go and saying goodbye really hit me, it's not the same thing as Richard was talking about death, but my fiance who I had been with for 10yrs just left me this month and I've been having a very hard time with moving on. This brought me to tears. 💔

[@JimmyNails27]

I hope you find your peace.

[@Hiiiiiiiiieeee]

Same here. My partner of 7 years and I recently separated. Keeping the good memories and moving on is hard but its for the best. 💕

[@blackphillip8486]

@@Hiiiiiiiiieeee I'm sorry to hear that, I've actually been trying meditation and it seems to be helping to ease my mind a bit. I'll take any relief I can get right now.

[@blackphillip8486]

@@JimmyNails27 thank you so much. 💜

[@euansmith3699]

Jeez, dude, that is heartbreaking. All the very best to you and yours. ❤

[@cunard61]

Richard Hunt (Scooter) and John Denver presented one of the finest duets in television history when they performed "The Peace Carol" on the "Christmas Together" special.

[@jmondine1]

Jerry Nelson and Richard lived close to each other, and would hang out on each other's porch having full conversations in "Two headed monster" speech.

[@garfreeek]

That's pretty much what my goofy gay heart sees as a perfect couple thing! ♥️😂

[@mevb]

They were close friends cuz Nelson was his mentor on Sesame Street and taught him about puppetry. Aside from The Two-Headed Monster they played together as Floyd Pepper and Janice, who were (and still are) in a relationship, Robin and Sweetums in The Frog Prince and in the Muppet Show sketch Two Lost Souls, among others. Nelson took over the role of Statler after Hunt's death until he died himself (though Nelson did Statler in Sex and Violence). Though they were close friends, they weren't together as Nelson was married and had a daughter (who sadly passed away in 1982 due to cystic fibrosis, she cameos with her dad in The Great Muppet Caper).

[@garfreeek]

@@alexmollon933 I'll practice our Muppet audition next Saturday! 🤣

[@johnshoemakerpbc]

I bet that was amazing to see!!!!

[@Fan-zy5me]

I also heard they regularly toked up together. Even before taping segments for sesame street. Does that make them bad guys? Fuck no

[@ttintagel]

And then there's “Bein' Green,” that simple little tune sung by a cute frog, that's also one of the most powerful anthems of radical self-acceptance I've ever heard. I know the most obvious interpretation is about skin color, but it's so much more universal than that. For “green,” substitute gay, trans, disabled, lesbian, neurodivergent, intersex, nonbinary, different in some way I don't even understand yet, etc... but that's what I am and it'll do fine. It's beautiful, and I think it's what I want to be. What struggling person doesn't need to hear that until they start believing it?

[@creepyspookyicky]

& RAINBOW CONNECTION?!?! It's not even subtle. I love it. ❣️

[@amandagardner565]

20 years ago i stumbled across a very interesting personal account of someone describing the religious & social persecution they had endured while growing up at school and socially. the kicker was the last line where the writer explained they were LEFT HANDED. only when EVERYONES rights are protected will EVRERYONES rights be protected. trans lesbian and born in 1967, no 10 of 14 children to an extremely religious catholic mother. i have an older sister who regularly got the cane by the nuns at school if she was seen writing left handed, or homework was slanted the wrong way.

[@amandagardner565]

@@creepyspookyicky rainbow connection is very much in the top 100 songs for me.

[@doubletrouble5448]

@@2up3rm4n1 yeah you can substitute it with anything you want it’s about self acceptance

[@amb600cd0]

@@amandagardner565 i think that guy needed his lefts protected

[@jacobinman7054]

“Here he is in a sauna with a pig trying to get into his armpits” just became this channel’s beating heart

[@HellaGood1999]

I mean... who hasn't had that happen once or twice... or more

[@mrpoohbearlvr]

Past days at the baths. 😋😋

[@LucianCorrvinus]

Huh...sounds like my Thursday nights....

[@goobertron9099]

that’s the glue holding this world together

[@euansmith3699]

I felt that was meeting a world-famous ballet dancer and being told by them, "I bet you love to suck 🐓."

[@wendymccoy1093]

I've been saying for years that Statler and Waldorf are just two old queens who just like to throw shade.

[@gingerkid1048]

So Bianca Del Rio and Lady Bunny?

[@wendymccoy1093]

Hell yeah!

[@jdwinks40]

Myself and my husband in any situation where we are people watching in public magically turn into them lol

[@ttintagel]

And Waldorf’s wife is Statler in drag!

[@creepyspookyicky]

@@gingerkid1048 completely! But Bunny's legs are better lol

[@aliichi]

Damn... why am I crying over some clips from shows I didn't watch as a kid? RIP Mudwell.

[@brandonjustis]

same. the fraggle rock clip teared me up, and it stayed that way from jim henson's memorial to the wink at the end. goddamn this is a good video.

[@caloiboi]

Currently sobbing & I don't know if I'm just projecting but it looks like Matt was fighting back tears too.

[@goobertron9099]

Fraggle rock’s amazing if you plan on watching it!

[@rotomblack8389]

OMG I was NOT prepared for this video! I grew up in the 80's the muppets, Fraggles and sesame st were instrumental and formative to who I am as an adult.. I am currently aggressively weeping

[@josephyn89]

same here

[@electrojones]

I'm not gay myself, but I have plenty of gay and trans people in my life who are important to me. Your channel really helps me to understand the world many of my friends inhabit and the culture that surrounds them (and all of us). You're doing a great job with these. They're really well produced, too!

[@SanjayMerchant]

Statler having had a fling with Lionel Barrymore is my newest favorite thing.

[@liam1558]

I feel like the Muppets have a special connection for anyone who feels like an outsider. Sometimes people relate to them because they're a bunch of misfits who work together and become like a family.

[@SarahBoyd1]

A special connection indeed - a rainbow connection, even.

[@nathancombs527]

I watched a recording of Jim Henson's memorial. It was sad. But at the same time, one of the most uplifting and optimistic things I've ever watched.

[@The11thEvilEx]

I would just like to add: There is a moment in Muppets: Wizard of Oz where the Muppets travelling with Dorothy refer to themselves as "Friends of Dorothy." The Muppets straight up told everyone they were gay.

[@LazyWaterZ-YT]

how?..... im seeing no connect. but if you aint serious ill do this r/whooooosh

[@renhousley1649]

Did you know that people used the passcode "are you a friend of drorthy " to get into stonewall

[@LazyWaterZ-YT]

@@renhousley1649 i did not know that

[@kiahmadison8541]

@@LazyWaterZ-YT I'm surprised you don't see the connection.. Friend of Dorothy is one of the most common LGBTI code words/phrases for someone being gay or lesbian.

[@kittyprydekissme]

I recently read an article about the US Navy and their attempts to hunt down and expell Gay sailors in the 1970s. If the article was correct, the Navy actually spent more than a decade trying to find Dorothy. They'd learned that Gay people were using the phrase to identify each other, and they just assumed that some woman known as Dorothy was arranging meet-ups for Gay guys all over the country. They supposedly spent years trying to track her down and get her list of all the Gay servicemen. They never found her. Should've just followed the Yellow Brick Road.

[@woody5551]

The characters evolve in our minds, and on some level people always joked kindly that Bert and Ernie were "two guys that lived together"

[@LucianCorrvinus]

A relationship is a relationship is a rekatuonship....

[@atanvardecunambiel8917]

oh my god they were roommates…

[@JamesChessman]

@@atanvardecunambiel8917 And bedmates. ;) Literally, in the older shows they shared a big bed. It changed to two beds in the same room later on!!

[@LucianCorrvinus]

@@JamesChessman what's REALLY funny...is that sharing a bed and was a regular thing in the 70s for people of color and in the poorer class. So for a big demographic it is familiar for two guys to have to share a bed...

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@LucianCorrvinus Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@chrismuskett6867]

Thankyou for making this film about the wonderful Richard Hunt. Something that you didn’t mention was that Richard used to hang out and chat with the crew who were working on The Muppet Show. If he found out that someone on the crew had kids, he would encourage them to bring their kids in to watch the show being filmed, and then after the show he would meet with them, show off the Muppets and do a little private performance for them. My Dad was a scenic carpenter who worked on the show at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, England, back in the 70s. He worked on The Muppet Show (he built Rowlf’s piano amongst other things), and so I was one of the kids invited to see the show and meet The Muppets and Richard Hunt. I actually got to go twice, and saw the Petula Clarke and Roger Moore episodes being filmed. Richard did Scooter and Beaker and Rizzo Rat for me, but the thing that stands out most for me now was when he did Miss Piggy. He used to share Miss Piggy with Frank Oz on sketches like Veterinarians Hospital. I remember my meeting with Miss Piggy going something like this… “Oh hey, hiya handsome!” Then as an aside to my Dad “Is he rich?” Must have made quite an impression on me. I can remember everything so clearly despite this being over forty years ago and I was probably only eight or nine at the time. I was extremely saddened to hear of Richards passing. Thankyou for giving me an idea of how this beautiful man lived.

[@raem7846]

It's not like I needed more reasons to love the Muppets, but here we are.

[@euansmith3699]

They were sensational, inspirational, celebrational, and Muppetational.

[@JamesChessman]

@@euansmith3699 Woah I didn't know that was the last word in the song lol!!

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@JamesChessman Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@euansmith3699 Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@UnicornFairy42]

@RAE M Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@emorag]

What a loving tribute to Richard Hunt. I had no idea about so much of this history. Can't fully explain why but I'm crying over here, and there ain't an onion in sight.

[@r053_p3t4l]

This channel is such a valuable source of queer history and so many episodes make me cry 😭

[@donaldewert2332]

I wish the word queer would die!!!

[@nathanfeatherstone9807]

you should be less beta

[@missm2925]

@@donaldewert2332 it’s a reclaimed word and a word to be proud of.

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@nathanfeatherstone9807 Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@missm2925 Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@InkieBlu]

I'm absolutely bawling. Scooter was always my favourite as a kid and knowing the actor behind him was such a loving bright soul makes him so much better.

[@ttintagel]

I've always said Miss Piggy was Fran Oz's drag persona.

[@happiestplace3754]

Richard Hunt was actually the first Miss Piggy in season 1 of the Muppet Show.

[@ttintagel]

True, but her character only really started to develop after Frank took her over full time.

[@happiestplace3754]

@@ttintagel considering what a major star her character became and so important to the Muppets, it's funny to think what a throw-away character she was in season 1, with no real name and not a consistent performer playing her. Most people don't even know that.

[@ttintagel]

I LOVE that one time she has both Richard’s and Frank’s voices in the same sketch!!

[@markwilliams2620]

I thought it was Yoda.

[@detritus10001]

Man, I didn't realize how open all of Henson's creations were. This made me cry so flipping hard, man. I used to be weirded out by homosexuality, but as I grew and matured, it's just a part of life. Forget the sexual orientation of any of these people or characters, and just look at the lessons about loving the people that mean the most to you. Live and love with all you are, because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. God bless and love you for celebrating these creative geniuses. All the best to you and yours, sir.

[@Kenobi624]

Skye, my spouse has been an active fan of all of Henson's creations since they were born (ironically the day after Jim Henson's death) and I am realizing more and more how much these characters mean to them, how openly queer they were and helping them find out more about their sexuality and gender.

[@Vic35102]

The mudwell clip makes me cry

[@Pencliff]

I didn't watch a whole lot of Muppets growing up, but this video still has me crying hearing them all singing.

[@ttintagel]

I watch that video from Jim Henson‘s memorial every time I need a good cry.

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@ttintagel Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@selalewis9189]

The timing of this is so uncanny. Just last night I rewatched one of my favorite Christmas movies, _Trading Places_ I wanted to know who the young trader who worked for the Duke Brothers. Then I see your video and I immediately recognized him as that guy! Thank you for doing a deep dive on this unspoken artist.

[@hestiathena4917]

Holy crap! I knew Frank Oz had a cameo in that film, but I never had a clue Hunt was the Dukes' guy on the trade floor. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I see it!

[@RosieTheMushrum]

I REALIZED THAT TOO HOW CRAZY

[@dreadlegend7365]

I knew he was on some movie i watched!

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@dreadlegend7365 Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@RosieTheMushrum Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@valwest9199]

had to pause around 14:45 because i literally burst into tears when you said that frank oz and the other muppets performers stayed at richard's side during his final days. i already can't think about jim henson or the muppets too long without crying, but richard hunt-and that episode from fraggle rock, one of my favorite shows now even as a 20-year-old-holds such a special place in my heart. thank you so much for this; i'm happy to see him finally getting the recognition and the full-length biography that he deserves.

[@Eva29409]

Yes! This video is wonderful. I’m so glad the Muppets are finally being seen as part of queer culture. Many of those gay jokes went over my head but it makes so much sense! The Muppets impacted me more than any for of entertainment.

[@ttintagel]

Muppet humor is on SOOO many levels.

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@ttintagel Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@vi0let831]

Lol ngl this is kinda ironic because so many homophobes say they don't want gays to influence their children, and yet they let their kids watch The Muppets which was practically co-founded/heavily influenced by a gay man 💀 It's kind of random, but this thought just came to me right now

[@RariettyC]

Just like the homophobic parents who idealize Disney movies despite Howard Ashman being a key reason why modern Disney is modern Disney 💀

[@goobertron9099]

Omg ikr!

[@andywinslow9638]

@@RariettyC Is he gay?

[@rattyeely]

@@andywinslow9638 yes, I believe this channel actually has a video on him

[@andywinslow9638]

@@rattyeely cool. I love him even more now

[@bonestartapes]

why does this channel always make videos JUST as i'm thinking about the very thing thats the subject of the new video....currently working on an essay about how the muppet show is inherently queer in its form and characters and im gonna reference richard hunt bc he's such an incredible piece of the muppet world...i think there's a very lovely and also extremely heartbreaking anecdote about him in "gay new york" (i THINK that's the title?) about him & his ex partner...also the rudolph nureyev anecdote is in there too....absolutely go off i know so much about queer history just from watching this channel, your work is amazing!!! thank you matt baume!

[@jaida4547]

It's on The Agenda, ofc we are all thinking about stuff at the same time /j

[@bmas44]

I kinda wana read it 😮

[@harleyludy6596]

I always thought that the original Muppet performers were a motley crew: each of them having incredibly unique story, with a relationship of building off of and working with each other. Every one of them has a special place in my heart, but it was good to know this great stuff about Richard Hunt. Probably the one of the original batch of performers I knew least about. Thanks for this wonderful video on an underrated Muppet performer.

[@neivilde.1242]

matt: "charles aznavour, who you've probably never heard of" me, a french speaker: how dare you sir!!!

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

I know him from anime He’s a really big deal in anime

[@neivilde.1242]

@@phoenixfritzinger9185 how????

[@phoenixfritzinger9185]

@@neivilde.1242 he kinda inspired the name Char Aznabul in Gundam You could actually do a culture cruise episode on Gundam, and I’m talking about the original one from 1979 where Char is from not Wing (which was the first breakthrough of popularity in America and was the one where the pilots looked like a boy band) He’s half of two of the most popular slash ships in early Japanese fandom history, like people still primarily used zines to talk about fandom early

[@NichtcrawlerX]

Even as a non-French person I felt insulted.

[@ToruKun1]

@@phoenixfritzinger9185 Too true, Char/Amuro was like the Japanese equivalent of Kirk/Spock

[@MegCazalet]

I’m weeping over Mudwell. That story meant so much to me. I was a sensitive child obsessed with death and anxious and fearful. Mudwell helped teach me a lesson I’m still practicing and learning and relearning today.

[@TheGFeather]

I'm not crying, you're crying... Okay, yeah, I'm crying. OG Muppet stuff just gets to me. And ditto on Fraggle Rock. It was such a huge part of my childhood. One of the best things about the way Henson and CTW made kids programs was that they embraced real and difficult things in a way that made sense to kids. If there is a single television moment I remember from my childhood, it was Mr Hooper's death on Sesame Street. I was a little too young to remember the initial broadcast, but episodes with Mr Hooper were still on air regularly in the few years that followed and I vividly remember Big Bird in that particular episode. Sad Wembly is pretty sad, but there is no sad like sad Big Bird. Sad Big Bird is the saddest thing I can imagine. It was a brave choice the studio made in directly addressing the issue, rather than simply replacing the actor or giving an off screen departure to the character. I know it wasn't the done thing at the time. And I still get teary eyed (okay properly crying) when I remember it, but it was definitely the right thing. They treated kids as real and complete people in their own right, and that's why we loved their shows.

[@rotomblack8389]

If you haven't yet, please check out the 6 part series DefunctTv did on Jim Henson's body of work here on youtube.. I think you would really enjoy them; They are so amazing and entertaining oh and *Bring Kleenex* I went through a full box! xo

[@fishflake]

i cannot even describe how happy i am to see a video about richard hunt getting such wide exposure, his contributions to the muppets both on-screen and off-screen are immeasurable but never acknowledged. i think this video did a fantastic job getting that across in under 20 minutes also, shout out to j max stein!! i've been following the progress of the biography on the blog since i was in high school, im in my mid-20s now and it's still the best resource for so many delightful interviews and anecdotes about richard, i highly recommend anyone learning about him for the first time from this video to check it out!!!!

[@Hardbody217]

Looking forward to this. Richard Hunt's performances are as important to the success of The Muppets as Jim & Frank.

[@leitmotif7268]

The story behind “Just a Dream Away” has me screambawling at work, thanks. I love it.

[@Nothing_Israel]

For some reason teared up at that Frank Oz quote near the end.

[@PuppetNerd]

This is great! We are working on a special episode celebrating Richard Hunt. We have a bunch of interview clips with the performers who worked with him.

[@MattBaume]

Oh that's so exciting! Can't wait to watch.

[@AnimeGames16]

Love the Puppet Tears podcast and that sounds very exciting! Would have been fitting to put it out on the 17th though as that would have been Richard's 70th birthday.

[@PuppetNerd]

@@AnimeGames16 Thanks! Oh it's going to take a while to put it together. These things take time. We have some unseen footage from the podcast and some still yet to be filmed. Stay tuned!

[@megelizabeth9492]

Have you gotten around to making this yet?

[@becgroen9706]

Did this video ever get posted?

[@CamMcGinn1981]

Two years after first seeing this one and commenting about it making me sob before starting a new job, the Fraggle Rock Mudwell section broke me. My best friend of nearly 25 years, who I definitely consider a soul mate, passed away in March 2024 and I don't know how long it'll take me to heal from my heart being crushed like that, but I should probably look that episode up and watch it for catharsis.

[@keosh777]

Richard was a giant among men. This entire episode had me in tears. I was 22 in '81, so deep in the closet and oblivious to the extreme suffering of my tribe. Omg .....

[@connoroleary591]

Me too. I was 21 in 81. I guess my inability to exit the dark closet saved me from AIDS. So many others were to suffer so much from a very lonely disease and death 🙏

[@keosh777]

​@@connoroleary591I've often thought the closet back then is the only reason I'm still around. I have one friend who recently told me she lost so many, if not most, friends back then. I can't even imagine.

[@nanamiharuka3269]

omg I seriously LOVED that cow and Janice! Plus one half of Statler and Waldorf? Some of the most iconic characters in my eyes!

[@slapshot68]

I couldn’t find Richard Hunt in the Museum of Moving imagines, Maybie I missed it, he definitely should be honored there

[@aisforapple25]

I have met Mr. Hunt when he was doing a production for MTV and he stayed at my hotel in New York. Including others like Steve and Mrs. Butterworth to name a few but I was amazed to meet a lot of the people that shaped my childhood and I thanked them over and over again.

[@crazychicktwo]

I'm a new fan. As a salon owner, I always search for great conversation starters. You are a great story teller.

[@HalfHeartedJG]

I got chills. Hearing my name from one of my favorite KZbinrs 😅😅😅

[@viktorberzinsky4781]

I did not expect to be crying happy tears at the end of this. I'd like to think that he died without regrets though so few knew his name. His legacy was perhaps greater that of many performers who are more widely celebrated, for he helped create enduring, iconic characters and left a behind a legacy of love, acceptance, and laughter that touched the hearts of people who truly needed it.

[@amandamarklandyoga]

Omg. The Mudwell Fraggle episode. It makes me cry even now. Holy shit.

[@ingridfong-daley5899]

And here I am bawling again at footage of Jim Henson's memorial service. It's one of those things I rewatch periodically, just to remind me of the best parts of human nature and the magic of wonder and curiosity. Richard Hunt was my favourite muppeteer. Long live subversive jokes, puppetry, and bright felt!

[@stellarjuju8788]

When all the muppets come together to sung Just one person at the memorial if gets me in the feels everytime. Really was a beautiful moment..🥲

[@sha11235]

He also appeared in films. He was in Trading Places as Wilson, the guy who was handling the OJ stuff near the end of the film for the Dukes.

[@basil5980]

Soooooo excited for this video, I think it’s time we fully cement the muppets as a part of gay culture lol.

[@simonkisielewski3327]

Jotaro will be surely confused after seeing his daughter here Xd

[@JamesChessman]

I agree but unfortunately your comment makes gay culture sound like an alien blob who is consuming everything and it's becoming cemented as part of itself!!

[@eduardochavacano]

are you serious? Involuntary Celibacy can be hard, but please dont become a terrorist. Why must gay culture sound like its something that came from Uranus? Why the desperation. Madonna is 63 and still rules the Pop Universe, at least outside America where her gaydiance is celebrated in places like Fiji, Malawi, Uruguay, Krygystan, and Iran. So calm those tits, gay marriage will soon be legalized in more places including China. If you dont piss off the Chinese by calling everything a gay iconography. Oops, You were just being sarcastic.

[@themadwomanskitchen9732]

The song Richard Hunt sang as Scooter at Jim's memorial, "If Just One Person Believes in You," gets me EVERY TIME! It reminds me so much of my late husband Tim who died of HIV complications in 1995. Tim ALWAYS believed in me. What a strange twist of fate that Tim and Jim Hunt died of the same illness.

[@megan2176]

That was so fun, though I did shed some tears, lots of good memories watching those shows!! Makes me want to curl up and watch them for an afternoon, with a bowl of sugar cereal, or grilled cheese and ketchup! Nostalgia ;)

[@agatharuncible5876]

Fraggle Rock was just about the only piece of Henson media I did not watch when I was a kid- this clip you shared is absolutely heart rending. It was brought to my attention this year that Jim Henson himself may have been in the closet, which is something I'd never considered before.

[@christopherbubb2890]

What a beautiful, loving tribute. It brought tears to my eyes. I didn't know who Richard Hunt was until recently but I've learned quite a bit about him since I started rewatching "Fraggle Rock." His was a light and a talent extinguished far too soon, but as long as his work keeps bringing joy to new generations, he's never really gone. By the way, I'd be remiss not to mention another of my favorite characters of his... Don Music! "I'LL NEVER GET IT! NEVER!!!!" The Trash Heap Has Spoken! NYAAAH! (That line was his idea, by the way.)

[@michaeloberg3018]

Honestly, this could be a feature length documentary. What a unexplored, deeply moving topic with so much footage to include.

[@jwitchbaby]

Or a biography!

[@michaeloberg3018]

@@jwitchbaby I'm not sure what you mean by that, but Yea...a biographical documentary.

[@callunas]

I never watched any of these shows as a kid but you brought me to tears over this story I'd never known.

[@joelcapco6018]

❤❤❤ I am from the Philippines and as a kid, I always watched Sesame Street whenever it was on TV. When I went to school for the first time, my teacher and classmates thought I wasn't local. Asked me where I learned how to read and write and where I got my accent from. I just told them on Sesame Street. They just shrugged and thought I was from the USA. There were not many households with TV sets at that time. My mother bought one to keep me entertained. All my life I have treated them people at Sesame as real friends and family. Then I went on to watch The Muppet show and also Fragile Rock. I watched every special with Jim Henson's name on the production. I'm 49 years old now, openly gay. When I was in highschool I learned that my father was a closeted gay man. My mother made me swear not to grow up gay. We didn't spoke for twelve years, needless to say I never made that promise to her. When I left the house for college, I never looked back. My father died when I was in my second year at the university. We never got to say goodbye to each other nor shared thoughts on being gay. I knew he was supportive in a very quiet way. He kept his secret to the grave. His death cemented my resolve to be openly gay despite my mother's protests. She finally gave up when she had a stroke two decades ago, she had her seventh and final one May 4, 2023. I had hoped it was a different story. No-one had to live lives that are lies. We were a dysfunctional family. Without Sesame Street, I would have been too sad and lost to live my own truth and life. The loss of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt fell really heavy and hard for me. I think they're the greatest father and brother I've ever had. ❤❤❤ Thanks for telling Richard's story.

[@carolinea3899]

This video among others you’ve posted have meant so much to me because it shows me how all through my childhood I’ve had queer story tellers helping me be more kind, creative, and aware of my world- all before I even knew about who I was inside. ❤️❤️❤️

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

The Muppet Show was absolutely no-miss viewing in our household in the UK. It was loved by every member of the family but I dare say my parents were laughing for different reasons to us kids! The whole family of shows including the Muppets was top quality viewing for everyone. As ever, though, virtually anything made back then is something that has a sadness even now.

[@HellaGood1999]

Some people get excited when a new Marvel movie comes out.. I get excited when a new Matt Baume video comes out. Keep doing what you do so well.. and if you ever find yourself in Philadelphia, let me buy you a beer.. thank you for making my whole day!

[@dughole]

i have never been able to make it through any clip from henson's funeral without crying. what a service.

[@giggles7179]

Thank you so much for this video. I was the odd child that knew the Muppeteers' names at eight years old. They were my idols. Now, as a gay adult, I not only appreciate the profound effect each of them had in pop culture, but I also recognize what a profound loss it must have been to lose the core member that was openly gay in a difficult time to be one - there was so much homophobia during the earliest days of AIDS. Richard Hunt's voice has seemingly been the one most difficult to replicate in the characters he brought to life; none of them work quite as well since his passing. Sadly, the man underneath them will never be as widely known as those pieces of foam and fabric, but this tribute is a good start.

[@anithingartist]

45 yr old straight man. Teary-eyed watching this. Love it. Some amazing memories. That Fraggle Rock episode was amazing. Wow, mind-blowing with the Richards history.

[@dovisbellwood]

Me at the start of this video: Oh fun, I love the Muppets, I grew up watching all their stuff! Me at the end of this video: Sobbing inconsolably, dissolving into a puddle of tears For real though, thanks for telling this story - that I wasn't aware of at all and that deserves so much recognition! ❤

[@jacobismithenshire1238]

Thanks again Matt, you’ve made yet another video that absolutely broke me. The legacy of Richard and his characters is one that shouldn’t ever be forgotten. Fraggle Rock still holds a very special place in my heart and Mudwell’s story is easily one of the most profound moments in the series. It’s so nice to have a closer look into the life of the man behind such an important part of my childhood. Again, thank you so much 💗

[@emmaseckso1870]

Matt, you are a true and absolute gift to this world, this platform, and my life. Thanks you for bringing all of the queer influences I didn’t know were in my life. I weep at every video you make. You have a true gift. I can’t wait to someday have the expendable cash to support you on patreon and see all the extra videos.

[@Tustin2121]

Damn, that Fraggle Rock storyline synopsis made me cry. Idk how I would handle actually watching it. 🥺 PS. Thanks for correcting the subtitles!

[@CamMcGinn1981]

Awww man. Here I am sitting in my car sobbing and I start a new job in 20 minutes. LOL Great work, Matt.

[@lohphat]

Jim Henson's memorial service is a wonder to behold. I can't watch Big Bird signing without breaking down and sobbing...even 30 years later. Someone has posted the full service on KZbin and to this day I cannot bring myself to watch it all at once. I remember when Will Lee (Mr. Looper) died when I was a teen as it still made me cry. As for Bert and Ernie -- there doesn't need to be a physical relationship for two men's relationship who also live together to be validated. You can still love and care for another person and not matter what the gender permutations are or sleep in the same bed.

[@berliozophile]

Who's peeling onions in here? Is that you Beaker???? Thanks, Matt, that was truly a great vid.

[@ttintagel]

Und nuo ve-a peel zee-a ouniuns. Bork Bork Bork!

[@ilahjarvis]

Thank you for sharing Richard's story and brilliance with him. My favorite character of his was Don Music. Whenever I feel frustrated and overdramatic I remember how Don would hit his head on the piano keyboard and I'm able to laugh and get a better perspective. My family calls it "Don Music" moments.

[@suzbone]

12:00 talk about professionalism, performing that without breaking up. I got choked up from all these decades away, and in the luxury of the love of my life sleeping nearby. No way could I perform that song in such grief. Mad respect to both of them.

[@suzbone]

14:10 whelp that's it, i'm down for the count 😭

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@suzbone Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@omega__rat]

The way I busted out in tears multiple times while watching this, good Lord. Glad to see Richard Hunt getting his well deserved praise and his story told. Excited to get that biography on his life.

[@johngregorio684]

This story of Richard was so touching. I’m glad he had such a huge effect on my childhood without most people’s knowledge. ❤️

[@technicolordreamer]

I found a t.v. pilot of a show called "Puppetman" that Richard Hunt was in. It was about two guys who were local children's show puppeteers. It seemed pretty interesting. Sorry that it never got made. It's so rare that we actually got to see his face as a performer. Could have been cool. I miss hearing his voice. He voiced some of my favorite characters growing up like Scooter, Forgetful Jones, Bert's nephew Brad, and Gladys the Cow. I miss all of the original muppeteer voices in general. You can blatantly hear the vocal differences of the new muppeteers, and it's just not the same.

[@ttintagel]

Forgetful Jones is possibly my favorite of the Sesame Street Muppets. Whenever I forget something (which happens more and more these days), I hear Richard's voice in my head saying, "Oh! Ah fergot!"

[@JoinHolmes]

I just wanted to say how constantly insightful and well laid out your essays are. You're one of my favourite creators on this site and I always love to see a new video in my notifications!

[@AbandonedMines11]

Great video! Never heard of Richard Hunt before, but I can see how integral he was to the Muppets’ success. It seems strange that his name never seems to appear when people discuss the Muppets. You always hear about Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and others, but I don’t recall ever hearing about Richard Hunt. This was a nice tribute video to him. Seems like he was an extraordinarily talented guy. I watched a couple of your other videos today and have been impressed with your channel. It popped up in my recommended feed, so I guess the algorithm is slowly figuring me out. LOL I subscribed, and I’m looking forward to watching more of your content. Keep up the awesome work!

[@CosplayCore]

I was born after all of this (in 1992) and it still makes me emotional to watch parts of Jim’s funeral.

[@CosplayCore]

If it weren’t for people like Richard Hunt and Jim Henson, I would have far fewer friends, I think. I prefer to keep kind hearted, open minded friends and I’m certain that at least 95% of my friends grew up more on Henson’s shows than I did. My two very best friends especially loved Jim Henson’s material a lot sooner than I figured I did so I might owe my very best friends in part to Richard and Jim. If ya’ll can read KZbin comments from Heaven guys, thank you for the wonderful gift of two lifelong best friends of mine!!

[@UnicornFairy42]

@@CosplayCore Have you ever seen Jim Henson’s Animal Jam?

[@CosplayCore]

@@UnicornFairy42 No but I would like to!

[@btrdangerdan2010]

OMG I was crying my eyes out when I watched the memorial part for Jim henson. So bittersweet and touching 😭😭😭

[@johnshoemakerpbc]

What a great way to honor Jim Henson’s and Richard’s memories. Thank you for this wonderful story!

[@donskuse2194]

I miss the Muppet movies and the Muppet Show. It used to be an event when a new movie came out. If I knew they could be just as good now as they were then I’d definitely see them at the cinema. I’m 66 and I fell for the muppets in my teens. My inner child hasn’t left me but its heart nearly broke when Jim Henson died.

[@darindietz710]

What an absolutely wonderful tribute. Very nicely done and so touching. Thank you Thank you Thank you. The Muppets were a big part of my tv life growing up and certainly shaped my sense of humour. To know now that there was a powerful gay man behind the masks is just icing on the cake.

[@middleagedamericanexpat2578]

A few things really stand out for me regarding the muppets (and thank you so for this video; I cried several times). I saw the very first episode when I was in kindergarten; my teachers brought in a tv, so we could watch it, and It’s something that has stuck with me. Utterly magical. Another thing is when Jim Henson died. My mother was dying in the hospital when we saw his death on the tv. I broke down and just sobbed, it just seemed like the end of my childhood (even though I was in my late 20’s at the time). Lastly, Burt and Ernie meant so much to me. I was just discovering my sexuality (I’m bisexual), and I just felt seen by their relationship. This video brought out so many emotions for me.

[@crystalfairy912]

Most recently, Disney Channel’s Muppet Babies had Gonzo attend the group’s fairy tale ball in a Princess dress. He was told he had to dress as a knight because that’s how the boys dress for it, but Rizzo gave him a Cinderella style dress. By the end his friends apologize for telling him how to dress when he just wanted to be himself. It’s beautiful and very touching.

[@andycbutler]

Same. Nothing came before Fraggle Rock for me. I was born in 1980 & I never missed one episode of FR. thank you for this Matt. 💛

[@mannering333]

This is the Video that made me subscribe with a smile. Matt, I really believe you should expand this work to a full documentary. The writing structure of your narration as well as your visual storytelling are incredible. If you ever need help with a project I'd be proud to be a part of it. From one artist to another 👏

[@Frankyeduard]

Seeing that video among others i saw (It´s a Sin, Long Time Companion, etc) that i never get to see in his time, made me realice how gratefull i am about all that people who made so much for the HIV+ Comunity, i was detected 0+ in 2003 and since then i´ve been treated, even thogh our life is better now days the stigma is still there and we are still struggling and fighting against it. Matt, your channel for a person like me (43 year old man, from Venezuela, living in Brasil, addicted to TV and POP CULTURE) is the best thing that happened to me in years. Please keep going with you wonderfull content, that your almost 130K of suscriptors will apreciate A LOOOOOT, cos´ your voice represents milions of people who doesn´t have any.

[@shanedeleon5376]

This video sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions I wasn't ready for. The quality of your content is always great, but I can tell how thoughtfully crafted this one is in particular.

[@paulbennett4548]

I literally dropped into this video the magic these good folks created was beautiful and this is what they all should be remembered for. Thank you.

[@jennaceebeauty]

Wow… this made me cry. The muppets are so important to the world

[@SSBFan33-e6r]

Richard Hunt was a legend and played so many iconic Muppet characters across the various Sesame Street, Muppet, and Fraggle Rock productions. Scooter, Statler, Sweetums, Beaker, Janice (though she was shared between different puppeteers), Wayne, and The Snowman from the Christmas special were some of my favorites. I may be straight but I still respect him for giving us many iconic Muppets characters.

[@CarbonSpire]

I love Matt's videos, and perhaps it's bc the Muppets had a huge impact on me more than other shows talked about here... But this episode felt uniquely personal, compassionate, and touching. Keep up the great work, Matt!

[@deatharsenal6311]

This video really hit hard for me. The point that it really hit was when I found out, for the first time, that Vincent Price was Bi. When I heard that I began sobbing. As a queer person who grew up on horror, Vincent Price was always someone I looked up to; even now, as a trans woman. His guest spot on the Muppets made that episode my favorite. Something about finding that out just filled me with so much joy. I've not wept tears like that since I came out to everyone I hold closest to my heart, and they all just accepted me. All of that tension was just released into joy, in a way I so rarely feel. My apologies for ranting. Thank you so much for making this video and educating me further.