Ron Howard: Jim Henson Didn’t Have A Dark Side | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

Ron Howard reflects on Jim Henson’s legacy and Conan remembers Henson’s funny and emotional memorial that’s featured in the documentary “Jim Henson: Idea Man.”
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ABOUT CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND
Deeper, unboundedly playful, and free from FCC regulations, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a weekly opportunity for Conan to hang out with the people he enjoys most and perhaps find some real friendship along the way. Watch highlights of Conan, Sona Movsesian and Matt Gourley chatting with celebrities and meeting fans, along with special segments like “Review the Reviewers” and “Summer S’mores with Conan and the Chill Chums.”
ABOUT TEAM COCO
Team Coco features over a decade of comedy sketches, celebrity interviews and stand-up comedy sets from CONAN on TBS, as well as exclusive videos from Team Coco podcasts like Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, Literally! With Rob Lowe, Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson (sometimes), and Scam Goddess with Laci Mosley.
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[@Galactic123]

Jim Henson and Mr Rogers was my childhood. Made me the man I am today.

[@normanwolfe7639]

I’ll assume you turned out ok 😬

[@michaelrafales2782]

This interview is just another reason why KZbin needs a love button instead of just a like button

[@palaceofwisdom9448]

I just happened to watch The Dark Crystal the other day for the first time in years, and it's incredible how well it has aged. It is easily Jim's most underrated achievement.

[@patreekotime4578]

His contribution to the Labyrinth is also amazing. Puppets hold up where CGI just doesn't. I wish he had gotten to do more of those kinds of collaborations.

[@028fn48dne]

Jim did a press conference in Singapore not long before he passed. I was 12 or 13. I convinced my school newspaper to let me be absent that day. In a room full of professional reporters, when Jim opened the floor for questions, I was the first one he called on. You can't tell the story of Henson's funeral without making people tear up. It was utterly beautiful.

[@naynayhooray]

Kids were always his audience. He really cared about what you had to say.

[@MiguelJuanez]

That's beautiful!

[@RAIN-AGAIN]

THANKS FOR PLAYING HOOKIE THAT DAY🤓 just by being the you that day that…. POSSIBLY only you knew you were…… and showing up to that interview……. ALL of us…. here in 2024 are….. somehow “ HEALED “ just a bit more….. and comforted by the innocence in you….. that day….. and sharing such a tender moment with us; reminding us of the kid in all of us! Incidentally…… of all the awards Mr. Howard has gotten…….. Mr. O’Brian just produced the most sincere acknowledgment; not just the magical beauty that defined Mr. Henson……… but Conan simply said….. what WE ALL….. feel about OPIE TAYLOR, & RICHIE CUNNINGHAM ❗️ WHO KNEW……. THAT 2 RED HEADED GUYS ……. ……. were all the world ever needed….thanks boys 🎬

[@michaelhockus8208]

I love this story, thanks for sharing

[@CittizinKane]

Hold onto that, bottle it, preserve it, that will give you the life you need when you need it the most, believe in one self ❤

[@deviljhohunter524]

Big Bird at Jim Henson's funeral is impossible to watch without crying.

[@cc1k435]

To know he had only just died quite suddenly and everyone had gathered to speak and perform so movingly in his honor makes it all that much more remarkable. ❤

[@samsignorelli]

The tribute ep the Muppets did...I ugly-cried so many times....

[@donnamcmanus7360]

I'm 57 and remember laying on the shag carpet in front of the big ass console tv watching The Muppet Show with my parents and little brother. Literally the only celebrity death that caused me to cry. I wasn't expecting that reaction. ❤

[@cammieg4381]

Somehow, we need to hang on to that innocence and joy that Jim Henson brought out in us from within! Thank you Ron Howard! You are a national treasure indeed! 👍❣

[@franchisemiami]

Every episode of the podcast is different. This time we can feel that every second spent with Ron is cherished as a special moment. As great as he is, he's still a humble kind person.

[@ActualChef]

I love the reverence with which they speak of such an incredible artist. This is gold.

[@citizenVader]

Anything about the Muppets is golden to me, so thank you so much for this.

[@thelucabrazzi]

Conan I wish you knew how much your content touches me. You are the funniest man alive to me and you have given me so many moments of great joy this past year in such a dark time of my life. Lost my dad 3 months ago and so much more. You make me laugh so much and your stories mean so much to me. I WISH I could meet you one day too and I don't care about meeting many celebrities. I LOVE your sick sense of humor and all the crazy stories you tell !!!

[@sonsofthesportsguy]

Props to Opie Cunningham for matching the upholstery of the chair.

[@CittizinKane]

Never underestimate conans intelligence, the way the information is presented is so tight and neat, I love these types that we see Conan engaging intellectually on a higher level

[@weirdloverwilde]

Early Sesame Street was incredibly brilliant. Surreal sometimes. Hilarious other times. Drama. Satire. A multitude of animation styles and so much music. It was such a great thing to grow up with.

[@erikcox8749]

We love ya Ronnie, been watching ya all my life , Andy Griffith reruns but you seem to be such a kind a generous man and that's hard to find in Hollywood, plus your love story with your wife is such a beautiful story. Good, intelligent, kind man. ✌️💙

[@sndsiwrite]

The timing of good comedy was the the two old guys commentary and the Swedish Chef.

[@Kitty8791]

Statler & Waldorf*

[@onrope600]

Jim Henson’s funeral film footage should be restored. If you have any love of Jim and his muppets the funeral will feel your heart.

[@rivestalex]

Love Jim Henson's work. Will watch the documentary now. Thank you.

[@OnTheNerdySide]

I loved Idea Man, but I think it needed an extra 30 minutes so they could talk about the 80s a bit more. The documentary went into SO MUCH detail on everything leading up to The Muppet Show that it almost felt like they were given a hard cap on how long they could make the documentary. I think there was less than a minute on Fraggle Rock and very little about the days leading up to his passing. If you are interested in The Muppets more broadly, Defunctland has a great series here on KZbin about them that looks at them much more broadly than Idea Man, which was focused more closely on Jim himself. Idea Man being a Disney co-production, I didn't expect it to be included, but Frank Oz has said that the anxiety of selling the company to Disney was a contributing factor to Jim getting sick. Not that Disney killed him, but just that his immune system was low because he was stressed out and not sleeping. Also, Steve Whitmire, who was fired by Disney several years ago, was conspicuously absent from the film, not even in archival footage. There's one shot of him in the crowd at the funeral, and he's probably in a couple of Muppet Show era crowd shots. He didn't even get a Fraggle Rock mention.

[@therealwallyp]

I think Jim Henson drew the pipes back in the early 60's

[@VHShit]

Jack Parr show (1963-1965)

[@heatherilse4510]

I hope it's not on asbestos.

[@tracygregory5036]

Has anyone else noticed the weird light orb that shows up at 7:57 when Conan starts talking about Jim's death? It must be Jim's ghost popping in to say, "Hi, Bert!"

[@justbrowsing5279]

Jim Henson's dark side was Frank Oz

[@helenpatterson3858]

!

[@jeremyroberts4760]

The Muppets were unifying from the start, in a world lacking unity. The Muppet Show was the only show we watched as a family. Jim Henson changed the world with his humor and grace.

[@weirdloverwilde]

So few shows multiple generations can enjoy at once

[@ravensdark99]

"The noblest art is that of making others happy" PT Barnum

[@Allenmarshall]

Ron is a beaut

[@SamiKankaristo]

"Let's get together and talk sunscreen whenever you want" 😂

[@johnsweet8508]

Some of those early commercials were "Sam and Friends." Ran in the D.C. television market for a few years in the late 50s/early 60s. They were for Wilkins Coffee.

[@OkapiJim]

Great episode

[@MrEffdot]

The muppet Wilkins Coffee commercials would fit right into TikTok still - sometimes 7 to 15 seconds long - and their later 1960s TV commercials were great. Cookie Monster started life as a furry brown, spiky toothed googly eyed goofy monster in an IBM corporate film.

[@jonmills6927]

The Chinese pole vaulters was the best Muppet’s routine

[@linapagliari8003]

Loving this podcast Ron a classy guy👏😁🇨🇦

[@MegaDataRecovery]

Jim Henson had a little of that Dr Seuss thing going on.

[@paulryan5150]

The pipes weren't decorate during the SNL times. They did that many years before when they were waiting to get on the tonight show when Parr was still the host.

[@electrojones]

Ron's trying to make up for Hillbilly Elegy. We're not going to forget, Ron. It's not going away.

[@vonbass1300]

This is ron howard? Looking great dude

[@pleappleappleap]

Frank Oz deserved to win Best Supporting Actor for The Empire Strikes Back.

[@Redmenace96]

Jim Henson was not, "satirical", as much as he was subversive. Irony, satire, and subversion and transgression are a blend, but I remember his best work as subversive. Like the best comedy you can remember. Jim Henson's favorite song is, "Lydia, the Tattoo Lady" and it is pure gold when he performs it.

[@kogababe]

Jim did have a wandering eye when it came to women (whilst married), yet his wife still happily worked with him for many years

[@riobrasilsambashowssambist1453]

Props to the muppets😂😂

[@jerrywarren3900]

Before Sesame Street, Henson did a muppet like show called "Sam and Friends" sponsored by Wilkin's coffee on I believe channel 5 in Washington.

[@yosefdemby8792]

It was sponsored by Esskay meats.

[@DianeWilson-b5p]

Amen💞👍😘Thank you😘

[@LoreleiMission]

That's a slightly weird title for the video since anyone who's read bios of Jim Henson will know he did have affairs. Up to his wife that she decided to have that downplayed all these years but it's still common knowledge.

[@brianvigneau2074]

He's the Mister Rogers of puppets

[@brockpifer9929]

He is the Walt Disney of puppetry

[@DangerAmbrose]

Ever seen The Dark Crystal?

[@bluhevenlyII]

Ron Howard and the muppets in the title of a Conan video, I had to click! They were big parts of my childhood and Conan my early adulthood.

[@thishollowhill]

The fact Ron looks around the room when he talks, because he's having a conversation with everyone, is amazing. Much respect to a great man.

[@ald.3387]

He's the real deal. His parents were awesome. Read his book!

[@CHDean]

His mom and dad taught him well.

[@gispel7058]

Yes he is a stand out in Hollywood. A giant talent who was raised the right way.

[@SynthMusicWorld]

I'm autistic and it was one of the first things I noticed in this clip. It demonstrates a lot about Ron's character. Maybe it's ironic that I noticed that, but I pick up on when people demonstrate kindness to others.

[@Gerrys-Channel]

Great person. Includes everyone.

[@vivelaresistance3239]

Jim Henson and Fred Rogers. No scandal, no fame-seeking. Just the work, and kindness.

[@crazkurtz]

And Mr Dressup

[@CHDean]

Each comes around once in a lifetime.

[@betterthanumjf]

The painting guy too

[@CHDean]

@@betterthanumjf Bob Ross?

[@christopherporter2459]

​@@betterthanumjf Bob Ross you uncultured swine!

[@ThatsOnYoutube]

Conan first met Jim Henson when Henson was sure Conan was one of his escaped Muppets.

[@shashaduke8700]

🤭🤭

[@jonathanbarr9764]

I've heard a few jokes about Conan's appearance (don't worry I'm sure he finds them funny) but that one is pretty good.

[@nicsuhler9241]

Jim Henson was an idiot. I want to be delusional and not go to a doctor. 😮

[@daftgowk1]

Burdie, buuuurdie

[@dlxmarks]

Another connection is that Lisa Henson, his eldest child, was president of the Harvard Lampoon when Conan joined it in his freshman year. He succeeded her as president in his sophomore and junior years.

[@ritacarrot6185]

Ron Howard a National Treasure!

[@stephengilmour8114]

smarty pants for along time !

[@WTFG78]

Had no idea Conan interacted with Jim Henson. Respect.

[@DurkMcGerk]

I too have a smidge more respect for Jim Henson.

[@somarriba333]

I was 13 when Jim Henson died and I cried hard. He's the only celebrity I cried like that for and still tear up for today. There are so many entertainers I wish were still with us. If I had to pick one, it would be him.

[@francescaa8331]

I cried also. Just thinking of it brings tears. How I wish he'd had more time with us.

[@peterbuckley9731]

Me too mate, it was him and Bowie. And I wasn’t sure why, but their purity touched me I think. And I didn’t understand it until they were gone.

[@andyoli75]

If ever I'm in need of a good cry, watching Carol Spinney as Big Bird sing "It's Not Easy Being Green " sends me off into uncontrollable tears. www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DSmhgtVl7R34&ved=2ahUKEwieoMSHsceGAxV-G9AFHX1_CssQwqsBegQIDxAE&usg=AOvVaw2jFzs1NbEjklEwqva74Uv_

[@andyoli75]

If ever I'm in need of a good cry, watching Carol Spinney sing "It's Not Easy Being Green " sends me off into uncontrollable tears. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ7LmKeMoZyFaZYsi=JeeBoC4kFMp3T70o

[@jwil4751]

I was in high school and my friends and I all wore green armbands for the day to honor him 💚

[@kumakhan22]

So happy to hear more talk about Jim Henson, this world needs his light now more than ever.

[@JohnnyNoPockets]

@DemoWarlock Nice. Good channel, definitely gonna check it myself!

[@chrisevans9688]

​@@JohnnyNoPockets Chris Evans right tomorrow did you take it out and just like you tv show in now this week and did you take it out of back next week so it will be back on Monday night soon

[@ModernGoddess81]

When I was little I remember my Dad being just as happy to watch the muppets and Sesame Street as I was! He would sometimes laugh and I didn’t understand why something was funny because I was still too innocent to get the adult joke implied. That is the genius of Jim Henson 💖

[@shashaduke8700]

I had the EXACT experience with my Father❤😊😊

[@sunshine3914]

Mine was never home for Sesame Street, but we never missed The Muppets, Tracey Ullman , The Simpsons, Titus, & Get a Life.

[@GoodForYou4504]

Flintstones and Jetsons were the same idea. The shows were differently viewed depending on your age but fun for both.

[@thegood9]

There are not many guests on a podcast that will engage every single soul in the room the way Ron Howard does. He is a true gentleman. So many ignore the other people throughout, focusing ONLY on their "host" exclusively, which is kinda rude.

[@TimelessAlien]

He really is! One of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

[@Adones09]

I always appreciated, on his night show, when guests would talk to Andy and make him part of the conversation.

[@dalevintage]

My favorite Jim Henson story is that he would often leave his wallet in his car, sometimes on the front seat...not on purpose, and his car door unlocked...more than once someone stole his wallet from his unlocked car. I can't recall who asked him, but someone inquired why he didn't get angry about it...he said, "Obviously they needed it more than I do." A quality human being across-the-board. ❤️🎬❤️

[@bandmaidfanATL]

Grover the waiter and the bald man skits are pure gold.

[@andreastschig6905]

I love how Ron is addressing the room when talking, not including just Conan!

[@cc1k435]

He's always been such a good, polite boy. 😊

[@srulycooks]

Ron Howard is such a gift. He seems so sensible, calm and down to earth. Love his stuff.

[@ep4169]

Glad they mentioned both Henson and Frank Oz as a great comedy duo. I consider those two to be one of the all-time great comedy teams, up there with Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen, Lemmon and Matthau.

[@Moekoffee2001]

Warm and Fozzie conversation

[@sollysolutions]

Waka Waka!

[@theantichrist5191]

I loved jim Henson's the storyteller. its sad he died and everything great about him died. I wish that man was still alive

[@pirateylass]

As an 80s kid, my world was full of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. I remember my Mom telling a story of me toddling around with a Grover picture book, held upside down, begging her to read it to me for the umpteenth time. Apparently I also banged on pots with a wooden spoon with the greatest impression of the Swedish Chef a 4 year old could do. 😅 I cried so much when the news broke that Jim Henson died. At 10, it really broke my little heart. He was such a treasure. ❤

[@Archimedeeez]

Jim Henson's stuff will always crack me up, no matter what age.

[@salvation7362]

If I could have a dinner party with any celebrities/famous people living or deceased, Jim Henson would absolutely be at the top of my list along side Robin Williams. They both played a huge roll in my childhood as people I aspired to be like.

[@TheASSedoTV]

Conan here sounds like a cross between Animal and Rolf

[@brianjl7477]

I watched the documentary this weekend - it was very well done. What an amazing life Jim henson led and what a brilliant, creative person - one of the greatest to ever do it.

[@nathansheldahl]

I hope they covered a little bit the connection between his shop and the famous Star Wars/ILM creature shop and Frank Oz and collaboration done there.

[@brianjl7477]

@@nathansheldahl They actually don't cover much Star Wars. They do cover the Creature Shop, and a lot about Dark Crystal and Labrynth, the latter of which George Lucas produced.

[@nathansheldahl]

@@brianjl7477 good. Thats the important parts of it.

[@cfrend]

Ron's character Oppie was a powerful example to teach a person how to embody peace, goodness, faithfulness, joy, love, kindness, gentleness, & self-control. Andy, Bee, Barney were at times super human in these qualities, but Oppie was accessible as a model for the viewer.

[@spiercephotography]

Jim Henson was a treasure, and his work carries on now too, so loved. We still go back and rewatch old Muppet Show episodes

[@leslie3933]

A wonderful Mississippi boy!

[@tubewatcher155]

This is quite possibly one of the best interviews I've ever seen. One of my favorite people Conan O'Brien can you give me another of my favorite people Ron howard. And they're both talking about two of my other favorite people Andy Griffith and Jim henson.

[@erintheokay]

I was 5 when Jim Henson died. I remember learning about it at my grandma's house and starting to cry because I thought Big Bird had died. When she explained it again, I cried harder because Big Bird's DAD had died. He was a beautiful, hilarious soul and I can't wait to watch this film.

[@martyvimislik813]

As a young child approx. ‘73 ish I saw him doing a puppet show at an Elk’s club.

[@TheDopekitty]

That's so cool!

[@hoboogre8023]

If you insist on believing in God, you have to believe he sent us Jim Henson for this age. He was a genius and his message was pure

[@pamlittle847]

When I was 14, 15, my niece was a toddler when Sesame Street started, and I watched along. And boy am I glad! Much like the old Warner Bros. cartoons, and Rocky and Bullwinkle they were there for the kids, but also hooked the adults. ❤❤

[@bernicequigley4629]

I loved Jim Henson and Frank Oz. I was 5 when they first showed on PBS in '69 and I look back at some of those videos now and I notice that the kids in on the show that first year learning to count, etc thought they were real and you saw real emotion from the kids. They were true geniuses.

[@hephzbah1130]

At 5:00: Jim Henson was a comedic genius. I didn’t realize he did so many Sesame Street bits; but it makes sense. Thanks Ron Howard for your insight on who Henson was😊

[@gleterfelix69]

Till this day me being 40 years old. Jim Henson holds a special place in my heart. He was a true genuine person that was loved. I haven’t watched the documentary bc I know I’m going to be balling my eyes out..but I will. ❤

[@darthsirrius]

As someone who came home and watched PBS after school, I remember when Jim died, and even as a kid I knew he was the voice of Kermit the Frog, and thinking, what was going to happen to Sesame Street? What are they going to do about Kermit? That man impacted my life probably more than any other person in the world, I learned how to read early because of Sesame Street. That was a devastating loss that still hits me, because he was the best. Truly one of the greatest humans to ever walk the Earth.

[@actthree7810]

"the documentary is a tonic" is a great review.

[@stranny6054]

Ron Howard is the most kind and well spoken hand talker I have ever seen and heard haha :)

[@GoddessNeith]

I watched the documentary, Ron Howard has a deft and light touch. it wasn't to reverential, or scandalous, it was so even-handed and honest. I'd recommend it to everyone. I was touched by how much we lost because the man wouldn't go to the doctor!!!!!

[@kevindean0000]

Conan: Adam Sachs is gonna take that out Narrator: He did not

[@patriciawhite6820]

Thee "Rainbow Connection" makes me cry every time I hear it. I just loved the Muppets!!!

[@andriod1622]

This guy made my best childhood fantasy movie. WILLOW

[@stevencramsie9172]

George Lucas wanted to make it into a trilogy/franchise but decided not to. Loved Willow!

[@bigfatdynamo246]

Jim Henson is one of those guys who was just quietly incredible on so many fronts that it's hard to tally them all. I studied animation in college, and Henson was a major inspiration to me. He is (to my mind) one of the greatest character designers of the 20th century. His sketchbooks are astounding, he seemed to intuit *a ton* of design principles for his characters long before they were formalized into rules. Puppets are subject to the uncanny valley effect themselves, and Henson just casually vaulted over it with his designs in an incredibly charming, effortless way. Dude literally invented like half of the principles of modern puppet design.

[@tgirard123]

That picture they had I think on people magazine after Jim Henson died with All Muppets looking down. That was so moving

[@michaelweston2285]

i dreamt about Conan last night. i dreamt i was on my computer and found an add to have Conan deliver a hand-made iced tea to your door. thinking it was some joke or gimmick, i responded to the ad and lo and behold, Conan was at my door at 7am with my iced tea that he made.

[@elisaesquer4462]

I’d pay anything for Conan to knock on my door with my iced tea 😭

[@Kitty8791]

Wow, all those crazy adventures on Burn Notice & that's what Michael Weston fantasizes about . . . who knew. 😜 P.S. People snoozed on Pedro Pascal as Comadante Veracruz in The Fall of Sam Axe movie.

[@mconfive2nine]

They’re not wrong about Sesame Street. I loved watching with my boys when they were young learners. Core memories. The best show on television!

[@NikMartin-I-am]

The Muppet Show was a staple of my household. We watched it religiously as a family. We all had our favorite characters, it was one of the few times we all sat together and watched a show.

[@goosedasheen]

We need Ron Howard back for another podcast -- a great story-teller!

[@brianparkman8183]

First remembrance I have of a muppet was Rowlf on The Jimmy Dean show. I remember as a kid always hoping he would be on.

[@markholle3450]

When I was in Jr. High in the late 70's, the Muppet Show was can't miss TV. It was "just good".

[@mikecronis]

Jim's work and messaging throughout all his work makes me think he was actually God visiting Earth for his time here, sometimes dark, sometimes humorous, often kind.

[@TheTsunamijuan]

I am glad that Ron Howard is also one of those really genuine great people in showbiz.

[@hystrionic]

If you do go out for drinks to discuss sunscreen, you should also invite Bill Burr.

[@windsorspitfire]

Henson's early La Choy Dragon ads for canned Chinese food were inspired. Can be found on this channel.

[@H3rnD1zzl3]

I searched and found the memorial service (you can see it on KZbin)…cried like a baby.

[@mariogallego5513]

Jim Henson will always be a childhood icon to me. RIP Jim Henson. Thank you for every single childhood memory you have given me. I'm 48 and I'm choking up right now. You are still missed

[@wolfsmith2865]

Jim and his crew are the reasons I have good memories of childhood. I learned about comedy, charm, and expressing ideas to others. I was crushed when I heard he'd passed.

[@ScottCrippen]

Great documentary. It's tough to watch the funeral footage again. 😔

[@josephgreenberg2063]

as a boomer growing up in Chicago, we loved the Kraml milk ads that Jim Henson did in late 50’s. “You’ll get a bang out of Kraml milk.” Cannon fire