Jim Henson's Son Behind "Sid the Science Kid" Coming on PBS

By Alice Turner
19:54, September 1st 2008
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Jim Henson's Son Behind "Sid the Science Kid" Coming on PBS

Master puppeteer Jim Henson, the creator of The Muppets, will be honored once again as his legacy will contribute to a new television show, "Sid the Science Kid," a series for preschoolers that begins Monday on PBS. The company behind the new show is The Jim Henson Company, and the man who will be responsible for the "Sid the Science Kid" series is none other than the 45-year old son of Jim Henson, Brain Henson.

Sid the Science Kid will employ animatronics, specifically through a process called digital puppetry, which allows performers to puppeteer and voice digital characters in real-time. The first episode is all about charts, and it is quite clear that this show is especially annoying to adults. The main character, Sid, consistently raises questions about simple everyday things and answers them with the help of his friends, family, and teacher Miss Susie.

The show highlights that master pupeteering such as that done by Jim Henson is hard to replicate, even with the proprietary Henson Digital Performance System. Its educational value is also questionable, as it appears that the only constant thing that this show will teach children is to constantly yap into a microphone.

James Maury "Jim" Henson died in 1990 at age 53, due to organ failure triggered by streptococcus pneumonia, a bacterial infection of the lungs. His unexpected death shocked the public and was followed by an outpouring tributes and dedications in his memory. His son Brian and daughter Lisa are currently the co-chairs and co-CEOs of The Jim Henson Company, while his daughter Cheryl is the president of the Jim Henson Foundation.

Jim Henson is honored both as himself and as his main character Kermit the Frog on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The only other person to be honored in this way is Mel Blanc, the voice actor of Bugs Bunny.



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