A Saginaw Kid Wrote To Jim Henson And Eventually Worked With The Muppets

A comic book author in Michigan once wrote Jim Henson a letter as a child, hoping that one day he would work for him, and he eventually received a letter back from Jim Henson himself.

Jay Fosgitt is a super talented comic book artist who grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and still lives in the Detroit Metro area, and has worked on many different projects, including Marvel, the Muppets, and many more.

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When Jay was a young kid, he wrote a letter to Jim Henson after watching a Muppets celebration of 30 years, when he was hit by a strong epiphany that by the time he was grown up, he feared the Muppets would be gone and no more.

He wrote Jim Henson with worry, concerned that he and other Muppet performers would retire before he would have a chance to grow up and work with the Muppets.

He urged Jim Henson to write back and even included doodles of the Muppet characters in his letter. Amazingly, Jay received a letter back signed by Jim Henson and a personal message on February 27, 1986, which now resides in the Jim Henson wing of the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York.

It not only includes the envelope he sent the letter in, but his letter along with the response letter that he got back from Jim Henson, which reads:

First, don’t worry: I’m working very hard to ensure that the Muppets – and all kinds of Muppet productions – will be around for a long, long time. Secondly, you draw very well. Keep at it – you sound serious about your artwork and your pictures are skillful and funny. When you’ve grown up and feel you’re ready to get in touch with us. We’re always pleased to meet talented artists, and of course it’s nice to hear that you’re interested in us. Thanks again for writing; I’ll keep working hard. You do the same, and I’ll look forward to meeting you somewhere down the line. Sincerely, Jim Henson

You can view the photos on that story here.
It must’ve been a full-circle moment for Jay once he was finally asked to do work for the Muppets, and it’s proof that childhood dreams can come true. Jay P. Fosgitt is a comic creator for Disney, Marvel, IDW, Boom, Image, and many others, and is currently nominated for Best Artist in the Ringo Awards.