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Here's some great advice, if you're willing to take it from a frog.

Certain graduating classes get major bragging rights for snagging celebrities to perform pretty epic commencement speeches. From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s meditation on what it means to be “self made,” to Taylor Swift’s advice about overcoming mistakes, some icons truly know how to make this milestone, well…iconic.

However, you’d be hard pressed to find a better commencement speech than the one given to the 2025 class at University of Maryland (UMD), Muppet creator Jim Henson's alma mater, delivered by the one and only Kermit the Frog.

After all, the distinguished amphibian has racked up many laurels, including "best-selling author," "Peabody Award winner," "international superstar," "friend to all creatures" and "champion of creativity, kindness and believing in the impossible."

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But regardless of his notable accolades, the famous frog shared some trul sage word of wisdom about three things “close to his heart”:

“Finding your people”

Kermit credited Henson, who could “always see the spark in someone” for teaching him this lesson. Kermit talked about the importance of creating a tribe not just of like-minded individuals, but of those whose differences offered fresh perspectives.

“…which is why you’ll see me hanging out with a bear and a pig and a penguin and a prawn, and, uh, whatever Gonzo is,”Kermit joked.

Why is finding you people so important? Easy. “Because, life is not a solo act…it’s a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you’re with your people.”

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“Taking the leap”

This point wasn’t just about chasing after your dreams, but of taking your people on the ride with you.

“Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side. Because, life is better when we leap together.”

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“Making connections”

On the flipside, her Kermit talked about the importance of not just staying connected to your people, but of staying connected to your dreams, “no matter how big” or “impossible” they seem.

“The truth is dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. And life is how we get there.” After all, as Kermit noted, “life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.”

Then of course, the speech concluded with a "Rainbow Connection" sing-along. Because why wouldn't it?

Take it from Kermit: stay connected to the things and people that light you up, and don’t be afraid to take that leap.

Watch the full speech below.

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Photo by Riku Lu on Unsplash

Yoda is/was strong with the "Force."

Muppets and Yoda co-creator Frank Oz is having a party on Twitter, and everyone is welcome.

The 74-year-old director and puppeteer is a living legend. He's the creator of beloved characters like Miss Piggy, Bert (of Bert and Ernie), Cookie Monster, and, of course, Yoda.

Oz has been tweeting up a storm in 2018, engaging with fans and talking about his new documentary "Muppet Guys Talking," in which he and the other Muppets founders talk about how they helped create the historic family of beloved characters.


Sometimes he's funny; other times he's a little more serious. But, in all cases, Oz makes it clear that his stories and characters are for everyone.

When one parent asked him about her 7-year-old daughter wanting to wear a "Star Wars" T-shirt but fearing a backlash, Oz had a clear-cut response.

Gender inclusion is a huge issue in fandom, and Oz's tweet matters.

There has been a lot of progress with inclusion in film, particularly when it comes to fantasy and science fiction films.

Three of the last four "Star Wars" films have led with female protagonists, but the genre is still heavily dominated by men. Even behind the scenes, every "Star Wars" film has been directed by a man, despite Lucasfilm being run by Kathleen Kennedy, a woman.

And then there's the issue of gendering products. The "Star Wars" brand is enormous, so having one of the franchise's most famous voices speak out in favor of greater inclusion sends a hopeful message of inclusion.

Oz never wanted to get on Twitter. But now he can't stop.

"I never liked social media. I didn't like Facebook at all. And I didn't know what Twitter was," he says in an interview.

After some nudging from his wife, Victoria Labalme, Oz signed up for an account shortly before the premiere of "The Last Jedi" in December 2017. Labalme says he treats his tweets "almost like little poems," giving time and thought to fans who take the time to send him thoughtful questions.

"It's become more personal for me. I really enjoy talking to them," he says.

After his gender inclusion tweet, another fan thanked Oz for being so generous in his interactions with fans. The fan added a self-deprecating tone to his tweet, but Oz was having none of it:

Leave it to a "Muppet Guy" to remind us that Twitter can still be a force for good.

Oz knows what it's like to feel vulnerable. Countless people have connected with his characters, but he never saw himself as the center of attention.

"I was a very shy person. I was internal. To a great degree, I still am introverted," he says. "The puppets protected me from being rejected."

And for about 60 years he's been returning the favor to boys, girls, and anyone else who wants to join in the fun.

Families everywhere are celebrating Julia, the first new "Sesame Street" muppet to go on air in a decade.

Julia — who was first introduced online in 2015 but makes her small screen debut on April 10, 2017 — will fit right in with the rest of the "Sesame Street" gang. She loves to pick flowers, she's an incredible artist, and she can remember all the words to lots of different songs.

Julia also has autism. And that's a big deal.


"We realized if we brought her to life appearing in 'Sesame Street' on air as well [as online], she would have even more impact," Sherrie Westin, an executive vice president at Sesame Workshop, told NPR.

Julia's introductory video features the orange-haired muppet singing "Sunny Days" with fellow muppet Abby Cadabby.

Julia's on screen presence will be a great learning tool for all types of families.

For parents of kids without autism, Julia provides an opportunity for them to talk about peers who may have different abilities and strengths than their own, according to "Sesame Street." For instance, it may be difficult to get Julia's attention at times (as Big Bird recently learned), but she's an excellent artist who often sees things others don't.

For parents of kids who do have autism, Julia gives their kids the invaluable opportunity to see themselves reflected on "Sesame Street." According to Westin, one mom has already used Julia's story as a way to let her 5-year-old daughter know she, too, had been diagnosed with autism — just like Julia.

Utilizing child psychologists and working with autism advocacy groups, "Sesame Street" is careful about how Julia is being portrayed.

About 1 in 68 children are believed to be on the autism spectrum, after all; the series doesn't want to imply Julia reflects the characteristics and experiences of everyone living with autism.  

"It’s tricky because autism is not one thing, because it is different for every single person who has autism," show writer Christine Ferraro told CBS News. "There is an expression that goes, 'If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.'"

On "Sesame Street," though, that one person is Julia — a friendly, flower-picking muppet that's making history. And there's no telling how many hearts will open and perspectives will change after she's welcomed into family rooms across the country.