Imagine you're heading to your college graduation ceremony, and you have to choose between one of these two graduation speakers: Kermit the Frog, or the person currently in charge of the United States. For me, it's not even a choice—it's 100% Kermit the Frog, every single time.
The University of Maryland was lucky enough to snag ol' Kermie as its commencement speaker last week. I've listened to the speech and I gotta say, it's brilliant, funny, poignant, and uplifting.
The New York Times provides some details about the speech, which was written by a writer from the Muppets and voiced by puppeteer Matt Vogel:
The University of Maryland said it had chosen Kermit to deliver its commencement address to honor the legacy of Mr. Henson, who died in 1990.
Kermit had plenty of words of wisdom, and some ribbing, for the Class of 2025 from a muppet's life of swamp-swimming and hanging out on Sesame Street. One piece of advice, he said, was sharing life with the right people — even a spotlight-hogging pig. . . .
From the lectern on Thursday, he said, "Life is not a solo act; no, it's not. It's a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you are with your people." He called on the graduates to help each other whenever possible. . . . He told students to stay connected to their loved ones and to their dreams, "no matter how impossible they seem."
Here's one of Kermit's best lines from the speech—I think it's something we all need to hear right now: "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."
Unpredictably, lots of MAGA folks are criticizing Kermit's speech for being too "woke." I guess they'd prefer soaking in all of Trump's wisdom about "trophy wives" that he dispensed in the "rambling" and "incoherent" graduation speech he recently gave at West Point Military Academy. BuzzFeed reports that the speech was so weird that the "White House reportedly erased the transcript from its website."
For me, though? Again, give me Kermit any day of the week. I think the University of Maryland graduation ceremony crowd agrees with me, too. Near the end of the speech, Kermit began a short sing-along to "Rainbow Connection," and, judging from all of beaming faces in the crowd and all of the happy people gleefully joining in—even in the midst of gloomy weather—it's clear that Kermit the Frog was exactly who they all wanted to see.
Watch the full fifteen-minute speech here, and skip forward to 11:14 if you want to go straight to the Rainbow Connection sing-along.
Previously:
• Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog sing 'Rainbow Connection'
• Here's the Piers Morgan vs. Kermit the Frog fashion showdown you never knew you needed
• Kermit the Frog covers 'Gin & Juice' by Snoop Dogg
• Kermit the Frog sings Radiohead's Creep
• Watch Debbie Harry and Kermit the Frog sing together
• Kermit the Frog in everything
