Comic strips

Profiled: Guy Gilchrist, Nancy and Muppets cartoonist

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Alan Gardner August 19, 2013 1 minute 0 comments

The Daily News Journal interviews Nancy cartoonist Guy Gilchrist

What did you learn from Jim Henson, in terms of life and work?

Gilchrist: Jim Henson taught me a lot. He taught me how to work in a team. He really was my creative father. I learned my comedy timing. I’d been working (in the industry) for 10 years, but I was still a kid. I was 24 when I went to work for him. The “Muppets” strip was going to be around the world. Any mistakes you made would be loud. People would notice. He was giving in that, by example, if you watch you learned and if you asked he would teach you. The other thing I got from him is that he was gentle. He had a gentle and zany sense of humor. The people around him created this world that made you laugh. Ever notice none of the characters were never critical of each other? Gonzo has no talent, but he puts himself in a cannon and lets a chicken light the fuse. Fozzie can’t read cue cards. The two old guys in the balcony griped every night. That was their whole purpose, to make it to that balcony night after night. He taught me you could be very funny, but you didn’t have to be cruel or mean-spirited. You could make the whole world smile. That’s what my goal has been my entire life.