The Jim Henson Company Announces Recipients of the Second Annual Jim Henson Honors

The Jim Henson Company Announces Recipients of the Second Annual Jim Henson Honors

Former Vice President Al Gore Receives Highest Honor

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jim Henson Company has selected the honorees for the 2006 Jim Henson Honors, the annual program established in 2005 that acknowledges organizations, individuals or products that reflect the core values and philosophy of Jim Henson and the company he founded. The four recipients were announced today by Brian Henson and Lisa Henson, co-CEOs of The Jim Henson Company.

The 2006 Jim Henson Honorees:

* The Jim Henson Celebration Honor - Al Gore, Former Vice President
* The Jim Henson Community Honor - Wynton Marsalis, Jazz Musician
* The Jim Henson Creativity Honor - Hayao Miyazaki, Writer and Director
of Animation
* The Jim Henson Technology Honor - Google Earth, Internet Satellite
and Map

Honorees were chosen by the artists and staff at The Jim Henson Company, who were asked to nominate recipients who inspire them in their everyday work, maintain similar core values as the company, and of course, reflect Jim Henson's commitment to excellence in creativity and innovation.

Brian Henson said, "This year's honorees represent a bringing together of community -- by encouraging us to take action or by giving us the tools to learn about and be inspired by the world and each other. Much of my father's work focused on celebrating our differences and recognizing that they are what makes the world a truly wonderful place so these recipients are a great tribute to his legacy as well."

Lisa Henson said, "The Jim Henson Honors embrace the creativity and inspiration all around us. These honorees remind us that in whatever we do there can be beauty and joy that makes the world a better place." In regards to Al Gore receiving the highest honor she added, "Mr. Gore has shown commitment to a message and has articulated that message in a creative way that has inspired discussion, debate and action. Our employees and artists have been impressed by his call to action as I am sure many others have as well."

About the 2006 Honors and Recipients:

* The Jim Henson Celebration Honor - Al Gore, Former Vice President
The highest honor goes to an individual, organization or product that
makes the world a better place by inspiring people to celebrate life.
Mr. Gore, through his tireless efforts to educate audiences everywhere
about the effects of global warming, has articulated his message in a
compelling and powerful way that inspires action.

* The Jim Henson Community Honor - Wynton Marsalis, Jazz Musician
The Community Honor acknowledges an individual, organization or product
who/which has increased goodwill or made a positive impact in a specific
community or around the world. Using jazz music to celebrate New
Orleans while honoring its rich heritage, Mr. Marsalis has dedicated
himself to raising awareness of and provided hope to those affected by
Hurricane Katrina.

* The Jim Henson Creativity Honor - Hayao Miyazaki, Writer and Director
of Animation
The Creativity Honor acknowledges a new creative voice or unique
expression of an idea. Mr. Miyazaki's work possesses an unchallengeable
creativity that is full of imagination and irreverence reminiscent of
Jim Henson.

* The Jim Henson Technology Honor - Google Earth, Internet Satellite
and Map
The Technology Honor acknowledges an individual, organization or product
who/which demonstrates ground-breaking technology in a creative way.
Google Earth has used technology to bring the world a little closer and
make the ends of the earth not seem quite so far away. Frankly, it is
just the coolest thing out there.

About The Jim Henson Company ...

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and computer graphics. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets (the rights to which are now owned by The Walt Disney Company), Henson is the recipient of over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Credits include the Saturn Award-winning "Farscape" and the features "MirrorMask", "Five Children and It" and "Good Boy!". With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. The Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state of the art and vintage equipment. The Company recently launched "The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up! - Uncensored", a live puppet improvisational show that has played to sold out crowds in Aspen, Hollywood and Edinburgh and premiered as a special on TBS. The Company also announced the creation of Jim Henson Designs, a merchandise collection inspired by Jim Henson's earliest sketches. The Jim Henson Company's website is located at: www.henson.com

Source: Jim Henson Company

CONTACT: Nicole Goldman of The Jim Henson Company, +1-323-802-1608,
ngoldman@henson.com

Web site: http://www.henson.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: FOR PHOTOS AND ADDITIONAL INFO, VISIT http://digital.ihenson.com/jimhensonhonors2006

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