May 27, 2025 • 41 mins
This year's commencement speaker at the University of Maryland truly leapt to new heights! Kermit the Frog was the headliner at this year's graduation ceremony at UMD. The connection? The late Jim Henson, creator of “The Muppet Show,” was a Class of 1960 graduate. Would you have appreciated a commencement speech delivered by a puppet?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's nice with Dan Ray. I'm telling you easy Boston's Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
So I heard this article over the weekend and heard
the story and decided to check it out, and sure
enough found out that this was an actual story. So
the class of two thousand and this out of the
New York Times, the class of twenty and twenty five
at the University of Maryland. This is not, you know,
(00:30):
one of the University of Maryland's that you know, like
the small This is the major university, the flagship of
the university, big graduation speaker with none other than the
cartoon character Kermit the Frog. This is, I think, really interesting.
(00:55):
So my question is this again, it's not the Frog,
but it's someone playing Kermit the Frog. The creator of
the Muppets, Jim Henson, graduated from the University of Maryland
(01:16):
back in nineteen sixty and so the school is saying
that it had chosen, according to New York Times, Kermit
to deliver its commencement address to honor the legacy of
mister Henson, who died in nineteen ninety. So he died
in nineteen ninety and graduated from there in nineteen sixty
(01:41):
and well, I want to play a little bit of it.
But here's the question I have. And if there are
high school students or college students who are listening tonight,
I'm particularly interested in your perspective. I'm also interested in
the perspective of parents. Now, can you imagine if you
were the parent of someone who paid whatever it costs
(02:02):
to go to a four year college the es date. Now, again,
i assume the University of Maryland is not as expensive
as say Harvard or an Ivy League college, but I'm
sure it runs into the tens of thousands, indeed, hundreds
of thousands of dollars. I'm sure that to be a
full time student at the University of Maryland has to
be upwards of fifty or sixty thousand dollars. So you're
(02:24):
talking about a substantial amount of money to educate a child.
And the graduation ceremony, the commencement speech is always, of course,
the capstone of this four year college career. And you're
a parent sitting there, or you're a graduate sitting there
and realizing that you're listening to a frog, or you're
(02:48):
listening to a cartoon character who's playing a frog, however
you want to describe it. Now, people who have I
don't know who your college commencement spe was, if you
went to college, or your high school commencement speaker. Love
to know if you recall that, but I'm interested. Would
you feel ripped off short changed if they announced that
(03:12):
your commencement speaker was going to be a cartoon character.
I mean, I guess you could have burder Ernie there,
maybe Elmo could speak Miss Piggy, or maybe next year
one of the Power Rangers, or whoever it is these days. Again,
(03:37):
it seems to me, well, first of all, let's play
a little bit now again. According to the New York Times,
article says news that the famously cheery Frog puppet would
be the puppet would be delivering the commencement, as some
students called it, that was mixed met with mixed reviews
(04:01):
on campus. Some wondered if the speech, penned by a
Muppets writer and voiced by the puppeteer Matt Vogel, was
an effort by the university to sidestep the difficult issues
confronting American higher education, like the Trump administration's cracked down
on federal funding and cancelation of some international student visus.
(04:26):
I don't know now, obviously, Kermit pretty much stuck to
the script as you would expect. Let's just listen to
a couple of the sound bites. This was the Again,
whenever I do a story like this, I'm fearful that
my audience is going to say, oh, Dan is trying
to put us. No, I'm not. I would never put
(04:48):
you on on something like this. I consider it to
be a serious topic because some people probably will say
I will always remember my commencement speaker because it wasn't
a human being. It was Kermit the Frog. I get that, Okay,
I get that, And a lot of kids today, young
(05:11):
people graduating from colleges, their first teachers might have been
the Muppets. Think about it, they were sitting in front
of television sets. Maybe maybe students today are a little
a little older than that. Maybe they were watching other
(05:32):
cartoonish type characters. I remember Barney the Purple Dinosaur. My
daughter left Barney the Purple Dinosaur, okay, but my son,
he grew up with the Muppets, bart Ernie, all that,
all the crews. So let's let's play a couple of
cuts here so you get a sense of what it
was like and if you were a parent or a student.
(05:52):
What have you been insulted or what have you just thought?
This is great because whenever there's a conversation with my
friends about they will remember who there, keep their commencement
speakers were, but I will always remember mine. Let's go
to cut one here.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Noah, Hi, everybody, Hello, I mean wow, look at this crowd.
Look at all these graduation caps with their decorations. Wow,
what a thrill it is to be back here at
the University of Maryland and.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Celebrate the class of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
And don't forget the summer class of twenty twenty four
and the Winter class of twenty twenty four. Yeah. Uh,
did I leave anybody out?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
No?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Great, good, you are all here. You're all here to
listen to a frog in a very tiny cap and
gown give a commencement speech on well what's actually turned
out to be a pretty beautiful evening. Yeah, either way,
(07:03):
I can guarantee you the forecast calls for a one
hundred chance of frog.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Pretty lame so far. I'm just listening to it for
the first time. Karen Semi, Our producer dzore I, asked
her late today to pull some sound bites so Well,
that wasn't the strongest start of a commencement speaker that
I've ever listened to. But let's let's keep rolling here.
Let's let's listen to cut number two.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Noah, Now, I realize that today is one of the
most important themes of your life. So I am honored
to share some words of wisdom about three things that
are close to my heart. Finding your people, taking the leap,
and making connections. Now you and I share someone very
(07:55):
special University of Maryland, and I am talking, of course
about my friend Jim Henson.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah, Jim.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
In the early days, he had a hand in literally
everything I did. Yeah, Jim and his wife Jane were
proud students right here at UMD. When the food at
the stamp was good. Yeah, back then they even had
mosquito sprinkles for your ice cream.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
I miss that.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
And as I'm sure you know, there's a statue of
Jim and me on campus, and it is not far
from another campus legend, Testudo the turtle. I hear, by
the way that we are distant cousins. And although I
know you rub his nose for good luck, please do
(08:49):
not rub my nose unless you're a fly, in which case,
i'd say lunch is served.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Okay, those lines are kind of falling flat. Now, maybe
there's some inside jokes that I'm missing here. I'm not
a terp University of Maryland terp. But wow, so I
want to know this is a legitimate commencement address here
in America, at the University of Maryland. I don't get it.
(09:24):
I'm going to be honest with you. I was kind
of open minded until I listened to it. I mean,
it was There's nothing that's to me particularly memorable here.
I don't know. We got a couple more soundbites we
can listen to, But in the meantime, we're going to
take a break, and I'm going to ask you to
(09:45):
give me a call. If you are happy to be
someone who has graduated this year has recently attended a
commencement address, I'm sure that there are some that are
pretty boring, and when they they introduced some sociology professor
from somewhere in the distance you have never heard of,
or some philosopher king six one seven, two, five, four
(10:07):
ten thirty six one seven nine three one ten thirty.
If you want to defend the choice of the University
of Maryland of Kermit the Frog as a commencement speaker,
and tell me why I am all wet. Let me know,
I think it's insulting. I really do. I would think
that the University of Maryland would be a little more
thoughtful than to come up with a cartoon character. Now
(10:29):
I realize Jim Henson is probably a very distinguished graduate.
I guess his wife as well, very distinguished graduate, and
their legacy are the Muppets. But do you really want
to use a muppet? Who are you gonna have next year?
I don't know. Maybe I'm all wet, but I don't
(10:50):
think so on this one. I happen to think my
audience is going to agree with me, and I'm looking
for people who have recently either graduated. How would you
compare this with your commencement speaker? Six ten thirty six
seven nine ten thirty let's light him up? Coming back right.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
After this, It's Night Side with Dan Ray. Hey, damn dog,
you Bezy Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Har We one more. We got a couple more advice you,
but just to give you a sense of what people
listened to. Okay, let's go too. Cut number three please
Noah hit it.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
But it was Jim who taught me about finding your people.
Jim was a collector. He loved collecting actors and artists
and musicians, anyone with talent.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Jim shared with me that when he was first coming
up with the idea for the Muppet Show, nobody knew
what they had, but Jim knew who he had.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yeah, he knew that.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
There was a show there, and he wanted to show
the world.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
And that was Jim.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
He can always see the spark in someone, He saw
the potential, and he saw what was unique in each person.
And he taught me what's unique about you should always
be shared. And that really stuck with me, which is
why you'll see me hanging out with a bear and
(12:22):
a pig and a penguin and a prawn and whatever
gonzo is. Seriously, if anybody knows, please see me after
the ceremony. But Jim believed that everyone had a place.
Jim thought of that and he made us believe it.
(12:45):
And so my whole life, I'd tried to appreciate people
for exactly who they are, even if they are a
pig who hogs the spotlight. Oh, I'm probably gonna get
in trouble for that. One, But truly, there's a spot
for everyone in the show.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Okay, I'm lost on it. I'm lost. Let me go
to Gina from Bridgewater. Gina, I'm not digging the German
as a commencement speaker. Tell me I'm right, Tell me
I'm wrong.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
No, I think it's great, but everything else going on.
We should have more Kermits.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Okay, So do you remember who your commencement speakers were?
Speaker 6 (13:33):
I only had one.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
No, I guess I remember who it was. Her name
is Maryland?
Speaker 6 (13:38):
Three years ago. But anyhow, what did what did?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Whoever Maryland was? What did she do? Was she a
famous Maryland? Or?
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (13:47):
In my eyes she was Joe?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Well? Who was she?
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Very much?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
She was a teacher, that's all. She was a great
person and she was one of the best I ever knew.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
And was a teacher? Was she a teacher? You're at
the school from which you graduated?
Speaker 6 (14:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Okay, that's great.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
Yeah, okay, yeah. So what I'm saying is there should
be more Kermits. You know, I'm just waiting for it
to become a prince, it's all. Did he like kiss somebody?
Speaker 5 (14:12):
After?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
I missed your question? There? What was it?
Speaker 7 (14:17):
I said?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Does anybody get to kiss him after.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Oh, I'll bet some people kissed him. Sure, why not?
I mean so if your son or daughter had gone
to the University of Maryland, you'd be okay with that.
Speaker 6 (14:30):
I think it's great. I think there should be more Kermits.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, okay, anyone else you want to say that, anyone
else you want to suggest as a speaker you, I'm
not a Kermit. I've done a couple of commencement addresses myself. Yeah,
and I take him pretty seriously. I did a commencement
address at the at Boston State College in nineteen seventy eight,
(14:56):
a few scant years after I had graduated from that
fine institution and was morphed into you, Mass Boston, merged
with you, Mass Boston. I did a commencement addressed at
Endicott College and at the Massachusetts School of Law, and
in both of those I did research on who was
in the graduating class and some of the more distinctive graduates,
(15:19):
not necessarily the valedictorian, but I focused on my audience.
And I think it's a device that's important to use because, uh,
it sort of brings the audience they sit there and
want if you if they're going to be mentioned next actually,
but uh talked about them and talked about uh, you know,
(15:39):
there are themes that I think college graduates need to
hear or high school graduates need to hear that, you know,
never never limit your horizons. Always realize that there's another
goal and there's another challenge, and keep you know, keep working.
But as I say, I was listening to the Kermit
(16:00):
speech here in it so far, I'm not impressed. But
that's okay. You know, different strokes with different folks.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Well, you know, let me tell you something. I was
taking a walk a week ago, and on the way back,
before I got into the door, I had to use
the light on the phone, and I did, and I
looked to my right, and I'm lucky I did. There
was a frog right there on the top step.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Well maybe it was a relative of Kermits.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
You never know a relative.
Speaker 8 (16:30):
You know.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
They didn't show their face obviously, and I'm sure they're
not a print, so it isn't going to happen.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
All right, Jeane, I appreciate, appreciate you call. Thank you much, Okay,
talk soon, good night, all right, good night, six one, seven, two, five,
eight thirty. Uh, let me go to Laurie in Ohio
and Idaho, Laurie, I'll be interested in what your thought
is in this. Normally we're kind of on the same page.
You do not have to be on the same page here.
(16:59):
What's your thought?
Speaker 7 (17:01):
Well, we're sort of divided. I heard the announcement sometime
in the middle of the week last week. I had
not heard any of the speech, and that is where
I'm with you. I think they blew it because I mean,
I grew up with Sessin Street because my youngest sister
is six years younger than I am, and so we
watched it because it was Channelton and we were allowed
to watch it, and what else was there to watch?
So my younger sister and Kermit, I mean, okay, they're
(17:24):
all technically cartoon characters, but he was iconic. He was
the little guy. He was the smartest little muppet. He
was the one who, you know, would broke a peace
if you will, if muppets were arguing to the extent
that they did, and he had you know, his attitude
was inclusion. And I mean that song He's It's not
easy being Green. I mean, look at the social metaphors at.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
That song called yeah Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:46):
So if they had stuck to Kermit's actual character as
written by Hinson or whatever, and embraced that in a
better way, it would have been fantastic. But they blew it.
I mean, you don't know who's speaking. Is it that?
It shouldn't have been a joke show. It should have
been being Kermit the way he was years ago, and
you know, being encouraging, inclusive and whatever. And I would
(18:08):
have absolutely remembered that I have no idea who my
commencement seekers were, and they were so boring. I just
couldn't wait them to be done.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
So well he did. He did, and again we have
several soundbites here. He he did say a couple of
things which I think were important. Life is not a
solo act. No it's not. It's a big, messy, delightful
ensemble piece, especially when you were with your people. He
called the graduates to help each other whenever possible, and
(18:36):
his line, the line that was the most memorable, is
life is better when we leap together. I guess he
delivered a commencement speech. I guess this is his second
or third one. He delivered a commencement speech in nineteen
ninety six at Southampton College, then part of Long Island University.
(18:57):
And also I guess his friends at Sesame Street from
Grover to Cookie Monster have also delivered their own addresses
to graduating classes.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
I want to see Cookie Monsters, but but I just
what I didn't like to was his Well, Jim told me,
and he was he should have just been portrayed as
the Permit the way Kermit was. It's all back and forth.
Jim told me and a little the stick that it
didn't work for me. He just he could they could
have picked a much better speech writer.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, it was well, it was funny. The Times out
of the speech writer basically said it was pinned by
by a Muffets writer didn't mention the Muffets writer, but
voiced by the puppeteer Matt Bogel.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
I don't know reason the word you've given, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I just think that, uh, you know, Maryland is a
state that they've just elected a black governor, first industry
of Maryland, and you would think that now maybe he's addressed,
but they've addressed the college graduates before. They just elected
(20:02):
a woman senator from not the first, Barbara mcclsky I
think was the first in Maryland. But I don't know
it just it just seems to me that there are
enough interesting people. I was watching television here today and
Sonny Williams, the astronaut from Massachusetts who circled the globe
for whatever it was, nine months, nine months, and she
(20:27):
I think gave a commencement addressed recently. But then today
there was a story about her just taking a swim
in in in the waters off of Cape Cod.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
It made the It made the point that she every
time she circled the globe, many times when she circled
the globe, she would look down on Cape Cod and
that's one of the things she always loved to do
with life.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
So I don't know, it just I would rather see
his stuff frog than of stuff shirt.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Yeah, stuff frog. That okay, that's a good line. That's
a good line. And we've all had our shares of
I guess there's been a lot of stuff shirt speakers,
Oh a.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
Ton of them.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (21:12):
When they dropped the ball was whatever, whoever wrote the speech,
they could have done a much better job researching Kermit's
actual iconic situation way back and street, way back when
I mean, you know, yeah, long before I even graduated.
But they dropped the ball on the speech otherwise I
thought it was a cute idea.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
All right, Well, we get Laurie down. Is a cute idea,
and uh I think Gina liked it as well. So
that's that's two callers who pretty much they're down with Kermit.
Love to know what you think.
Speaker 7 (21:40):
Laurie will tell it not as speech water.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
No, I get it, I get it. We'll play a
little bit more on the other side. Thanks Laurie, talk
to you.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
Soon more pain.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
No no, no, no, no, talk about pain. How about
the Red Sox today?
Speaker 9 (21:55):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (21:56):
Yeah, I mean, why can't they get nineteen for Crchet?
Speaker 5 (22:00):
What the heck?
Speaker 2 (22:01):
I know they haven't nine. They haven't gotten him nineteen
runs in all of his eight starts. I think he's
a I unbelievable. Well whatever, they could have used some
of those the other night. Thanks Laurie, we'll talk its.
Thanks for calling in, all right, we'll keep rolling here.
Six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six months,
(22:22):
seven nine three, one ten thirty. I'm I am a
little tougher on this than Laurie. My idea is that
I don't know that I want Kermit the Frog as
my graduation speaker, and I don't want Kermit the Frog
as my kids graduation speaker. There's enough people out there
of great accomplishment, not only in the political theater, the
(22:45):
political world, but also in the in the arts community,
uh for that matter, in the sports world. I mean,
I would think that I would rather hear if I
was a college graduate or the parent of a college graduate.
I'd rather hear from an athlete who either wasn't particularly
well known but went to a smaller college and made
(23:08):
it in the NFL. I mean, someone like a Julian
Edelman would be one of you know, those of us
in Boston. He went to Kent State and never really
expected to do much in the NFL, but he did.
Or from a Tom Brady or for I just think
there's a lot of different people there there. I watched
(23:28):
a commencement speech that Conan O'Brien delivered to Dartmouth College
in twenty eleven, and it was clever. I'm not a
huge fan of Conan O'Brien. I think his humor is
a little dour. From my personal taste. I'm more of
a slapstick type guy, somebody who enjoys I just think
(23:50):
that I just think it was imaginative but unimaginative. If
you get my drift back of nights, I will have
more of Kermit the Frog and more of your response
coming back on.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Nightside, Night Side with Dan ray On Dell youbz Boston's
News Radio. You're on night Side with Dan ray onell
you bz Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
All right, we're getting a little bit more Kermit the Frog.
Here his commencement speech. I think it's important so people
can hear it. Let me go to cut number four.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Please, Noah, Now, there is no guarantee that the show
is always good, or that'll go off without a hitch,
or it doesn't have it's uh Heckler's yeah, But the
show must go on, and if you're with your people,
and you won't have to do it alone, because life
(24:49):
is not a solo act.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
No it's not.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
It's a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you're
with your people.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
In fact, I'll look around, seriously, her ahead, look around.
You're probably sitting next to some of your people right now.
These are friends that you might have for your whole life,
and there will be many others to collect along the way.
So always keep your eyes open like I do. Actually
(25:23):
I can't really close my eyes. But always be on
the lookout for old friends you've just met. Also, can
you be on the lookout for animal. I hear he
hit a few graduation parties last night and we haven't
seen him since.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
I think Kermit kind of fell flat here. Now, maybe
I'm missing something. And if I'm missing something, please call
me up short. Let me go to LeeAnne in Attleborough. LeeAnne,
do you think Kermit's killing it here?
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Ah?
Speaker 10 (25:58):
Well, I will be the first one to differ.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Sure, well, will Laurie different a little bit? So go
right ahead now.
Speaker 10 (26:05):
When I turned the radio on this morning and I
was just getting a partial clip of Kermit's speech, yeah,
I just automatically assumed that it was a speech at
a local elementary school. And then when I found out
that it was a commencement speech of a university of
higher learning, the.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
University of Maryland, the flagship you know, this is not
like University of Maryland at PO Doug. This is the flagship.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
School, big, big stuff, you know.
Speaker 10 (26:37):
And I just kind of cocked my head to one side,
you know, the way a dog does.
Speaker 9 (26:40):
When it's kind of saying that.
Speaker 10 (26:43):
You know, and and you know, any graduation ceremony is serious,
and there's been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears
and money behind everyone who's graduating. And it should be
a speech of substance, and a speech that applauds such
(27:04):
achievement and encourages it to continue. And this kermit thing
no substance. If they were supposed to be jokes, boy
they were, they would get it at you know.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
They kind of fell flat. Guess what, You and I
are right on the same page.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
Lean, Yeah, you're like collar of the night, I.
Speaker 10 (27:27):
Thought, so you started talking about and said, oh, well,
it sounds like Dan and I are on the same
page of this.
Speaker 9 (27:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Are we normally on the same page? Lee In?
Speaker 10 (27:36):
Or no, yes, what you are? There a few times
when I've differed slightly, but we're generally on the same page.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah. I just think. I just think that if I
were a parent who had spent two hundred and one
thousand dollars or whatever, you know, four year major university
like the University of Maryland, it's not going to be
in the stratosphere of Harvard one hundred thousand a year,
but you know, fifty great in the year. That's that's
very doable with room and board two hundred thousand, and
you're going to get Kermit the Frog, you know.
Speaker 10 (28:07):
Yeah, with a parent or a student, I would have
been insulted that it was so dumbed down, just so
dumbed down.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
I've also done some high school graduation speeches Saint Bernard's
Catholic High School, and then I did Mystic Valley Regional
High School was just a charter school, and my producer
Noah told me that he was there for that because
his brother was in the graduating class. So yeah, I
just think you have to give people a message of hey,
(28:40):
you've really achieved something here you have a call something,
and you know, now you move on to the next level.
And whether it's your first job whatever, or maybe it's
your your first real full time job, give him some
advice or something. So well, okay, where are the same page? Leanne?
I love it. I love you as a caller. You
know that I'll always associate with you with Kermit the Frog.
Speaker 9 (29:05):
Now, just don't do that.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
With our shared I would I would say disappointment.
Speaker 10 (29:14):
With yeah, like I said when it hit me, like
and I just went the old dogs, huh.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Yeah, yeah, it just didn't work for me. Hey, Leanne,
thank you so much. I love you, Carl, I really do,
thank you so much. Okay, let me go. Let me
go next to Florence and Groveland. Florence, You're next on nice.
Speaker 8 (29:34):
I go ahead, okay, Dan. When I heard that this
was coming up, I thought, how delightful, all right, okay,
because I'm sure some of it the graduates grew up
with this show with the Street. Yeah, and Kermit was
(29:57):
one of the most loved characters, right, and I'm inclined
to say what your first caller said, and Laurie said,
with all it's going on in the world today, the
concept was kind of delightful to hear that, all right,
(30:21):
But in hearing some of the speeches, I gotta say
they fell flat.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Yeah, that's my thought too. Let me play, let me
let me play one more, and I want to get
your reaction. We're going to play one more and I
want to get your quick reaction to it. Let's go
to cut number five here. Please know, I want to
get Florence's reaction.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
You know, when I was just a little bit younger
than all of you, why I used to have a
fun in the swamp playing leap frog. It was our
favorite game, kind of our only game, but we loved it.
Except for my cousin Albert. He never actually left. He
just stepped on your back and used your head like
a lily pad. Sure he got ahead, but it was
(31:08):
only by stepping on you. We've been told that that's
how you succeed, and some choose to believe in it,
but I know they're wrong. So as you prepare to
take this big leap into real life, here's a little advice.
If you're willing to listen to a frog, rather than
(31:28):
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.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Okay, Floris, does that do it for you?
Speaker 8 (31:48):
You know you want? Can't relate to that whole speech,
Yeah what he would say. I would have loved to
hear comments from the actual students.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, unfortunately I don't have those. I'd love to hear
from the parents, Florence, because in many cases it's the
parents who put up the money, right.
Speaker 8 (32:17):
But especially to the students. You know how it you
know hit them? Was it good bad? Or you know?
Speaker 2 (32:29):
There wasn't much reaction as they say. I went back
and happened to watch Conan O'Brien's and again it just
happened to be I was on the internet, and it
was a long speech, was twenty four minutes, but I
listened to it, and he made a lot of really
interesting points about success and failure, which all of us,
I think need to be reminded off periodically. Florence, I
(32:50):
got you in here, but I got a break. You
find a word, Go ahead, find a word.
Speaker 8 (32:55):
I would say. Really, they sounded like they weren't completely
directed or even directed to their future, you know, for
the students.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
All right, I got your thanks, Lawrence. We'll talk soon, Okay,
thanks very much. By night. We'll take a quick break here.
I got a couple of lines we can finish strong.
Six one seven, two, five, four to ten thirty, six
one seven, nine, three one ten thirty. I got lines
at both six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty
and six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. I
(33:28):
got tim. I got Alice coming up, and I do
have some room for you. We're talking about Kermit the
Frog's actual college commencement speech to the University of Maryland,
the flagship university in that state. I think it fell flat.
I understand that people that administrators are always reaching to
(33:51):
do something different, but I'm not sure that it worked.
And if there's anyone out there who would as as
a recent college graduate or high school graduate, I'd love
to get your reaction. How would have you felt? Or
its a parent, how would have you felt if you
sat there and said, Okay, this is my kid has
(34:12):
just finished. This is an important day for my son
or daughter they become a college graduate. And they're listening
to Kermit the Frog, And I'm not hearing much that
uh that really works here. I just I think it's
I think it fell flat. The Morey listened six one seven,
four ten thirty six one seven, nine, three thirty. It
(34:35):
is a Monday night, Memorial Day weekend. If you're in
a car, give us a call. If you're still at home,
if you're home safely, give us a call. It is
a night like tonight that is always tough to come
up with topics and ideas for people to respond to.
And I really appreciate everyone who's taken the time to
call in tonight back on night Side right.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
After this Night Side with Dan ray Bost News Radio
Night side with Dan Ray. I'm Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Let's say, if we could run the table. We got
Alice in Beverly up next, Alice, how are you?
Speaker 9 (35:13):
I'm okay, Dan, I wish I feel bad that I
that I I really thought it was a good idea,
only because I think, I say to myself, is the
is this graduation speech for the parents? I know they
paid a lot of money, but you know it's if
(35:33):
they're supposed to be giving them some words of wisdom,
the parents might have a different idea of what they
think the kids need. Sure at that point, some of them.
I mean, then maybe maybe they're not that deep. I
mean I think maybe you're smarter than the average frog.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
And so well that's high phraise.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Yes.
Speaker 9 (35:55):
So I'm just saying, but see the other thing too,
and I say it's it's uh. I mean, I graduated
from Emmanuel College in nineteen seventy six, and I still
remember my graduation. It was Ella Grasso, the governor of
Coney and I can tell you that I don't remember
(36:18):
what she said, but okay, I knew it was because
sometimes it's like goes over your head. You're really if
you are waiting for advice about your future till the
day that you're getting a diploma. It's a little bit late.
I mean, no, I get that, no one.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Yeah, but I also think it's general advice. But look
the fact that the Governor of Connecticut was there kind
of made the day bigger than it might have been
if it was just Kurbit the frog.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
No.
Speaker 9 (36:52):
But you know what made it bigger that I'll never
forget because it was the Vice centennial.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Yep.
Speaker 9 (36:57):
So they had they said they a group of uh,
they were called outstanding Bostonians. One of them was Off
the Fiedler and he was seemed to be late, and
of course you know he came on a fire truck. Yes,
And then there was and then there was what's his
name McCormick. Why can't I think.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
It is John Speaker mccormicks.
Speaker 9 (37:20):
That's John McCormick. Then there was a guy from the
from the Celtics that had ten people, and and that
meant a lot to me.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Who was from the Celtics if you.
Speaker 9 (37:29):
Recall it was I'm trying to think because I used
to have tickets. See I'm getting old. It's like he
would have he would have been playing.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Then that would have been.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Well, that was Dave Cowins Arab.
Speaker 9 (37:44):
That's that's who it was.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
It was okay, well that's good. Dave Cowens is an
interesting guy. He's been on my show. Great guy, right.
Speaker 9 (37:51):
Oh yeah, I actually gave him some AF legitimates one
time after a game. No, but I'm just saying so,
so I also think it maybe Okay, I'm thinking to
myself that that we talk about. I mean I actually
have like taken care of or you know, work with
(38:12):
kids from pre k all the way through college. I
was the you know, help nurse at Emmanual College. I
also worked in a boarding school in Middlesex and Conquerord.
So so like I I dealt with and and you
(38:33):
know with and used to talk to the kids all
the time. I'd say to them, you know where are you?
You know where your planning to go to college? Or
what would you like to do? And and I remember
I would talk back. I would say something to them,
they go, I don't know, I don't care what what
I what I become. I just want to do something
that makes a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Okay, all Alice on that point, and I know that's
a down. I got three other callers I'd like to
try to give everybody just a few seconds here. But
I think we're on the same page on this one,
and I thank you.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Okay, bye bye, bye bye.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Talk to you soon. Okay, let me try to get
I got to try to get three people in here quickly. Tim,
help me out here, buddy. What's your take on this.
Speaker 4 (39:16):
I don't know much about Kermit the Fog, but he
gave the conventional address of the University of Maryland.
Speaker 7 (39:21):
Yes, Holy Mackael.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Anyhow, I'm sitting here with my night side having a
cup of coffee. All right, hold it the funniest show.
You remember around Easter time? You did this thing on
the Easter Buddy. You're going to be at the Billington mall. Yes, anyhow,
I was. I wanted to me get my picture taken right,
(39:47):
and then I was working. I never got there, but oh,
and you were going to be there. I wanted to
go up there and see you in the Easter buddy.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
No, I wasn't there. It was just going to be
the Easter buddy.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
Maybe next year, Tim bun So, I remember you bid
the Easter buddy.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
All right, man, I'll talk to you soon. Okay, let
me get a couple more in here real quick. Thanks
to him. Talk to you soon, and Pal, thanks have
a great one. Next up Paul in Pennsylvania. Paul, we
got probably what a minute here? What do I got? No?
Helped me out one minute, Paul.
Speaker 5 (40:22):
Thanks for thinking my call. I think it's you know,
I can't believe I have seen the transcript of the speech.
But like you said, these young men and women, their
parents or whoever pay quick money for them to go
to school, and I would have treated you know, they're
trying to make simpletons on them out of them. I
can't believe that. I, like I tell you this transcripted
the speech, but they would have brought There's a lot
of qualified people, men and women. They could have gave
(40:44):
it a great speech.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
I'm with you totally. Hey, look, Paul, appreciate you called in.
I know it. I had to short change you here
on time calling a little earlier. You You've made a
lot of sense, and I happened to we're about in Pennsylvania.
You calling from Olksparre, wilkes Bury. Okay, absolutely, I scrint
wilkes Bury. Thanks Paul, talk to you soon. All right.
(41:08):
To the callers in the line, I'm sorry, we're flat
out of time. Give me a countdown please, if you
would know real quick, what have I got forty seconds left? Okay,
we're done for the night. To the callers in the line,
I'm sorry. I don't want to sure change you that much.
You got to call earlier. We will be back tomorrow night.
I want to thank everyone who called in tonight. I
want to thank Noah did a great job. Karen did
(41:30):
a great job setting it up. Thanks very much Karen
for the sound bites from our friend Kermit. The frog
didn't quite work for me. Hey, I'm just my thoughts.
All dogs, all cats, all pets go to heaven. That's
my pal Charlie Raids, who passed fifteen years ago in February.
That's where your pets are past. They loved you when
you love them. I do believe you'll see them again.
Hope to see getymore. Night on Nightside. I will be
(41:51):
on Facebook on Nightside with Dan Ray in about two
minutes and I'll see you there. To have a great Tuesday, everyone,
It's nice with Dan Ray. I'm telling you easy Boston's Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
So I heard this article over the weekend and heard
the story and decided to check it out, and sure
enough found out that this was an actual story. So
the class of two thousand and this out of the
New York Times, the class of twenty and twenty five
at the University of Maryland. This is not, you know,
(00:30):
one of the University of Maryland's that you know, like
the small This is the major university, the flagship of
the university, big graduation speaker with none other than the
cartoon character Kermit the Frog. This is, I think, really interesting.
(00:55):
So my question is this again, it's not the Frog,
but it's someone playing Kermit the Frog. The creator of
the Muppets, Jim Henson, graduated from the University of Maryland
(01:16):
back in nineteen sixty and so the school is saying
that it had chosen, according to New York Times, Kermit
to deliver its commencement address to honor the legacy of
mister Henson, who died in nineteen ninety. So he died
in nineteen ninety and graduated from there in nineteen sixty
(01:41):
and well, I want to play a little bit of it.
But here's the question I have. And if there are
high school students or college students who are listening tonight,
I'm particularly interested in your perspective. I'm also interested in
the perspective of parents. Now, can you imagine if you
were the parent of someone who paid whatever it costs
(02:02):
to go to a four year college the es date. Now, again,
i assume the University of Maryland is not as expensive
as say Harvard or an Ivy League college, but I'm
sure it runs into the tens of thousands, indeed, hundreds
of thousands of dollars. I'm sure that to be a
full time student at the University of Maryland has to
be upwards of fifty or sixty thousand dollars. So you're
(02:24):
talking about a substantial amount of money to educate a child.
And the graduation ceremony, the commencement speech is always, of course,
the capstone of this four year college career. And you're
a parent sitting there, or you're a graduate sitting there
and realizing that you're listening to a frog, or you're
(02:48):
listening to a cartoon character who's playing a frog, however
you want to describe it. Now, people who have I
don't know who your college commencement spe was, if you
went to college, or your high school commencement speaker. Love
to know if you recall that, but I'm interested. Would
you feel ripped off short changed if they announced that
(03:12):
your commencement speaker was going to be a cartoon character.
I mean, I guess you could have burder Ernie there,
maybe Elmo could speak Miss Piggy, or maybe next year
one of the Power Rangers, or whoever it is these days. Again,
(03:37):
it seems to me, well, first of all, let's play
a little bit now again. According to the New York Times,
article says news that the famously cheery Frog puppet would
be the puppet would be delivering the commencement, as some
students called it, that was mixed met with mixed reviews
(04:01):
on campus. Some wondered if the speech, penned by a
Muppets writer and voiced by the puppeteer Matt Vogel, was
an effort by the university to sidestep the difficult issues
confronting American higher education, like the Trump administration's cracked down
on federal funding and cancelation of some international student visus.
(04:26):
I don't know now, obviously, Kermit pretty much stuck to
the script as you would expect. Let's just listen to
a couple of the sound bites. This was the Again,
whenever I do a story like this, I'm fearful that
my audience is going to say, oh, Dan is trying
to put us. No, I'm not. I would never put
(04:48):
you on on something like this. I consider it to
be a serious topic because some people probably will say
I will always remember my commencement speaker because it wasn't
a human being. It was Kermit the Frog. I get that, Okay,
I get that, And a lot of kids today, young
(05:11):
people graduating from colleges, their first teachers might have been
the Muppets. Think about it, they were sitting in front
of television sets. Maybe maybe students today are a little
a little older than that. Maybe they were watching other
(05:32):
cartoonish type characters. I remember Barney the Purple Dinosaur. My
daughter left Barney the Purple Dinosaur, okay, but my son,
he grew up with the Muppets, bart Ernie, all that,
all the crews. So let's let's play a couple of
cuts here so you get a sense of what it
was like and if you were a parent or a student.
(05:52):
What have you been insulted or what have you just thought?
This is great because whenever there's a conversation with my
friends about they will remember who there, keep their commencement
speakers were, but I will always remember mine. Let's go
to cut one here.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Noah, Hi, everybody, Hello, I mean wow, look at this crowd.
Look at all these graduation caps with their decorations. Wow,
what a thrill it is to be back here at
the University of Maryland and.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Celebrate the class of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
And don't forget the summer class of twenty twenty four
and the Winter class of twenty twenty four. Yeah. Uh,
did I leave anybody out?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
No?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Great, good, you are all here. You're all here to
listen to a frog in a very tiny cap and
gown give a commencement speech on well what's actually turned
out to be a pretty beautiful evening. Yeah, either way,
(07:03):
I can guarantee you the forecast calls for a one
hundred chance of frog.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Pretty lame so far. I'm just listening to it for
the first time. Karen Semi, Our producer dzore I, asked
her late today to pull some sound bites so Well,
that wasn't the strongest start of a commencement speaker that
I've ever listened to. But let's let's keep rolling here.
Let's let's listen to cut number two.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Noah, Now, I realize that today is one of the
most important themes of your life. So I am honored
to share some words of wisdom about three things that
are close to my heart. Finding your people, taking the leap,
and making connections. Now you and I share someone very
(07:55):
special University of Maryland, and I am talking, of course
about my friend Jim Henson.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yeah, Jim.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
In the early days, he had a hand in literally
everything I did. Yeah, Jim and his wife Jane were
proud students right here at UMD. When the food at
the stamp was good. Yeah, back then they even had
mosquito sprinkles for your ice cream.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
I miss that.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
And as I'm sure you know, there's a statue of
Jim and me on campus, and it is not far
from another campus legend, Testudo the turtle. I hear, by
the way that we are distant cousins. And although I
know you rub his nose for good luck, please do
(08:49):
not rub my nose unless you're a fly, in which case,
i'd say lunch is served.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Okay, those lines are kind of falling flat. Now, maybe
there's some inside jokes that I'm missing here. I'm not
a terp University of Maryland terp. But wow, so I
want to know this is a legitimate commencement address here
in America, at the University of Maryland. I don't get it.
(09:24):
I'm going to be honest with you. I was kind
of open minded until I listened to it. I mean,
it was There's nothing that's to me particularly memorable here.
I don't know. We got a couple more soundbites we
can listen to, But in the meantime, we're going to
take a break, and I'm going to ask you to
(09:45):
give me a call. If you are happy to be
someone who has graduated this year has recently attended a
commencement address, I'm sure that there are some that are
pretty boring, and when they they introduced some sociology professor
from somewhere in the distance you have never heard of,
or some philosopher king six one seven, two, five, four
(10:07):
ten thirty six one seven nine three one ten thirty.
If you want to defend the choice of the University
of Maryland of Kermit the Frog as a commencement speaker,
and tell me why I am all wet. Let me know,
I think it's insulting. I really do. I would think
that the University of Maryland would be a little more
thoughtful than to come up with a cartoon character. Now
(10:29):
I realize Jim Henson is probably a very distinguished graduate.
I guess his wife as well, very distinguished graduate, and
their legacy are the Muppets. But do you really want
to use a muppet? Who are you gonna have next year?
I don't know. Maybe I'm all wet, but I don't
(10:50):
think so on this one. I happen to think my
audience is going to agree with me, and I'm looking
for people who have recently either graduated. How would you
compare this with your commencement speaker? Six ten thirty six
seven nine ten thirty let's light him up? Coming back right.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
After this, It's Night Side with Dan Ray. Hey, damn dog,
you Bezy Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Har We one more. We got a couple more advice you,
but just to give you a sense of what people
listened to. Okay, let's go too. Cut number three please
Noah hit it.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
But it was Jim who taught me about finding your people.
Jim was a collector. He loved collecting actors and artists
and musicians, anyone with talent.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Jim shared with me that when he was first coming
up with the idea for the Muppet Show, nobody knew
what they had, but Jim knew who he had.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yeah, he knew that.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
There was a show there, and he wanted to show
the world.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
And that was Jim.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
He can always see the spark in someone, He saw
the potential, and he saw what was unique in each person.
And he taught me what's unique about you should always
be shared. And that really stuck with me, which is
why you'll see me hanging out with a bear and
(12:22):
a pig and a penguin and a prawn and whatever
gonzo is. Seriously, if anybody knows, please see me after
the ceremony. But Jim believed that everyone had a place.
Jim thought of that and he made us believe it.
(12:45):
And so my whole life, I'd tried to appreciate people
for exactly who they are, even if they are a
pig who hogs the spotlight. Oh, I'm probably gonna get
in trouble for that. One, But truly, there's a spot
for everyone in the show.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Okay, I'm lost on it. I'm lost. Let me go
to Gina from Bridgewater. Gina, I'm not digging the German
as a commencement speaker. Tell me I'm right, Tell me
I'm wrong.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
No, I think it's great, but everything else going on.
We should have more Kermits.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Okay, So do you remember who your commencement speakers were?
Speaker 6 (13:33):
I only had one.
Speaker 7 (13:35):
No, I guess I remember who it was. Her name
is Maryland?
Speaker 6 (13:38):
Three years ago. But anyhow, what did what did?
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Whoever Maryland was? What did she do? Was she a
famous Maryland? Or?
Speaker 5 (13:46):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (13:47):
In my eyes she was Joe?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Well? Who was she?
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Very much?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
She was a teacher, that's all. She was a great
person and she was one of the best I ever knew.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
And was a teacher? Was she a teacher? You're at
the school from which you graduated?
Speaker 6 (14:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Okay, that's great.
Speaker 6 (14:05):
Yeah, okay, yeah. So what I'm saying is there should
be more Kermits. You know, I'm just waiting for it
to become a prince, it's all. Did he like kiss somebody?
Speaker 5 (14:12):
After?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
I missed your question? There? What was it?
Speaker 7 (14:17):
I said?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Does anybody get to kiss him after.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Oh, I'll bet some people kissed him. Sure, why not?
I mean so if your son or daughter had gone
to the University of Maryland, you'd be okay with that.
Speaker 6 (14:30):
I think it's great. I think there should be more Kermits.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, okay, anyone else you want to say that, anyone
else you want to suggest as a speaker you, I'm
not a Kermit. I've done a couple of commencement addresses myself. Yeah,
and I take him pretty seriously. I did a commencement
address at the at Boston State College in nineteen seventy eight,
(14:56):
a few scant years after I had graduated from that
fine institution and was morphed into you, Mass Boston, merged
with you, Mass Boston. I did a commencement addressed at
Endicott College and at the Massachusetts School of Law, and
in both of those I did research on who was
in the graduating class and some of the more distinctive graduates,
(15:19):
not necessarily the valedictorian, but I focused on my audience.
And I think it's a device that's important to use because, uh,
it sort of brings the audience they sit there and
want if you if they're going to be mentioned next actually,
but uh talked about them and talked about uh, you know,
(15:39):
there are themes that I think college graduates need to
hear or high school graduates need to hear that, you know,
never never limit your horizons. Always realize that there's another
goal and there's another challenge, and keep you know, keep working.
But as I say, I was listening to the Kermit
(16:00):
speech here in it so far, I'm not impressed. But
that's okay. You know, different strokes with different folks.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
Well, you know, let me tell you something. I was
taking a walk a week ago, and on the way back,
before I got into the door, I had to use
the light on the phone, and I did, and I
looked to my right, and I'm lucky I did. There
was a frog right there on the top step.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Well maybe it was a relative of Kermits.
Speaker 6 (16:27):
You never know a relative.
Speaker 8 (16:30):
You know.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
They didn't show their face obviously, and I'm sure they're
not a print, so it isn't going to happen.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
All right, Jeane, I appreciate, appreciate you call. Thank you much, Okay,
talk soon, good night, all right, good night, six one, seven, two, five,
eight thirty. Uh, let me go to Laurie in Ohio
and Idaho, Laurie, I'll be interested in what your thought
is in this. Normally we're kind of on the same page.
You do not have to be on the same page here.
(16:59):
What's your thought?
Speaker 7 (17:01):
Well, we're sort of divided. I heard the announcement sometime
in the middle of the week last week. I had
not heard any of the speech, and that is where
I'm with you. I think they blew it because I mean,
I grew up with Sessin Street because my youngest sister
is six years younger than I am, and so we
watched it because it was Channelton and we were allowed
to watch it, and what else was there to watch?
So my younger sister and Kermit, I mean, okay, they're
(17:24):
all technically cartoon characters, but he was iconic. He was
the little guy. He was the smartest little muppet. He
was the one who, you know, would broke a peace
if you will, if muppets were arguing to the extent
that they did, and he had you know, his attitude
was inclusion. And I mean that song He's It's not
easy being Green. I mean, look at the social metaphors at.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
That song called yeah Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:46):
So if they had stuck to Kermit's actual character as
written by Hinson or whatever, and embraced that in a
better way, it would have been fantastic. But they blew it.
I mean, you don't know who's speaking. Is it that?
It shouldn't have been a joke show. It should have
been being Kermit the way he was years ago, and
you know, being encouraging, inclusive and whatever. And I would
(18:08):
have absolutely remembered that I have no idea who my
commencement seekers were, and they were so boring. I just
couldn't wait them to be done.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
So well he did. He did, and again we have
several soundbites here. He he did say a couple of
things which I think were important. Life is not a
solo act. No it's not. It's a big, messy, delightful
ensemble piece, especially when you were with your people. He
called the graduates to help each other whenever possible, and
(18:36):
his line, the line that was the most memorable, is
life is better when we leap together. I guess he
delivered a commencement speech. I guess this is his second
or third one. He delivered a commencement speech in nineteen
ninety six at Southampton College, then part of Long Island University.
(18:57):
And also I guess his friends at Sesame Street from
Grover to Cookie Monster have also delivered their own addresses
to graduating classes.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
I want to see Cookie Monsters, but but I just
what I didn't like to was his Well, Jim told me,
and he was he should have just been portrayed as
the Permit the way Kermit was. It's all back and forth.
Jim told me and a little the stick that it
didn't work for me. He just he could they could
have picked a much better speech writer.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Yeah, it was well, it was funny. The Times out
of the speech writer basically said it was pinned by
by a Muffets writer didn't mention the Muffets writer, but
voiced by the puppeteer Matt Bogel.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
I don't know reason the word you've given, you know.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
I just think that, uh, you know, Maryland is a
state that they've just elected a black governor, first industry
of Maryland, and you would think that now maybe he's addressed,
but they've addressed the college graduates before. They just elected
(20:02):
a woman senator from not the first, Barbara mcclsky I
think was the first in Maryland. But I don't know
it just it just seems to me that there are
enough interesting people. I was watching television here today and
Sonny Williams, the astronaut from Massachusetts who circled the globe
for whatever it was, nine months, nine months, and she
(20:27):
I think gave a commencement addressed recently. But then today
there was a story about her just taking a swim
in in in the waters off of Cape Cod.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
It made the It made the point that she every
time she circled the globe, many times when she circled
the globe, she would look down on Cape Cod and
that's one of the things she always loved to do
with life.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
So I don't know, it just I would rather see
his stuff frog than of stuff shirt.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Yeah, stuff frog. That okay, that's a good line. That's
a good line. And we've all had our shares of
I guess there's been a lot of stuff shirt speakers,
Oh a.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
Ton of them.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (21:12):
When they dropped the ball was whatever, whoever wrote the speech,
they could have done a much better job researching Kermit's
actual iconic situation way back and street, way back when
I mean, you know, yeah, long before I even graduated.
But they dropped the ball on the speech otherwise I
thought it was a cute idea.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
All right, Well, we get Laurie down. Is a cute idea,
and uh I think Gina liked it as well. So
that's that's two callers who pretty much they're down with Kermit.
Love to know what you think.
Speaker 7 (21:40):
Laurie will tell it not as speech water.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
No, I get it, I get it. We'll play a
little bit more on the other side. Thanks Laurie, talk
to you.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
Soon more pain.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
No no, no, no, no, talk about pain. How about
the Red Sox today?
Speaker 9 (21:55):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (21:56):
Yeah, I mean, why can't they get nineteen for Crchet?
Speaker 5 (22:00):
What the heck?
Speaker 2 (22:01):
I know they haven't nine. They haven't gotten him nineteen
runs in all of his eight starts. I think he's
a I unbelievable. Well whatever, they could have used some
of those the other night. Thanks Laurie, we'll talk its.
Thanks for calling in, all right, we'll keep rolling here.
Six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six months,
(22:22):
seven nine three, one ten thirty. I'm I am a
little tougher on this than Laurie. My idea is that
I don't know that I want Kermit the Frog as
my graduation speaker, and I don't want Kermit the Frog
as my kids graduation speaker. There's enough people out there
of great accomplishment, not only in the political theater, the
(22:45):
political world, but also in the in the arts community,
uh for that matter, in the sports world. I mean,
I would think that I would rather hear if I
was a college graduate or the parent of a college graduate.
I'd rather hear from an athlete who either wasn't particularly
well known but went to a smaller college and made
(23:08):
it in the NFL. I mean, someone like a Julian
Edelman would be one of you know, those of us
in Boston. He went to Kent State and never really
expected to do much in the NFL, but he did.
Or from a Tom Brady or for I just think
there's a lot of different people there there. I watched
(23:28):
a commencement speech that Conan O'Brien delivered to Dartmouth College
in twenty eleven, and it was clever. I'm not a
huge fan of Conan O'Brien. I think his humor is
a little dour. From my personal taste. I'm more of
a slapstick type guy, somebody who enjoys I just think
(23:50):
that I just think it was imaginative but unimaginative. If
you get my drift back of nights, I will have
more of Kermit the Frog and more of your response
coming back on.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
Nightside, Night Side with Dan ray On Dell youbz Boston's
News Radio. You're on night Side with Dan ray onell
you bz Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
All right, we're getting a little bit more Kermit the Frog.
Here his commencement speech. I think it's important so people
can hear it. Let me go to cut number four.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Please, Noah, Now, there is no guarantee that the show
is always good, or that'll go off without a hitch,
or it doesn't have it's uh Heckler's yeah, But the
show must go on, and if you're with your people,
and you won't have to do it alone, because life
(24:49):
is not a solo act.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
No it's not.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
It's a big, messy, delightful ensemble piece, especially when you're
with your people.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
In fact, I'll look around, seriously, her ahead, look around.
You're probably sitting next to some of your people right now.
These are friends that you might have for your whole life,
and there will be many others to collect along the way.
So always keep your eyes open like I do. Actually
(25:23):
I can't really close my eyes. But always be on
the lookout for old friends you've just met. Also, can
you be on the lookout for animal. I hear he
hit a few graduation parties last night and we haven't
seen him since.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
I think Kermit kind of fell flat here. Now, maybe
I'm missing something. And if I'm missing something, please call
me up short. Let me go to LeeAnne in Attleborough. LeeAnne,
do you think Kermit's killing it here?
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Ah?
Speaker 10 (25:58):
Well, I will be the first one to differ.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Sure, well, will Laurie different a little bit? So go
right ahead now.
Speaker 10 (26:05):
When I turned the radio on this morning and I
was just getting a partial clip of Kermit's speech, yeah,
I just automatically assumed that it was a speech at
a local elementary school. And then when I found out
that it was a commencement speech of a university of
higher learning, the.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
University of Maryland, the flagship you know, this is not
like University of Maryland at PO Doug. This is the flagship.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
School, big, big stuff, you know.
Speaker 10 (26:37):
And I just kind of cocked my head to one side,
you know, the way a dog does.
Speaker 9 (26:40):
When it's kind of saying that.
Speaker 10 (26:43):
You know, and and you know, any graduation ceremony is serious,
and there's been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears
and money behind everyone who's graduating. And it should be
a speech of substance, and a speech that applauds such
(27:04):
achievement and encourages it to continue. And this kermit thing
no substance. If they were supposed to be jokes, boy
they were, they would get it at you know.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
They kind of fell flat. Guess what, You and I
are right on the same page.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
Lean, Yeah, you're like collar of the night, I.
Speaker 10 (27:27):
Thought, so you started talking about and said, oh, well,
it sounds like Dan and I are on the same
page of this.
Speaker 9 (27:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Are we normally on the same page? Lee In?
Speaker 10 (27:36):
Or no, yes, what you are? There a few times
when I've differed slightly, but we're generally on the same page.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah. I just think. I just think that if I
were a parent who had spent two hundred and one
thousand dollars or whatever, you know, four year major university
like the University of Maryland, it's not going to be
in the stratosphere of Harvard one hundred thousand a year,
but you know, fifty great in the year. That's that's
very doable with room and board two hundred thousand, and
you're going to get Kermit the Frog, you know.
Speaker 10 (28:07):
Yeah, with a parent or a student, I would have
been insulted that it was so dumbed down, just so
dumbed down.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
I've also done some high school graduation speeches Saint Bernard's
Catholic High School, and then I did Mystic Valley Regional
High School was just a charter school, and my producer
Noah told me that he was there for that because
his brother was in the graduating class. So yeah, I
just think you have to give people a message of hey,
(28:40):
you've really achieved something here you have a call something,
and you know, now you move on to the next level.
And whether it's your first job whatever, or maybe it's
your your first real full time job, give him some
advice or something. So well, okay, where are the same page? Leanne?
I love it. I love you as a caller. You
know that I'll always associate with you with Kermit the Frog.
Speaker 9 (29:05):
Now, just don't do that.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
With our shared I would I would say disappointment.
Speaker 10 (29:14):
With yeah, like I said when it hit me, like
and I just went the old dogs, huh.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Yeah, yeah, it just didn't work for me. Hey, Leanne,
thank you so much. I love you, Carl, I really do,
thank you so much. Okay, let me go. Let me
go next to Florence and Groveland. Florence, You're next on nice.
Speaker 8 (29:34):
I go ahead, okay, Dan. When I heard that this
was coming up, I thought, how delightful, all right, okay,
because I'm sure some of it the graduates grew up
with this show with the Street. Yeah, and Kermit was
(29:57):
one of the most loved characters, right, and I'm inclined
to say what your first caller said, and Laurie said,
with all it's going on in the world today, the
concept was kind of delightful to hear that, all right,
(30:21):
But in hearing some of the speeches, I gotta say
they fell flat.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Yeah, that's my thought too. Let me play, let me
let me play one more, and I want to get
your reaction. We're going to play one more and I
want to get your quick reaction to it. Let's go
to cut number five here. Please know, I want to
get Florence's reaction.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
You know, when I was just a little bit younger
than all of you, why I used to have a
fun in the swamp playing leap frog. It was our
favorite game, kind of our only game, but we loved it.
Except for my cousin Albert. He never actually left. He
just stepped on your back and used your head like
a lily pad. Sure he got ahead, but it was
(31:08):
only by stepping on you. We've been told that that's
how you succeed, and some choose to believe in it,
but I know they're wrong. So as you prepare to
take this big leap into real life, here's a little advice.
If you're willing to listen to a frog, rather than
(31:28):
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.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Okay, Floris, does that do it for you?
Speaker 8 (31:48):
You know you want? Can't relate to that whole speech,
Yeah what he would say. I would have loved to
hear comments from the actual students.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, unfortunately I don't have those. I'd love to hear
from the parents, Florence, because in many cases it's the
parents who put up the money, right.
Speaker 8 (32:17):
But especially to the students. You know how it you
know hit them? Was it good bad? Or you know?
Speaker 2 (32:29):
There wasn't much reaction as they say. I went back
and happened to watch Conan O'Brien's and again it just
happened to be I was on the internet, and it
was a long speech, was twenty four minutes, but I
listened to it, and he made a lot of really
interesting points about success and failure, which all of us,
I think need to be reminded off periodically. Florence, I
(32:50):
got you in here, but I got a break. You
find a word, Go ahead, find a word.
Speaker 8 (32:55):
I would say. Really, they sounded like they weren't completely
directed or even directed to their future, you know, for
the students.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
All right, I got your thanks, Lawrence. We'll talk soon, Okay,
thanks very much. By night. We'll take a quick break here.
I got a couple of lines we can finish strong.
Six one seven, two, five, four to ten thirty, six
one seven, nine, three one ten thirty. I got lines
at both six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty
and six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. I
(33:28):
got tim. I got Alice coming up, and I do
have some room for you. We're talking about Kermit the
Frog's actual college commencement speech to the University of Maryland,
the flagship university in that state. I think it fell flat.
I understand that people that administrators are always reaching to
(33:51):
do something different, but I'm not sure that it worked.
And if there's anyone out there who would as as
a recent college graduate or high school graduate, I'd love
to get your reaction. How would have you felt? Or
its a parent, how would have you felt if you
sat there and said, Okay, this is my kid has
(34:12):
just finished. This is an important day for my son
or daughter they become a college graduate. And they're listening
to Kermit the Frog, And I'm not hearing much that
uh that really works here. I just I think it's
I think it fell flat. The Morey listened six one seven,
four ten thirty six one seven, nine, three thirty. It
(34:35):
is a Monday night, Memorial Day weekend. If you're in
a car, give us a call. If you're still at home,
if you're home safely, give us a call. It is
a night like tonight that is always tough to come
up with topics and ideas for people to respond to.
And I really appreciate everyone who's taken the time to
call in tonight back on night Side right.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
After this Night Side with Dan ray Bost News Radio
Night side with Dan Ray. I'm Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Let's say, if we could run the table. We got
Alice in Beverly up next, Alice, how are you?
Speaker 9 (35:13):
I'm okay, Dan, I wish I feel bad that I
that I I really thought it was a good idea,
only because I think, I say to myself, is the
is this graduation speech for the parents? I know they
paid a lot of money, but you know it's if
(35:33):
they're supposed to be giving them some words of wisdom,
the parents might have a different idea of what they
think the kids need. Sure at that point, some of them.
I mean, then maybe maybe they're not that deep. I
mean I think maybe you're smarter than the average frog.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
And so well that's high phraise.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
Yes.
Speaker 9 (35:55):
So I'm just saying, but see the other thing too,
and I say it's it's uh. I mean, I graduated
from Emmanuel College in nineteen seventy six, and I still
remember my graduation. It was Ella Grasso, the governor of
Coney and I can tell you that I don't remember
(36:18):
what she said, but okay, I knew it was because
sometimes it's like goes over your head. You're really if
you are waiting for advice about your future till the
day that you're getting a diploma. It's a little bit late.
I mean, no, I get that, no one.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
Yeah, but I also think it's general advice. But look
the fact that the Governor of Connecticut was there kind
of made the day bigger than it might have been
if it was just Kurbit the frog.
Speaker 1 (36:52):
No.
Speaker 9 (36:52):
But you know what made it bigger that I'll never
forget because it was the Vice centennial.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Yep.
Speaker 9 (36:57):
So they had they said they a group of uh,
they were called outstanding Bostonians. One of them was Off
the Fiedler and he was seemed to be late, and
of course you know he came on a fire truck. Yes,
And then there was and then there was what's his
name McCormick. Why can't I think.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
It is John Speaker mccormicks.
Speaker 9 (37:20):
That's John McCormick. Then there was a guy from the
from the Celtics that had ten people, and and that
meant a lot to me.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Who was from the Celtics if you.
Speaker 9 (37:29):
Recall it was I'm trying to think because I used
to have tickets. See I'm getting old. It's like he
would have he would have been playing.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Then that would have been.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Well, that was Dave Cowins Arab.
Speaker 9 (37:44):
That's that's who it was.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
It was okay, well that's good. Dave Cowens is an
interesting guy. He's been on my show. Great guy, right.
Speaker 9 (37:51):
Oh yeah, I actually gave him some AF legitimates one
time after a game. No, but I'm just saying so,
so I also think it maybe Okay, I'm thinking to
myself that that we talk about. I mean I actually
have like taken care of or you know, work with
(38:12):
kids from pre k all the way through college. I
was the you know, help nurse at Emmanual College. I
also worked in a boarding school in Middlesex and Conquerord.
So so like I I dealt with and and you
(38:33):
know with and used to talk to the kids all
the time. I'd say to them, you know where are you?
You know where your planning to go to college? Or
what would you like to do? And and I remember
I would talk back. I would say something to them,
they go, I don't know, I don't care what what
I what I become. I just want to do something
that makes a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Okay, all Alice on that point, and I know that's
a down. I got three other callers I'd like to
try to give everybody just a few seconds here. But
I think we're on the same page on this one,
and I thank you.
Speaker 5 (39:05):
Okay, bye bye, bye bye.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Talk to you soon. Okay, let me try to get
I got to try to get three people in here quickly. Tim,
help me out here, buddy. What's your take on this.
Speaker 4 (39:16):
I don't know much about Kermit the Fog, but he
gave the conventional address of the University of Maryland.
Speaker 7 (39:21):
Yes, Holy Mackael.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Anyhow, I'm sitting here with my night side having a
cup of coffee. All right, hold it the funniest show.
You remember around Easter time? You did this thing on
the Easter Buddy. You're going to be at the Billington mall. Yes, anyhow,
I was. I wanted to me get my picture taken right,
(39:47):
and then I was working. I never got there, but oh,
and you were going to be there. I wanted to
go up there and see you in the Easter buddy.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
No, I wasn't there. It was just going to be
the Easter buddy.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
Maybe next year, Tim bun So, I remember you bid
the Easter buddy.
Speaker 2 (40:07):
All right, man, I'll talk to you soon. Okay, let
me get a couple more in here real quick. Thanks
to him. Talk to you soon, and Pal, thanks have
a great one. Next up Paul in Pennsylvania. Paul, we
got probably what a minute here? What do I got? No?
Helped me out one minute, Paul.
Speaker 5 (40:22):
Thanks for thinking my call. I think it's you know,
I can't believe I have seen the transcript of the speech.
But like you said, these young men and women, their
parents or whoever pay quick money for them to go
to school, and I would have treated you know, they're
trying to make simpletons on them out of them. I
can't believe that. I, like I tell you this transcripted
the speech, but they would have brought There's a lot
of qualified people, men and women. They could have gave
(40:44):
it a great speech.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
I'm with you totally. Hey, look, Paul, appreciate you called in.
I know it. I had to short change you here
on time calling a little earlier. You You've made a
lot of sense, and I happened to we're about in Pennsylvania.
You calling from Olksparre, wilkes Bury. Okay, absolutely, I scrint
wilkes Bury. Thanks Paul, talk to you soon. All right.
(41:08):
To the callers in the line, I'm sorry, we're flat
out of time. Give me a countdown please, if you
would know real quick, what have I got forty seconds left? Okay,
we're done for the night. To the callers in the line,
I'm sorry. I don't want to sure change you that much.
You got to call earlier. We will be back tomorrow night.
I want to thank everyone who called in tonight. I
want to thank Noah did a great job. Karen did
(41:30):
a great job setting it up. Thanks very much Karen
for the sound bites from our friend Kermit. The frog
didn't quite work for me. Hey, I'm just my thoughts.
All dogs, all cats, all pets go to heaven. That's
my pal Charlie Raids, who passed fifteen years ago in February.
That's where your pets are past. They loved you when
you love them. I do believe you'll see them again.
Hope to see getymore. Night on Nightside. I will be
(41:51):
on Facebook on Nightside with Dan Ray in about two
minutes and I'll see you there. To have a great Tuesday, everyone,
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