**Jim Henson Company Refutes Rumors of Sale to Church of Scientology**

The Jim Henson Company has clarified that it has no intentions of selling its historic studio lot on La Brea Avenue to the Church of Scientology, despite recent rumors. Reports from various outlets, including the New York Post, had speculated that the Henson family was planning to sell the 1917 studio lot, originally known as the Charlie Chaplin Studios. Today, the Henson estate made it clear that such a transaction is not forthcoming.

A representative for the Jim Henson family stated, "In regards to recent rumors about the sale of the La Brea studio lot, the Henson family is not in any business dealings with the Church of Scientology, and that organization is not in consideration as a potential buyer of the property. It is still the family's intention to move The Jim Henson Company to a new location it can share with Jim Henson's Creature Shop, but at this time the family is not in escrow with any buyer."

The Henson family acquired the studio in 1999 for approximately $12.5 million, making it the headquarters for The Jim Henson Company. The property, declared a Historic-Cultural Monument by Los Angeles in 1969, is often mistakenly believed to be owned by Disney. It's important to note that while Disney owns The Muppets franchise, the studio lot itself is not part of their portfolio. This distinction is visually represented by the iconic gates featuring a statue of Kermit the Frog dressed as Chaplin’s character, The Tramp.

When contacted, the Church of Scientology offered no comment on the matter, and a source within the Church confirmed that there have been no moves or plans to acquire the Henson property. The source mentioned that, to their knowledge, the Henson Company has never been approached by the Church or its representatives regarding the La Brea studio lot.

The Church of Scientology has been in the news recently due to the high-profile rape trial of Church member Danny Masterson and ongoing disputes with former member Leah Remini. These developments have likely fueled the rumors about the Church's interest in acquiring the Henson lot. However, as Kermit the Frog famously said, "You know what's important isn't this building or name, it's each other."