Animal and Floyd Accept the Webby Award

[Erine81981]

At first when i heard Floyd speak i was like, "Is that Jerry?" even though i already knew that Jerry wasn't doing him any more. Good work Matt. Your doing Floyd justice!

Animal was just funny. I couldn't believe the award fell to pieces when he tried to eat it. LOL

 

[beakerfan76]

This is classic Muppets if I ever saw it. Matt did a remarkable job as Floyd.

I agree, it's nice to have some lesser known Muppets take the spotlight once in a while, though pretty much everyone knows Animal.

All in all, just as good as Beaker's appearance last year.

 

[beaker]

Complaining about recasts bugs me for all the reasons I always state. Sometimes performers that sound spot on can't get the handle of the character, and sometimes the performer gets the hang of the character but don't sound like them. And frankly, I'd rather see someone who sounds sort of like a character who embodies what the character is about than someone who does a great impersonation but doesn't have the character down.

If it wasn't for recasts, we'd have Gonzo, Rizzo and a bunch of new characters, then we'd complain that all we have are new characters and that X is missing. And if X is recast its always "Oh, that's what he sounds like?"

I think we've gotten very fortunate with Matt and Eric taking on those roles... though, we've seen and heard Eric's stuff a LOT more than Matt's. i actually want to hear MORE of Matt's interpretation of Jerry's characters. I really want to hear his Strangepork. I hope we have a LOT more of these web videos with a lot more Jerry characters in them.

Totally. Now there were times when Statler and Waldorf, the few times Scooter spoke, etc...the characters's voices took you out of the illusion. But for the most part...honestly, how many people sit there and go "man this so is not Kermit" or "man this isnt frank oz' Animal, Piggy and Fozzie". I see such an amazing smooth continuation, at least in the modern period...that I dont have this disconnect of "oh this is merely a shell of the performance".

Seriously, I get the feeling theres two types of Muppet fans: those who are lifelong Muppet fans who see them not as kiddy stuff or nostalgia...but an ever changing constant...be it 1955 or 2055 in the future; the Muppets are here to stay and will always be fresh and hip

then...there are those stuck in the late 70's and early 80's. Who only seem to talk of the "good old" days of the original movies and tv show and earlier specials. The ones who hate Pepe, cant stand Whitmire's Kermit and just seem stuck in the past. I want to see the Muppets forever, for my grand children's children.
And recasts are a part of that paradigm and evolution.

Also...Im with you...Id rather have a performer who embodies the character than simply is doing a "classic spot on imitation". People always say "I can do Jim's Kermit"...and yeah, ok it kind of sounds like it. But to me Whitmire seems so modern, current...like the natural evolution of Kermit. At first, around the 1990-1995 mark I had my reservations, but by Muppets From Space I didnt even think about it.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

side note then ones who mostly complain are fans....no one outside the fandom probably ever notice these recasts

 

[theprawncracker]

Animal takes on the drummer from the band OK Go in a staring contest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHK0JVAqQgE

Floyd... is AWESOME.

 

[dwayne1115]

Wow that was funny!

 

[antsamthompson9]

Animal takes on the drummer from the band OK Go in a staring contest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHK0JVAqQgE

Floyd... is AWESOME.

That was funny!

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

side note then ones who mostly complain are fans....no one outside the fandom probably ever notice these recasts

I agree. Someone who isn't really a hardcore Muppet fan probably wouldn't know the difference between Jim's Kermit and Steve's Kermit. But for the rest of us, recasts are something that we need to get used to. I agree that Matt was very well as Floyd. I look forward to seeing him in the spotlight more often.

 

[beakerfan76]

I agree. Whoever is doing Floyd is doing an excellent job filling in Jerry's shoes. On another note, I feel the same for whoever's doing Animal. He's definitely doing Frank justice.

 

[Yorick]

I still can't get over how amazing Eric Jaccobsob's performance of Frank Oz characters are. Heck, even the most recent Scooter at the end of Bo-Rhap was spot on. People complaining about these recasts should maybe just stick to watching the dvds of the 70's and 80's productions.

Since the original performers either chose to leave, had to leave, or aren't with us anymore, I appreciate the efforts of all who keep the characters alive. And of couse there are many things from the last 20 years I have thought fit right in with the classic Muppet feel, such as Muppet Christmas Carol - Jim's crew still knew how to pull it off. And these days, I still thoroughly enjoy the new stuff. I like Letters To Santa, etc and am very glad to see the Muppets living on with fun specials like that - with their touch of poignancy at times as well! But if someone else is bothered by the difference in the character, or if they just don't find the new stuff as touching, magical, or fun, I respect that. I personally like it all, but I do have a soft spot for the past. But I still feel we are such a lucky fans to still have the TMS era Muppeteers we have (Dave and Steve with the Muppets, and Jerry on SS) and the newer performers (even though that's 10 years or more) and look forward to more Muppet mayhem