Animal is getting passed around

[Xerus]

I've noticed when Frank Oz retired from the Muppets, Animal kept going from Muppeteer to Muppeteer. Fisrt to Kevin Clash, then Eric Jacobson, then John Kennedy, then Bill Barretta, and now back to Eric. I wonder if Animal will ever get a permanent Muppeteer soon.

 

[WOCKA2416]

I've noticed when Frank Oz retired from the Muppets, Animal kept going from Muppeteer to Muppeteer. Fisrt to Kevin Clash, then Eric Jacobson, then John Kennedy, then Bill Barretta, and now back to Eric. I wonder if Animal will ever get a permanent Muppeteer soon.

I believe Eric is supposed to takeover Animal officially now. However, I think he was passed around so much in the past because it's an easier character to do...it's basically a lot of yelling!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

They've all done great work with Animal, though!

 

[christyb]

I agree there. However, I have always thought Bert lived with an neverending cold . Seems to me they should get the voice, teach them to puppeteer (or should that be muppeteer?). If push comes to shove have one person for the voice and another for the puppeteering. However, Animal's voice has changed. Then again so has Gonzo's, Kermit's (before Steve Whitmire took over), Piggy's (again before she traded people), etc. Rizzo's voice has changed over time too. Watch MTM he sounds almost identical to Wembley Fraggle. Now Rizzo you can tell Wembley is there but not as much. The voices change over time. It's just that with the orginal puppeteer it's a little more subtle.

 

[christyb]

Oh yeah. Politics is thrown into the deal a lot. We lose a little of the character, the fans suffer, and whatnot for one person to stay happy. If you know people who can bring the magic back that has left the Muppets here recently this Muppet fan says Bring It On!!!!! I like the sale, change is good. But the spark is gone. People has said that this is wrong but some people *hint hint* aren't listening.

 

[Xerus]

It's kind of like how when Mel Blanc continued to do voices for the Looney Tunes. Their voices had gotten deeper and softer over the years since Mel was becoming old. But when the new guys started voicing the Tunes, their voices somehow went back to normal.

 

[christyb]

Mel Blanc was the best! That's my point exactly! Sadly though the Muppets aren't just voice acting. We are losing some of the Muppets voices. That just might be them evolving and we're trying to hold too tightly onto the past. Hopefully characters like Scooter, Janice, Animal, and others will find a home and we can see more of them.