For those who haven't heard Steve's Statler, here's a clip.

[WiGgY]

In case there are people that haven't heard Steve do Statler, I took a clip from the Weezer Video. I think it's darn near perfect.

http://rebootilicious.rbcorner.com/files/Steve_Statler.zip

 

[Chilly Down]

Waving the white flag

Thanks for posting this, Wiggy. It's very helpful to assess things in the midst of the great Steve vs. Jerry as Statler debate. And, I must admit defeat. The clip was so brief, I honestly thought there was no difference at one time. But I realize now that Steve's Statler is, in fact, superior. He captures (for want of a better expression) the "wheeziness" of Richard's Statler a lot more.

I'd still say Jerry ought to do Statler, because I enjoy his characterization and I dislike how Jerry seems to have been pushed to the background in recent productions (whether that's their decision or if it's voluntary on his part, I don't know). But I will cede the point that Steve's Statler sounds more like Richard's Statler.

That goes towards my making my other point, that in general, Steve is more in the vocal range of Richard and ought to have inherited more of Richard's characters after he died, more than just Beaker. Steve's Kermit (while an excellent portrayal in and of itself) is too falsetto; I would have liked to have seen someone else take over Kermit and have Steve start performing Scooter, Janice, etc.

Any chance you could give us a real side-by-side comparison? Put a clip of Richard's Statler up, as well as a clip of Jerry's Statler? (Maybe even Jerry's from the Sex & Violence pilot and one from more recently.) BTW, someone remind me who voiced Statler in VMMCM?

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Well, I've heard Steve's Statler, so I wouldn't be too surprised there. But I do want to make a few comments in response to what you said. I know what you mean about Jerry's characters being pushed into the background. Lately, we haven't seen much of Floyd, Pops, Crazy Harry, Robin, etc. (Well, Robin was in the last two movies, but still he isn't around too much.) I think Steve does a perfect Kermit. I really can't imagine anybody else playing him, but I do agree with you on having him play Richard's characters. I think he could play Janice really well. Maybe Scooter too. After all, he did do the puppateering for Scooter in MFS. Then again, as I mentioned before, if Steve was playing both Kermit and Scooter they wouldn't be able to interact with each other. My vote would be to give Scooter to Brian and to give Janice to Steve. I'm not sure about that either. Steve never actually performed Janice, so what if he does perform her in something and it isn't that good? I don't know, we'll have to wait until the next Muppet movie or TV series to see which performers play which character.

 

[ryhoyarbie]

why are you guys debating on statler? it's jerry's character. he originally performed the character in the pilot of the muppet show and then richard performed him until he died, then jerry starting performing him again. it's a proven fact that jerry does come to this site and if he were to read how people discuss on how steve does a better statler than jerry does, i'm pretty sure he would be unhappy. until jerry gives statler to someone else, it's his character and i think we should not nit pick on how better steve's statler is over jerry's or vice versa.

* no offense guys, i kind of get tired of hearing who,that is a current performer, can perform statler better....*

ryan

 

[WiGgY]

Here is the Statler comparison. First it's Jerry, then Steve, then richard. I wanted to put Richard's in the middle but because its only audio the program wouldn't let me.

http://rebootilicious.rbcorner.com/files/statcompare.zip

To say that if Jerry read this it would make him unhappy is nuts. It's an opinion that a few people have, and after hearing a side by side comparison, more will have. If it makes him unhappy that people think someone else can do Richards Statler then don't read this post. What more can I say? I'm sure with all the stuff said on a message board someone has been unhappy with what they read at some point. I mean, come on.

Anyway, Jerry did Statler once in a pilot before Richard took over. Then Richard took the character and made him his own and gave him a voice that many have gotten use to over the years. Is it so worng to want to hear a vice that sounds "right"? Especially since Jerry has done voice loops for Statler in AMMVC and in MFS? It's much better to have a performer live on the set to do the work, and just because you want to be nice is not a reason to keep Steve from doing Statler.

I would much rather Jerry did Floyd, Lew, Camilla, Pops, Robin, the annoucer, Starngeprok, Lewis Kazagger, and about a hundred more characters that he has. Why does he need Statler when he could be doing all those other characters?

 

[ryhoyarbie]

i'm not trying to harp on people who have an opinion on who can do a better statler or whatever. jerry still tries to contribute as much as he can to the muppets. we all know why he couldn't do that much on the muppet christmas movie, but i guess he could have done more stuff in muppets from space. however, he could have been busy during the time when they were shooting the film and couldn't do that much. or simply the writers didn't write that much for jerry's characters because they wanted to write more for dave's characters or steve's or bill's characters. i've seen posts like this all the time that come up about jerry's statler to steve's statler, but it's still jerry's character until he give's it up to someone else. i'm just glad statler still speaks. he could have been retired after richard died, but wasn't, which is good.

ryan

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

We all agree with you, Ryan. It's better to have Jerry's Statler than no Statler at all. And we're not trying to offend Jerry in anyway. We just think it would be a better idea to have Steve do Statler and have Jerry bring back some of his characters who haven't been seen lately.

 

[WiGgY]

There are two ways the new show can go. Either Jerry does voice over work, and no live stuff or Jerry is there to do the characters live. If it ends up that Jerry does voice over work, then I say give Steve Statler. It's better to have a live performer and he and dave work well together and he does a dead on Rhichard's Statler.

If Jerry is there to do the puppet work and voice work live, then let him do all his other great characters like Lew, who has stayed in semi public view until recently. Let jerry do Dr. Strangepork with Steve as Link and Eric as Piggy in a new Pigs In Space skit. Have Jerry do more Robin interacting with Kermit, Floyd with the band, Pops selling tickets or greating guests, the annoucer, ect.

I'm sure he wouldn't feel "bad" if he gave up Statler in either situtation. I'd rather see the second situtation happen though.

 

[Beauregard]

Well personaly I think that Steve's Stadler is almost hit on. It took my watching the first bit about 20 times before I realised who he sounded like and it was almost identical to Dr Stragepork. (Wow that was weird)

I clicked from where Steve is saying Nope they are all | (to where Richard says It's bad) so it went Nope they're all | Bad. and they both sounded the same.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Unfortunatley, that sound clip doesn't work on my computer. But I see what you mean. It would be like comparing Steve's Kermit to Jim's and Eric's Piggy to Frank's. Not too much of a difference.