My Rant: Erics Performing

[Barry Lee]

So I am looking at all of these new TMS Season 2 threads and every time i hear why people don't like Eric, and all of a sudden start bashing him. You have to realize this, he is LEARNING, there is no way you can get a voice so fast, think about it, it takes evolving and getting comfortable with the voice, hes trying, and he is learning, he hasn't done this for ever, it takes time, especially with so much pressure of following a great performer such as Frank Oz, why do people hate him, when you don't realize that he is still trying to learn things? I get tired of people bashing both him and Steve as well, because he is trying to follow the great Jim Henson, so what if he isn't exactly "Jim's Kermit." The performers brought themselves into the Muppets, and you have to realize they can not be exactly like there predecessors. It gets annoying when people say, "Well he still isn't exactly like Frank or Jim." I don't think anybody will have such a fantastic replication, you should just be happy the company is still trying to give us new muppet stuff, instead of basically making new muppets, and forgetting that Kermit and Piggy ever existed. gahh. I rest my case.

 

[theprawncracker]

Here! Here! Preach, Barry, preach! I agree with everything you said! I feel SO bad for Steve AND Eric when people down on them. Those guys are under SO much pressure it's... I don't know, I just don't see how anyone can... gah, yeah, I agree with Barry, you have no room to bash either of them, or any of the Muppeteers really, they're doing an amazing job, trying their best to be the best, just like Frank and Jim were.

And there's my two cents.

 

[MelissaY1]

I totally agree. And I hate when people think all it takes to perform a character is the VOICE. I can't tell you how many people have passed through this site and other Muppet fan sites saying "I really want to work for the Muppets because i can do Kermit (or any character's) voice". It takes more than the VOICE to perform a character.

I think Eric Jacobson is doing a fine job with Frank's characters because not only does his voice sound similar but his MOVEMENTS, his technique, his DELIVERY/ACTING of the lines are right on par with Frank's. Whoever chose him to carry on Frank's characters should be showered with praise. He's doing an amazing job which I'm sure a lot of us could not even touch.

Same with Steve and Kermit/Ernie. Is his Kermit like Jim's? No of course not. Jim was Jim and he's unfortunately not with us anymore. Nobody will take his place but Steve does a wonderful job with Kermit has done so since he first performed him since Jim died. He has updated him and kept his humor modernized for today's standards, etc. Bravo to both Eric and Steve!

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah I do think it's unfair to judge the performers. As long as the personalities are there, I can live with slightly different voices. I personally they have both done a good job. My main worries are usually with the writing and the updating to fit "modern times", which are often not beneficial.

 

[Super Scooter]

"Those who can't, whine."

I have always thought Steve's performance as Kermit was about the best one could ever get to the way Jim did it. And even Jim's Kermit changed dramatically over the years. Listen to a '60s performance compared with an '80s performance. Rowlf, Ernie, Kermit, they all changed over the years (I can do a '60s Rowlf and Bill Barretta's Rowlf, but not a Muppet Show-era Rowlf). All of Frank's characters voices changed from when they originated to when Frank stopped performing them. Eric's Piggy is just lovely in my opinion. His Fozzie isn't perfect, but it's not going to be, and it's as good as I think it needs to be. He has the character down pretty well, and I think character is far more important than the voice. If the voice was the most important thing, then there are a number of talented voice actors out there that could just dub the lines, but there is a certain magic that happens when a performer is doing the puppetry and voice that the character just comes alive. That's something Jim Henson discovered early on, and I think Eric Jacobson does that just fine.

Anyway, I don't know if you actually wanted anyone to add to your rant, Barry, but that's my "two cents" as Prawnie puts it.

EDIT: I realize much of what I've said here has been posted since I started typing this. sorry, folks!

 

[Super Scooter]

By the way, Steve and Eric seem to work together very well, don't they? I'm not sure if Steve works with Eric quite as well as he does with Dave Goelz, but I think they do pretty well playing off each other, and that's important for those characters. That's what made those characters so wonderful when Jim and Frank performed them.

Another point I thought would be worth mentioning, in any interviews with Frank Oz, he always talks about how important character is to him. His analysis of Grover is simply fascinating, and it's amazing to look at Eric's performance of Grover. He follows Frank's analysis quite well in his performance. It's fantastic!

 

[redBoobergurl]

I would also like to jump on the bandwagon in support of Eric and Steve. I can't really say anything that hasn't already been said on the subject except that sometimes things just have to change. We can't control the fact that Jim died. We can't help the fact that Frank was ready to retire. Sometimes things have to change and it's better to embrace it and be happy for the fact that we've got people continuing the legacy of the Muppets instead of complaining that it's not the "same".

Ok, I guess I did have a little rant of my own. GO Steve and Eric, you guys rock.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Like I said, I do support the current performers for the job they are doing. However, I think if someone isn't happy with a change, that's their opinion and they have a right to it. The important thing is to be respectful of each other's different opinions.

"You can tell them your opinion.
You can talk and trick and tease.
But you cannot come and force them if they won't.
For you can never...be the boss of someone else."

 

[Super Scooter]

The important thing is to be respectful of different opinions.

Well, I'm pretty sure no one on this thread so far has meant to be disrespectful of anyone. You're right. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But perhaps those with a negative opinion toward certain performers could express such opinions respectfully as well. Sometimes it seems like certain comments are simply rude, and it would be nice if they could be expressed in a friendlier manner. I think that's perhaps a major point behind the "rant".

 

[CensoredAlso]

Definitely, I was just saying both sides of the opinion should remember that we will occasionally disagree and there's nothing wrong with that. Some people will be happy with some changes, others will not. Both perspectives are fine. It's not about who is right or wrong. The important thing is for everyone to be respectful. I was not pointing fingers at anyone.

I've said my piece on this thread, bye!