My Take on Artie Esposito

[Reevz1977]

And that's totally fine, everyone has a right to their opinion. The whole thing just ended up being blown out of proportion. I complimented Artie's performance and it was then implied that I didn't want the Muppets to be good, lol.

We really are a passionate bunch, aren't we

I think what I'm trying to say is that, when the torch is passed, my hope is that no-one will notice...if that makes sense? We rarely see Steve Whitmire performing Kermit, we just see Kermit, so theres no "give away" as to if it's Steve performing him. After that appearance, alot of the fans immediately knew something wasn't right. Although, to be fair to Artie, I remember the 13 year old me seeing Kermit on "The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson" and being very perturbed by Kermit's voice...although that really wasn't helped by the heavily synthesised voice, kinda like "robo-kermit".

 

[CensoredAlso]

We really are a passionate bunch, aren't we

LOL, yes indeed. And that's great, I don't want that to end for anything.

I think what I'm trying to say is that, when the torch is passed, my hope is that no-one will notice...if that makes sense? We rarely see Steve Whitmire performing Kermit, we just see Kermit, so theres no "give away" as to if it's Steve performing him. After that appearance, alot of the fans immediately knew something wasn't right.

I think that is a legitimate point. My feeling at the time was that I (and other fans I know) have known things weren't the same beginning with MCC. As much as I like the recasts, I still see them as recasts. So I wasn't that thrown by yet another one I suppose. ::shrugs::

Although, to be fair to Artie, I remember the 13 year old me seeing Kermit on "The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson" and being very perturbed by Kermit's voice...although that really wasn't helped by the heavily synthesised voice, kinda like "robo-kermit".

Yeah I was a bit younger and I didn't remember the weird synthesizer effect, but watching it now is kinda funny, hehe.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

i remember back in the day hearing a clip of Arite as Kermit on his website..it might be down now but im not sure...in the clip he actually sounded alot closer to Kermit that the Performance...and like many said those are big slippers to fill..i feel the shock of being told " you are going on live TV tonight and your Kermit" is definitely nerve racking and affected his performance a little

 

[zoebell]

well, eventually the torch will have to be passed again at some point. hopefully not for a while (like 15 years if we're lucky), but it will still have to happen, right? if the characters are going to live on and on, they have to

and whoever does it then won't have the benefit of having known and been around jim for so long

 

[Beauregard]

Honestly, the big deal was not about Artie's performance of Kermit. It was about ANYONE other than the main performer, performing him. Kermit's characterization in interviews, talk-show appearances, etc, is SO strong right now because there is a LONG history between performer and character, many of Kermit's current memories and mannerisms are also Steve's.

The idea of watering him down by allowing others to perform him at a few events now and then was practically abhorant to us.

Imagine if instead of sending Steve and the real Kermit around Europe, Australia and Asia to promote the new Movie they had just picked local performers that were able to do a similar Kermit and shipped out a few Kermit puppets...*shudder* I can't even imagine that world.

Now, should there need to be a replacement of Kermit because Steve were to retire or not be able to perform him, then the baton would need to be carefully and generously passed on (ala Frank/Eric) and we'd have to settle for a new Kermit but ONE new Kermit that would be able to continue building Kermit history -- not many watered down Kermit's.

 

[CensoredAlso]

The idea of watering him down by allowing others to perform him at a few events now and then was practically abhorant to us.

Oh absolutely, that would be somewhat disrespectful. I just didn't see that here. But again, perhaps it's because after Jim, I always saw Kermit as a recast anyway, though I did like him.

 

[Beauregard]

Oh absolutely, that would be somewhat disrespectful. I just didn't see that here. But again, perhaps it's because after Jim, I always saw Kermit as a recast anyway, though I did like him.

True...He is a recast, but if he were constantly recast whenever people fancied, he would certainly lose something very important about his realism.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

I honestly don't hear much of a similarity between Esposito and Henson's Kermit voice. Esposito sounded like Kermit with a bad head cold. But the voice wasn't what mattered; it was the actual performance. Very stiff, very "puppety," not at all alive. I won't rip the guy a new one, though. God, I probably would have forgotten how the puppet worked! Can you imagine being in that place - taking over for a muppeteer whose been doing Kermit since Jim Henson died? In front of a huge audience?

 

[Beauregard]

Performance, schmormance...Kermit (like Piggy) can not be replaced. Might as well have sent Miss Poogy to the Oscars...

 

[Beauregard]

Sorry for double posting, but I had another thought...

Miss Piggy at the Baftas was a fantastic, funny, hilarious piece recently. Eric has really got the guts to start taking on celebrities and hamming it up to the camera.

Imagine if they had decided instead to send someone else there with the Piggy puppet? They might as well send a Walkaround if that ever starts happening.

Is this really the time to be discussing recasts? When the new movie just exploded onto the scene and we have great appearances showing up everywhere? Imagine if Scooter at the TED conference had just been some guy they decided to send in there, instead of David Rudman with his amazing understanding of Scooter's history and Richard's characteristics.

Pfft...discussing Artie's America's Got Talent performance at this point is totally redundant.

But...um...feel free to have a different opinion on this...*hides behind British flag*