Stephanie D'Abruzzo responds about Caroll Spinney

[HiHo3892]

Can't watch sesame but in the last 10-15 years it has gotten harder for the man to do things.But hearing Vogel do Big birds voice doesn't seem right even hearing his Kermit first time was better on the ears than his big bird

Matt isn't the right fit for Big Bird anymore. He could do the voice when he was younger. Now it's essentially a completely different character.

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, you know, Kevin was having similar problems with Elmo, but the circumstances were different: Kevin was the one who made Elmo the established character he is today. Even so, as Kevin got older, Elmo's falscetto wasn't quite as high as it was when Kevin was younger. It happens. Abby is sounding lower than she did before; Telly sounds lower than he did before; even David's Cookie Monster voice is noticably different than it was when he first inherited the character.

Even before Mel Blanc died, almost all of the Looney Tunes' voices sounded like a register or octavive lower than they used to back in their glory days of the 40s and 50s.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Voices change as you get older. It's just part of life whether we like it or not.

 

[HiHo3892]

Well, you know, Kevin was having similar problems with Elmo, but the circumstances were different: Kevin was the one who made Elmo the established character he is today. Even so, as Kevin got older, Elmo's falscetto wasn't quite as high as it was when Kevin was younger. It happens. Abby is sounding lower than she did before; Telly sounds lower than he did before; even David's Cookie Monster voice is noticably different than it was when he first inherited the character.

Even before Mel Blanc died, almost all of the Looney Tunes' voices sounded like a register or octavive lower than they used to back in their glory days of the 40s and 50s.

Completely different. Elmo still sounded distinctly like Elmo, Abby still sounds distinctly like Abby. Sure there might be slightly varied. Even Caroll's Big Bird sounded a little bit different 10 years ago than it did in the 80's. This is natural. Voices will change. Steve's Kermit changed a ton from The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson.

With Mel Blanc, sure his voice changed. But it wasn't noticeable to the average viewer. Daffy Duck was still Daffy duck. It was a natural progression. Even the current voice actors for the Looney tunes know how to distinctly capture that same feel.

Matt's Big Bird doesn't distinctly sound like Big Bird. The same way let's say Ryan Dillon's Elmo sounds like Elmo.

I realize voices change, but that doesn't mean just because Matt's voice changed means he's still the right fit for Big Bird. All the other examples still sounded like those respective character. Big Bird sounds like Barney the dinosaur. Matt used to sound like Big Bird. Now he doesn't. It's as simple as that. It's noticeable. Unlike those other examples mentioned.

I'm not saying there's an issue with his voice changing. I'm saying there's an issue with him playing Big Bird. If it doesn't sound or feel like Big Bird. It's problematic.

Had Matt's voice changed and he still sounded like big bird, I wouldn't have a problem with it. So you really can't compare the situation to those examples.

If Kevin's voice to the point where it didn't sound remotely like Elmo, I would say the exact same thing.

We're not talking about the fact that Matt has no control over his voice changing. We're talking about the fact that he can't do big bird.

 

[HiHo3892]

Voices change as you get older. It's just part of life whether we like it or not.

I don't have a problem with his voice changing. I have a problem with the fact that he doesn't sound remotely like the character. I realize voices change. But that doesn't mean he's right for Big Bird. It's as simple as that. I get that it's a part of life. But we're not talking about the fact that Matt has no control over his voice changing. We're talking about the fact that he can't do big bird.

I think you're confusing issues.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Well, end of the day, it was Sesame Workshop's decision to pick him as the character and that's all there is to it.

 

[HiHo3892]

Well, end of the day, it was Sesame Workshop's decision to pick him as the character and that's all there is to it.

Again I'm talking purely about my opinions about Matt's performance as Big Bird.

"At the end of the day", it doesn't matter who picked him or the fact that he has no control over his voice changing. He isn't the right fit anymore. That's really it.

Even my 6 year old cousin tried to convince me it was a new character when I showed her Matt's Big Bird. We aren't the only ones noticing. If he's not passable to the general audience the same way his Count or Jacobson's Oscar is.

You're talking about all these other factors that I completely agree with but at the same time don't directly address the idea that Vogel isn't the right fit for the character.

(Also I've noticed that you like to say "at the end of the day" a lot. It's in almost every one of your comments lol)

 

[HiHo3892]

Let's all respect the man's decision to stop .he's 83 and is doing the most physically demanding muppet of the lot for the last 48 years No one wants to see any muppet performers die/retire but after 61 years stuff will happen

You're actually wrong here. Caroll is no longer performing the physical aspect of his characters. He has just been dubbing the voices.

 

[BlakeConor14]

But 83 year old men and women should not be working.He should be enjoying the last few years with his family because I hate to admit it but Carroll will be gone in a few years

You're actually wrong here. Caroll is no longer performing the physical aspect of his characters. He has just been dubbing the voices.

 

[HiHo3892]

But 83 year old men and women should not be working.He should be enjoying the last few years with his family because I hate to admit it but Carroll will be gone in a few years

He has stated many times that he has no intention of retiring as he loves his job and he can't imagine walking away from Big Bird and Oscar. Nobody at Sesame Workshop is making him continue when he doesn't want to. That's been his choice. He's doing it simply because he enjoys it. Some people just like to keep active. That's entirely their choice. Nobody should force Caroll to retire if he doesn't wish to.

He just does the voices. It's more of a hobby than anything. If you love what you do for a living, you probably wouldn't want to retire either.

Look at June Foray. She was in her late nineties and still did the voices for her characters because she loved it so much. Same as Stan Lee. He says "what's the use in retiring if you love what you do?"

Again it's Caroll's wish to be his characters. Sesame Street is respecting his desires.

Fran Brill retired a few years ago. It's entirely up to the individual. So I completely respect Caroll's decisions. If he feels he still loves to voice Big Bird and Oscar, that's fine. If he doesn't, that's fine too. It's up to him.

Caroll actually has plenty of free time. His wife and him travel a lot. I believe last year he discussed that they went on a European cruise. So it's possible to enjoy time with family while still doing the work that you love.