Steve Whitmire has left the Muppets, Matt Vogel to continue as Kermit

[LittleJerry92]

Wow, it's amazing how off topic this thread gets.

Muppets from Space isn't my favorite movie, but it's still one I enjoy none the less.

If people don't like it, good for them. Let's not turn this into a political debate.

(I mean heck, I'd rather watch Muppets in Space than something like, oh, I dunno, Elmo in Grouchland?).

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

I was curious. Does Steve have any kids? I don't remember seeing anything about it, but the Muppeteers are very private people, so it's possible he doesn't talk about them much if he does.

 

[dwayne1115]

I'm one of these crazy Muppet fans who loves each Muppet movie almost equally, but for different reasons. To be honest I enjoy almost everything the Muppets have done with the possibility of the Lady Gaga thing, and the 2015 show.
Now The Muppet parts of the Lady Gaga thing where good, but the other stuff not so much.
As for the 2015 show I love what they did with Uncle Deadly, and his relationship with Piggy. That's really the only thing I did like about the show, that and the amazing puppetry. Other then that I completely agree with Steve and about the characters being written badly. Kermit, Piggy, and Fozzie where all drastically out of character. From Kermit and Piggy's break up to Fozzie dateing it was just way to much character change. Sure the characters should grow, but the changes they tired to make to those three where just way to much. The way they also made the band so spaced out, and dumb was also a bit much. I think that if you compare the 2015 show to The Muppet Show character wise you will see what I mean. I think you'll also see why Steve put up the fight that he did. Because it's like he said in a recent interview it's not about his job its about the integrity of the Muppets, and how Disney is trying to change that, or take it away. That is the main issue.

 

[JimAndFrank]

I was curious. Does Steve have any kids? I don't remember seeing anything about it, but the Muppeteers are very private people, so it's possible he doesn't talk about them much if he does.

No, I remember reading in an interview where someone asked about it. I can't recall exactly what Steve said, but no, he is not a father.

 

[Censored]

I’m still not sure how this fits into the Steve Whitmire debate. But Frank Oz, like the late Jim Henson, is a great man.

 

[ErinAardvark]

Kermit, Piggy, and Fozzie where all drastically out of character. From Kermit and Piggy's break up to Fozzie dateing it was just way to much character change. Sure the characters should grow, but the changes they tired to make to those three where just way to much. The way they also made the band so spaced out, and dumb was also a bit much. I think that if you compare the 2015 show to The Muppet Show character wise you will see what I mean. I think you'll also see why Steve put up the fight that he did. Because it's like he said in a recent interview it's not about his job its about the integrity of the Muppets, and how Disney is trying to change that, or take it away. That is the main issue.

Piggy was way out of character, all right! She would NOT just stand there with her mouth hanging open when Kermit broke up her. Seriously, that frog would've been flung into next Tuesday! What were they trying to do, make the Muppets dark and edgy because that's what everyone wants nowadays? And I just can't see a line like "my life is a bacon wrapped H*** on Earth" coming from Kermit (I admit, I love the line, but I just can't see it).

 

[Censored]

How’s this for some conspiracy theories about Steve’s dismissal?

“He's not progressive enough for Disney. They are slowly cleaning house to bring in those who have the same political leanings. It started with a large Sesame Street turn over along with many Disney owned holdings. If you have any doubts, do a search.”

“Disney: ‘Straight, white, Christian! That's three strikes, you're FIRED’"

“He may be a conservative, after all Disney fired Tim Allen for being a conservative and he had a big hit show going at the time. Disney is like all of Hollywood - don't have a view different from theirs!”

“He's a white male southerner who's been married to the same woman since the 1970s. These days you have to wonder if that's why Disney fired him.”

“if your white, you are no longer in disneys world, they no longer have any shows that have a white person as a lead star.”

"We know why they did it, of course. This is the same man that performs Ernie. It's obvious that Disney wants to appeal to the subset of individuals who believe Bert and Ernie are gay. So they're firing this puppeteer to bring in someone with NO connection to the show who would have no problem bringing a gay Ernie to Sesame Street. Just watch. Next couple weeks will be Ernie's "coming out" celebration.”

“I've only read the first few paragraphs, but my guess is this talented man is either a conservative and/or a Christian.”

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/07/13/kermit-frog-muppeteer-was-fired-by-disney.html

 

[Muppet Master]

Really? I thought Fozzie was the absolute worst thing about the show.

And it's weird to see people fault Oz for having an opinion on the newer films even though he participated in Muppets From Space. I'm sure stepping away from the Muppets after Jim's death was very hard for him to do, considering how much of his life was spent with the characters and how much of that was probably out of respect for his departed collaborator, boss and closest friend. I'm sure he probably thought the script for MFS was garbage, but the movie still featured HIS characters and I'm sure a small part of him still wanted to carry on, even if by that point all he was doing was looping dialogue.

People need to put themselves in Oz's shoes. His involvement in MFS doesn't invalidate his opinion on the later Muppet films.

I understand & respect Oz's opinion, but I feel him not liking the newer stuff is more about personal things than about the quality of the productions. I mean, he only watched 15 minutes of the pilot of a TV show before he reached a verdict that it sucked.

 

[LittleJerry92]

I wouldn't trust anything from Fox News. They're as biased as CNN and MSNBC.

 

[JimAndFrank]

I wouldn't trust anything from Fox News. They're as biased as CNN and MSNBC.

I'm from Australia, yet even I know Fox News is full of crap. Remember when they accused TM2011 of brainwashing children with communism? Have never been able to take them seriously since.