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

[HJL1]

This was mentioned a while ago. Here is my take;

Tyler could make a great Clifford if Disney ever decides to resurrect the character. As to other recasts, Peter is probably the official Statler recast, Rizzo might be phased out to a background role, however, Peter could perform him. Lips will also likely be performed by a background puppeteer or Peter (he is the only main puppeteer without an electric mayhem character). The Newsman & Link could go to Bill Barretta, Beaker to David Rudman. If Clifford could come back, older characters like Phil Van Neuter could go to Peter, Seymour to Eric, Sal to Tyler or David Rudman.

When Dave retires, who could inherit Gonzo? Will he be retired? He hasn't had any other performer. Perhaps Peter L or David Rudman. What about Dave's other characters like Zoot and Bunsen ?

 

[Oscarfan]

I 100% doubt they'll bring back any of those guys, especially Seymour (if he wasn't good enough to last beyond MT, what makes you think they'll integrate him into the troupe now?)

Clifford, regardless of how the puppet looks, is a purely African American character. Nobody should be taking him over unless they too are. You never heard any one but Matt Robinson doing Roosevelt Franklin's voice and trying to pass it off as the character.

Disney's focus appears to be the classic troupe from TMS, with pretty much Walter and Bill's MT characters thrown in. Aside from maybe a background cameo at the least, you're probably not going to see any of the MT guys come back.

That's not pessimism, it's reality.

 

[Muppetboy09]

We are very quickly going to learn who the recasts are for these characters, as most of them will probably be appearing at the Hollywood Bowl. I feel like Peter is going to take over a majority of Steve's characters, including Rizzo. For a while, Rizzo was absent, but they just recently pushed him back into the spotlight with the Muppets TV show. I feel like he is too big of a character now to phase out again.

Also, when Dave retires, they most definitely will recast Gonzo. If Kermit isn't "too sacred" to recast, then no character is (in my opinion). He is a core part of the Muppets, so they wouldn't phase him out either.

 

[D'Snowth]

Clifford, regardless of how the puppet looks, is a purely African American character. Nobody should be taking him over unless they too are. You never heard any one but Matt Robinson doing Roosevelt Franklin's voice and trying to pass it off as the character.

Some of those later Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School inserts sounds like Jerry trying to do an imitation of Matt.

But, I mean, to say a white performer can't perform a black puppet is like saying male performers like Frank, Eric, Richard, and others can't perform female characters like Piggy or Janice.

 

[HJL1]

I 100% doubt they'll bring back any of those guys, especially Seymour (if he wasn't good enough to last beyond MT, what makes you think they'll integrate him into the troupe now?)

Clifford, regardless of how the puppet looks, is a purely African American character. Nobody should be taking him over unless they too are. You never heard any one but Matt Robinson doing Roosevelt Franklin's voice and trying to pass it off as the character.

Disney's focus appears to be the classic troupe from TMS, with pretty much Walter and Bill's MT characters thrown in. Aside from maybe a background cameo at the least, you're probably not going to see any of the MT guys come back.

That's not pessimism, it's reality.

I'm not saying they will come back, it was just a hypothetical idea.

 

[HJL1]

We are very quickly going to learn who the recasts are for these characters, as most of them will probably be appearing at the Hollywood Bowl. I feel like Peter is going to take over a majority of Steve's characters, including Rizzo. For a while, Rizzo was absent, but they just recently pushed him back into the spotlight with the Muppets TV show. I feel like he is too big of a character now to phase out again.

Also, when Dave retires, they most definitely will recast Gonzo. If Kermit isn't "too sacred" to recast, then no character is (in my opinion). He is a core part of the Muppets, so they wouldn't phase him out either.

Peter could very well do Gonzo. He is going to get some key characters and is becoming one of the major performers. On Sesame he is taking over for Ernie, he does Big Bird ocassionally and could do Telly when Marty retires.

 

[scooterfan360]

Well, hopefully that will happen. Again, this is why we need a Kermit "Thought of the Week," so when Matt's Kermit makes his debut, all Muppet fans will be able to see it.

yeah we do, because it would be unfair to those who are unable to attend.

 

[scooterfan360]

I 100% doubt they'll bring back any of those guys, especially Seymour (if he wasn't good enough to last beyond MT, what makes you think they'll integrate him into the troupe now?)

Clifford, regardless of how the puppet looks, is a purely African American character. Nobody should be taking him over unless they too are. You never heard any one but Matt Robinson doing Roosevelt Franklin's voice and trying to pass it off as the character.

Disney's focus appears to be the classic troupe from TMS, with pretty much Walter and Bill's MT characters thrown in. Aside from maybe a background cameo at the least, you're probably not going to see any of the MT guys come back.

That's not pessimism, it's reality.

speaking of Clifford, i cracked up at his scene in Muppets from space, when he was getting the mail, and was looking at letters that he got from girls.

 

[ErinAardvark]

speaking of Clifford, i cracked up at his scene in Muppets from space, when he was getting the mail, and was looking at letters that he got from girls.

"Oooohh! Shanaenae!"
(I have no idea how that's spelled, but I love the line)

 

[LittleJerry92]

Some of those later Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School inserts sounds like Jerry trying to do an imitation of Matt.

But, I mean, to say a white performer can't perform a black puppet is like saying male performers like Frank, Eric, Richard, and others can't perform female characters like Piggy or Janice.

Agreed, and again, let's not forget we have a white guy doing a black guy's voice on Family Guy.