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

[ConsummateVs]

Guess this means all of steve's original characters are gone as well.

Yeah good bye Lips and Rizzo.

C'mon guys, I'm sure someone else will perform them. I know they're more minor characters, but I don't think they're being retired. Well, at least not Rizzo. Not too sure about Lips, because he really isn't seen too much.

 

[Duke Remington]

I'm not going to apologise for feeling this way. They had a perfectly healthy, talented, enthusiastic puppeteer with a fountain of Muppet knowledge at his disposal and they kicked him out the door. They didn't even have the common decency to set up a proper meeting to see if they could resolve any issues they had.

Again, nobody knows the whole story, but you shouldn't make such false accusations either.

 

[DarthGonzo]

C'mon guys, I'm sure someone else will perform them. I know they're more minor characters, but I don't think they're being retired. Well, at least not Rizzo.

Lips barely talks. ANYONE could perform him.

 

[ConsummateVs]

Lips barely talks. ANYONE could perform him.

Exactly.

 

[DarthGonzo]

Exactly.

Meanwhile, Statler and Beaker have been recast before and will be recast again. And I'm sure recasting such "minor" characters as the Newman and Link isn't a priority for Disney.

Rizzo is really the only character to be truly concerned about.

 

[Space Muppet]

Steve Whitmire has a website called 'Muppet Pundit,' he recently posted about what happened.

 

[JimAndFrank]

Meanwhile, Statler and Beaker have been recast before and will be recast again. And I'm sure recasting such "minor" characters as the Newman and Link isn't a priority for Disney.

Rizzo is really the only character to be truly concerned about.

Mike Quinn says he'd like to see Rizzo retired and I must say I agree. I can only see Rizzo becoming flanderized in the hands of another. Unlike Kermit, Rizzo hasn't had enough time to develop to the point that someone else could add to his character and still be recognisably Rizzo.

 

[ConsummateVs]

Steve Whitmire has a website called 'Muppet Pundit,' he recently posted about what happened.

Can you post a link?

 

[LaRanaRene]

Unlike Kermit, Rizzo hasn't had enough time to develop to the point that someone else could add to his character and still be recognisably Rizzo.

As much as I'd hate to say it, I agree. I can't see anyone else performing Rizzo with the character remaining.

 

[dwayne1115]

Disney DOES!

If you'd read those Reddit threads, you might comprehend everything a lot better.

I have and I do understand! Steve was trying to protect the Muppets! As far as I'm concerned he could have held them at gun point and that would be ok with me.