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

[ConsummateVs]

Man, this whole thing is so depressing.

Tell me about it...

 

[DARTH MUPPET]

Without my being there to substantiate or know the full details, we all know that there have been a ton of issues with how Disney is utilizing the Muppets, mainly evidenced with how they tried to make the TV show work, and then work again, without any success. I would imagine it being very frustrating for someone like Steve (and probably Dave as well - I'd love to hear his take on all of this) who had been performing since the late 70s and who was so entrenched with what the Muppet spirit is all about. It would appear that a lot of the people given the reins for most of the Muppet productions has seemed out of touch with that spirit, something that made the TV show fail so miserably. Is it Steve's place to fight that fight? I don't know, but I do admire his attempts to keep the true spirit of the Muppets alive and active. I can't speak to his methods, though, and if he crossed lines, there likely could have been better ways to do it. Passion can be a ***** sometimes and make even the most collected people lose it, so who knows?

All this in saying, if word is getting out about him sending angry emails to higher ups regarding the creative direction of the characters, I can't totally blame him. There's a similar situation going on now with Frank Darabont and his being forced out of work as the showrunner for The Walking Dead after the first season, also reportedly because of his attitude towards producers and execs whom he felt were totally out of touch with what he was trying to do. Steve was obviously not the showrunner for any Muppet productions, but I understand why he feels he is an integral part of the company, by virtue of having been, in fact, an integral part of the company for so long.

I can see both sides, and there's little that isn't depressing about this.

I happen to Like the edgier Look of the Show, Muppets hanging out in bars and such and its not like stuff like that didn't happen in say The Muppets Movie. It was clearly a Muppets for adults and being an adult who is 36 years old I loved the more Adult feel to the Show and the Beauty of It Is that my nephew who was 7 at the time the adult jokes went right over his head but he still enjoyed the show.

Bottom line here When you work for a movie studio there are rules you gotta go by Whitmire wasn't in charge. If he didn't like the direction the Muppets were going in he could have quit at any time.

 

[CBPuppets]

It's all starting to sound like as if Steve is the Bad Guy in this scenario

 

[gravy]

If he didn't like the direction the Muppets were going in he could have quit at any time.

But by what he says now it seems like he didn't want to quit, he just didn't encourage the turn the direction The Muppets were going.

 

[mbmfrog]

Some person on the ToughPigs forum said,

''Truth be told-- and I'm not allowed to say who this is from-- but the Henson family and Frank Oz were never impressed with Steve's version of Kermit.''

So why was he casted???

Okay I know it's hard to fill the shoes of Jim Henson, but seriously if this is true...then what the world ?!?

It seems like all the dirty laundry is finally coming to light in this mess.

 

[CBPuppets]

What do they mean by Unacceptable Business Conduct?

 

[mbmfrog]

Peter Linz does Ernie in this vid.

(Edited to keep people off my back)

Not bad...Not bad at all I can hear it as through this.

 

[DARTH MUPPET]

What do they mean by Unacceptable Business Conduct?

I think from what we are reading he was harassing Directors and such writing nasty letters and notes and such basically thinking he calls the shots that's what I am getting from all of this.

 

[CBPuppets]

Some person on the ToughPigs forum said,

''Truth be told-- and I'm not allowed to say who this is from-- but the Henson family and Frank Oz were never impressed with Steve's version of Kermit.''

So why was he casted???

That is a good question, why would you cast someone if you're not impressed with it.

 

[rexcrk]

I still don't understand, if the Henson kids and Frank were so unhappy with Steve as Kermit... why have him perform the character in the first place? Why let him continue?