The Muppets and Disney Consumer Products

[Fozzie Bear]

It's a little nerve-wrecking, ain't it?

 

[OverUnderAround]

Hmm... maybe Muppet Central should have a poll, which characters we believe as fans should be recast.

(Not that anyone at Disney or Henson or Sesame would even pay attention to us.) But still it's a good idea to see what the fans think.

 

[Muppet Matt]

I understand what Amicus is saying.
Amicus (and others) wants to see Jim's version of Kermit again.
And others fans are content with Steve's version.

It's an ongoing fan debate.

Of course Jim's Kermit was the best, but, how are you going to get Jim's voice back? I think that Steve is doing the best that he can and is doing great!

 

[JLG]

I miss Henson's Kermit too, of course, but I like Steve's Kermit a lot more than his Ernie. Now Ernie I really miss. (What can I say? I love the guy ) Whitmire even said in an interview (wish I remembered where I saw this) that, since he worked side by side with Henson for years while working on Muppet Show-related projects, he got a real feel for the character of Kermit and of Henson's connection to it. Since he was never working on Sesame Street until '93 or so, he never observed Henson performing Ernie, and so, in roughly his words, "never really learned what part of Jim Ernie was coming from." So from what I can see, he's basically come up with his own interpretation, which I disagree with. As someone else once said, he's a little too cheerful. The old Ernie had more of an emotional range.

I don't mind his Kermit, though. It's different, of course, but it's enjoyable in its own way. (I love the way he does "flustered". )

 

[OverUnderAround]

Of course Jim's Kermit was the best, but, how are you going to get Jim's voice back? I think that Steve is doing the best that he can and is doing great!

The recent auditions showed that those selected to try for Kermit were based on Jim's voice.

So some day, whenever there is another Kermit, it will be based on Jim's voice.

 

[Tim]

It's so important to get her just right and without that voice dead on and the actions not right it's like watching an old Looney Tunes cartoon re-dubbed; it just doesn't fly right.

Funny you should say that since I was going to use Bugs Bunny as an example of what's wrong with the "new" characters. There are a LOT of great puppeteers and voice over artits out there, and I'm sure many members on this board can impersonate a Muppet of two (I can do a pretty ok Kermit, myself). But no matter how many people can "do" Bugs Bunny (or Bullwinkle, or Fred Flintstone, etc.) there will NEVER be another Mel Blanc, just as there will never be another Jim Henson, or Jim/Frank combo. Mimicing a voice and matching movements is better than nothing, but there are a thousand little things about each of us humans that make us US, and they can never be duplicated.

Personally, I think Steve's Kermit is good, and gotten so much better than when he first started out. And I'm suprised at how close the Sesame character's are of Frank's (except for Cookie).

But like all things Muppets, this is what we have to live with from here on out.

 

[Muppet Matt]

Sure you can tell a difference and we all miss Jim and Frank, (I'm sure Steve and Eric miss them too.) But I think that they (especially Eric since he just started with etc.) will get better the more they perform them. I don't really think that Steve has to get better at all.

 

[OverUnderAround]

And I'm suprised at how close the Sesame character's are of Frank's (except for Cookie).

I agree. I watched Sesame Street for the first time in ages yesterday and was really put off listening to David Rudman do Cookie Monster. Disappointed to say the least.

Now there's a character that needs to be recast.

 

[rtgentry]

Well I am sure that not just anyone that sounds like JIM can just get hired and be the new kermit. Steve has the kermit voice and the puppetry expirence that the muppets need.

Steves not going anywhere.
'Get over the "voices';
Just be happy the puppets are still ALIVE and kicking...
You could be stuck watching old reruns on dvd with no hope of any new shows or movies.

 

[Muppet Matt]

Well I am sure that not just anyone that sounds like JIM can just get hired and be the new kermit. Steve has the kermit voice and the puppetry expirence that the muppets need.

Also Steve said that he couldn't perform Kermit if he hadn't worked with Jim before.