Your Thoughts: Kermit and Miss Piggy on America's Got Talent

[Vic Romano]

I think some of the comments here have been overly harsh.

I know some people were a bit shocked when they realized it wasn't Steve. Like you, i could tell something was off - either Steve had a (oh dear) "frog in his throat" or someone was taking his place...and once Kermit handed his cd over, i knew it was the latter. Considering Steve wasn't at the Daytime Emmys this weekend either, chances are he's probably sick or something and we should all be sending him positive energy and best wishes.

Having said that, i think the Muppets and Steve's understudy did wonderfully considering the circumstances. This was obviously something that was arranged before Steve had to bow out for whatever reason and the team should be commended for going on with the show. They probably did a bit of tweaking to where Piggy/Eric carried the performance (and dropping Statler/Waldorf - though since Steve himself is a fairly recent replacement for Statler, they probably could have had someone else perform him this once). Whoever did Kermit (i'm also guessing Rudman) was terrific GIVEN THAT IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A SUDDEN EMERGENCY RECAST! Yes, it wasn't up to the standards we would expect if this was some kind of planned performer change that was in the works for quite some time now and if this was going to be something more permanent. Sub-Kermit was no doubt thrown the role on very short notice and up to that point had probably never thought about or imagined playing the frog. I mean, Steve himself had practically a year to mentally and physically prepare himself for the challenge between the time the decision was made for him to carry on the mantle and before he made his first major public performance.

Consider this forum is made up of the "die-hards" - those who are apt to notice. The performance was strong enough to where i'd say the vast majority of people watching (the general public at large and the less hardcore base of casual Muppet fans that enjoy them but don't follow fansites or post in forums) didn't have a clue there was a sub tonight. I say whoever filled those almost-unimaginable to fit into flippers did admirably and we should be THANKING him for saving the show. Whether it's with the Muppets, any other puppet troupe, or stage or screen human actors, the job of the understudy is a thankless one. They work as hard as the person whose role they're understudying in the case an emergency arises and live with the double standard of never having their work seen or appreciated or if they do get the chance to fill in, they're looked down on as "just a substitute for the real thing" (as someone who for a couple years was one of the go-to guys for theatre directors to call when they had to do an emergency recast close to showtime for plays since i earned a reputation as someone who could learn lines and take on a part very quickly after i took on the second male lead part in a production of Edward II i was assistant directing after the actor came down with jaundice (sp?), i know about this well!)

Now maybe about three or four years ago when Disney looked like it wanted to start having a whole bunch of possible Muppet recasts for cruise ships, minor appearances or just plain emergencies (leading to the actually surprisingly successful Save the Muppets fan campaign) i would have been worried that this was a more conscious thing. Until i hear otherwise i'm sure that something happened where Steve just couldn't appear (much to his own regret i'm sure) and the whole team rallied together (very much in the spirit of the Muppets) and not only allowed the show to go on but worked together in a way to tailor the performance around the challenges they were facing to where damages were minimal and the overall performance itself was Muppety Goodness.

Not to mention, i think it says a great deal when Steve has performed Kermit long and well enough now that fans have come to accept Kermit as Steve and vice versa as opposed to "Steve's Kermit" to the extent that we get a tad huffy if someone isn't Steve-level Kermit. I quite liked how the sub both sounded very much like a cross between Jim and Steve's interpretation.

Wow, so many of these comments are so harsh and overly negative. I wonder what the good people at Disney must think when they put the Muppets out there, and they are met with a deluge of negativity. For years we've had almost no Muppets at all - do we really want to return to those times. Maybe instead of standing on the sidelines throwing tomatoes, and spitting venom we should be supportive, positive, and encouraging. As die hard fans we need to work together to help the Muppets make their long over due comeback.

Many people were saying that the voice was off and too deep. To my ear, I think Kermit sounded more like Jim's Kermit. It's possible that since that sad day in 1990, we've all grown accustomed to a higher pitched Kermit.

Others have commented that the puppetry was "stiff" and "amature" - as someone that teaches puppetry at the Jim Henson Company on a weekly basis, I'm pleased to say that Kermit's performance was perfect. If he had done that in my class, I wouldn't have had any notes.

I look forward to hearing from more of you about this performance. Hopefully, we're done with the negativity.

...I think this new guy sounds WAY more like Jim's Kermit...

I just watched it on youtube - And having grown up with Jims Kermit, I actually thought it was a good representation of the frog. But in my day kermit was more of the relaxed in control frog - not the frantic high pitched frog he has become since Jims passing. I think we should applaud the performance as if it wasnt for this performer - I would guess maybe the whole performance could have been pulled. Also listen the the audience - they loved it! I know almost everyone on here thinks they can probably do a better kermit voice - but you cant

thats my opinion

cheers
Jarrod

These were my exact thoughts, and I'm surprised at the negative reaction to the voice. I do feel the puppetry was stiff, and the personality/fluidity was weak, but that will improve with time. I'd be surprised if this change was anything more then a one shot deal, but I'd be interested to see this performer develop, especially if he continues to perform as the frog.

 

[The Count]

Unfortunately, because of the negativity and circularity of the comments... This thread is being closed. Thanks for understanding.

 

[Vic Romano]

Man... I'm always fascinated how divided and passionate as fans we all are. It is a good thing, a very, very good thing. But I'm always so surprised how spread across the board we all are!

 

[Phillip]

Ed closed this thread with the concern that some of the heated discussions would inevitable go down a negative path. However, after careful thought, we’re re-opening the discussion with the belief in each of you that no matter what you thought about the performance last night that we can discuss the pros and cons in a healthy manner.

As a reminder from the forum rules…

“While it's fine and appropriate to critique their work on a particular Henson production (whether you liked it or not), please be respectful of a performer's personal life at all times. Muppeteers personal lives need to be kept just that, personal.”

Let’s get back to discussing the performance last night and what it might mean for the future of the Muppets.

 

[Frogster]

lol... it's been nearly 20 years and you guys are just NOW complaining? Wow

 

[bluebomber95]

The only possible reason Steve couldn't perform besides the "being sick" excuse, would probably be him doing the Fraggle Rock movie.

 

[Luke]

I agree with the majority really that although the Muppets appearance as a whole wasn't bad and was great to see them on such a high profile show (again) that it was a seriously wrong move to have anyone else do Kermit than Steve ... however we don't the whys or the details behind all this so maybe it wasnt that simple a decision, but we have never seen a stand in (to my knowledge in the past) for the MAIN frog so it should have been avoidable. Usually in the case of sickness people can pull out, with clauses in the contracts etc - maybe Disney felt it was too good an opportunity to miss and it would not have been recognisable as a big Muppet performance enough without Kermit.

No offence to the performer (and Artie has been a valued member and one of us .. if it was him) but obviously it wasn't up to the standard of a seasoned veteran like Steve, and perhaps such a high profile show during prime time was not the best place to debut .. although again, we don't know the background behind this, maybe it was so last minute it was unavoidable or maybe there has been some practice somewhere. I know some people will not have noticed amongst the mainstream public but from looking at the Youtubes, it does seem that there were people who did notice something was off so perhaps at least its some comfort that the public (or at least some) do actually still remember what Kermit should sound like.

It does show to Disney the damage having multiple performers of different experience levels can do to the brand, though i guess they will be distracted by Americas Got Talents ratings.

 

[majortom1981]

hmm

I think it sounded rushed. I dont think it was a performer problem. I think whom ever was doing it would have done it better if they werent rushed. Something probably changed and they were rushed.

Id rather have BAD muppet voices then no muppets at all.

 

[minor muppetz]

I have read that somebody at Tough Pigs heard from a secret source who the performer was (I keep forgetting the name of that performer). I don't know when he learned who it was, but judging by some of the negative comments, I wonder if Disney would be willing to reveal the performers identity now. After all, GelflingWaldo once said that the people at Disney currently want to keep the identity of the performer who performed Robin's voice in Letters to Santa a secret for now. A recast that very few complained about, and for a character that's not as major as Kermit or Piggy.

 

[TheMonsterAteMe]

I'm going to be honest.

It was AWFUL. I felt like I was watching a bad youtube video of someone doing a cheap Kermit impersonation. Shame on Disney for letting this happen. And if the speculation I have heard about Steve is true, I am done with the Muppets.