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

[Keeermit]

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

 

[frogboy4]

It was a noble effort. That couldn't have been Steve. The voice and the head-shape greatly differ from his Kermit. The Frog was okay, but not in the top form we're used to. The Pig was good too. Her singing has improved some here. I also think there must have been some stage constraints that caused a bit of performance difficulty. Again, a good effort.

However, I'd rather have seen the Beaker, Animal and the Swedish Chef perform together. Or maybe just the Mayhem. A Rowlf and Fozzie duet would also have been a little more creative.

 

[Beauregard]

*stunned*

Right. First off... Congratulations Muppets! This appearance was cute, funny and oh so sweet! The chickens were hilarious. The 'Emergancy CD' was completely dear and the pictures (including a still shot from Never Before!) was stunning and gave me chills.

However...Steve, Steve, Steve! Here's hoping that you get well and return to us with the Kermit we've come to love and admire.

Some people have been saying that this Kermit sounds more like Jim's, and, to some extent I'd agree with that -- however, if it's a last minute recast it is bound to sound more like an 'impression' of Jim than something which could actually be carried for months and years as the new Kermit...if that makes sense.

Bea{Disappointed, but happy}regard

EDIT: Miss Piggy. Is. FANTASTIC.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

Kermit sounds horrible! WHERE IS STEVE! I am positive thats not him!

Yeah. I didn't think Kermit sounded right either. I was wondering what was up with that.

I agree with most of the comments here. I'm hoping somebody else performing Kermit was just a one-shot deal. I'm hoping Steve will continue with him for as long as he is able. I'll write more after I read more of these posts. I didn't realize this thread was five pages long. Lol.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

I think Kermit was great! I watched it several times and I think it sounds like Jim... and to me that's a very good thing. I am looking forward to seeing where this goes... Piggy was spot on too

Yeah. Eric gets better with Piggy every time, but to me that Kermit didn't quite sound like Steve or Jim. I might need to listen again before I can make a judgment on that.

15 mins left.. No other Muppets?

Yeah. I went to bed around 9:30. Did Statler and Waldorf or anybody else show up and if so what happened? I'd like to see a clip of that if there was anything else worth seeing. Let me know.

 

[Super Scooter]

Personally, it didn't sound more like Jim to me. Jim's voice is a tough one to imitate, and that wasn't it.

A valliant effort was put forth. I have been and always shall be pro-Steve (19 years later and we're still having this debate?), so it was a little upsetting to see Kermit was "re-cast"... that is, until I calmed down and started to think rationally. It was... well, kudos to the performer on a good try considering it was more than likely a last-minute thing. I hope everything's okay with Steve be it illness or something else. (Difficulties with Disney? Let's hope not.)

I'll say it once more. Steve Whitmire's performance as Kermit the Frog IS Kermit the Frog. Kermit is the same character he has always been with the same eccentricities and quirks. The voice? The voice is right. The inflection is right. Not perfect, but wonderfully right. This "breath of fresh air" nonsense is very upsetting. Is something wrong with me to have enjoyed Steve Whitmire's performance as Kermit? To have felt as much affection for Muppet Treasure Island as I have The Great Muppet Caper (almost equally funny and entertaining)? Am I wrong to think that the website content is up to par with sketches from The Muppet Show? Is it wrong that I have suddenly become very preachy and pretentious with my ramblings? To the last question, I say yes. But to the others, no. No, I say! It is my opinion, and one that you can feel more than welcome to detest, that some fans will show prejudice toward pretty much anything that Jim Henson didn't personally lick and who have been stuck in their skipping record of Whitmire-hate despite evidence that he's doing a great job with the frog, and continues to improve. ... You heard me! Boy, I did not mean this post to sound as rude as it does. I apologize in advance, but hold firm to my opinion. If someone else could state it a bit nicer, I'd appreciate it.

This is still on topic, right?

 

[Beauregard]

Totally on topic, young Super Scoot. Honestly, I no longer think of Kermit as Steve's Kermit/Jim's Kermit...It's just Kermit. Similarly, I've watched VMC many times recently without even realising it wasn't Frank Oz. It's just Kermit, and it's just Piggy.

But our finally accepting that Frog and the Pig as characters in themselves regardless of original performer does NOT give Disney license to get any random performer to perform them. Which is something I am hoping this is not! -- Certainly if this was a last-minute cover, then this guy has done a good job. If it's some test of whether Kermit can be shipped around amongst random performers I'll put my foot down with a solid NO!

 

[CensoredAlso]

It's very interesting how some people are saying it didn't sound right and others are saying it sounded more like Jim's Kermit. I will have to take a moment to see this so I can contribute to the debate, hehe.

 

[Drtooth]

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.

I was thinking the exact same thing. They didn't purposely replace Steve for some greedy reason... Steve is clearly busy/sick/or somehow couldn't make it for some other reason... and maybe it was too late to even get him to pre-record. I agree, it was overly harsh... he sounded a little off, but ANY body doing someone else's character voice will be off the first time you hear it. Again, Looney Tunes... they have so many people doing Mel Blanc's characters now, and they don't even have ones I'd call official yet. And they all sound different.

I just want the mystery of who it was cleared up.

However, I'd rather have seen the Beaker, Animal and the Swedish Chef perform together. Or maybe just the Mayhem. A Rowlf and Fozzie duet would also have been a little more creative.

I'm gonna agree with everyone else here too, and say... come on. The Kermit/ Piggy love hate thing is wearing thin. It wasn't played up that much on 5 seasons of the TV show or in ANY of the movies as it does in the last few appearances. I'm going to go with Beau on this one... I think the emergency photo CD was absolutely sweet, and it really made the appearance.

But the one thing I really agree to is any muppet besides Kermit and Piggy. We have so few TV appearances of characters outside of the two. I thought that Kermit/Fozzie appearance on the View a year back was brilliant. And I really would love to see other characters pop up. Why, it would have been great to see Statler and Waldorf sit in for the "mean" judge as a joke for a while. Or even a Bunsen/Beaker duet would be clever (couldn't you see them singing Oingo Boingo's Weird Science?)... not saying this wasn't a good appearance, but the gag's a bit stale. And I think if we're going to give exposure to the characters (to hype up any chance of a movie) we need to see everyone else too.

And Gonzo really should have been on this show, threatening to do one of his bizarre stunt acts.

 

[Max'sbuddy'sDad]

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 agree %100 percent!