Comments on: Has Disney Recast Kermit the Frog? Is This the End of the Muppets?

By: admin

admin — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 02:24:41 +0000

Laura Tanner » not that its really pertinent to the overall discussion but I’ve actually heard the opposite about Winchell being replaced. As I recall, the story came from his longtime agent. I believe Winchell was replaced for one of the Pooh movies (perhaps rightfully) and then press releases accidentally went out citing that he was in it. Disney had to do a lot of scrambling. To be clear, I don’t think Cummings had anything to do with Winchell being replaced though. He’s an incredibly talented actor and a nice guy.

By: Laura Tanner

Laura Tanner — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 02:12:06 +0000

That’s not exactly true. I noticed….big time….because he was replaced with the genius voice actor Jim Cummings (Darkwing Duck, Winnie the Pooh, Tazmanian Devil). Paul Winchell was reportedly involved in choosing his own replacement and even gave Jim some pointers on how to “take care” of the character.

By: admin

admin — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 10:30:32 +0000

@Youtube: We didn’t post the clip, someone else did.

By: Youtube

Youtube — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:15:30 +0000

Well it looks like disney or youtube does not like your clip online, it took it down, since it’s copyright or they just didn’t like you comparing voices of disney copyright stuff, but really the muppet show and movies was the best for its time

END OF Line…. next up, muppets meet Tron 3 movie , ya disney doing that next maybe or not//!#$#!@%##1 just add a few characters HERE too

By: David

David — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 07:44:29 +0000

The new muppeteer performing Kermit is Artie Esposito. In my opinion he is a lot better than Steve Whitmire who never sounded anything like Kermit. Artie actually sounds like Jim! I think that he’s gotten better since this performance. Has anyone seen him as Kermit with Lady Ga Ga at the VMAs? He did a really good job!

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Artie_Esposito

By: James W.

James W. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:56:33 +0000

The second video (aka “fake performance”) isn’t even working anymore. I wonder if it’s a copyright issue that America’s Got Talent had with the clip being online (unlikely, because you can find tons of them all over YouTube), or if Disney realized that it was a bad move to throw a sub-par performance out there (much more likely, considering the near-future plans they have for having the Muppets flourish again in the public eye). Let’s hope it was the latter, and that Kermit will go back to being Kermit again. Intriguing, intriguing…

By: An Insider

An Insider — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:36:14 +0000

@ Showbizter: You’re obviously not knowledgeable enough to avoid the simple-minded claims you’re making.

In 1994, a sequel of “Gone with the Wind,” based upon Alexandra Ripley’s novel, Scarlett, was produced. The key roles were played by British actors Timothy Dalton as Rhett Butler and Joanne Whalley as Scarlett O’Hara. Did this diminish the quality of the original in any way, or would you call the 1939 epic less of a “classic” because of that? I’d be mildly surprised, and only even more doubtful of your credibility.

Stay on topic and realize that the “showbizz” decision of Disney’s — to replace a great key performer — bites big time. It shows disrespect to Jim Henson’s vision, to his work mentality, and ultimately his legacy.

Get my point?

By: brad

brad — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:37:44 +0000

there’s this one dude at school with a kermit bag who says ms piggy has a new voice. i didnt notice anything weird about the hog, but kermit sure was crappy! the new kermit sucks!

By: Showbizter

Showbizter — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:38:39 +0000

Recasting is part of showbizz…Get over it!!
Many many movies get remade, recasted and even sometimes renamed!!! As i said before it’s all part of showbizz.
Hollywood is just out of ideas now, nothing new can be made. Reason is because it’s all been done before!!!
Example….
Ever since the 1980′s they have spawned the Sequel or Prequel madness…Thus making the original movie dead. If they left a movie alone, it’d end up becoming a Classic!
Example…
1.Sound of Music
2.Gone with the Wind
Have there been sequels? Has it been remade?

Get my point?

By: Lorrie Ann McCracken

Lorrie Ann McCracken — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 01:44:08 +0000

So, my kids and I saw Kermit and Miss Piggy on Talent. My 9 year-old daughter insisted Kermit was a “fake”. She’s so upset about it, she now refuses to wear her Kermit pajamas anymore until the REAL Kermit comes back. Was hoping to do some research online to help calm her down. Guess she was right! :-0 Looks like it’s gonna be her Sponge Bob pajamas for a while. Lol

By: Terri

Terri — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:57:58 +0000

I think Steve does a fine job but it’s certainly not Jim’s Kermit. But then, who knows how Jim’s Kermit would be today? In Jim’s later years, he was certainly more PC than he was during the Muppet Show.

Maybe a new guy is a good idea. He’s got a nice low part to his voice that Jim had and Steve doesn’t. If he’s a good actor, that’s the really important part. I’ve heard the new guy does stage work with the Henson improv group (Puppet Up). That’s a good sign.

My fear though is that Disney will do what Warners has done with the Mel Blanc characters — have a half dozen people performing Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, etc. They all sound different and the characters just feel watered-down.

By: hose nose

hose nose — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:47:40 +0000

it’s funny. This page was susposed to make people want to jump on the Steve is great bandwagon. But it seems most people don’t miss Steve, they miss Kermit. We gave Steve almost 20 years to find Kermit. If he couldn’t do it, maybe this new guy can. I think the new guy has the poential to bring the “heart” back to kermit.

By: SMH

SMH — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:02:28 +0000

If anything, the new guy sounds a LOT more like Henson than Whitmire ever did. I could never stand his interpretation of Kermit. I’d have to see a couple more appearances of the new guy before I could decisively judge, but as it stands, I think it’s an improvement, honestly.

By: luv them muppets

luv them muppets — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:26:51 +0000

whitmore’s assuming the role of kermit was very traumatic for me; as traumatic as something so trivial can be. there is a difference in the voices, but there was a greater, more noticable, difference between whitmore and henson. hopefully the new guy will be allowed (by disney) to grow into the character and learn to incorporate the nuance that makes kermit, kermit; just as whitmore had to learn.

By: Neal Alhadeff

Neal Alhadeff — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:31:29 +0000

Disney did the same thing to the immortal Paul Winchell with regards to the Tigger character. Few noticed.

By: admin

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:02:26 +0000

@WolvenSpectre: No one can replace Jim Henson, that’s for sure. Here’s another lovely video, from his memorial service. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHe39ZTCs-4

By: WolvenSpectre

WolvenSpectre — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:27:56 +0000

I’m sorry, but as good and noble a job as Mr Whitmore did, no one, and I mean NO ONE, has been able to touch Jim Henson’s performances I suggest you put this link in, It was done in 1975 and repeatedly played over my childhood and shows the differences between acting like Kermit and actually being him and bringing him to life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco

I am saddened and angered at Disney’s behavior and a little piece of my Youth and innocence died when I saw that last video… I don’t think I can watch another Muppet show after that.

I leave you with this other video on youtube that is a far better tribute to the genius and heart of Jim Henson…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na-xvlYMGck

Try and rest in peace Jim… and thank you.