The voice of Kermit the Frog has been let go by Disney. Steve Whitmire, a longtime muppeteer who’s been the performer of Kermit since Jim Henson’s death in 1990. Whitmire unexpectedly got the call in October 2016, a few months after the cancellation of The Muppets.
The details surrounding his firing were kept quiet, but it’s now known it wasn’t mutual decision, and that Whitmire’s issues with The Muppets becoming more “adult” in the ill-fated (and ill-conceived) sitcom may have been at the root of it.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney cited “unacceptable business conduct” as the reason for Whitmire’s firing. According to Whitmire, this “unacceptable” behavior was his vocal dislike of the new direction the Muppets were being pushed in.
“I have been outspoken about what’s best for the Muppets since the Muppets came to Disney [2004], but the fact is I have respect for everyone who was involved in the creation of that series for their own particular contributions. At the same time, I also have insight into their limitations with respect to how well they know the Muppets,” said Whitmire. “We have been doing these characters for a long, long time and we know them better than anybody. I thought I was aiding to keep it on track, and I think a big reason why the show was canceled (after one season last fall) was because that didn’t happen. I am not saying my notes would have saved it, but I think had they listened more to all of the performers, it would have made a really big difference.”
Whitmire wasn’t the only muppeteer to voice concern over Disney’s handling of the characters. The original Miss Piggy himself, Frank Oz, had made similar comments about Disney’s handling of the Muppets.
Disney cited repeated infractions of company policy as the reason Whitmire was let go.
“The role of Kermit the Frog is an iconic one that is beloved by fans and we take our responsibility to protect the integrity of that character very seriously,” a spokesperson for The Muppets Studio said in a statement. “We raised concerns about Steve’s repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback. The decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the Henson family and has their full support.”
That “unacceptable business conduct” could simply mean you don’t bite the hand that feeds you in Disney’s eyes.
Other beloved characters performed by Whitmire include Ernie, Bean Bunny, Wembley Fraggle and Rizzo the Rat.
Fellow muppeteer Matt Vogel will perform Kermit the Frog going forward.
Before Whitmire’s firing, Disney was in a bad place with the Muppets. Their second Disney film tanked at the box office, their show was cancelled, and Muppets Courtyard sits in a lonely corner of Hollywod Studios, soon to be eclipsed by Star Wars:Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land.
Firing Whitmire in such an ugly, public manner certainly won’t help the Muppets’ image any, but hopefully fans still have a lot to look forward to from Kermit and friends.
[Source: The Hollywood Reporter]
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