>In 1978 when I was asked to join The Muppet Show, the Muppets were the hottest thing on the planet. I was invited to sit at the feet of the true masters, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Dave Goelz; working alongside them, absorbing different skills from each, as we, along with many talented others, contributed towards the same shared vision, the vision of one man. The result became a skill-set for myself that was sort of a compilation of the best of them all.
>For me the Muppets are not just a job, or a career, or even a passion. They are a calling, an urgent, undeniable, impossible to resist way of life. This is my life’s work since I was 19 years old. I feel that I am at the top of my game, and I want all of you who love the Muppets to know that I would never consider abandoning Kermit or any of the others because to do so would be to forsake the assignment entrusted to me by Jim Henson, my friend and mentor, but even more, my hero.
>As I am sure you can imagine, I have experienced every possible emotion since October 2016, when I received a phone call from The Muppets Studio’s executives to say they were recasting. Through a new business representative, I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call. I wish that we could have sat down, looked each other in the eye, and discussed what was on their minds before they took such a drastic action.
>I have remained silent the last nine months in hopes that the Disney company might reverse their course. Doing what is best for the Muppets is the lens through which all my interactions have been filtered. Given the opportunity I remain willing to do whatever is required to remedy their concerns because I feel my continued involvement with the characters is in the best interest of the Muppets.
>For decades, you have been an invaluable partner in co-creating the existence of the Muppets, and I am humbled by your devotion to them. There is so much more for us to talk about so I have created this site as a place to connect and share on all things Muppet, past, present and future.
>Please forgive any faux pas as I have not been active in social media previously and have a serious learning curve. I just want you all to know that I am sorry if I have disappointed any of you at any point throughout our journey, and to let everyone know that I am devastated to have failed in my duty to my hero.
Dominic Moore
Heartbreaking stuff, signed the petition. Why isn't Sup Forums getting more worked up about this?
>Rizzo is now without his voice and Beanbunny too
Joseph Wilson
I never really cared for muppets much.
Caleb Baker
>Through a new business representative, I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call. I wish that we could have sat down, looked each other in the eye, and discussed what was on their minds before they took such a drastic action. What could it be?
Justin Price
He was too critical of Disney's failures with the movies, show and very protective of the characters.
Eli Williams
Man I had heard this mentioned and I figured the dude had done some stupid shit and got fired. That's actually really sad, I'll sign the petition.
Xavier Sullivan
And this is Disney's ""statement""
>In a response to Whitmire's exit, a spokesperson for The Muppet Studios would only say: "The Muppets Studio thanks Steve for his tremendous contributions to Kermit the Frog and The Muppets franchise. We wish him well in his future endeavors."
This is like when a school or business gets rid of that super well-liked old guy on the staff and everybody loses it but knows things will probably go more smoothly with them gone.
And if someone is critical of the Muppets movies (as user says ) their opinion deserves to be ignored.
Benjamin Rodriguez
if Disney fired him they must've had a very good reason
also this no one cares about muppets
Asher Mitchell
Imagine Spongebob with no Tom Kenny. That's the vibe I feel the Muppets would have now
Brody Robinson
They caught him wanking over Miss Piggy and spunking up her snout.
Aiden Gutierrez
I've made my peace with the steady decline of relevance and quality in relation to the Muppets. I watched the reruns on Nickelodeon and grew up with the specials. The last thing that I came revere was Treasure Island. After that the magic was gone.
Benjamin Lee
The Muppets (2011) The Muppets Most Wanted and ABC's Muppets were all very mediocre and played it too safe, every single one of those projects come from a place of not understanding the Muppet characters.
Christopher Barnes
>Why isn't Sup Forums getting more worked up about this? because Disney is great and knows what's best
this user said it best
Austin Gutierrez
They already have his replacement lined up (Matt Vogel) with a new video coming out next week with him as Kermit for the Muppet youtube channel.
Vogel is going to have a very difficult road ahead of him, this is so much different than being Carrol Spinney's understudy for Sesame and Jerry Nelson's Sesame and Muppet characters with his passing.
Ryan Cook
Don't you mouseketeers have some MCU threads to shitpost in instead?
Jose Sanchez
Hi, Mr Whitmire. Is this where you've been hiding for the past half a year? Shouldn't you be looking for a new job? That heroine won't pay for itself.
>Steve can get fairly passionate when Disney does something that is completely out of line. There was a minor incident involving Disney deciding to recruit 'alternate performers' right after they bought the Muppets, which Steve heavily protested and only backed off once the program was scrapped.
>Steve was really nervous and apprehensive about how the 2011 movie turned out.
>The 2011 movie seemed to have a lot of mixed emotions surrounding it even before it came out: Frank Oz didn't feel the script was very respectful to the characters or their interactions.
How dare someone doesn't like "Jason Segal the Movie Featuring the Muppets Who Appear from Time to Time and When They Do Show Up They Don't Really Do Anything You'd Expect the Muppets to Do But Hey We Have Nostalgia." That was the greatest Jason Segal movie ever!
Jackson Jackson
>if Disney fired him they must've had a very good reason You sound like a disney cocksucker
Julian Clark
...Why? Why does disney fire him from the muppets? It seems like a stupid fucking idea
Jonathan Phillips
>he didn't worship the mouse so they fired him
Burn Burbank to the ground
Jose White
>Getting butthurt about that Literally the best way you can handle it.
Elijah Sanchez
He stayed quiet about it since Oct 2016 in hopes Disney would talk with him about it again, they didn't.
Joshua Roberts
Not guilty and cleared of all charges?
Jack James
Disney kept pushing Skeeter but Steve wasn't having any of it.
Michael Myers
I meant Kermit and Fozzie talking about the show.
Oliver Myers
>I'm just now learning that people didn't like The Muppets The fuck? That movie is great.
Christian Sanchez
I'm just worried about what will happen to Rizzo and Steve's other characters.
Literally only a heartless soulless executive could ever get mad at an employee over this, this banter was hilarious.
Kayden Gomez
Someone watched The Muppets?
Hudson Morgan
More fake rape charges against innocents, as usual. They should really be sued for millions of dollars for costing this man his job. Anyone who accuses someone of sexual abuse and is proven to be lying should be faced with 3x the sentence and put on a "false accuser" list so that their next accusations (and you know there'll definitely be more) will be treated with more scrutiny. I really hate liars who ruin other people's lives.
Jack Sullivan
Right? Everything else was mediocre, but that one was great.
Joshua Miller
It didn't cost him his job, Clash just stepped down from doing Sesame Street. He's still a puppeteer for the Jim Henson Company.
Levi Carter
Yea that's pretty much "don't think of making a name for yourself again."
Jonathan Price
Was he even trained for that part? I know he did Kermit's dopple. But taking on the Frog himself when the only other person was hand picked by the creator.
That's a hard row to hoe.
Angel Sanchez
The show was shit. It wasn't styled around the muppets.
You know what show is styled around the Muppets. 30 Rock, because the Muppet Show was the OG 30 Rock. Idiots.
Chase Russell
Look I was gonna be snarky and say something like "because it's the old geezer's time to get the block" but this actually seriously disturbs my heart, I have no doubt that when this post gets out to the wider internet that the autists of Reddit etcetera will champion the cause. It's just hard to get Sup Forums to give a shit about anything that isn't Gwenpool.
Joshua Phillips
Muppets Tonight did it right
Charles Hughes
I found the voices of the new puppeteers. It looks like they're really taking the franchise in a very new direction.
>a puppeteer for the Jim Henson Company So literally nothing since they don't do anything anymore
Jose Scott
They're making a Dark Crystal movie for Netflix
Oliver Howard
>The Muppets 2011 >Great
It was mediocre at best with ok to good songs in between with iconic characters grossly out of character (Kermit especially).
Bentley Moore
Oh right, leave it to the Disney suits to get butthurt over Muppet banter
Adrian Thomas
>grossly out of character (Kermit especially). What was so "out of character" about Kermit?
Bentley Turner
Pretty much everything Kermit said was neutral. If Disney really did get their knickers in a twist over that, they are a bunch of faggots. I will gladly boycott their shit in the wake of this.
Chase Ross
>Why isn't Sup Forums getting more worked up about this?
he was fired for criticizing disney's business decisions. Sup Forums only gets worked up about free speech when somebody gets fired for saying racist and/or pedo shit.
Noah Wood
>demands something because you have worked there a long time >demanding something from a large corporation in 2017
you westerns are hilariously entitled. it's 2017, there are millions of people willing to do that shit for a cheap ass price and you still dare to demand shit from a corporation. disney no less.
retard got what he deserved
Parker Lopez
you shilling faggot
Camden Jones
The 2011 one is 10/10. Brett and Jason Seagull gave it their all. Most wanted was bland because Ricky Gervais is british Jim Gaffigan
Christopher Martinez
>You sound like a disney cocksucker
That's because he is a disney cocksucker.
Xavier Wilson
>there are millions of people willing to do that shit for a cheap ass price
It cost more money to train people for years on puppeteering. It's cheaper to have steve on the job since he professional as his own job. no one cannot do his job like he does.
Jaxon Price
Good luck.
They own pretty much everything.
Aaron Johnson
didn't he make a stink (lol) about the fart shoes gag?
Christopher Martin
Think there's a chance Sesame Street will take him back as Ernie? He left Ernie in 2014 solely so he could focus more on Muppets.
Ryder Clark
>only one still does his character I truly wonder if Jim (and Richard and Jerry) would even do their characters still if they didn't die unexpectedly
Alexander Bailey
>10/10
Now if it were pic related? Then yes, but the 2011 movie? Fuck no.
Asher Torres
>Instead of Kermit being the leader of the Muppets and the glue that keeps everyone together >He abandons every single one of his friends to sit alone in a mansion and sulk >He somehow offended Miss Piggy to the point where she left him
>This is like when a school or business gets rid of that super well-liked old guy on the staff and everybody loses it but knows things will probably go more smoothly with them gone.
Life is boring when it goes smoothly, user.
Henry Barnes
That was kind of the point of the whole movie. The characters had been away from each other for so long they sort of all forgot who they used to be
Leo Johnson
What did he say I couldn't hear it over the sound of Mickey hips slapping against his pudgy buttcheeks?
David Reyes
>read it in kermit's voice >just makes it even sadder
Adrian Lewis
Kermit the Frog would not have allowed that to happen, them being neglected by Disney for years after getting bought would have been more difficult to make into a movie. The Muppets (2011) was a sweet little tribute and actually pretty okay because of that, but in no way whatsoever was it a 10/10.
In 1979, Jerry Juhl described Henson's unique working style in an article about the making of The Muppets Go Hollywood special: "The [production assistants] are running around screaming, 'How are we ever going to do all this?' And Jim is wandering around in the middle of it all, perfectly calm, perfectly content. You go to him and ask, 'How's it going?' And he says, 'Oh, fine. There were hardly any airplanes overhead when we filmed Miss Piggy by the pool.' He's just like Kermit -- if The Muppet Show had a basketball team, the score would always be Frog 99, Chaos 98."
Blake Brooks
>Then it's not the Kermit Jim Henson intended I doubt Jim Henson intended for The Muppets to be as near-forgotten as they were prior to that movie as well. It was deliberately trying to get people who knew the Muppets out of their comfort zones.
Matthew Turner
I didn't even know Muppets was still a thing. I thought they'd just been playing re-runs for the past 20 years.
Just let it die already; not even the kids care about puppet shows anymore.
William Baker
You're shifting goalposts now, I'm talking about Kermit's characterization here and you suddenly shift to how things were post Jim Henson's death.
We got two great Muppet Movies directed by his son Brian Henson (The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island) , The Muppets Tonight though that's a little dated because of how rooted in the 90s it is things started to go wrong for the company around the time of Muppets from Space which was directed by Tim Hill (director of ,Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Hop, Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas ever) and it ended up pretty bad.
>They had a original script by original Henson collaborator Jerry Juhl and they binned it.
>According to Brian Henson, the film was planned by The Jim Henson Company to be released in the winter, around February 2000, However, Columbia wanted Muppets from Space to be one of their big summer movies, rushing production and causing there to be less advertising for the film. It also suffered competition from Walt Disney Pictures' Inspector Gadget.
>In a 2000 interview, Frank Oz described the film as not "up to what it should have been," and "not the movie that we wanted it to be."
Carter Foster
What happened with the offcial youtube channel of the muppets, did they stopped suddenly?
Leo Harris
They're still making them, Matt Vogel as Kermit is expected to make a appearance in next week's "Muppet Thought of the Week" video.
I picked up the ABC series again recently from about the mid point, and it's actually enjoyable.
I admit I'm super forgiving of the Muppets anyway and it'd have to be pretty bad for me not to enjoy it, but there was an awkwardness in the first half that disappeared in the later episodes.
I really want to hear Disney's side of the story before I sign that petition yes I know it won't do much good because I find it difficult to imagine firing Steve without a good reason. I nean for crying out loud! Jim chose him.
Eli Watson
Considering how shitty Disney is, I wont be too shocked to hear if more puppeteers are fired and future Muppets movies/shows go full CGI.
Nathan Campbell
Disney's side of the story
Jayden Brown
>I picked up the ABC series again recently from about the mid point, and it's actually enjoyable. I never watched it but the fact its not all in one torrent anywhere doesn't bode well for it
Michael Long
>It was deliberately trying to get people who knew the Muppets out of their comfort zones. That's a lie right there. The movie tried it's hardest to keep people who knew the Muppets in their comfort zones. The only purpose the Muppets served in that movie was nostalgia. Disney wanted to play it as safe as possible in fear of alienating anyone familiar with the Muppets.
Samuel Smith
From best to worst: >The Muppet Movie >The Muppet Christmas Carol >The Great Muppet Caper >Muppets Take Manhattan >Muppet Treasure Island >Muppets Most Wanted >The Muppets >Muppets from Space
Aaron Moore
>movie I thought it was a series?
Thomas Jenkins
That's because the showrunner was sacked halfway into the season, their replacement tried to save things by re-introducing sketch elements to The Muppets.
ABC Muppets first half sufferend from several things, it relied too heavily on name dropping celebrities they couldn't have on Miss Piggy's talkshow or having cameos spreading episodes too thin the original Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight only had one guest per episode, wherwas the ABC Muppets had like 3 at times. It had its moments and would have maybe grown into its own thing had the new showrunner gotten the chance with a second season.
>A British TV ad for crumpets understood The Muppets better than ABC
>because I find it difficult to imagine firing Steve without a good reason. I mean, they likely have solid profit reasoning, but desu you hold companies that size to ethical standards beyond what makes them money.
Aaron Jones
Why couldn't we just have another traditional variety show Muppet Show?
Joshua Mitchell
tfw you actually really liked Muppets Most Wanted
Wyatt Butler
Everyone and their mom knows the Theme song to it by heart, the whole point of The Muppets 2011 movie was to get them back in the public eye.
They could have easily made it a variety show again, if anything they could have just updated The Muppets Tonight to modern standards while keeping the sketches and backlot bits instead of making that the focus with a 30Rock/The Office/Parks&Rec type format that already felt done to death with the general public, even Gonzo mocked it in the pilot episode (at the 45 sec mark onwards.)
