Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
#1Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 10:51pmI am starting to say so. They have been out of the public eye for so long, and then when Disney does an appearance with them, it turns out BAD like last night on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Kermit sounded so bad, there are rumors that STEVE WHITMIRE who was picked by Jim Henson to take Kermit over has been fired by Disney). I am thankful that Disney has released the MUPPET SHOW DVD's, but they really need to step up there game or these great characters are going to fade more and more away.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#2re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 10:56pmYou are starting to say so. Well, then, it must be true.
Twitter @NamoInExile
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#2re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:10pmDidn't they just have a Christmas special last year?
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#3re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:21pmThey are immortal. And I loved that musical number, you're just crazy.
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
#4re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:28pm
Steve Whitmire's Kermit was never really any good IMHO. There are many people who can do Kermit's voice better and who are much more subtle puppeteers. Not sure if he was picked by Jim to be Kermit but he was chosen by Jim Henspn Productions to take over the role. I believe Disney wanted to look for other puppeteers to play Kermit so The Frog could appear in various venues without having to rely on Steve's availability. I know it was met with a great deal of resistance from the Muppet Puppeteers. Who were always treated very well by Jim.
Without the creative spark of Jim and the likes of Jerry Juhl, the Muppets have sort of languished. They have made a few movies and specials but nothing has really recaptured that original Muppet Magic.
Those Blocked: SueStorm. N2N Nate. Good riddence to stupid! Rad-Z, shill begone!
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#5re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:28pmDo you recall what was revealed the day The Muppets died?
#6re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:35pm
btw...Letters to Santa comes out on DVD September 29!
Snafu, while I agree some of the more recent stuff hasn't been as good as the older stuff. However, I do have to stand up for Muppets Christmas Carol which was made after Jim's death was definitely up to par with Jim's stuff. He would have approved IMO.
Muppets Treasure Island and Muppets From Space were good in their own rights and The Swamp Years was pretty amusing IIRC.
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#7re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:38pmI adore "It 's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas"
#8re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:49pmWith the green root beer hehe
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#9re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/3/09 at 11:56pm
A friend and I have dubbed this as "Kermitgate."
Honestly, Arnie Esposito (who's done some background work on Sesame Street) was probably a last minute substitute. Originally, Statler and Waldorf were supposed to appear, however they were noticeably missing. Chances are Steve is sick, or had some other situation that kept him from being able to appear last night.
And, Esposito has a deeper quality to his voice, and I feel like if he had better diction, it would have been better.
That said, Eric Jacobson did a pretty fantastic job as Piggy, his voice is still a bit sharp, but he's got the attitude and inflections down.
And, I don't think we're seeing the end of the Muppets. The What-Not workshop at FAO Schwartz has been pretty successful, and has spawned some interesting things. One owner has created a politcal blog with theirs, I've started doing YouTube videos (that are relatively well recieved).
Also, there is a Halloween special due out this year, maybe we'll get to see Uncle Deadly/Phantom of the Muppet Theatre make a return!
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
TheatreFan4
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/09
#10re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:03amFun fact: The What-Not Workshop was built in my tiny town in upstate New York.
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#11re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:37am
Also, here in LA the Henson Company does a show called "Puppet Up" which is geared for adults
Puppet Up!
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#12re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:42am^ Lady GaGa is currently on my "Never to Be Forgiven" list for that outfit. Screw PETA, what about PETM, People for the Ethical Treatment of Muppets?
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#13re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:44am
Is that Lady Gag?
I had no idea.
This one looks ill...
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
Updated On: 9/4/09 at 12:44 AM
gettinhep
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/9/04
#14re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:54am
Miss Piggy is immortal.
'Try not to have a good time...this is supposed to be educational.' - Lucy Van Pelt
#15re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:56am
According to the Jimmy Kimmel show Tuesday night, they are...
Muppets in Memoriam
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#16re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 12:59amMiss Piggy is a big red X
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
#18re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:32pm
Okay. The Muppets Performers do not do voices. This is silly to say that. They are actors who perform puppet CHARACTERS. A person can do a half hearted voice that sound a bit like Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog and but on a Kermit the Frog puppet but that does not make it Kermit the Frog. That was not Kermit the Frog I saw last night. I apreciate whoever was doing him, but it was just not Kermit. Look at it this way. Would you watch something like... lets say The Jonas Brothers TV show JONAS if they had actors who were not the Jonas Brothers suddenly come in one season to play them? No, you would be mad. Would you watch I LOVE LUCY if a Lucy impersinator was pretending to play Lucy, and the network was going to let it happen and NOT TELL ANYONE... just kinda assume that no one would notice? NO! You would be angry that they insulted your ability to think. This is what Disney is doing if this is true.
Steve is Kermit now to me. And if they get someone to replace Kermit who just is not Kermit the Frog, then The Muppets are sadly DEAD to me.
TheatreFan4
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/09
TheatreFan4
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/09
#21re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:45pmNo one would mind if other people played the Jonas Brothers, because they can't even play themselves convincingly.
#22re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:45pmI personally never thought Steve captured Kermit at all. Sorry. It is like the new Fred Flinstone. It just isn't right.
Those Blocked: SueStorm. N2N Nate. Good riddence to stupid! Rad-Z, shill begone!
#23re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:48pmNo one will ever be able to match Jim Henson's Kermit the Frog. That is true. But Steve was picked by Jim to play the part. The scripts for Kermit have been so one dimensional latley too. Steve is so great when he is improving
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#24re: Are THE MUPPETS Dying?
Posted: 9/4/09 at 1:55pm
Kermit was never the same after watching 2 Girls One Cup
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
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