Earlier this month, word came out that the longtime voice of Kermit the Frog was leaving the Muppets Studio. Less than two weeks later, the odd reasons for the dismissal are coming out as well and it’s not pretty.
Steve Whitmire, 57, was the long time voice of Kermit until recently. The reason why Whitmire is no longer the voice behind the frog is due to “outrageous demands” and “brinkmanship,” according to the chairman of the Jim Henson Company, Brian Henson.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Henson, the son of the legendary Muppets creator Jim Henson, didn’t want to delve into details about why Whitemire was fired.
“I really don’t want to be talking about this, and I think it is very sad that this has become an issue,” Henson said.
But while Henson may not want to discuss the reasons behind Whitemire’s firing in publish, the former voice of Kermit isn’t afraid to. Whitmire told THR he was fired for being “disrespectful” and being “outspoken on character issues” among other issues.
“I have been outspoken about what’s best for the Muppets since the Muppets came to Disney, but the fact is I have respect for everyone who was involved in the creation of that series for their own particular contributions,” Whitmire said.
That’s what caused Henson to respond and say he maybe should’ve replaced Whitmire way back in 2004.
“I have to say, in hindsight, I feel pretty guilty that I burdened Disney by not having recast Kermit at that point because I knew that it was going to be a real problem,” Henson told THR. “And I have always offered that if they wanted to recast Kermit, I was all for it, and I would absolutely help. I am very glad we have done this now. I think the character is better served to remove this destructive energy around it.”
Brian Henson actually picked Whitmire to begin voicing Kermit after his father Jim passed away back in 1990. Over the next 27 years, the two feuded and argued, ultimately leading to Whitmire’s dismissal. Henson said during their time working together, he had to repeatedly talk with Whitmire about his “unprofessional conduct.”
“Nobody worked harder than me on making sure Kermit survived my father’s death and retained his cathartic personality and presence. So I understand the fans being concerned,” Henson said.
“Steve would use ‘I am now Kermit and if you want the Muppets, you better make me happy because the Muppets are Kermit.’ And that is really not OK.”
That’s where the two differ as Whitmire contends that he wasn’t as bad as Henson says.
“I didn’t yell, or call anyone names, or refuse to do my job. I just gave lots of definitive notes via emails to this small group about character integrity and always tried to offer alternative solutions,” Whitmire told THR.
While many fans may be disappointed in the news, Henson believes what he is doing is best for Kermit’s legacy and that Whitmire’s performance had gotten stale.
“My dad’s No. 1 thing was don’t repeat yourself. Innovate. Do something new,” Henson said. “He is the guy who canceled The Muppets Show when it was the No. 1 show in the world after five seasons because he was worried he was going to start repeating himself. The last thing my dad would want is that Kermit just keeps doing the same thing over and over and over and is in the same circumstances and having the same attitude. The character needs to be stretched and maintain his heart.”
