# Kermit speechless: Whitmire out as voice of Kermit the Frog **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273 "2017-07-14T19:05:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/21 "2017-07-17T14:07:40Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Those who are slagging off Disney need to think that (a) it’s unlikely they have an issue with Whitmore’s voice performance, since there have been no complaints and (b) they have nothing to gain and everything to lose by this bad publicity. Yeah, I’m not in general a fan of big corporations but I also don’t get the idea that someone who performs a character you like can do no wrong. The comments like “I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call,” and that’s he’s “devastated to have failed” Henson really sound to me like something major went on involving drugs or sex that Disney didn’t feel they could ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/22 "2017-07-17T20:49:39Z")
Disney is saying that Whitmore engaged in “unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years.” > **[Disney Explains Firing Kermit the Frog Actor](https://screenrant.com/kermit-frog-actor-fired-disney-statement/)** > > Don't disrespect the House of Mouse. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/23 "2017-07-17T20:52:29Z")
Took 'em a long time to notice, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/24 "2017-07-17T21:46:02Z")
Well, that’s vague enough that it could mean almost anything. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/25 "2017-07-17T23:32:26Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Took 'em a long time to notice, huh? Why do you say that? They probably noticed ages ago but Whitmire had a fair grip on their balls because Disney didn’t want to rock the boat and change Kermit’s voice. Just because they’ve only now decided to take the pain of wrenching their balls free of his grip doesn’t mean they haven’t been aware for quite some time. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/26 "2017-07-18T00:33:49Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Why do you say that? They probably noticed ages ago but Whitmire had a fair grip on their balls because Disney didn’t want to rock the boat and change Kermit’s voice. Just because they’ve only now decided to take the pain of wrenching their balls free of his grip doesn’t mean they haven’t been aware for quite some time. Or they wrote hm up and gave warnings and maybe he complied for a while and went back to his old ways and they finally got tired of cycling through that shit. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/27 "2017-07-18T04:18:23Z")
Or, they hired some new guy who didn’t get the job he really wanted (Dr. Who). ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/28 "2017-07-18T09:48:09Z")
[Here](http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/18/537836531/kermit-the-frog-actor-fired-over-unacceptable-business-conduct) is Whitmire’s response to Disney’s charges. It sounds to me like he never believed they would actually fire him so he didn’t make much of (or any) effort to change until it was too late. There isn’t a lot of meat in his response, but I think that “we could have worked it out” to me means “I didn’t take it seriously but if you give me one more chance, now I will make the changes you want.” ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/29 "2017-07-18T14:48:20Z")
[Lisa and Brian Henson stand by Disney’s decision.](http://www.toughpigs.com/whitmire-henson-quotes/) > [@Tough Pigs](#): > > But Lisa and Brian Henson add a few more factors to the mix: issues with contract negotiations, his refusal to accept an understudy, and blackballing young performers from working with the Muppets. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/30 "2017-07-18T16:18:57Z")
He’s been there for quite some time…maybe they found someone they liked better as Kermit’s voice and are being vague about ‘business practices’ and ‘contract negotiations’…with a sweet gig like being Kermit’s voice, Mr. Whitmire would be foolish to do something to rock the boat. But if Disney wanted him out for whatever, out he will be. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/31 "2017-07-18T16:42:30Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > [Lisa and Brian Henson stand by Disney’s decision.](http://www.toughpigs.com/whitmire-henson-quotes/) Sounds like what I expected to hear - that he thought he WAS the role and everybody had to come through him. Diva behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/32 "2017-07-18T17:02:03Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > The problem with corporate personhood is that corporations have no souls, and are therefore evil. The problem with corporate personhood is that people seem bound and determined to refuse to understand it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/33 "2017-07-18T17:05:00Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > He’s been there for quite some time…maybe they found someone they liked better as Kermit’s voice and are being vague about ‘business practices’ and ‘contract negotiations’…with a sweet gig like being Kermit’s voice, Mr. Whitmire would be foolish to do something to rock the boat. But if Disney wanted him out for whatever, out he will be. **ZipperJJ** ’s link in the post right above yours is pretty specific. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/34 "2017-07-18T23:52:42Z")
More very insightful comments from Brian Henson. Pretty much puts the whole thing to rest: > **[Jim Henson’s Son Explains Why Kermit Actor Was Replaced](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jim-hensons-son-explains-why-kermit-actor-was-replaced-character-could-use-change-1022041/)** > > Brian Henson said that actor Steve Whitmire made “outrageous demands” and would often “play brinkmanship.” ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/35 "2017-07-19T00:01:13Z")
Firing someone over the phone is pretty classless. But that’s none of my business… ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/36 "2017-07-19T00:15:06Z")
I see what you did there 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/37 "2017-07-19T01:31:52Z")
Well, now that it’s all been laid out, what a disappointing situation. All comes down to a puppeteer’s ego. This week on YouTube will be a new Kermit video, performed for the first time by his new performer Matt Vogel. He’s a very good imitator as he has been playing multiple pre-established characters already. But his Kermit will be under serious scrutiny by a lot of nerds. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/38 "2017-07-20T01:29:41Z")
I’m reminded of the scene in Cradle Will Rock, when Bill Murray plays a ventriloquist and his dummy turns to him and says, “Now who’s the dummy?” And re corporate personhood with no souls, well, Marx did note that capital was vampire-like, the dead sucking life from the living, and this is a nice way to tie it all together. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/39 "2017-07-20T13:04:35Z")
No, the analogy we really need for corporate personhood is something about it [eating its own face](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRYjumFolTs). ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273/40 "2017-07-20T13:44:46Z")
[There’s an article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/07/19/muppet-creators-family-says-fired-actor-played-kermit-as-bitter-depressed-victim/) in the Washington Post where the Henson family complains about Kermit becoming “bitter” and “depressed”… > [@](#): > > In response, Cheryl Henson reportedly took to Facebook to criticize Whitmire’s version of the beloved frog. Whitmire, who took over the role when Jim Henson died in 1990, “performed Kermit as a bitter, angry, depressed victim,” she said. …which seems a bit odd to me, especially in the context of the recent short-lived show, since I would assume Whitmire was working with the material the writers gave him. It wasn’t Whitmire’s choice (I assume) to have Kermit and Miss Piggy separate, for example. I don’t have a dog in the fight or a side, I just found that specific criticism to be strange. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kermit-speechless-whitmire-out-as-voice-of-kermit-the-frog/791273.md?page=3)