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[obin_gam]

Supposedly what tip the bucket was that exec wanted Kermit to lie to his son, and Whitmire refused:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...le-business-conduct-1021701?facebook_20170717

"The first issue was that they felt I had been 'disrespectful' in being outspoken on character issues with the small group of top creative people during the ABC series," said Whitmire, who had been working with the Muppets since 1978. "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."
[...]
Whitmire, who was asked to take over Kermit by Henson's family after the creator's untimely death in 1990, said that an instance of note was over a script for the new ABC series, canceled last year, in which Kermit lied to his nephew, Robin, about his breakup with Miss Piggy.

"I don't think Kermit would lie to him," Whitmire explained. "I think that is Robin came to Kermit he would say 'things happen, people go their separate ways, but that doesn't mean we don't care about you.' Kermit is too compassionate to lie to him to spare his feelings."

and some union stuff

"I happened to get caught in the middle of a dispute on a contract classification between SAG-AFTRA and Disney Labor Relations which occurred while I was in-flight to work on the project and the associated commercial. I did in fact shoot the commercial, but was unable to shoot the material for the project in order to comply with my obligations to the guild. Ironically in that situation, my rep had negotiated a special deal with the guild so that we could do the work within the budget parameters for the project."

 

[jelly]

That's nice to defend Kermit not lying.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Supposedly what tip the bucket was that exec wanted Kermit to lie to his son, and Whitmire refused:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...le-business-conduct-1021701?facebook_20170717


and some union stuff

That's some horseshit if true.

See what loyalty gets you.

 

[Fancyarcher]

That's a shame. I'm sure Kermit's replacement will be fine, but Whitmire was basically easily the worthiest of the successors to the role from Henson.

Also their reasoning for firing Whitmire sounds like a load of shit as expected.

 

[Camjo-Z]

Hard to comment on the union stuff, but considering the ABC Muppet series had everyone being such unlikable assholes that they had to do a midseason soft reboot to fix things, I have no doubts that Whitmire was completely correct about whatever he was objecting to. As I said in the show OT, "it started off as an interesting but ultimately way too mean-spirited take on the characters, and by the end of the season it got more lighthearted but lost the edge that made the mockumentary format interesting in the first place."

 

[Zombine]

New Kermit is going to be a liar. Don't believe anything he says.

 

[Cheerilee]

A source close to the studio told THR that Whitmire's communication style was "overly hostile and unproductive"

Yeah, that's kind of shit. The executives told Steve to do something stupid. Steve knew it was a mistake so he objected, passionately. And then after he failed to convince them of the error of their ways, he gave in and did it the way they wanted him to do it.

They fired him because they want a more pleasant experience in their failures. None of this "People struggling in vain to try and save the project" nonsense.

 

[Aaron Strife]

New Kermit is going to be a liar. Don't believe anything he says.

.

 

[sml_x]

The Henson kids weighed in: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/arts/television/kermit-the-frog-disney-firing.html

Henson’s family, which still runs the Jim Henson Company, chose Mr. Whitmire to replace Henson as Kermit in 1990 after Henson unexpectedly died of pneumonia at the age of 53. Some of those same family members say they supported the decision to replace Mr. Whitmire, though they are no longer involved with the Muppets.

“He played brinkmanship very aggressively in contract negotiations,” Lisa Henson, president of the Jim Henson Company, and Jim Henson’s daughter, said in a telephone interview.

Ms. Henson said Mr. Whitmire was adamantly opposed to having an understudy for his role, which presented problems when it came to what she called “B-level performances, such as a ribbon-cutting.” She said he was unwilling to appear on some of these occasions but also refused to develop an understudy and that he “blackballed young performers” by refusing to appear on the show with them.

Brian Henson, the company’s chairman and Jim Henson’s son, said that while Mr. Whitmire’s Kermit was “sometimes excellent, and always pretty good,” things changed when he was off set.

“He’d send emails and letters attacking everyone, attacking the writing and attacking the director,” he said.

Just a bummer all around.

 

[Not]

Wow, Brian Henson and the rest of the company really come off bad here

I liked Kermit for the past few decades. A lot.

 

[butalala]

The things the Henson family say make Whitmire look pretty gross in my eyes.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

What I find particularly concerning is that Kermit himself is being uncharacteristically quiet on the issue. I feel like he would lay this to rest because he doesn't lie and I would believe his side of the story.

But again, he hasn't said anything since Whitmire got fired. Probably a contract thing?

 

[Spehornoob]

It sounds like Whitmire was abrasive but passionate, while Disney wanted better business decorum from him (even if they were making questionable decisions).

It doesn't look like anyone is the straight out good guy or bad guy here. Just a sad situation all around.

 

[kirblar]

Wow, Brian Henson and the rest of the company really come off bad here

I liked Kermit for the past few decades. A lot.

Because they're critical of the performer for being unprofessional and being unwilling to groom a younger successor?

 

[Boss Doggie]

The Henson kids weighed in: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/a...ey-firing.html

Just a bummer all around.

So I guess Whitmire lied about things?

 

[NealMcCauley]

More from Brian:

Henson granted an in-depth interview of his own in order to explain what actually happened from his perspective, even going as far to say that he should've let Whitmire go before selling the company to Disney 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."

Despite being a fantastic technical puppeteer and impersonator, Henson said Whitmire made "outrageous demands and often played brinkmanship," which he was warned as far back as the mid-1990s needed to stop. Henson declined to go into specifics about Whitmire's exact demands, but did say, "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."

 

[jett]

Man they put Whitmire on blast. I wonder what he'll respond with, if he responds at all.

 

[Camjo-Z]

Henson said Whitmire made "outrageous demands and often played brinkmanship," which he was warned as far back as the mid-1990s needed to stop.

"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.

...If Steve was such a burden, why exactly did Henson let him act like a comical Miss Piggy-level diva for 14 damn years on his payroll without firing him? I feel like both sides have exaggerated some things here.

 

[Saganator]

I kinda hope both parties just shut up at this point. The shit slinging is tarishing Kermit more than anything.

 

[Nairume]

...If Steve was such a burden, why exactly did Henson let him act like a comical Miss Piggy-level diva for 14 damn years on his payroll without firing him? I feel like both sides have exaggerated some things here.

Within reason, I could see Henson just putting up with it in hopes that things would never boil over and they could avoid this situation by just waiting for Whitmire to just retire on his own.

 

[BasilZero]

End of an era

Gonna take some time to get used to a new voice

 

[Poona]

It's all really rather sad. I always thought the Henson family gave him their blessing.

There are also characters Steve has done even before he started with Kermit like Rizzo the rat who has always been Steve. So whilst we wait to see what Kermit will be like next, Rizzo is in some ways bigger as that has always been him.

He also did Wembley from Fraggle Rock so with the constant rumours of that returning, if it ever does I'm guessing he's gone from that too.

Man they put Whitmire on blast. I wonder what he'll respond with, if he responds at all.

Well he has been releasing a few things on what seems to be his site here:

http://stevewhitmire-muppetpundit.com

 

[dskillzhtown]

...If Steve was such a burden, why exactly did Henson let him act like a comical Miss Piggy-level diva for 14 damn years on his payroll without firing him? I feel like both sides have exaggerated some things here.

I don't see it like that. You can have an employee who is productive but is a diva, so you put up with it. When it finally comes to the time you have to fire him/her you look back and say that you should have done it sooner. I have seen it and been a part of it at other places of work. Long-time employees always get that benefit.

It is what it is. Seems like he played hardball with management and they decided it wasn't worth the hassle. I have been on both sides of that. It happens.

 

[Arkeband]

He had a pretty hilarious bit concerning this on last night's Colbert, if anyone wants to hear the official Kermit cursing.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Now I'm curious on what brinkmanship he has been doing.

 

[MrSaturn99]

Regardless of the truth, it's just a sad situation all around. Heres hoping Vogel can do Kermit justice.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Sounds like a total mess.

But that's none of my business.