Back in October, Steve Whitmire, best known for his work with The Muppets and Sesame Street as the voice of Kermit the Frog, was relieved of his duties after 27 years. Nine months later, the actor is speaking out against the decision, revealing he’d felt betrayed after dedicated his life to carrying on the legacy of Jim Henson, the original voice of Kermit and founder of The Muppets.
According to reports, Whitmire’s dismissal was described as “unacceptable business conduct,” as a spokesperson for The Muppets Studio defended the decision, saying, “The role of Kermit the Frog is an iconic one that is beloved by fans and we take our responsibility to protect the integrity of that character very seriously.”
Whitmire discussed his dismissal with The New York Times, revealing his confusion about the decision and the inability to resolve the issue.
“This is my life’s work,” Whitmore, 58, revealed. “The only thing I’ve done my whole adult life, and it’s just been taken away from me. I just couldn’t understand why we couldn’t resolve this.”
“I’ve been laying awake at night for nine months trying to empathize with a position of ending somebody’s career over issues that seem to me to be so easily solved,” he said.
In a separate interview, the head of the Muppets Studio, Debbie McClellan revealed they tried to work with Whitmore, but he refused to change his ways.
“We raised concerns about Steve’s repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years, and he consistently failed to address the feedback,” McClellan said, referring to Whitmore’s alleged hostility toward coworkers and difficulty in contract negotiations. “The decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the Henson family and has their full support.”
According to reports, Matt Vogel will take over the role as Kermit the Frog.
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