Disney has spoken out about firing Kermit the Frog’s longtime voice actor Steve Whitmire. Steve had been with the company for 27 years. Steve says that he spoke out about some things that Jim Henson wouldn’t have approved of. Disney claims “unacceptable business conduct.”
“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. 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.”
A spokesperson for The Muppets Studio explained their angle.
“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. We raised concerns about Steve’s repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback. The decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the Henson family and has their full support.”