Nine months after it was announced that the role of Kermit the Frog's voice would be recast, it has now emerged that former long-running voice actor Steve Whitmire was dismissed for 'unacceptable business conduct', according to the Muppets Studio.
This explanation, issued Monday, follows a highly emotional blog post from Whitmire last week, after his firing was made public. He said he that he had learned last October that the role of Kermit would be taken from him.
The 57-year-old voice actor had been with the Muppets since 1978, and took over as Kermit after the untimely death of Muppets founder Jim Henson in back in 1990.
While the Muppets Studio did not release details of the conduct that led to Whitmire being fired, it did say that the behaviour spanned 'a period of many years', adding that he had 'consistently failed to address' his employers' feedback.
Jim Henson's daughter, Lisa, told the New York Times that Whitmire refused to train up an apprentice for low-level performances and that he "played brinkmanship very aggressively in contract negotiations." Lisa Henson is president of the Jim Henson Co., which sold The Muppets brand to Disney back in 2004.
Credit: PA
Advert
Company chairman Brian Henson also told the paper that Whitmore often sent unacceptable emails attacking writers, directors and others involved in Muppets projects.
In a statement on his blog, Whitmire said: "As I am sure you can imagine, I have experienced every possible emotion since October 2016, when I received a phone call from The Muppets Studio's executives to say they were recasting.
"Through a new business representative, I have offered multiple remedies to their two stated issues which had never been mentioned to me prior to that phone call. I wish that we could have sat down, looked each other in the eye, and discussed what was on their minds before they took such a drastic action.
"I have remained silent the last nine months in hopes that the Disney company might reverse their course."
Credit: PA
Advert
He continued: "Doing what is best for the Muppets is the lens through which all my interactions have been filtered. Given the opportunity I remain willing to do whatever is required to remedy their concerns because I feel my continued involvement with the characters is in the best interest of the Muppets.
"Please forgive any faux pas as I have not been active in social media previously and have a serious learning curve. I just want you all to know that I am sorry if I have disappointed any of you at any point throughout our journey, and to let everyone know that I am devastated to have failed in my duty to my hero."
The Muppets Studio has commented that seasoned Muppets performer Matt Vogel will be taking over the role.
Advert
Sources: the Guardian, New York Times
Topics: News