@@shadicTPZ Well screw Brian Henson. He got Disney to fire Steve Whitmire, and making up accusations about the dude without any shred of evidence all because Steve Whitmire gave some criticism to Disney towards the ABC's the Muppets series in the episode where Kermit LIED to Robin! I lost respect for the dude when he did that. He doesn't deserve to come back. Only Frank Oz does (although I do like Eric Jacobson and David Rudman's current performances as his characters).
The humour and anarchy that Jim Henson brought to the Muppets is what made them so funny. Although it remained for some of the movies that were made after his death, Disney have wiped all traces of that style of humour from the Muppets now
@@icecreamhero2375 In the immediate aftermath of Walt's death and the subsequent cultural revolution, they didn't start pushing beyond anything G-rated until the mid-1980s.
***** It seems odd youre defending the muppets at the expense of one of their key creator who knows far more what hes talking about with this than you do
***** Admitting flaws with something he had a hand in (and pretty universally agreed wasnt up to par) is an admirable and rare in Hollywood trait of honesty and humility. And you call that being a curmudgeon? hmm
Frank Oz has a point there. I watched the first episode of "The Muppets" TV Series, and it felt like a re-enactment of the Office. Seriously, I barely cracked a Smile, let alone laughed.
The first episode is bad, I agree. But I think it's really gotten better since episode 4. The first few episodes do seem like the Muppets reading a lost script of the Office, but the recent episodes seem like them doing their own thing to me.
Wikia Frog Thanks! Frank Oz did both Miss Piggy and Fozzy Bear, and I can tell just by listening to them in this Video that they are performed by different people. Also, the reason I enjoy shows like: *the Muppet Show*, and *Muppets Tonight*, is because there were many gags/Jokes that made me laugh. Some examples include Gonzo and the refined young cannon balls, Paula Abdul making Rizo kiss Clifford, Statler and Waldorf complaining about everything, Nigel's Freak-outs, the swedish Chef cooking all these bizarre meals, etc. And I saw NOTHING like that in the Muppets.
+Nine_Tails137 --- This interview with Oz was before the new series though. I think the problem many had with the new series is that they weren't sweet enough. People only really seemed to like the episode where Kermit sang "Rainbow Connection", and that is "sweet". People thought there was too much sex and adult humor, which Henson excelled at. I think the new show got better as it progressed, and some of the gags were terrific. It's too bad that it's not coming back for a second season. Just like The Muppet Show was a take on the variety shows of that day, the new show was a take on the documentary style of filming The Office was known for.
Michael Thomas I see. Well, what made the Muppets so great, were the classic gags. Some examples include: The Swedish Chef's Cooking reels, Bunson and Beaker's Mad Science Experiments, Miss Piggy's Smart-ass attitude followed by Karate Chops, Fozzie's Lame Jokes, Statler and Waldorf's Smart-ass Insults towards Fozzie, Gonzo's Dare-Devil Stunts, Animal and the Electric Mayhem playing classic Songs, etc. And I did NOT see ANY of that in the new Muppets TV Series.
+Nine_Tails137 Sure The Muppet Show was what it was, but this show was different and more modern. The characters of the show and the movies is really what made it for me, and just the fact that Uncle Deadly was such a prominent character was maybe the best thing about it. Do yourself a favor and do a search for "Christina Applegate messes with the wrong pig" and just have fun with it. That's a great episode all the way through.
I'm glad Frank Oz is a lot more civil in his opinions than a lot of critics on the internet. Speaking of which, I wonder what he thinks of the Muppets Hollywood Bowl/O2 show.
There's too much drama in the new series. The characters aren't wacky and zany, they act like regular neurotic humans. There isn't any slapstick, no one really blows anything up...All they do is sit around sipping coffee and booze and bitch about their sex lives. I love Disney...but sometimes I really HATE Disney....they can be the worst when it comes to respecting the creativity of art. I bet if Walt Disney were alive, he'd want to stay truer to the original source material of the Muppets, instead of turning it into another cash cow, because that is what TRUE artists do.
The performers aren’t allowed to improvise or bring their own personalities to the characters, which is a huge part of what made them what they were in the old days. I’d rather see a Kermit who’s a little different from the frog I grew up with than one who’s 100% playing from the script.
Walt probably would have annoyed Stege enough to make him leave him. Walt was NOT the warm user friendly person most people believe. But that's another story.
Jim Henson made the Muppets work perfectly. Unfortunately, Sesame Workshop and The Walt Disney Company will never be able to make the Muppets perfect like Jim Henson did. Look at what happened to Disney and the Disney Channels focusing mostly on teenage actors and actresses singing. Walt Disney would hate the fact of what the Disney Channel has turned into recently. Without people like icons Jim Henson, Walt Disney etc. their franchises will never have the same magic they once did.
I legitimately think the muppets were a great explosive loud outlet for Jim who was very quiet and reserved and when he died they just couldn’t replicate it
He makes a very good point here, and mentions a name that doesn't get used nearly as often as it should: Jerry Juhl. The quality of Muppet projects has suffered the greatest since the loss of Jerry Juhl. More than anyone else, he understood how to write for the characters, what their dynamics are and how to portray them. The Muppet Christmas Carol proved the brand could survive Jim Henson's passing, largely because of Juhl's excellent screenplay. The 2011 Muppets film showed that, while it will still be good, it will be different now, because nobody could write for these characters like Jerry Juhl.
Frank is absolutely correct. I grew up with the Muppets, starting with Sam and Friends and Wilkins Coffee ads. The Muppets have always been witty, fun, destructive little beasts. Diz has totally dumbed them down to where they're no fun any more. And that's a shame. Fortunately, we have UA-cam, and can see the old witty, fun, funny bits from Sam and Friends, The Muppet Show, Ed Sullivan, Wilkins ads, Rowlf with Jimmy Dean, Johhny Carson, Hollywood Palace . . .
Some would argue that the recent ABC series resolved the problem that Mr. Oz described here, the matter of conflict; but I feel differently. The conflict that was among the characters under The Jim Henson Company took place among innocents in a safe environment not seeing eye to eye with each other. The characters were vibrant personalities, uninhibited by mature problems, and when they collided, powerful comedy resulted. Now, whereas all prior Muppet material was lighthearted, usually at the PG level, and generally cheerful, the recent series was dark, mature, and generally unhappy. The conflict that generated the natural humor of Jim Henson's wonderful creations requires the lightness; such conflict is found floating, at the surface, where the innocence is. In the series, these characters were not floating; they were sinking. The series required us to find amusement in the plight of these dying, sinking people. (The members of the band, drugged to the point of hallucination, were especially disturbing.) The outcome, from my point of view, was that this pillar of encouragement, one of the few that this world has left, was torn down in order to reflect the ever-growing depression of our culture. The Muppets of ABC's "The Muppets" are simply *two* steps away from the Muppets as they ought to be. I hope that they move back toward where they were.
As much as I love the Muppets, I have to agree with Frank here. The Muppets anymore are too cute. He is probably the only person who has been involved with the Muppets who can give his two cents while not having to bow down to the Mouse in charge hahaha. They are made to be this group of innocent, non-rebellious, sweet characters you can hug and squeeze. I have to wonder how much input the Henson family had after Disney purchased the Muppets. Because If they would have had someone close to Jim Henson (who actually knows how Jim would have intended the Muppets) to be President of the Muppet Studio or whatever subsidiary name Disney licensed them under, I think you would see a totally different mindset of the Muppets. The only person I can think of who tried their best in disputing Disney's vision was Steve Whitmire, and most Muppet fans know what happened when he decided to open his mouth.
Yeah just link Frank Oz Steve Whitmire couldn’t stand how his mentor and close friend’s creation was butchered so much. It’s sad that aside from like 2 UA-cam video that the Muppets office style sitcom in 2015 was Steve’s last time playing Kermit (and Rizzo)
hearing frank say this himself is so good for me because i keep thinking/saying the same thing whenever i try to watch new muppet things. going back and rewatching the muppet show made me realize i would LOVE to see a reboot with current celebrity guests and everything but there is NO way disney could EVER pull it off
walt disney and jim henson would both be very disappointed if they could see what their creations have become today. they both were very smart men and geniuses
Nickelodeon fans were not happy when Disney destroyed the image of their 90s show Doug. Disney has a habit of changing things they buy in my personal opinion.
Not really, honestly. It's not so much that Disney changes the properties they buy, as much as people just don't like Disney buying said properties. Disney bought Marvel comics and Star Wars and they kept that the same. And in all honestly, I don't think they really changed the Muppets all that much from who the Jim Henson company were using them during the years after Jim Henson's passing. As for Doug, a lot of the changes they made were cosmetic, as far as I can tell. I've actually heard people complain that the Disney version of Doug had one extra hair (yes seriously) and the character of Connie lost weight. Now granted, I personally wasn't the biggest fan of Doug, so maybe I can't compare too much, but from what I've seen, the only real big difference that actually matters between the Nick and Disney version of Doug is the inclusion of a baby brother.
Disney always wants to tamper with things to add their "cute" element. The original creator of the "Mary Poppins" story, I believe her name was P.L. Travis, railed against 99% of what Disney wanted to do with HER story, and she, an Australian, by the way, was RIGHT to protest. If any company OTHER than Disney had done the movie, it would' possibly be closer to Miss Travis' original concept, and be much the better for it, but that's just speculation.
It's a shame because Disney made them so cute in the tv specials and two movies, that people just associated them with cuteness. When the ABC show came out, which displayed The Muppet's the closest they've been to the original Muppet's, people hated it and it got cancelled. Looks like they HAVE to be cute now
I'm leaping with joy just to see what Disney does with Star Wars (sarcasm). I mean we all know SW went really south since the prequels, but with Disney on board.... I always tell my friends about the "Hare Krishna" running gag in The Muppet Movie, and how it wouldn't happen in Disney no sir...well who knows...less we forget Song of the South etc. I'm with you Frank Oz!!!
True. Some things about the Muppets have changed, some didn't. Some of those changes are weird (Sweetums can talk in full sentences). I felt like they've been watered down in terms of their craziness. I think that people these days would raise too much of a complaint if they kept their violent and crazy nature from the original show.
The Great Muppet Caper will always be my favorite, but you're right, Manhattan was the true end of the muppets. Everything since has been a shambling, distorted corpse of what it once was.
Indeed...it started to go wrong way before Disney....Jim Henson made some very poor choices in the 80's. Especially when he himself was about to sell out to Disney shortly before his death..this seems to have been forgotten somehow in the narrative...admittedly Frank Oz believed the Disney deal made Henson sick..but then why on earth did he want to do it? Henson and the Muppets were the total antithesis of Disney...now they are just another property of a multinational , diluted, sanitized and flavourless
I agree 100%. I've noticed a big change since Disney bought out the Muppets, and not the good kind. The productions lack the casual fun of "we're doing this because we love it" that the Henson Productions had. Disney has dummed down the content of muppets/sesame street characters can and cannot do to fit the mold of their "politically correct" content. The problem with sugar coating characters and making them "sweet", is that it destroys the foundations of what makes a good story. You HAVE to have conflict, you HAVE to have a deeper contrast, you HAVE to have a strong negative element, as this is what makes the strong resolution really stand out in the end. Its always the deep moments we love the most. I agree its great that we have the Muppets again, in terms of DVD releases of the Muppet Show and other great classic movies, but at what cost? Rising generations are now subjected to the endless seasons of "modern" Sesame St, edited movies (GOSH DANGIT THE SONG "THE LOVE IS GONE" FROM MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL IS THE MOST MEMORABLE PART OF THAT MOVIE FREAKING DISNEY DON'T TAKE THAT OUT!!), and less-than-worthy "modern" movies (Seriously, Lady Gaga and the Muppets??). THIS is why I hate Disney right now. Their marketing gone completely out of control, their never-ending appetite to eat up all the small companies to feed their endless drain of a cash flow, and horrible horrible choices in creating low quality sequels to try and milk more out of their cash cows; all of this has blinded the company giant from the foundations it started on: Quality. Albeit, their modern movies have been better than most of their past cash grab "movies", but even then there is a lack of depth in them. They're still holding back from going too deep in their stories, but the rest of society is so blinded by the nostalgia of quality we grew up with, that all we have to see is "Disney" and we think it's gold.
Disney had a part in the muppet treasure island film which I thought was outstanding, and the only thing I haven’t particularly liked about what Disney’s done with the muppets is the 2015 reality series. That one was very meh, but we can have our different opinions. I mean, how can you not like the 90s studio dc show, the muppets 2011 and muppets most wanted? All very underrated and well done productions, at least give em credit for that. Oh yeah one more thing I guess on a bad move Disney made (which I’d argue is more on the Henson children), is the firing of Steve Whitmire. They all tried to make claim how disrespectful and selfish he was, when fellow co workers of his themselves have always seemed so happy with Steve and have even gone as far as to say he’s the easiest to work with. They’ve said he’s caring, welcoming, kind and crazy nice, making the reasonings of their’s to go and fire him seem very suspicious. And as frank said here, they are supposed to be rebellious! So even if Steve did go against what they were doing to the muppets (which later on I will admit he did but not in a rude way), that’d be fine given Oz’s explanation. Steve stated he gave notes and questioned the direction they were putting the muppets in, probably getting him fired.
Look at what happened to the modern Disney Channel. Most of their own sitcoms have become so awful themselves. Looking at today's Disney Channel today upsets many people.
The Muppets is something really difficult to sell today. The 2011 movie was great but it's pretty much a cult movie. It's easy to say Disney is not doing a good job with Muppets through a nostalgia goggles and not admiting puppets is not something will people will embrace, regardless of the quality.
I didn't really get the new Muppets movie. I loved Muppets: Most Wanted (especially the musical numbers), found Muppets in Space endearing, and "Muppets" the TV show was awesome in my book. That episode where Kermit has the break down, talks with Rolff and performs "Rainbow Connection" in a backyard swamp as a way to unwind... So sweet.
It seems to me that Disney NEEDS to hire a NEW Creative team over there. And this is what it is like when you hire ONLY people under the age of 25... instead of a mixed bag of professionals of ALL ages. When you are taking on "the Classics" like Star Wars or the Muppets.. you NEED to find people of THAT generation who UNDERSTANDS the creativity behind it. The same goes for Advertising...
No they don't. Disney FIRED the people who understood the muppets, many of them ORIGNAL HENSON TEAM MEMBERS. Corporate fuckery is why the muppets are ruined today. Disney needs to take its damn-dirty paws OFF the property entirely, allow it to be creator driven.
When the WDC became a conglomerate, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto ALL lost their personalities and became flat, one dimensional trademarks. The WDC has done the same with The Muppets. The mindless corp bean-counter mindset can't have anything "edgy" to endanger "shareholder value" by doing unpredictable or potentially offensive things. This is also why Sesame Street has lost its way -- the characters are just overly sweet and screechy shadows of what they once were.
Frank is literally one of my favorite people ever. He is spot on here. The Muppets were half about senseless violence. Bobby Benson's Baby Band could never happen today. That was one of the most hilarious bits The Muppets ever did, but it was a bout infants beating the living crap out of each other, so, of course, we can't do that now.
I'm not saying the tv series nor the movies were perfect and flawless (though I also agree that the Muppets was fantastic, probably my favorite Muppet movie, minus the very original). But I'm saying is if they were still under the ownership of the Jim Henson company, we weren't have gotten even that much. I hate to say it, but the JHC wasn't doing crap with the Muppets
Disney always has to make everything "cute and cuddly". The Muppets were once seen as merely tiny-tots' fare(1-4 years age bracket) but the "Muppet Show" lifted them out of that restrictive role and made them appeal to a far wider audience. But with Disney taking over, it's back to appealing the tiny-tots again...A MASSIVE retrograde step.
reminds me of a Saturday Night Live TV Funhouse cartoon sketch, where the disney kids get permanently locked in the disney vault and behind a door they find the cryogenically frozen head of walt disney and in the corner jim henson and kermit are tied with a rope and gagged. mickey's yelling "he wouldn't sell!" and covering his face in shame.
That was probably a bit gentler criticism than what is deserved. Disney is great at capturing the form of things. They often don't seem to understand the psychology behind them at all. Jim Henson could make compelling work on a shoestring budget, using not much more than sock puppets. I don't think it's impossible to tap into Henson's energy and point of view, but they certainly haven't done it. And without that, it's all just special effects.
This was only really true after 2016. Beforehand, they did a great job I would say. The Muppets 2011, and Muppets most wanted were absolute masterpieces, comically and otherwise and were actually better than some of the earlier puppet stuff that even Frank Oz, and Jim were apart of. Everything else pretty much sucked yeah
you are right frank. things are not like what they used to be back then. disney really needs to put study on the way jim did his former creations. it is sad to see what they gave us now. kermit is politely cursing. Sam reminds him you cant say hell.
I don't think you understood what Frank said. At the time, the 2011 Muppets movie had come out. He's saying in the video that the Muppets are too sweet and not adult like they used to be. This was before the new show. I think Frank would like the show because it isn't sweet and more adult.
I want monsters eating each other! I want penguins being thrown around! I want characters insulting each other! I want characters hurting each other! I want sexualized muppets! I want the offensive rebellious attitudes! *I WANT THE MUPPETS!!*
I can see wot Frank means wen he says the muppets are "Too sweet" these days. In Muppets Most Wanted, After Miss Piggy and the real Kermit had a row, she laters goes to constintine (who she obviously assumes is Kermit) and tries to tell him she accepts his appology, but constintine says "AM I WEARING SIGH THAT SAYS BOTHER ME?!?" and piggy runs off in horror rather then karate chop him.
Piggy wouldn't karate chop Kermit if he/Constantine said that in the Henson days either. Piggy didn't karate chop him because he didn't make her angry, he made her sad.
I think with Disney taking over, the 2011 movie was great, and afterwards they started to fall off. I know Oz is talking about the 2011 movie here. I agree with what he’s is saying about the projects following that for sure. He’s a genius and he’s entitled to how he feels about the 2011 movie, but I personally think it’s an incredible tribute to what Henson did.
The difference was that Disney was only supposed to be like a management/budgetary part of the Muppets production, so Henson was gonna continue to be creative and work with the Muppets. Now that Disney has gained full creative control, it just sucks.
@@shadicTPZ they really dont have full creative control. That's not really how it works. The same Muppet people that were in charge before, the ones that made Muppets from space etc, are still in charge now.
The Disney company offered Frank Oz a directing position for the Muppets, but he backed out once he saw that they rejected his script for the 2011 Muppets Movie. Afterwards, Frank realizes that he should have went for it anyways.
I feel like they should’ve sold the muppets to a different company. Like frank said, disney made the muppets too cute and friendly without enough conflict
DISNEY was slow to use the Muppet characters except as walk-arounds in Florida. The Disney Muppet movie was the best they have done so far, but the current TV show scripts indicate to me that the writer has no idea about what made the Muppets great. There are arbitrary groupings on TV now, like a bunch of talking heads,but there are no believable relationships, the new pig just got stuck in, and I could not sit through a whole episode of the Disnet Muppets. Then there were posts from some viewers saying the show "had improved" so I tried to watch again. Well, there is no Muppet chemistry,subtle movements are lacking, as is individual personalities with a capital P. The only explanation seems to be that Corporate structure has no idea about how to use Muppetcharacters in any believable way. So it is painful to watch now. hard to believe that the DISNEY Company produced a wonderful version of PINOCCHIO (with a technically impressive opening (but puppeteers like Bob Jones, Wah Chang, Charles Cristodoro, had a lot of input on that!). Walt Disneyhad a long association with L A puppeteer, Bob Baker, AndreTahon performed at Disneyld with his French puppets.....there is a long puppet history at Disney in the past. The Muppets could still work with major changes. Hundreds of different puppeteers have performed with many different sculptural interpretations of Punch and Judy, successfully. But for now, Disney does not know what It is doing with this unique group of characters, other than filling up space on TV.
+Alan Cook They really didn;t have much faith in the Muppets until the right person, like Jason Segel, came along and convinced them to revive a great brand again.
Dave Goelz (best known for Gonzo) is still a Muppeteer - pretty sure he's the last one left from the Muppet Show days. Of course, quite a few of the original core Muppeteers have passed away. And I definitely take your point. I'm afraid that Disney wants to keep them pretty bland because classic Muppet chaos could cause a teeny tiny bit of controversy that might affect the profit margin. Of course, whichever corporate geniuses making that decision clearly don't understand what has always driven the appeal of the Muppets to begin with.
Sad that both Steve Whitmire and Frank Oz are trying to keep Jim Henson's memory alive and yet Disney and Henson's ungrateful children are destroying it The last good or decent Muppets project was Muppets Most Wanted, everything after Steve's firing is not good
Many times when the creator of an iconic franchise passes away the legacy gets damaged. Now that Walt Disney died his franchise has never been the same & the Disney Channel became a failure by only making teen sitcoms with only a female lead. Now they very rarely show Mickey Mouse and his friends on the Disney Channel anymore. The Looney Tunes are not the same anymore because people like Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Mel Blanc and the other creators have all passed away. When Dr. Seuss died his franchise had several issues (example: The 2003 Cat in the Hat Movie). Now that Bill Hanna and Joe Barbara have died their modern cartoons and direct-to-DVD movies (examples: The Flintstones & Scooby-Doo WWE movies and Tom & Jerry meeting Wille Wonka and his chocolate factory) are al considered failures by many people. AND after Jim Henson died the Muppets are not the same and will never be the same with Jim Henson. Disney’s version and the Modern Sesame Street Muppets will always be very different without Jim Henson.
@@gamestation2690 Oh please. Star Wars was pretty much ruined even before Disney bought it. Besides mainly the prequels, Star Wars just has been getting very stale. It was something that should have ended long ago but continued because Lucasflims were making too much money on it. Disney then picked Star Wars up and somehow butchered it even more.
+The Barney Bunch & Ketchum Klan Fan I personally think that Disney is walking on eggshells with Star Wars fans because we can be raging lunatics if we don't like something....The same can't be said with Muppet fans. Muppet fans aren't as insanely devoted, so Disney can totally rape the original source material and if it doesn't work, they won't lose too much.
+Elana Vital There are a lot of Muppet fans who are greatly devoted. It's just that Henson's work is all about being happy and optimistic, and his fans take that to heart (That's why some are not too hard on Disney; they know there trying their best to kept the characters relevant).
Frank Oz is the only person on earth who could criticize the Muppets and have me take them seriously.
Gary Tuggle Yo, we need to get Frank Oz and Brian Henson to direct and produce the next Muppet Movie, cause that would be amazing!
@@shadicTPZ that would be so cool
Without Jim, Frank IS The Muppets.
@@shadicTPZ Well screw Brian Henson. He got Disney to fire Steve Whitmire, and making up accusations about the dude without any shred of evidence all because Steve Whitmire gave some criticism to Disney towards the ABC's the Muppets series in the episode where Kermit LIED to Robin! I lost respect for the dude when he did that. He doesn't deserve to come back. Only Frank Oz does (although I do like Eric Jacobson and David Rudman's current performances as his characters).
@@thesladesterb3vt3co7h Well, yeah bc I didnt know much back then. Now? Yeah get out Henson.
The first sigh says it all.
The humour and anarchy that Jim Henson brought to the Muppets is what made them so funny. Although it remained for some of the movies that were made after his death, Disney have wiped all traces of that style of humour from the Muppets now
It's the same thing that happened to Disney itself when Walt died.
@@Attmay really? The movies were slightly more irreverent after he died.
@@icecreamhero2375 In the immediate aftermath of Walt's death and the subsequent cultural revolution, they didn't start pushing beyond anything G-rated until the mid-1980s.
Attmay Jim and Walt were a lot alike in some key ways.
@@Attmay we’ve still gotten some great Disney films after he died.
I think Frank has hit the nail on the head.
***** Thats your opinion. Jim, Frank and Jerry were the Muppets.
Richard Share you forgot Richard Hunt, he was my favorite
***** Go put your head back up your ass.
***** It seems odd youre defending the muppets at the expense of one of their key creator who knows far more what hes talking about with this than you do
***** Admitting flaws with something he had a hand in (and pretty universally agreed wasnt up to par) is an admirable and rare in Hollywood trait of honesty and humility. And you call that being a curmudgeon? hmm
I’ve gotten to know Mr. Oz over the last 18 years. Nicest guy ever. Love him.
Lucky you. One of my idols since childhood. I would love to meet him.
You’re one of the luckiest people alive!!
so lucky
Make sure you tell him we love him for what he gave us!
Frank Oz has a point there.
I watched the first episode of "The Muppets" TV Series, and it felt like a re-enactment of the Office.
Seriously, I barely cracked a Smile, let alone laughed.
The first episode is bad, I agree. But I think it's really gotten better since episode 4. The first few episodes do seem like the Muppets reading a lost script of the Office, but the recent episodes seem like them doing their own thing to me.
Wikia Frog
Thanks! Frank Oz did both Miss Piggy and Fozzy Bear, and I can tell just by listening to them in this Video that they are performed by different people.
Also, the reason I enjoy shows like: *the Muppet Show*, and *Muppets Tonight*, is because there were many gags/Jokes that made me laugh.
Some examples include Gonzo and the refined young cannon balls,
Paula Abdul making Rizo kiss Clifford,
Statler and Waldorf complaining about everything, Nigel's Freak-outs, the swedish Chef cooking all these bizarre meals, etc.
And I saw NOTHING like that in the Muppets.
+Nine_Tails137 --- This interview with Oz was before the new series though. I think the problem many had with the new series is that they weren't sweet enough. People only really seemed to like the episode where Kermit sang "Rainbow Connection", and that is "sweet". People thought there was too much sex and adult humor, which Henson excelled at. I think the new show got better as it progressed, and some of the gags were terrific. It's too bad that it's not coming back for a second season. Just like The Muppet Show was a take on the variety shows of that day, the new show was a take on the documentary style of filming The Office was known for.
Michael Thomas
I see. Well, what made the Muppets so great, were the classic gags. Some examples include:
The Swedish Chef's Cooking reels,
Bunson and Beaker's Mad Science Experiments,
Miss Piggy's Smart-ass attitude followed by Karate Chops,
Fozzie's Lame Jokes,
Statler and Waldorf's Smart-ass Insults towards Fozzie,
Gonzo's Dare-Devil Stunts,
Animal and the Electric Mayhem playing classic Songs,
etc.
And I did NOT see ANY of that in the new Muppets TV Series.
+Nine_Tails137 Sure The Muppet Show was what it was, but this show was different and more modern. The characters of the show and the movies is really what made it for me, and just the fact that Uncle Deadly was such a prominent character was maybe the best thing about it. Do yourself a favor and do a search for "Christina Applegate messes with the wrong pig" and just have fun with it. That's a great episode all the way through.
I'm glad Frank Oz is a lot more civil in his opinions than a lot of critics on the internet.
Speaking of which, I wonder what he thinks of the Muppets Hollywood Bowl/O2 show.
There's too much drama in the new series. The characters aren't wacky and zany, they act like regular neurotic humans. There isn't any slapstick, no one really blows anything up...All they do is sit around sipping coffee and booze and bitch about their sex lives. I love Disney...but sometimes I really HATE Disney....they can be the worst when it comes to respecting the creativity of art. I bet if Walt Disney were alive, he'd want to stay truer to the original source material of the Muppets, instead of turning it into another cash cow, because that is what TRUE artists do.
+Elana Vital The episodes after the overhaul took away the somewhat depressed nature, but they still aren't crazy.
They were doing a homage to the office only the office is funny and that wasn't.
Walt Disney would not have fired Steve Whitmire.
The performers aren’t allowed to improvise or bring their own personalities to the characters, which is a huge part of what made them what they were in the old days. I’d rather see a Kermit who’s a little different from the frog I grew up with than one who’s 100% playing from the script.
Walt probably would have annoyed Stege enough to make him leave him. Walt was NOT the warm user friendly person most people believe. But that's another story.
I agree. The Muppets during Jim’s life were always conveying a message, they had layers.
Jim Henson made the Muppets work perfectly. Unfortunately, Sesame Workshop and The Walt Disney Company will never be able to make the Muppets perfect like Jim Henson did. Look at what happened to Disney and the Disney Channels focusing mostly on teenage actors and actresses singing. Walt Disney would hate the fact of what the Disney Channel has turned into recently. Without people like icons Jim Henson, Walt Disney etc. their franchises will never have the same magic they once did.
I don't know if Walt would disapprove of what the Disney Channel turned into because he never lived to see it launched.
And what pbs and hbo did to Sesame Street
I legitimately think the muppets were a great explosive loud outlet for Jim who was very quiet and reserved and when he died they just couldn’t replicate it
He makes a very good point here, and mentions a name that doesn't get used nearly as often as it should: Jerry Juhl. The quality of Muppet projects has suffered the greatest since the loss of Jerry Juhl. More than anyone else, he understood how to write for the characters, what their dynamics are and how to portray them.
The Muppet Christmas Carol proved the brand could survive Jim Henson's passing, largely because of Juhl's excellent screenplay. The 2011 Muppets film showed that, while it will still be good, it will be different now, because nobody could write for these characters like Jerry Juhl.
Frank is absolutely correct.
I grew up with the Muppets, starting with Sam and Friends and Wilkins Coffee ads.
The Muppets have always been witty, fun, destructive little beasts.
Diz has totally dumbed them down to where they're no fun any more.
And that's a shame.
Fortunately, we have UA-cam, and can see the old witty, fun, funny bits from Sam and Friends, The Muppet Show, Ed Sullivan, Wilkins ads, Rowlf with Jimmy Dean, Johhny Carson, Hollywood Palace . . .
Some would argue that the recent ABC series resolved the problem that Mr. Oz described here, the matter of conflict; but I feel differently. The conflict that was among the characters under The Jim Henson Company took place among innocents in a safe environment not seeing eye to eye with each other. The characters were vibrant personalities, uninhibited by mature problems, and when they collided, powerful comedy resulted. Now, whereas all prior Muppet material was lighthearted, usually at the PG level, and generally cheerful, the recent series was dark, mature, and generally unhappy. The conflict that generated the natural humor of Jim Henson's wonderful creations requires the lightness; such conflict is found floating, at the surface, where the innocence is. In the series, these characters were not floating; they were sinking. The series required us to find amusement in the plight of these dying, sinking people. (The members of the band, drugged to the point of hallucination, were especially disturbing.) The outcome, from my point of view, was that this pillar of encouragement, one of the few that this world has left, was torn down in order to reflect the ever-growing depression of our culture. The Muppets of ABC's "The Muppets" are simply *two* steps away from the Muppets as they ought to be. I hope that they move back toward where they were.
As much as I love the Muppets, I have to agree with Frank here. The Muppets anymore are too cute. He is probably the only person who has been involved with the Muppets who can give his two cents while not having to bow down to the Mouse in charge hahaha. They are made to be this group of innocent, non-rebellious, sweet characters you can hug and squeeze.
I have to wonder how much input the Henson family had after Disney purchased the Muppets. Because If they would have had someone close to Jim Henson (who actually knows how Jim would have intended the Muppets) to be President of the Muppet Studio or whatever subsidiary name Disney licensed them under, I think you would see a totally different mindset of the Muppets. The only person I can think of who tried their best in disputing Disney's vision was Steve Whitmire, and most Muppet fans know what happened when he decided to open his mouth.
Yeah just link Frank Oz Steve Whitmire couldn’t stand how his mentor and close friend’s creation was butchered so much. It’s sad that aside from like 2 UA-cam video that the Muppets office style sitcom in 2015 was Steve’s last time playing Kermit (and Rizzo)
hearing frank say this himself is so good for me because i keep thinking/saying the same thing whenever i try to watch new muppet things. going back and rewatching the muppet show made me realize i would LOVE to see a reboot with current celebrity guests and everything but there is NO way disney could EVER pull it off
walt disney and jim henson would both be very disappointed if they could see what their creations have become today. they both were very smart men and geniuses
I personally felt (pun not intended) that the last truly great Muppet related project was Treasure Island.
Sorry if you were offended, just my personal opinion, wish it weren't
Jimmy Greenfield I meant that I enjoyed personally
+Devn Connors Christ Carol for me.
Good for Frank Oz for criticizing Disney's Muppets.
Nickelodeon fans were not happy when Disney destroyed the image of their 90s show Doug. Disney has a habit of changing things they buy in my personal opinion.
Not really, honestly. It's not so much that Disney changes the properties they buy, as much as people just don't like Disney buying said properties. Disney bought Marvel comics and Star Wars and they kept that the same. And in all honestly, I don't think they really changed the Muppets all that much from who the Jim Henson company were using them during the years after Jim Henson's passing. As for Doug, a lot of the changes they made were cosmetic, as far as I can tell. I've actually heard people complain that the Disney version of Doug had one extra hair (yes seriously) and the character of Connie lost weight. Now granted, I personally wasn't the biggest fan of Doug, so maybe I can't compare too much, but from what I've seen, the only real big difference that actually matters between the Nick and Disney version of Doug is the inclusion of a baby brother.
Disney always wants to tamper with things to add their "cute" element. The original creator of the "Mary Poppins" story, I believe her name was P.L. Travis, railed against 99% of what Disney wanted to do with HER story, and she, an Australian, by the way, was RIGHT to protest. If any company OTHER than Disney had done the movie, it would' possibly be closer to Miss Travis' original concept, and be much the better for it, but that's just speculation.
It's a shame because Disney made them so cute in the tv specials and two movies, that people just associated them with cuteness. When the ABC show came out, which displayed The Muppet's the closest they've been to the original Muppet's, people hated it and it got cancelled. Looks like they HAVE to be cute now
What's your problem? What the hell is your problem?
+Matt Muppet The Muppets ABC needed Leo!
True! It's what Jim would've wanted! Leo "Makes me feel like dancing".
I hope someone can bring back The Muppets, I really liked that show.
It's a crying shame... they should have never been sold to Disney. So sad!
I'm leaping with joy just to see what Disney does with Star Wars (sarcasm). I mean we all know SW went really south since the prequels, but with Disney on board....
I always tell my friends about the "Hare Krishna" running gag in The Muppet Movie, and how it wouldn't happen in Disney no sir...well who knows...less we forget Song of the South etc. I'm with you Frank Oz!!!
+mcamac1 Why do you think there gonna mess up Star Wars?
@@lourenzod622And we had no idea.
True. Some things about the Muppets have changed, some didn't. Some of those changes are weird (Sweetums can talk in full sentences). I felt like they've been watered down in terms of their craziness. I think that people these days would raise too much of a complaint if they kept their violent and crazy nature from the original show.
+andrewkful Not really. Judging by the complaints of ABC's _the muppets_, people miss that certain magic.
But sweetums was able to talk full sentences before Disney. In episodes of the Muppet show, he would talk in full sentences to celebrity guests.
The first episode of the Muppet Show was titled Sex and Violence. Modern audiences would throw a pinkhaired wokie-fuck fit over that today.
The new muppets will never have the humor the old movies and shows use to have.
Frank Zo has a point. It's as if Disney has just packaged what they think they are, and left it alone.
The last high quality Muppets anything was The Muppets Take Manhattan. It was pure Jim and Frank, and is severely underrated.
The Great Muppet Caper will always be my favorite, but you're right, Manhattan was the true end of the muppets. Everything since has been a shambling, distorted corpse of what it once was.
Indeed...it started to go wrong way before Disney....Jim Henson made some very poor choices in the 80's. Especially when he himself was about to sell out to Disney shortly before his death..this seems to have been forgotten somehow in the narrative...admittedly Frank Oz believed the Disney deal made Henson sick..but then why on earth did he want to do it? Henson and the Muppets were the total antithesis of Disney...now they are just another property of a multinational , diluted, sanitized and flavourless
When Jim Henson died, so did the magic. RIP Jim. Anything made after Jim's passing has either sucked or been just okay.
The Muppet Christmas Carol? That came out 2 years after Jim died, yet it was such a good film.
I agree 100%. I've noticed a big change since Disney bought out the Muppets, and not the good kind. The productions lack the casual fun of "we're doing this because we love it" that the Henson Productions had. Disney has dummed down the content of muppets/sesame street characters can and cannot do to fit the mold of their "politically correct" content.
The problem with sugar coating characters and making them "sweet", is that it destroys the foundations of what makes a good story. You HAVE to have conflict, you HAVE to have a deeper contrast, you HAVE to have a strong negative element, as this is what makes the strong resolution really stand out in the end. Its always the deep moments we love the most.
I agree its great that we have the Muppets again, in terms of DVD releases of the Muppet Show and other great classic movies, but at what cost? Rising generations are now subjected to the endless seasons of "modern" Sesame St, edited movies (GOSH DANGIT THE SONG "THE LOVE IS GONE" FROM MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL IS
THE MOST MEMORABLE PART OF THAT MOVIE FREAKING DISNEY DON'T TAKE THAT
OUT!!), and less-than-worthy "modern" movies (Seriously, Lady Gaga and the Muppets??).
THIS is why I hate Disney right now. Their marketing gone completely out of control, their never-ending appetite to eat up all the small companies to feed their endless drain of a cash flow, and horrible horrible choices in creating low quality sequels to try and milk more out of their cash cows; all of this has blinded the company giant from the foundations it started on: Quality. Albeit, their modern movies have been better than most of their past cash grab "movies", but even then there is a lack of depth in them. They're still holding back from going too deep in their stories, but the rest of society is so blinded by the nostalgia of quality we grew up with, that all we have to see is "Disney" and we think it's gold.
Disney is, was, and always will be a foul, putrid STENCH pervading the movie industry.
Disney has nothing to do with Sesame Street
Dillon Ohlemiller exactly. That’s all Warner bros, and the wb certainly has their problems too.
Disney had a part in the muppet treasure island film which I thought was outstanding, and the only thing I haven’t particularly liked about what Disney’s done with the muppets is the 2015 reality series. That one was very meh, but we can have our different opinions. I mean, how can you not like the 90s studio dc show, the muppets 2011 and muppets most wanted? All very underrated and well done productions, at least give em credit for that. Oh yeah one more thing I guess on a bad move Disney made (which I’d argue is more on the Henson children), is the firing of Steve Whitmire. They all tried to make claim how disrespectful and selfish he was, when fellow co workers of his themselves have always seemed so happy with Steve and have even gone as far as to say he’s the easiest to work with. They’ve said he’s caring, welcoming, kind and crazy nice, making the reasonings of their’s to go and fire him seem very suspicious. And as frank said here, they are supposed to be rebellious! So even if Steve did go against what they were doing to the muppets (which later on I will admit he did but not in a rude way), that’d be fine given Oz’s explanation. Steve stated he gave notes and questioned the direction they were putting the muppets in, probably getting him fired.
Look at what happened to the modern Disney Channel. Most of their own sitcoms have become so awful themselves. Looking at today's Disney Channel today upsets many people.
The Muppets is something really difficult to sell today. The 2011 movie was great but it's pretty much a cult movie. It's easy to say Disney is not doing a good job with Muppets through a nostalgia goggles and not admiting puppets is not something will people will embrace, regardless of the quality.
I didn't really get the new Muppets movie. I loved Muppets: Most Wanted (especially the musical numbers), found Muppets in Space endearing, and "Muppets" the TV show was awesome in my book. That episode where Kermit has the break down, talks with Rolff and performs "Rainbow Connection" in a backyard swamp as a way to unwind... So sweet.
It seems to me that Disney NEEDS to hire a NEW Creative team over there. And this is what it is like when you hire ONLY people under the age of 25... instead of a mixed bag of professionals of ALL ages. When you are taking on "the Classics" like Star Wars or the Muppets.. you NEED to find people of THAT generation who UNDERSTANDS the creativity behind it. The same goes for Advertising...
No they don't. Disney FIRED the people who understood the muppets, many of them ORIGNAL HENSON TEAM MEMBERS. Corporate fuckery is why the muppets are ruined today. Disney needs to take its damn-dirty paws OFF the property entirely, allow it to be creator driven.
Frank Oz told it like it is. I grew up watching The Muppet Show and I loved when the muppets would rebel.
I love The Muppets (2011) and Muppets Most Wanted! We all just have different opinions.
When the WDC became a conglomerate, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto ALL lost their personalities and became flat, one dimensional trademarks.
The WDC has done the same with The Muppets.
The mindless corp bean-counter mindset can't have anything "edgy" to endanger "shareholder value" by doing unpredictable or potentially offensive things.
This is also why Sesame Street has lost its way -- the characters are just overly sweet and screechy shadows of what they once were.
He hit the nail on the head. This demise into sweetness is rooted in the introduction of Elmo and how he took over Sesame Street.
Great video I always loved the muppets as a kid they made me smile
...Boy...Did Mr.Oz Age....I Love you Frank...And The Sweet days of Sesame Street...
Frank is literally one of my favorite people ever. He is spot on here. The Muppets were half about senseless violence. Bobby Benson's Baby Band could never happen today. That was one of the most hilarious bits The Muppets ever did, but it was a bout infants beating the living crap out of each other, so, of course, we can't do that now.
And then Disney fired Steve which was horrible and I hate Disney now for that and ruining the Muppets and sesame street for me
He's right the muppets are supposed to be rebellious souls not sweet souls.
Disney has utterly butchered Jim Henson's wonderful creations!
+StrahaoftheRace I think youre exaggerating
+Lourenzo Dasilva Kind of, but there is some truth there.
Truthfully though. If it wasn't for Disney, we would have NEVER gotten two more Muppet movies and the TV show.
JJ Abeyta I've got my issues with the show and Most Wanted, but I'll stand by The Muppets as being a truly great movie
I'm not saying the tv series nor the movies were perfect and flawless (though I also agree that the Muppets was fantastic, probably my favorite Muppet movie, minus the very original). But I'm saying is if they were still under the ownership of the Jim Henson company, we weren't have gotten even that much. I hate to say it, but the JHC wasn't doing crap with the Muppets
This is 150% true. Frank Oz is absolutely right.
LOVE FRANK OZ WITH ALL MY HEART AND ALWAYS WILL ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The Muppet Show is getting a semi-revival. Hopefully Disney'll take notes from Frank.
-S.
Don't forget Jim Henson loved Punch and Judy
I honestly enjoy some of the Disney stuff.
Muppets Haunted Mansion, for instance.
Disney always has to make everything "cute and cuddly". The Muppets were once seen as merely tiny-tots' fare(1-4 years age bracket) but the "Muppet Show" lifted them out of that restrictive role and made them appeal to a far wider audience. But with Disney taking over, it's back to appealing the tiny-tots again...A MASSIVE retrograde step.
The Muppets reflected the absurdities of life and how to cope and over overcome them. I see very little of that in today's Muppets
reminds me of a Saturday Night Live TV Funhouse cartoon sketch, where the disney kids get permanently locked in the disney vault and behind a door they find the cryogenically frozen head of walt disney and in the corner jim henson and kermit are tied with a rope and gagged. mickey's yelling "he wouldn't sell!" and covering his face in shame.
That was probably a bit gentler criticism than what is deserved. Disney is great at capturing the form of things. They often don't seem to understand the psychology behind them at all. Jim Henson could make compelling work on a shoestring budget, using not much more than sock puppets. I don't think it's impossible to tap into Henson's energy and point of view, but they certainly haven't done it. And without that, it's all just special effects.
Oz was being highly diplomatic I think.
@@matthewlawton9241 Definitely.
Sad he’s been without Jim Henson for so long. They were great collaborators. Jim didn’t want Disney to be part of the moments.
0:37 you just took right out of my mouth!!!
(PURE GOLD)
This was only really true after 2016. Beforehand, they did a great job I would say. The Muppets 2011, and Muppets most wanted were absolute masterpieces, comically and otherwise and were actually better than some of the earlier puppet stuff that even Frank Oz, and Jim were apart of. Everything else pretty much sucked yeah
Go watch Jim's early stuff with Kermit before the Muppet Show and Sesame Street to get a good understanding of what the Muppets really are.
Statler And Waldorf Liked This Video!
you are right frank. things are not like what they used to be back then. disney really needs to put study on the way jim did his former creations. it is sad to see what they gave us now. kermit is politely cursing. Sam reminds him you cant say hell.
I don't think you understood what Frank said. At the time, the 2011 Muppets movie had come out. He's saying in the video that the Muppets are too sweet and not adult like they used to be. This was before the new show. I think Frank would like the show because it isn't sweet and more adult.
Kermit and the rest of the Muppets cursed once in a while back in the day.
+Wikia Frog "Frankly Miss Piggy, I don't give a hmmpf" Kermit in The Muppet Movie
Hoot. Not "hmmpf"
+Wikia Frog I think Frank is talking about the lack of slapstick. Which this new piece of crap show has practically none of.
Disney has the ability to ruin everything, sometimes with good intention, but mostly to fit their brand whether it's a good fit or not.
Yeah you’re not gonna hear Dr Teeth call Miss Piggy a Fatback anymore
What a Legend
I want monsters eating each other!
I want penguins being thrown around!
I want characters insulting each other!
I want characters hurting each other!
I want sexualized muppets!
I want the offensive rebellious attitudes!
*I WANT THE MUPPETS!!*
I can see wot Frank means wen he says the muppets are "Too sweet" these days. In Muppets Most Wanted, After Miss Piggy and the real Kermit had a row, she laters goes to constintine (who she obviously assumes is Kermit) and tries to tell him she accepts his appology, but constintine says "AM I WEARING SIGH THAT SAYS BOTHER ME?!?" and piggy runs off in horror rather then karate chop him.
Piggy wouldn't karate chop Kermit if he/Constantine said that in the Henson days either. Piggy didn't karate chop him because he didn't make her angry, he made her sad.
Frank Oz is THE VOICE of Bert, Cookie Monster, Fozzie, Ms. Piggy, and all the other characters he voiced on the Muppets.
I think with Disney taking over, the 2011 movie was great, and afterwards they started to fall off. I know Oz is talking about the 2011 movie here. I agree with what he’s is saying about the projects following that for sure. He’s a genius and he’s entitled to how he feels about the 2011 movie, but I personally think it’s an incredible tribute to what Henson did.
I bet he is thrilled about the paychecks!
He's totally right.
I AGREE 100% all the way!!!!
He doing the voice of Yoda to
He is so right. These days run by neo-hippies try to take all conflict out of stories, but that is often what makes stories
Without conflict.. there is no drama.
What’s with the camera side angle?
isn't frank the last original puppeteer that is still working now that Carol is retired???
Agreed.
Remember folks Jim wanted the Muppets to be at Disney. It's there best home. Unfortunately you try to revive a near dead property.
Also The original show had plenty of sweet moments.
The difference was that Disney was only supposed to be like a management/budgetary part of the Muppets production, so Henson was gonna continue to be creative and work with the Muppets. Now that Disney has gained full creative control, it just sucks.
@@shadicTPZ they really dont have full creative control. That's not really how it works. The same Muppet people that were in charge before, the ones that made Muppets from space etc, are still in charge now.
Jim Henson's vison for the Muppets was closer to Avenue Q.
love it so real and honest yes i miss the ld school Muppets. Disney isent always happy btw
Frank Oz should be writing and directing all of the Muppets stuff from now on honestly. No one knows Muppets like him.
100% agreed.
The Disney company offered Frank Oz a directing position for the Muppets, but he backed out once he saw that they rejected his script for the 2011 Muppets Movie. Afterwards, Frank realizes that he should have went for it anyways.
I wonder what he thinks of "Muppets Most Wanted."
Judging through this interview, my reason for siding with Steve Whitmire in regards to his feud with Disney is justifiable.
I feel like they should’ve sold the muppets to a different company. Like frank said, disney made the muppets too cute and friendly without enough conflict
"Disney Muppets! Same are not!"
I love when people tell the truth.
DISNEY was slow to use the Muppet characters except as walk-arounds in Florida. The Disney Muppet movie was the best they have done so far, but the current TV show scripts indicate to me that the writer has no idea about what made the Muppets great. There are arbitrary groupings on TV now, like a bunch of talking heads,but there are no believable relationships, the new pig just got stuck in, and I could not sit through a whole episode of the Disnet Muppets. Then there were posts from some viewers saying the show "had improved" so I tried to watch again. Well, there is no Muppet chemistry,subtle movements are lacking, as is individual personalities with a capital P.
The only explanation seems to be that Corporate structure has no idea about how to use Muppetcharacters in any believable way. So it is painful to watch now.
hard to believe that the DISNEY Company produced a wonderful version of PINOCCHIO (with a technically impressive opening (but puppeteers like Bob Jones, Wah Chang, Charles Cristodoro, had a lot of input on that!). Walt Disneyhad a long association with L A puppeteer, Bob Baker, AndreTahon performed at Disneyld with his French puppets.....there is a long puppet history at Disney in the past. The Muppets could still work with major changes.
Hundreds of different puppeteers have performed with many different sculptural interpretations of Punch and Judy, successfully. But for now, Disney does not know what It is doing with this unique group of characters, other than filling up space on TV.
+Alan Cook They really didn;t have much faith in the Muppets until the right person, like Jason Segel, came along and convinced them to revive a great brand again.
you go fozzy!
Why be happy that people can still see "the muppets" if "the muppets" are no long The Muppets?
why does he sound like Jeff Goldblum
Jason did a better job than the TV show. I could sit through the whole movie and enjoyed it.
Of course now we know Disney destroys everything it touches. The current Kermit sucks.
0:11 that's just like straight gin.
There are no original puppeteers left since Disney took over. Disney does not want what Frank talks about...
Dave Goelz (best known for Gonzo) is still a Muppeteer - pretty sure he's the last one left from the Muppet Show days. Of course, quite a few of the original core Muppeteers have passed away.
And I definitely take your point. I'm afraid that Disney wants to keep them pretty bland because classic Muppet chaos could cause a teeny tiny bit of controversy that might affect the profit margin. Of course, whichever corporate geniuses making that decision clearly don't understand what has always driven the appeal of the Muppets to begin with.
Sad that both Steve Whitmire and Frank Oz are trying to keep Jim Henson's memory alive and yet Disney and Henson's ungrateful children are destroying it
The last good or decent Muppets project was Muppets Most Wanted, everything after Steve's firing is not good
Disney is like the Activision and Electronic Arts of the entertainment industry.
Nothing can replace the original that I grew up on.
Ironically Disney will probably end up owning both of them in the not to distant future..
I let my kids watch the older movies and shows. Even Brian Henson did well taking over. The Labyrinth is amazing but after that...not so much
Yeah, but he let Steve Whitmire get fired, so...
Many times when the creator of an iconic franchise passes away the legacy gets damaged. Now that Walt Disney died his franchise has never been the same & the Disney Channel became a failure by only making teen sitcoms with only a female lead. Now they very rarely show Mickey Mouse and his friends on the Disney Channel anymore. The Looney Tunes are not the same anymore because people like Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Mel Blanc and the other creators have all passed away. When Dr. Seuss died his franchise had several issues (example: The 2003 Cat in the Hat Movie). Now that Bill Hanna and Joe Barbara have died their modern cartoons and direct-to-DVD movies (examples: The Flintstones & Scooby-Doo WWE movies and Tom & Jerry meeting Wille Wonka and his chocolate factory) are al considered failures by many people. AND after Jim Henson died the Muppets are not the same and will never be the same with Jim Henson. Disney’s version and the Modern Sesame Street Muppets will always be very different without Jim Henson.
Why does Disney seem to RUIN EVERYTHING that creatively was perfect to begin with??? First.. with the Muppets... then second.. with Star Wars..
Oh, cut it out. Star Wars is not ruined.
@@gamestation2690 Oh please. Star Wars was pretty much ruined even before Disney bought it.
Besides mainly the prequels, Star Wars just has been getting very stale. It was something that should have ended long ago but continued because Lucasflims were making too much money on it. Disney then picked Star Wars up and somehow butchered it even more.
What about Star Wars?
+The Barney Bunch & Ketchum Klan Fan I personally think that Disney is walking on eggshells with Star Wars fans because we can be raging lunatics if we don't like something....The same can't be said with Muppet fans. Muppet fans aren't as insanely devoted, so Disney can totally rape the original source material and if it doesn't work, they won't lose too much.
The same with the original Nickelodeon show Doug.
+Elana Vital There are a lot of Muppet fans who are greatly devoted. It's just that Henson's work is all about being happy and optimistic, and his fans take that to heart (That's why some are not too hard on Disney; they know there trying their best to kept the characters relevant).
Jonathan Wilson Disney is just a corporation out to market to demographics. They aren't trying to do anything more but make money.
+Jonathan Wilson Jim Henson was a genius. Jim Henson will always the true father of The Muppets. No matter what!
It`s all about political correctness and stock holders now but some would call that changing with the times.
Once the Muppets started caring about becoming too PC, that is when the problems started.
Disney made Kermit and Miss Piggy break up. I'll never forgive them for doing that.
I thought the new muppets movie made in 2011 was too mean-spirited for the characters and focused the guy who made Forgetting Sarah Marshall.