Out of all the Muppets, Kermit The Frog is arguably the most iconic. Initially voiced by Jim Henson, the lovable frog won fans of all ages over in The Muppet Movie. Henson provided Kermit's voice for many years until his untimely passing in 1990.
Since then, Steve Whitmore, a renowned voice actor, has filled the void left by Henson. He's been working with the puppet group going as far back as the late 70s but has only taken on Kermit since 1990. Keep in mind that Henson's family endorsed Whitmore as the successor to the late great Jim.
Despite all of that, Disney abruptly terminated Whitmore's employment in 2016 and replaced him with Matt Vogel for Muppets Now. The previous voice actor made several comments regarding his firing, suggesting that the media giant did so without consulting him about their grievances. Whitmore expressed his disappointment to the public with multiple interviews, which made it clear that Disney didn't even give him a chance, according to Vox.
Kermit Sounds Like A Dying Frog
Regardless of what happened between Disney and Whitmore, replacing him with Matt Vogel was a bad idea. Many fans have noted that the new Kermit voice sounds nothing like Whitmore or Henson. Some have even joked that the lovable Muppet is ill or sounds like he has a frog in his throat, no pun intended. Both conclusions are far from correct.
The truth is that Vogel doesn't have what it takes. He may be capable of voicing other characters, but as Kermit, he sounds nothing like the iconic frog. Even Frank Welker would be a better compromise to replacing Whitmore with Vogel. He's getting around the latter years of his career as a voice actor, though Welker is still well enough to portray the legendary Megatron for Transformers. Thus, he could feasibly do the same for Kermit.
Nevertheless, having someone like Vogel voice Kermit The Frog is terrible for business. While he may be a suitable replacement to keep the role filled, for now, it may be detrimental to how many subscribers tune into the Disney+ series. Ratings and numbers still haven't been calculated, but the first season probably didn't receive the response that Disney expected.
In case anyone doesn't know, the first season of Muppets Now aired in the later months of 2020. The freshman season consisted of six episodes, taking a new approach to the family-friendly comedy in which the traditional Muppet Show turned into a YouTube-like streaming series. There are distinct differences between the two. Of course, anyone can see the similarities between the skits produced on Muppets Now and YouTube sensationalists.
Should Disney Recast Kermit For Muppets Now?
Now, the question of whether or not the Disney+ series piqued fans' interests will determine if a second season happens. Not everyone will stop watching because the Muppets' central star sounds different, but it is unsettling nonetheless.
If the disapproval with Vogel has reached Walt Disney's executives, plans may change. The company has no problem canceling projects with little potential, evidenced by their abrupt cancellation of ABC's Muppets. So, the Disney reboot may wind up in a similar situation.
The silver lining is that the media giant might reconsider who they have portray Kermit in their next outing. Vogel is capable enough as a voice actor, but he's not the right fit for this particular role. And with a lot riding on what Disney does with the Muppets next, they need to be sure that audiences tune in. That means a new actor needs to replace Vogel, assuming Disney wants to keep Muppets Now alive.
Hopefully, the company considers reconciling with Whitmore. Because in truth, the only thing that Muppets Now is lacking is a fitting Kermit The Frog. Practically every other aspect of the show is on point. We only need a voice actor who can replicate what Henson and Whitmore did so well for the show to be watchable.