Steve Whitmire [Kermit The Frog] Fired For ''Unacceptable Buisness Conduct''

[The Deadman]

Originally Posted by Vegita-San

i'm not one to believe a big souless corporation like disney that treats it's employees in parks so badly.

Yes, only Disney can be at fault for whether or not one of their employees is an ass.

[sdp]

Originally Posted by Vegita-San

as in, new direction of the muppets he didn't like. new disney working conditions he didn't like. and maybe he thought he could raise a stink cause his 27 years of loyalty bought him a bit of a safe zone to work in.

Disney is a Fortune 500 company; Bob Iger doesn't have time for petty decisions.

[Jester]

Does this leave Dave "Gonzo" Goetz as the last original Muppeteer? Has his $.02 been added to the pile?

[Vegita-San]

Probably afraid too at this point.
that's the problem with companies owning too much, or people trying to drown out simple thought due to over emotional reaction. not as much ways to fight back.

although gonzo has been sounding rather tired lately, i'd hate to loose him too.

[Vegita-San]

and another one.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/amp...change-1022041


The one that stood out like a sore thumb to me as 'disney, we are willing to be team players'... is this comment..

""I have to say, in hindsight, I feel pretty guilty that I burdened Disney by not having recast Kermit at that point because I knew that it was going to be a real problem,"""

Then why didn't you dude? or where you too busy trying to undo the damage that deal with that german tv company almost did to the brand?

whitmire doesn't seem willing to name names or throw anyone under the bus, but the defense from the kids is totally on the attack.

is it possible steve was the ass? hell yeah. but he doesn't seem to be the aggressive one here.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by The Deadman

Yes, only Disney can be at fault for whether or not one of their employees is an ass.

It's funny I was just watching some old news reports about people trying to sue Disney over park mascots being supposedly racist. Ignoring them over white kids.

Complaining about rude employees is fine but sue? Come on. You lose credibility when you do that. So suing is your go to move over supposed discrimination?

Would they have tried to sued if it was just an everyday employee who snubbed them at a grocery store?

In the grand scheme of Disneyland just move to something else if you encounter a rude person. There's rude people everywhere.

[ProactiveMan]

I don't think there is a smoking gun in this case. After reading what Whitmire, Disney and the Hensons have said, I'm not 100% behind any of them.

Sounds like Whitmire's disagreeable, but most of the behavior the Henson's described doesn't sound like the type of thing that would get your average professional fired, especially with that much seniority. A lot of it reads like he was trying to create job security for himself - maybe not in the nicest way, but I don't think anyone would bat an eyelid if a lawyer or stockbroker acted in the same manor.

I can also see how putting up with someone who is a total pain in the ass could screw up a creative environment, and it sounds like they tried to work out this issue several times in the past, but it's still a bit suspicious how often salary negotiations came up in the responses from the suits.

[Katie]

It doesn't really matter who thinks what about the reason. Disney pretty much operates in at-will states, meaning you can be terminated from employment at any time for any reason (as long as the stated reason isn't in violation of any federal or state law)

Big corporation. Jerky employee who thought he was irreplaceable. Nothing more, nothing less.

[ProactiveMan]

Sounds like a real utopia. Are these the same states installing spikes to drive away homeless people?

[ZariusTwo]

I would kill for a dramatization of this mess right now. Maybe if the ABC show had a second season this would have been the story

[Vegita-San]

well, anyway..

I can't help but wonder if steve waited 8 months to bring this out, because the project he was so concerned about is finally getting ready to go ahead?

We saw what the last two ones where like. Depressed kermit sitting in a dark mansion pining for the good old days, until walter reminded him the good old days are still here. and a divorced kermit trashing piggy and hooking up with 'hot young pigs' for a fling.

if fans thought that was bad, maybe something even worse is on the way to try and revitalize the muppets for the current decade.

That might explain why his notes got a bit more ferocious trying to defend the characters 'honor'....and why the henson kids are blaming everyone but the writers and disney for the direction things are going.

that too me would make more sense.