Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

A29
PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 12 July 2017
Kermit the Frog will have a new voice after actor steps down

By MARK KENNEDY for comment Tuesday
AP Entertainment Writer about the motivation be-
NEW YORK (AP) — There’s hind the move.
a frog in a lot of throats The Muppets have been
across the country as news putting out short weekly
has circulated that Kermit YouTube videos called
the Frog is getting a new “Thought of the Week “
voice. and Hennes said the new
ABC News and The Holly- Kermit will likely debut there
wood Reporter report that next week.
Steve Whitmire has left his In addition to Kermit, Whit-
role giving life to the iconic mire had voiced grumpy
green Muppet. critic Statler, Rizzo the Rat,
Whitmire has voiced and the always-startled Beaker
made the character move and other characters for
since Muppets creator Jim the Muppets.
Henson’s death in 1990. “For a lot of adults, Steve’s
A Muppets Studio spokes- Kermit is the Kermit they
woman told the outlets grew up with,” Hennes
that longtime Muppets said.
performer Matt Vogel will “Although we see the
be taking over the role. voice being changed
Vogel has voiced such again or the baton is be-
characters as Big Bird, Rob- ing passed once again, for In this July 11, 2015, file photo, Kermit the Frog, left, and puppeteer Steve Whitmire attend “The
in the Frog and The Count. a lot of people this is kind Muppets” panel on day 3 of Comic-Con International in San Diego.
Joe Hennes, the co-owner, of the first time in their lives Associated Press
senior contributor and edi- they’re aware of this hap- ington, D.C., but he looked with Jimmy Fallon,” ‘’30 characters.
tor of ToughPigs.com , a pening to the character.” more lizardlike back then. Rock” and “Saturday Night Hennes called Vogel “one
website for Muppet fans, Children’s TV shows have Kermit was fashioned from Live” and in films like “Mup- of the best puppeteers in
said the reaction among survived changes in key an old coat belonging to pets Most Wanted” and the world.”
fans has been cautiously cast members before, most Henson’s mother and was “The Muppets” in 2011. “We’re going to be getting
optimistic. notably when Elmo puppe- named after one of Hen- But Hennes points out that a new voice for Kermit but
“They’re obviously sad teer Kevin Clash resigned son’s childhood friends. when Whitmire took over what will be much more
about the news but they’re from “Sesame Street” in Henson and his 2-foot-tall from Henson, many be- important will be that per-
excited to see what’s go- 2012 amid allegations that puppet joined “Sesame lieved that the new Kermit formance,” he said.
ing to happen. he sexually abused under- Street” in 1969. simply sounded wrong. “For a lot of the fans, it
There’s a much larger age boys. “The Muppet Show” fol- After 27 years, most fans will be a little jarring to
sense of optimism about Elmo is now performed by lowed in 1976 and ended have reconciled. hear a different perform-
what’s coming up next for Ryan Dillon. its run in 1982. Vogel took over voicing er’s voice. But just like we
the Muppets,” he said. Kermit made his debut in Whitmire and Kermit were the Count when “Sesame did with Steve, we’ll get
Representatives for Disney, a 1955 television comedy inseparable for years, with Street” regular Jerry Nel- used to it because it will
which owns Muppets Stu- called “Sam and Friends,” the two making TV ap- son died in 2012 and soon be such a professional
dio, didn’t return a request which aired locally in Wash- pearances on “Late Night took over many of Nelson’s performance.”q

Review: ‘Watch Me Disappear’ is a suspenseful story

By OLINE H. COGDILL tion Wilderness. Billie’s body that his daughter may be than faces mounting bills,
Associated Press was never found, but there right. How else to explain and because Billie’s body
For some people, the idea was evidence that she may missing money from the was never found, a death
of unconditional love is have drowned. couple’s bank accounts, or certificate cannot be is-
fraught with conditions, Jonathan’s love for Billie Billie’s frequent long week- sued, so he cannot collect
especially when a relation- was absolute. But as he end absences, supposedly the large insurance benefit.
ship has been built on lies works on a memoir about hiking or camping by her- Shortly before her death,
and secrets as the superb their life, he begins to real- self or with a friend? If Billie Jonathan had left his high-
“Watch Me Disappear” ize that Billie’s love had lim- is alive, what does that say paying job as a tech jour-
shows. its. about their marriage, or her nalist in San Francisco to
Janelle Brown’s third family As Jonathan grieves and devotion to their daughter? write a book, a feat that
drama delivers an incisive drinks in their Berkeley, Cali- Brown paints a complete now seems insurmount-
and emotional view of how fornia, home, their teenage picture of a family strug- able.
grief and recovery from loss daughter, Olive, believes gling with the emotional “Watch Me Disappear” skill-
can seep into each aspect her mother could still be and practical following a fully moves from the pres-
of a person’s life. These alive, especially when she death. At 15, Olive needs ent day to the first meeting
feelings are exacerbated has visions of Billie. her mother more than ever of Jonathan and Billie, and
as Jonathan Flanagan re- Olive is convinced these as she goes through life deftly alternates between
alizes he may never have apparitions are telling her changes. first- and third-person voic- This cover image released by
truly known his wife, Billie, to continue to search for Without Billie, the house- es. Spiegel & Grau shows “Watch
Me Disappear,” by Janelle
who disappeared a year her mother. hold is in shambles as nei- Brown imbues realism in Brown.
earlier during a solo hiking As Jonathan wrestles with ther Jonathan nor Olive has each character, whose Associated Press
trip along the Pacific Crest Olive’s visions, he also the energy to clean, buy complicated emotions fuel
Trail in California’s Desola- grapples with the possibility food or do laundry. Jona- the suspenseful story.q