Frank Oz says Disney isn’t doing The Muppets right…and he should know. He started working with Jim Hensonin the early ’60s.
He helped develop and provided the voices for Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle…plus the “Sesame Street” characters Grover, Cookie Monster, and Bert.
But he hasn’t been with the Muppets since Disney bought them in 2004, and he’s not a fan of their new direction.
“As much as Disney loves the Muppets and wants the best for the Muppets…and they truly believe they can do it…they don’t get it. They don’t get the true rebellion and true affection underneath those characters.”
He thinks Disney should get in touch with him and some of the other old-schoolers so they can show ’em how it’s done, “They’ve never asked me, and they have not asked the performers how to do it…the performers are so brilliant.”
(Frank is promoting a new documentary he directed called “Muppet Guys Talking“. Here’s the trailer.)