Fairfield Resident Makes Debut As New Voice Of Kermit The Frog

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield resident Matt Vogel makes his debut as the new voice of Kermit the Frog in the latest Muppet Thought of the Week video, which was released on The Muppets YouTube channel this week. Muppets Studio recently confirmed that Vogel would replace Steve Whitmire, who held the role for 27 years after Muppets creator Jim Henson died unexpectedly in 1990, as the voice of the iconic frog.

Over the summer, Whitmire wrote in a blog post that he experienced “every possible emotion” after learning from Muppets Studio in Oct. 2016 that they were recasting the role. Whitmire wrote that he is “devastated to have failed in my duty to my hero” Jim Henson.

Disney and The Muppets Studio told The Hollywood Reporter in July the decision to part ways with Whitmire was over his “repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback. The decision to part ways was a difficult one which was made in consultation with the Henson family and has their full support."

For Vogel, it’s the continuation of a dream come true. In a 2014 interview with Townvibe Fairfield, Vogel said he was inspired by Jim Henson and “The Muppet Show.” (To sign up for Fairfield breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

“When I was in third grade, I got some books on puppetry and started to make my own puppets out of old tee shirts,” he said in the interview. “I started doing puppet shows around the neighborhood and at local organizations. I never thought in my wildest imagination I could do this as a profession.”

Vogel, who has been a performer for “Sesame Street” since 1996 and with the Disney Muppets since 2008, has played The Count and provided the voices for many other characters on Sesame Street, including Big Bird. He told TownVibe that he was “really fortunate” that Carroll Spinney chose him to be his understudy for Big Bird.

Vogel was also featured as Constantine, Kermit’s evil doppelganger in the 2014 movie “Muppets Most Wanted.”

According to his website, Vogel is currently shooting Season 47 of Sesame Street.

Watch Vogel’s debut as the new voice of Kermit the Frog below:

Photo by Chris Pizzello/ Associated Press

Zooey Deschanel, left, and Kermit the Frog speak at WE Day California at the Forum on Thursday, April 7, 2016, in Inglewood, Calif.