Sometimes people pick the stupidest things to nitpick about. Over at the Muppet Central forum a few members are griping about how Kermit-as-performed-by-Steve-Whitmire is just the slightest bit different from Kermit-as-performed-by-Jim-Henson. It has now evolved into how Statler-as-performed-by-Steve-Whitmire is better than Statler-as-performed-by-Jerry-Nelson.

Personally, I cannot bring myself to think like that. I cannot make myself think of a character as performed better by one Muppeteer than another. To me, they are just the character - which is how we're supposed to think of them in the first place, aren't we? And look at the alternative: the characters could be gone for a long span of time (like Scooter was) or they could remain silent permanently. And as devoted Muppet fans we don't want that now, do we?

( On the subject of Jerry's Statler vs. Steve's Statler )

Gads, I feel better now.

EDIT: *minor growling* There is a SERIOUS case of "not getting it" -itis over there right now...