| Kermit the Frog | |
|---|---|
| The Muppets andSesame Street character | |
 A Kermit puppet on display at theMuseum of Science and Industry inChicago in 2010 | |
| First appearance | Afternoon onWRC-TV (1955)[1] |
| Created by | Jim Henson |
| Performed by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Muppet frog |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation |
|
| Family | Robin the Frog (nephew) |
| Significantother | Miss Piggy (1976–2015; on-and-off since) |
| Nationality | American |
| Musical instrument | Banjo, vocals |
Kermit the Frog is aMuppet character created in 1955 and originally performed byJim Henson. Ananthropomorphic greenfrog, Kermit is the pragmaticeverymanprotagonist of numerous Muppet productions, most notably as theshowrunner and host of thesketch comedy television seriesThe Muppet Show and a featured role onSesame Street. He has appeared in other television series, feature films, specials, and public service announcements through the years. He also served as amascot ofThe Jim Henson Company and appeared in various Henson projects until 2004, when the character was acquired byThe Walt Disney Company.
Kermit performed the hit singles "Bein' Green" in 1970 forSesame Street and "Rainbow Connection" in 1979 forThe Muppet Movie, the first feature-length film featuring the Muppets. Kermit's original performance of "Rainbow Connection" reached No. 25 on theBillboard Hot 100 and was added to theLibrary of Congress'sNational Recording Registry in 2021.[3] Henson performed Kermit until his death in 1990, after whichSteve Whitmire performed Kermit from that time until his dismissal in 2016; Kermit has been performed byMatt Vogel since 2017.[2] He was also voiced byFrank Welker inMuppet Babies and occasionally in other animation projects, and is voiced byMatt Danner in the 2018 reboot ofMuppet Babies.
Kermit has remained as a recognizable character inpopular culture worldwide for over half a century, starring in several television series and films, and receiving dozens of honors and awards by various organizations. In 2006, the character was credited as the author ofBefore You Leap: A Frog's Eye View of Life's Greatest Lessons, an "autobiography" told from the perspective of the character himself.
Kermit the Frog first appeared on local programs and commercials broadcast onWRC-TV, most notablySam and Friends.[4] This prototype Kermit was created from a discarded turquoise spring coat belonging to Jim Henson's mother and twoping pong ball halves for eyes.[5]
Initially, Kermit was a vaguelizard-like creature. He subsequently made a number of television appearances before his status as afrog was established in the television specialHey, Cinderella! in 1969.[6] His triangular-pointed collar was added at the time to make him seem more frog-like and to conceal the seam between his head and body.[7] According toMichael K. Frith, the relatively simple construction of the Kermit puppet allows the performer's arm and hand to produce a wide range of expression and gestures.[8]
The origin of Kermit's name is a subject of some debate. It is often claimed that Kermit was named after Henson's childhood friendKermit Scott, fromLeland, Mississippi.[9][10] However, Karen Falk, head archivist and board of directors member for the Jim Henson Legacy organization, denies this claim, stating that Henson merely liked how the named sounded:
While Jim Henson did have a childhood acquaintance named Kermit, it was not an uncommon name at the time, and Jim always said that the Frog was not named after this child from his elementary school. I think Jim just liked the sound of the name - it has nice hard sounds and a sort of nasal quality that make it rather funny.[11]
Joy DiMenna, the only daughter of Kermit Kalman Cohen, who worked as a sound engineer atWBAL-TV during Jim Henson's time withSam and Friends, recalls that the puppet was named after her father. According to Cohen's obituary, as well as DiMenna and Lenny Levin, a colleague of Cohen's at WBAL:
The late puppeteer had been the host of a show,Sam and Friends, at WRC-TV in Washington when he was invited to tour WBAL's studios. Both were NBC affiliates then, and WBAL carried the show, Mr. Levin said.
Mr. Henson was introduced to members of the sound and camera crew, including Mr. Cohen.
"When he heard his name, Jim turned around, snapped his fingers and said to his wife, 'That's what we call the frog – Kermit.'"[12]
Another common belief is that Kermit was named forKermit Love, who worked with Henson in designing and constructing Muppets, particularly onSesame Street. However, Love's association with Henson did not begin until well after Kermit's creation and naming, and he always denied any connection between his name and that of the character.[13]
AsSesame Street is localized for some different markets that speak languages other than English, Kermit is often renamed. InPortugal, he is calledCocas, o Sapo (sapo means "toad"). InBrazil, his name is similar to his name in Portugal:Caco, o Sapo. In most of Hispanic America, his name isla rana René (René the Frog), while in Spain, he is namedGustavo.[14] In the Arabic version, he is known asKamel, which is a common Arabic male name that means "perfect". InHungary, he is calledBreki (onomatopoetic).[15]
Jim Henson originated the character in 1955 on his local television series,Sam and Friends.[16] Jim Henson described Kermit as "kind of easy-going, very likable...sometimes slightly a wiseguy."[8]Frank Oz remarked that Kermit possesses a natural sense of leadership within the Muppets, explaining that "he has all these zany characters and a world around him and he tries to be the center and hold everything together...sometimes he gets too much and blows his top, but essentially he kind of goes with the flow."[8]Brian Henson described his father's performance as Kermit as "coming out of his own personality—was a wry intelligence, a little bit of a naughtiness, but Kermit always loved everyone around and also loved a good prank."[17]
Kermit has often been referred to as Jim Henson's "soft-spokenalter-ego."[18] Many of Jim Henson's colleagues have confirmed how close and inseparable he and Kermit's personalities were. Jim Henson's agentBernie Brillstein has stated straightforwardly that "Kermit was Jim".[19] AuthorBrian Jay Jones described the relationship accordingly: "The more Jim performed Kermit, the more the two of them seemed to become intertwined…it was becoming harder to tell where the frog ended and Jim began."[19] Jim Henson continued to perform the character until his death in 1990.[4] His last performance as Kermit was for an appearance onThe Arsenio Hall Show to promote the television specialThe Muppets at Walt Disney World. Jim Henson died twelve days after that appearance.[20]
Following his death, veteran Muppet performerSteve Whitmire was named Kermit's new performer.[21] Whitmire claims that Jim Henson had seemingly intended to pass on the role to him before he died, though it wasJane Henson and son Brian who had selected him.[22] Whitmire's first public performance as Kermit was at the end of the television specialThe Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson in 1990. Whitmire explained that his main intent when he inherited Kermit "was to make sure the character stayed the same and consistent, but didn't become stale and just a copy."[23]
Kermit's personality during Whitmire's tenure was widely described as more wholesome, lighthearted, andPollyanna-ish than Jim Henson's.[24][25] Several critics of Whitmire's portrayal have come from the Henson family. Brian Henson stated that while Whitmire's performance was "sometimes excellent, and always pretty good", he also elaborated that "Kermit has, as a character, flattened out over time and has become too square and not as vital as it should have been."[26][27]Cheryl Henson stated that Whitmire performed the character as a "bitter, angry, depressed, victim".[28] He remained Kermit's principal performer until October 2016, when he wasdismissed byThe Muppets Studio and its parent company Disney, which own the rights to Kermit.[29][25] Disney cited "unacceptable business conduct" as reason for the dismissal, while Whitmire claims the decision was made due to creative disagreements over Kermit's characterization and prolonged labor union negotiations that delayed his involvement in Muppet productions.[25][30]
Disney announced thatMatt Vogel would become Kermit's new performer on July 10, 2017.[2] Vogel's first official appearance as Kermit was in a "Muppet Thought of the Week” video released onYouTube.[31]
John Kennedy performed Kermit forMuppets Ahoy!, a 2006Disney Cruise Line stage show (though Whitmire performed Kermit for the first few shows). Muppet performer Artie Esposito briefly performed Kermit in 2009 for a few personal appearances (an appearance onAmerica's Got Talent, theMTV Video Music Awards, and at the 2009D23 Expo). Voice actorFrank Welker provided the voice of Baby Kermit on the animated Saturday morning cartoon,Muppet Babies.[32] He also provided the voice of an adult Kermit for a short-lived spin-off,Little Muppet Monsters.Brian Cummings voiced Kermit in a 1995CBS promotion.[33]Wally Wingert provided the voice of Baby Kermit in aMuppet Babies CD-ROM.[34]Matt Danner voices Baby Kermit on the 2018 reboot ofMuppet Babies.[35]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Yay! Kermit Arm Flail, Disney UK |
A biography has been developed for Kermit the Frog as if he were an actual living performer rather than a puppet character. According to this fictional biography, he was born inLeland, Mississippi, alongside approximately 2,353 siblings;[36] however, a 2011 "interview" onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show has him state that he was from the swamps ofLouisiana.[37]
As portrayed in the 2002 filmKermit's Swamp Years, at the age of 12, he was the first of his siblings to leave the swamp and one of the first frogs to talk to humans. He is shown in the film encountering a 12-year-old Jim Henson (played by Christian Kebbel) for the first time.
According toThe Muppet Movie, Kermit returned to the swamp, where a passing agent (Dom DeLuise) noted he had talent. Thus inspired, Kermit headed to Hollywood, encountering the rest of the Muppets along the way. Together, they were given a standard "rich and famous" contract by Lew Lord (Orson Welles) of Wide World Studios and began their showbiz careers. InBefore You Leap, Kermit again references encountering Jim Henson sometime after the events depicted in the course ofThe Muppet Movie and details their friendship and their partnership in the entertainment industry, crediting Henson as being the individual to whom he owes his fame. At some point after the events ofThe Muppet Movie, Kermit and the other Muppets beginThe Muppet Show, and the characters remain together as a group, before starring in the other Muppet films andMuppets Tonight, with Kermit usually at the core of the stories as the lead protagonist. Kermit is shown inThe Muppet Movie as stating that the events of the film are "approximately how it happened" when asked by his nephew Robin about how the Muppets got started.[38]
Fozzie Bear is portrayed as Kermit's best friend—a fact reiterated by Kermit inBefore You Leap—and the two were frequently seen together during sketches onThe Muppet Show and in other Muppet-related media and merchandise.[39]
On August 4, 2015, Kermit the Frog andMiss Piggy "announced" that they had ended their romantic relationship.[40][41] On September 2, 2015, Kermit was stated to have found a new girlfriend, a pig named Denise,[42] but around February 2016, Denise supposedly broke up with Kermit after almost six months together.[43]
Kermit has been featured prominently on bothThe Muppet Show andSesame Street, and is the only Muppet to do so in that capacity.[44] However, he had a prominent career beforeSesame Street's debut in 1969, as he starred inSam and Friends, and numerous Muppets made guest appearances onToday from 1961 andThe Ed Sullivan Show from 1966.[45]
Kermit was one of the original main Muppet characters onSesame Street.[46] Closely identified with the show, Kermit usually appeared as a lecturer on simple topics, a straight man to another Muppetfoil (usuallyGrover,Herry Monster orCookie Monster), or a news reporter interviewing storybook characters for Sesame Street News.[44] He sang many songs on the show, including "Bein' Green",[44] and was the focus of the 1998 videoThe Best of Kermit on Sesame Street.[47]
Unlike the rest of the show's Muppets, Kermit was never the property ofSesame Workshop and has only occasionally been a part of the show's merchandise. When Sesame Workshop bought full ownership of its characters from Henson for $180 million, Kermit was excluded from the deal.[48] The character now belongs to The Muppets Studio, a division of Disney.[49] His firstSesame Street appearance since Disney ownership was in anElmo's World segment in the show's 40th-season premiere on November 10, 2009. His most recent appearance was in the 2019 television specialSesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration, where he performed "Bein' Green" withElvis Costello.
InThe Muppet Show television series, Kermit was the central character, theshowrunner, and the long-sufferingstage manager of the theater show, trying to keep order amidst the chaos created by the other Muppets. Henson once claimed that Kermit's job on theMuppet Show was much like his own: "trying to get a bunch of crazies to actually get the job done."[50] It was on this show that therunning gag of Kermit being pursued by leading ladyMiss Piggy developed.[4]
OnMuppets Tonight, Kermit was still a main character, although he was the producer rather than frontman. He appeared in many parody sketches such asNYPD Green,City Schtickers,Flippers, andThe Muppet Odd Squad, as well as in thePsychiatrist's Office sketch.[51]
As with most Disney characters, Kermit appears at variousDisney theme parks. Kermit is featured inMuppet*Vision 3D, an attraction that opened in 1991 and continues to run presently atDisney's Hollywood Studios atWalt Disney World inLake Buena Vista, Florida.[52] The character was also formerly featured in the aforementioned attraction inDisney California Adventure Park at theDisneyland Resort inAnaheim, California until its closure in 2014. Kermit also appeared inThe Muppets Present...Great Moments in American History at theMagic Kingdom from 2016 to 2020.[53] He also appeared in two parades;Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade which ran at Disney's Hollywood Studios from 2001 to 2008 andDisney's Honorary VoluntEars Cavalcade which was held during 2010 at the Magic Kingdom andDisneyland.[54]
Kermit the Frog has appeared in almost every Muppet production, as well as making guest appearances in other shows and movies.
Below is a list of his more well-known appearances:[55][56]
Kermit was awarded an honorary doctorate of Amphibious Letters (a pun on the more common honorary degree,Doctor of Humane Letters) on May 19, 1996, atSouthampton College, New York, where he also gave a commencement speech.[57] He is also the only "amphibian" to have had the honor of addressing theOxford Union.[58][59] A statue of Henson and Kermit was erected on the campus of Henson's alma mater, theUniversity of Maryland, College Park in 2003. Kermit gave the commencement speech at the university for its graduating class of 2025.[60]
Kermit was also given the honor of being theGrand Marshal of theTournament of Roses Parade in 1996. TheMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has featured a Kermit balloon since 1977.[61] Kermit also served as the mascot for The Jim Henson Company, until the sale of the Muppet characters to Disney.[62]
On November 14, 2002, Kermit the Frog received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Television. The star is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.[63] Kermit has two stars on the Walk of Fame, the other as a member of the collective The Muppets, which they received on March 20, 2012 in the category of Motion Pictures.[64]
On Kermit's 50th birthday in 2005, theUnited States Postal Service released a set of new stamps with photos of Kermit and some of his fellow Muppets on them.[65] The background of the stamp sheet features a photo of a silhouetted Henson sitting in a window well, with Kermit sitting in his lap looking at him.
Kermit was also the grand marshal forMichigan State University's homecoming parade in 2006.[66]
In 2013, the original Kermit puppet fromSam and Friends was donated to theSmithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. for display in the pop culture gallery.[67] In 2015, the Leland Chamber of Commerce in Leland, Mississippi opened a small museum containing puppets and memorabilia dedicated to Kermit.[68] A Kermit puppet can be seen at theNational Museum of American History.[69]
Kermit's legacy is also deeply entrenched in the science community. One of the famousWP-3DOrion research platforms flown by theNOAA Hurricane Hunters is named after Kermit. The other is named afterMiss Piggy.[70] In 2015, the discovery of the Costa Ricanglass frogHyalinobatrachium dianae also attractedviral media attention due to the creature's perceived resemblance to Kermit, with researcher Brian Kubicki quoted as saying "I am glad that this species has ended up getting so much international attention, and in doing so it is highlighting the amazing amphibians that are native to Costa Rica and the need to continue exploring and studying the country's amazing tropical forests".[71] In 2024, researchers namedKermitops gratus as a new genus and species of fossil "proto-amphibian" from rocks dating to the earlyPermian period of Texas, US. Thegenus name, which means "Kermit face" in Greek, references the general resemblance of the fossil skull to the Muppets character's head.[72][73]
Kermit has made numerous guest appearances on popular television shows, including co-hosting individual episodes of a number of long-running talk shows; among other television media. On April 2, 1979, Kermit guest-hostedThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to promoteThe Muppet Movie.[74] From 1983 to 1995, the French political satire showLe Bébête Show used copies of various Muppets to parody key political figures, and Kermit renamed "Kermitterrand", embodied PresidentFrançois Mitterrand.[75] On May 21, 2018, Kermit and contestantMaddie Poppe performed "Rainbow Connection" live onAmerican Idol.[76]
A still photo of Kermit sitting in his Director's chair with his megaphone in his hand fromThe Muppet Show appeared on a technical difficultiestelop graphic onMetromedia owned-and-operated stationKTTV Channel 11 inLos Angeles during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
As anApril Fool's joke, Kermit hostedCNN'sLarry King Live in 1994 and interviewedHulk Hogan.[77][78] Kermit was also a semi-regular during various incarnations ofHollywood Squares,[79] with other Muppets such asBig Bird andOscar the Grouch also making appearances on the originalHollywood Squares.
In 2020, Kermit appeared onMonday Night Football with other Muppets characters as it was briefly rebranded "Muppet Night Football."[80]
On March 10, 2021, Kermit was the first celebrity to be unmasked on thefifth season ofThe Masked Singer, having performed in costume as "Snail".[81]
On May 7, 2023, Kermit, along with Miss Piggy, was invited to theCoronation Concert ofKing Charles III.[82] He sat next toPrince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh.[83]
Jim Henson's characters, including the Muppets, have inspired merchandise internationally, with Chris Bensch, chief curator ofRochester, New York'sThe Strong National Museum of Play, reporting "There seems to have been a particular craze for Kermit the Frog inJapan," likely due to the "cuteness appeal".[84] Baby Kermitplush toys became popular in the 1980s after the success ofMuppet Babies.[85]
In 1991, one year after Jim Henson died, merchandise featuring Kermit and other Muppet characters was being sold at Disney theme parks, causingHenson Associates to file a lawsuit against Disney forcopyright infringement. Henson alleged that the "counterfeit merchandise" falsely indicated that the characters belonged to Disney, although the latter company had the right to exercise use of the characters due to an earlierlicensing agreement.[62] The Henson Associates highlighted aT-shirt displaying Kermit, the Disney brand, and acopyright symbol. Disney representative Erwin Okun said the lawsuit was "outrageous" and "an unfortunate break with the legacy of a fine relationship with Disney that Jim Henson left behind".[86] Disney later acquired the Muppets, and thusly, clothes, toys and souvenirs depicting Kermit and the Muppets continued to be sold at Disney theme parks and stores.[87]
The Leland Chamber of Commerce's small Kermit-themed museum set out to preserve some of the dolls and merchandise.[68] In 2016,The New Zealand Herald reported a hat featuring Kermit sippingLipton tea, associated with the "But That's None of My Business"Internet meme, became a popular seller[88] after basketball playerLeBron James drew attention for wearing one.[89]
In March 2007,Sad Kermit, an unofficial parody, was uploaded to the websiteYouTube, showing a store-bought Kermit puppet performing a version of theNine Inch Nails song "Hurt" in a style similar toJohnny Cash's famous cover version. In contrast to the real Kermit character's usual family-friendly antics, the video shows the puppet engaging indrug abuse, smoking,alcoholism, performingoral sex onRowlf the Dog, smashing a picture of Miss Piggy (with a breast exposed) andattempting suicide. The video became anInternet meme. TheVictoria Times Colonist called it an "online sensation".[90] TheChicago Sun-Times said it "puts the high in 'Hi-ho!'"[91] TheLondon Free Press said "Sad Kermit is in a world of pain".[92] TheHouston Press described it as the "world's most revolting web phenomenon".[93]SF Weekly described the unauthorized video as "ironic slandering".[94] Clips have been featured on the Canadian television seriesThe Hour, where hostGeorge Stroumboulopoulos speculated that the Kermit version of "Hurt" was inspired by the Cash version rather than that of Nine Inch Nails.[95]
Kermit has also appeared in a popular meme in which he is shown sipping tea, "one used when you sassily point something out, and then slyly back away, claiming that it's not [your] business".[96] The photo is taken from "Be More Kermit," aLipton advertisement that aired in 2014, and was adapted into the "But That's None of My Business" meme by African American comedians on theTumblr blog Kermit the Snitch, making appearances onTwitter,Instagram[97] andFacebook.[98] Charles Pulliam-Moore of the TV stationFusion praised "But That's None of My Business" as "a symbol for the comedic brilliance born out of black communities on the internet",[97] but Stephanie Hayes ofBustle magazine criticized the memes as racist and obscene.[98]
In 2016, aGood Morning America post on Twitter referred to the "But That's None of My Business" meme as "Tea Lizard", becoming the subject of viral online derision.New York magazine replied that, "Kermit is a frog. A frog is an amphibian. A lizard is a reptile. It's just so insulting. Beyond a frog and a lizard both being clearlyectothermic, they couldn't be any more different. Not all green things are the same, you ignorant bastards".[96]Popular Science also addressed the misnomer, writing "Frogs, which are amphibians, have quite a few significant differences from reptiles in how they breathe, their life cycles, whether they have scales or not... there's a lot to absorb here."[99]
In November 2016, a new meme surfaced of Kermit talking to a hooded version of himself which represents the self and its dark inner thoughts. It involves captioning of ascreenshot taken from theMuppets Most Wanted movie of Kermit andConstantine looking at each other.[100]
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| National | |
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