Save the Muppets

In the fall of 2005, the Muppets Holding Company held open auditions for puppeteers, casting alternate performers for the main Muppet characters. In October, Muppeteers Dave Goelz and Steve Whitmire were replaced on the Movies.com webshow "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony," with different puppeteers taking over the roles of Statler and Waldorf. Fearing that the core Muppeteers would be replaced by a team of alternates, a group of Muppet fans started a fan campaign, Save the Muppets. The group is gathering signatures on an online petition, and hopes to reverse MHC's plans to cast alternate performers.