We have all seen stars rocket to dizzying heights in the prime of their careers, heights that baffle
and amaze the likes of us. But many of the same stars that we point at in awe are only to be dragged off
of their trajectory by tragedy into a gold dusted tailspin downward, finally to be burned up alive by the same velocity
that once took them skyward.
We all remember the joy we shared with our families when we were kids. Wrapped in blankets in front of
the television; we inched ourselves as undetectable as possible towards the screen in a vain
attempt to avoid the inevitable warning issued as the question: "Move back! Do you WANT TO GO BLIND?".
It was all an effort to ensconce ourselves in the palpably magical world that was crafted through the collaboration
of Jim Henson and a huge cast of Muppets more than fifty years ago.
Although it would have been impossible without the Muppets, Jim was the mortar that bound this disparate cast
together and kept them on a true course. When Jim Henson passed away worlds were lost. And Kermit, who Jim
had mentored in the art of vaudville since his creation, who Jim had treated as a son, was lost as well...
SFB: So, it looks like things have really taken a turn for the worse for you Kermit.
Can you let us in on some of the key moments that brought you where you are today?
Sad Kermit: It all started going downhill after Jim Henson died. He was my creator.
I loved him like a son loves a father. Without him things just aren't the same.
SFB: With all of the demons and addictions that you cope with how do you pull it together for your feature length films?
Sad Kermit: It's no secret any longer that I struggle with substance abuse. However, when it comes to recording a song or filming a video I take it very seriously. In the Hurt video, for example, Fozzy wanted to capture me in a natural state doing what I normally do. I held nothing back. The public deserves to see how far I've fallen, and I'm not ashamed.
SFB: The two of you are still able to bring magic to the screen.
Yet it must be incredibly painful share a set with Miss Piggy. What is the atmosphere like off camera?
Sad Kermit: Actually, I haven't seen Piggy in years. She wouldn't be able to handle being on set. I don't think I could handle seeing her crying and ashamed of me.
SFB: If you don't mind saying, what went wrong between the two of you?
Sad Kermit: Piggy left me soon after Jim's death. She couldn't stand to see me self-destruct. Once she realized she couldn't save me, she left me. But I do still love her. I always will.
SFB: After Mr. Henson passed away what happened with the show?
Sad Kermit: I'm not quite sure. I don't speak with many of the other Muppets except for Fozzy and my dealer Rowlf. I became a recluse. I just wanted to get as far away from the Muppet Show as I possibly could. I didn't want to think about it any more. It was too painful.
SFB: How did you and Fozzy come to the decision to break away from the rest of the Muppets to form your solo act?
Sad Kermit: Fozzy was the main motivator in getting my solo act together. He knew I had recorded some songs and he expressed interest in producing them and singing some backup vocals. He convinced me that the public should hear these songs.
SFB: Why Fozzy and not Dr. Teeth?
Sad Kermit: Dr. Teeth and I are currently on bad terms. I'd prefer not to comment on this.
SFB: Is it true that Animal gave you your first taste of crystal meth? What happened there?
Sad Kermit: Animal does enough meth in one sitting to kill a large horse. I don't see him much, but when I do we always party like it's the end of the world. He's a good guy. Last time I did meth with him I recorded 3 songs in one night and cleaned my entire apartment.
SFB: Have you played out live with Fozzy?
Sad Kermit: Not yet. There is talk about performing live, I just need to figure out how to manage my addictions on the road.
SFB: Has anything particularly interesting happened in the studio or at a gig that you'd like to share?
Sad Kermit: While recording vocals for "Something I Can Never Have" I really slipped into a deep depression. The song is so beautiful I couldn't help but get choked up every time I laid down the vocal tracks. Luckily Fozzy was there to cook up hits for me afterwards. That made things better.
SFB: Have you approached Trent Reznor or Tom Yorke about working on a collabrative piece?
Sad Kermit: I would love to collaborate with Trent and Tom, but I haven't yet been able to reach them. I know they have battled with their own addictions in the past, so I'm not sure they would really want to be around an addict like me.
SFB: Are they aware of your renditions of their songs?
Sad Kermit: I haven't heard from them yet, but I do hope they enjoy my artistic interpretation of their songs if they ever do hear them. They are amazing songs, and I feel priveleged to have been able to cover them in my own way and to have many people hear them.
SFB: What are your future plans?
Sad Kermit: There will be a new video coming out in late April or early May. It will be a deeper look into my life, who I am, and the various components that have led to where I'm at now. In the meantime I will be recording some more songs.
SFB: You've just turned 50. Any plans to settle down?
Sad Kermit: No plans of settling down yet. I am currently focused on recording more music, filming more videos, and possibly delving into some poetry and vlogging.
SFB: Do you have any advice for kids trying to break into the music industry?
Sad Kermit: Stay away from the hard drugs. You don't want to end up like me.
Look & Listen to Sad Kermit:
>myspace.com/sadkermit
>sadkermit.com
SFburning.com
