If you're a fan of Teen Titans, or the insipid, still-on-the-air, still unfunny Teen Titans GO!, this hurts.
Greg Cipes, who voiced Beast Boy ever since the 1st Titans series launched on Chumptoon Network in 2003, revealed that he was fired earlier this year due to his having Parkinson's Disease. In Instagram posts shared earlier this year, Cipes proved that he could still do the job, and executive producer Sam Register was being blamed for the firing. Cipes had essayed the role for 22 years, including some DTV's.
Problem is, Cipes is blaming the wrong guy.
In this writer's opinion, Register is just the messenger/scapegoat. The true blame lies with WBD CEO and professional dweeb David Zaslav. On orders from Zaslav, who has all the compassion of a dead tree, Register told Cipes in February that he was being let go.
How Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool News, which broke the story, missed that part of the equation, I don't know. Cipes says Register told him they were looking at finding an impressionist to take over the role of Beast Boy. And this was despite the fact that the rest of the show's regular cast (Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Hynden Walch) "had his back" and were supportive.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if this starts the end of the line for Teen Titans Go!, which has been on the air for over 10 years, outlasting the previous iteration. Five actors, working together for 22 years, like a family unto itself. Take one away, and the domino effect could be in the offing. Just sayin'.
Parkinson's claimed Muhammad Ali. Michael J. Fox has it, and is still with us. Prayers to Greg as he recovers.
5 comments:
Now rumor is circulating that Cipes was let go because he recently started posting numerous anti-vax conspiracy theories on Twitter, not because of his condition. Whether this is true or not, either way it's rough going for the voice actor.
That was a discussion topic at reddit & AnimeSuperhero.com. That stuff started during the pandemic, though.
Disgusting
How could WBD commit such a horrible crime against humanity?
Because upper management is run by morons?
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