Fans Upset With Kermit The Frog's New Girlfriend, Kermit Calls Denise ‘Just A Friend’ But Admits He is Dating the Pig

Sep 03, 2015 06:24 PM EDT

He's moving on alright. But why date another pig who is a known domestic abuser?

Less than a month after ending his 40-year-relationship with Miss Piggy in August 2015, Kermit the Frog is again dating... another pig named Denise.

But before we jump into conclusion that Kermit has found a new pig in his life, the famous amphibian has quickly denied he and Denise are an item. He insists they were just "friends."

Kermit posted on his Twitter account on Tuesday, "Sheesh. I can't believe I already have to do this again... Here is the official statement on my relationship status:  'While I prefer to keep my personal life private, this is Hollywood, so who am I kidding?. It is true that I am dating again. However, at this time no one woman--pig or otherwise--is my official 'new girlfriend.' We are simply close friends.'"

The reaction from Miss Piggy was swift and quick too. The lady pig twitted, "Very much available, mon cher. Gimme a call! I'd love to boldly go where no pig has gone before," apparently flirting with William Shatner (aka Capt. Kirk), who asked if she is now available.

Rumors that Kermit now has a new girlfriend emerged after PEOPLE magazine reported that the frog is now dating the ABC marketer. However, this creates more tension as Kermit is still working with Miss Piggy on her late-night talk show Up Late with Miss Piggy. This awkward situation is now a subject of a documentary by ABC which will be shown in The Muppets show.

"She's always stopping by the set of Up Late," a source told PEOPLE about Denise.

Meanwhile, fans have reacted violently over news that Kermit is dating the much slimmer Denise. Fans called Kermit sexist for choosing one who is obviously much slender that his old flame Miss Piggy.

The Guardian opinion editor in the U.S. Megan Carpentier  has this to say in a piece she wrote entitled, Kermit the Frog's New Girlfriend Is Younger, Thinner - and Blander, "Well, apparently Kermit can't get enough of women like his ex - as long as they're younger and thinner than her and less successful than him (but still work at ABC, so he can rub her in Miss Piggy's face),"

According to Miss Piggy is a beloved feminist icon and described Denise as a representation of the "audience of the 1980s," one "filled with fear of powerful women" who "understand and supported men's urge to date their exes' younger, dumber Plasticine lookalikes."

She writes, "Miss Piggy was always the more charismatic performer, the more powerful presence in that relationship: she was Angelina to Kermit's Billy Bob, the Cher to his Sonny, the Liz to his Larry (Fortensky)."

Other also took on to Twitter to express their outrage. User gooseylucy @Misslu7 writes,     "@TabDeGeneres it's so dumb let's be serious, they need to stop messing with children's stuff lol," while user Tabitha @TabDeGeneres, responded "@Misslu7 seriously, it made me really mad, especially that they made her young and skinny. Its funny her names denise though."