No Laughing Matter - Elmo Puppeteer Accused of Sexual Misconduct WIth Underaged Boy

[GH]

http://www.eonline.com/news/362271/e...6-year-old-boy

This is no laughing matter.

Kevin Clash, the Emmy-winning puppeteer famed for performing Sesame Street's beloved Elmofor the past 27 years, is denying accusations that he had sex with a 16-year-old boy.

Sesame Workshop issued a statement Monday saying that a 23-year-old man contacted the company in June alleging he and the 52-year-old Clash had a relationship seven years prior. Workshop reps say they met with the unidentified accuser twice and communicated with him on repeated occasions. They also met with Clash, who adamantly denied wrongdoing.

"[Sesame Workshop] conducted a thorough investigation and found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated," the company says in a statement. "Although this was a personal relationship unrelated to the workplace, our investigation did reveal that Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding Internet usage and he was disciplined."

The Workshop did not disclose the nature of the transgressions. But the statement adds that "Kevin insists that the allegation of underage conduct is false and defamatory and he is taking actions to protect his reputation."
The puppetmaster was granted a leave of absence in order to do so.
No word how long that leave will last or whether he'll take legal action, such as filing a defamation suit.

Clash has since acknowledged he and the accuser had a relationship, telling TMZ, "It was between two consenting adults, and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not."
As for the future of Elmo? Sesame Street reps stress the controversy has nothing to do with the furry red Muppet and his squeaky-voiced self won't be disappearing from the Street:

Parents, please accompany your kids everywhere they go. Whether Clash did what is accused or not he still had a relationship with the accuser and was disciplined by Workshop for some unreleased reason relating to the relationship....

[cack]

7 years ... that's almost statute of limitations

[MEL]

Good grief!

[cockymac]

Say it ain't so, elmo!

[Acockolypse Now]

I could make a really bad puppet joke here, but I'm not.

This makes me so sad.

[Metalrush24]

Sounds shaky at best

[bertoholic]

[klempsux]

Whole new meaning to tickle me Elmo.

[cockymac]

Weren't Bert and Ernie going to come out as gay at one time too?

[GH]

http://www.tmz.com/2012/11/13/sesame...x-allegations/

The man who claims he had a sexual relationship with Kevin Clash -- the voice of Elmo -- is RECANTING his story ... claiming he WAS an adult during their relationship after all.

The accuser's lawyer just released a statement saying, "[The accuser] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. [The accuser] will have no further comment."

It's unclear why the accuser suddenly changed his story ... but sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the accuser's attorney had been meeting with Clash's attorney as recent as an hour ago, discussing a financial settlement and 6-figures were on the table.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2012/11/13/sesame...#ixzz2CBu8AyAa

[bertoholic]

[Metalrush24]

just saw that Clash resigned

http://www.wistv.com/story/20147632/...sex-allegation