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Kevin Clash resigns as Elmo

Puppeteer Kevin Clash has resigned from Sesame Street, after 28 years following headlines in the US.

Puppeteer Kevin Clash has resigned from Sesame Street, after 28 years.

The move follows underage sex allegations – since withdrawn – which the openly-gay Clash denied, claiming the relationship was between two consenting adults.

Sesame Workshop released a statement saying: “Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin’s personal life has become a distraction that none of us want, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from Sesame Street. This is a sad day for Sesame Street.”

After Clash took leave of absence to resolve the matter, the original allegations were withdrawn by an unnamed man.

The Smoking Gun identified him as a struggling 24-year-old model/actor, once arrested for the knifepoint robbery of $250,000 in jewellery from a music manager.

But now, a second man has also come forward to accuse Clash of having sex with him while he was underage.

Clash 52, said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, “I am resigning from Sesame Workshop with a very heavy heart.

“I have loved every day of my 28 years working for this exceptional organization. Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately.”

Sesame Workshop has previously said, “Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street to engage, educate and inspire children around the world, as it has for 40 years.”

6 Responses

  1. This is very sad for Kevin. His second accuser has said he “didn’t realise I was affected by this ‘relationship’ with Kevin until 2012. Hello! Alarm bells are ringing in my ears. I don’t want to diminish the allegations by Cecil Singleton but if they are untrue then I would be very disappointed for Kevin Clash.

  2. This is how some unfounded allegations can screw up someones life. Not sure if the 2nd claims have any merit but where there’s smoke… I hope its cleared up as this could ruin his life.

  3. I agree with you Jake, how ever once your reputation is damaged its hard to come back, esp in a child abuse case. his career is pretty much over in children’s entertainment.

  4. This is quite sad for Kevin and the whole Henson related empire. I’ve never been much of a fan of Elmo ( been annoyed by the way it seems he got more buzz than big bird, snuffy, Oscar, etc) but he was also Splinter in the ninja turtles movies of the 90s as well as various voices in Labyrinth with David Bowie as well as several of the muppets ( the main being Clifford – who was purple with dreadlocks and hosted Muppets Tonight).

    I wonder what this will mean for Elmo? Sure others took over from other puppeteers when they were unable to play them due to death or otherwise but I’m not yet aware of another in the wings ready to do Elmo ( there is a different voice for Big Bird at times instead of carol spinney and I just find it jarring).

    Hopefully at some stage Kevin can return even if it isn’t on Sesame Street but something else Henson related.

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