Link (http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/television/article/Elmo-puppeteer-accused-of-underage-relationship-4029617.php#ixzz2C2L8K8n5)

NEW YORK (AP) — The puppeteer who performs as Elmo on "Sesame Street" is taking a leave of absence from the popular kids' show in the wake of allegations that he had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy.
Sesame Workshop said puppeteer Kevin Clash denies the charges, which were first made in June by the alleged partner, who by then was 23.
"We took the allegation very seriously and took immediate action," Sesame Workshop said in a statement issued Monday. "We met with the accuser twice and had repeated communications with him. We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation."
The organization described the relationship as personal and "unrelated to the workplace." Its investigation found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated. But it said Clash exercised "poor judgment" and was disciplined for violating company policy regarding Internet usage. It offered no details.
"I had a relationship with (the accuser)," Clash told TMZ. "It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not."
At his request, Clash has been granted a leave of absence in order to "protect his reputation," Sesame Workshop said.
No further explanation was provided, nor was the duration of his leave specified.
"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," Sesame Workshop said in its statement.
"Sesame Street" is currently in production, but other puppeteers are prepared to fill in for Clash during his absence, according to a person close to the show who spoke on condition of anonymity because that person was not authorized to publicly discuss details about the show's production.
"Elmo will still be a part of the shows being produced," that person said.
The 52-year-old Clash, the divorced father of a grown daughter, has been a puppeteer for "Sesame Street" since 1984. It was then that he was handed the fuzzy red puppet named Elmo and asked to come up with a voice for him. Clash transformed the character, which had been a marginal member of the Muppets troupe for a number of years, into a major star rivaling Big Bird as the face of "Sesame Street."
In 2006, Clash published an autobiography, "My Life as a Furry Red Monster," and was the subject of the 2011 documentary "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey."

http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/16/15/34/3725104/3/628x471.jpg

YIKES.

I think it's important to stress the fact that Sesame Workshop found no evidence of wrongdoing other than a violation of the company's Internet policy.

That the accuser appears to have gone to Mr. Clash's employer instead of the proper authorities is very suspect. It seems more of an attempt by a disgruntled ex-lover to drag Mr. Clash's name through the mud and ruin his career. You know, to get even or to blackmail. I don't believe that anything unsavory happened here, and hope Mr. Clash can resume working as soon as possible.

Even if the accusation is proven false, Clash's career is already damaged. The public will either see him as a victim of a spurned lover or a old predator who trolled the internet picking up the young and impressionable. It's going to be a no win situation.

Yeah, either way it turns out, this strikes me as a very sad story for the kids that love Sesame Street. I guess you could say they could be sheltered from it, but I think in the long run this man's career is going to be severely damaged (and I'm not yet passing judgement yet on whether or not it should be). And as a result, PBS is going to be hard pressed to not react in some way.

Let us not forget, PBS faced a similar scandal in the late 90s with the host of their show, The Frugal Gourmet, the late Jeff Smith. He was accused of molesting young boys, but I don't recall if he was proven innocent or guilty. In any case, his career was ruined and he passed on just a few years later (of natural causes).

Then again, how many children watched The Frugal Gourmet? Sesame Street and particularly Elmo are STILL a very healthy cash cow after all these years. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens...

^ Smith was never charged with any crimes, however he settled out of court with the accusers for an undisclosed amount of money shortly before the trial was to begin.

Here's an old news article: http://www.current.org/1998/07/cooking-star-pays-plaintiffs-in-sexual-abuse-suits/

Thanks!! I had never known what the outcome was, but his career was pretty much over when all was said and done.

Thanks!! I had never known what the outcome was, but his career was pretty much over when all was said and done.

We'll never know what actually happened, but I'm of the reasoning that a truly innocent person (especially of accusations of child molestation) would do everything possible to clear their names and not pay "hush money".

The accuser has recanted his story. He now says it was consensual and that it happened when he was of age. It pays to reserve judgment. :)

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/accuser-recants-allegation-against-elmo-puppeteer/?smid=tw-share

Interesting, and welcome news.

What happens next should reveal if the issue of him being gay is bugging people or not. Since what he did wasn't illegal, the only real reason left to be upset about this would be because Clash is gay. I personally couldn't care less, but I know there are those that worry about a gay man or woman having influence/being a role model for kids.

Muppeteer Richard Hunt was openly gay, and I'm pretty sure his employers up to and including Jim Henson and Children's Television Workshop knew. Still, he worked on Sesame Street for 21 years, as well as many other Muppet projects.

It is my hope that 20 years after Mr. Hunt's death, Sesame Workshop and PBS are at least as progressive as Mr. Henson was. By all accounts, Kevin Clash is a hell of a guy, and shouldn't be punished or have his career tarnished because some bigoted parents have a problem with his sexuality.

I'd encourage anyone who wants to learn more about Mr. Clash to watch the documentary Being Elmo. Fascinating stuff!

I don't think the issue will be Clash's sexual preference. The age of the accuser at the time of their initial contact is what may bother people. A teenager in a friendship with a person old enough to be his/her parent that turns into a relationship may not sit well with people. It does not matter if the people involved are gay or straight. It makes the adult in the situation look trifling.

We'll never know what actually happened, but I'm of the reasoning that a truly innocent person (especially of accusations of child molestation) would do everything possible to clear their names and not pay "hush money".

So am I.

I have a feeling that some parents are going to be so up in arms over this news that they'll refuse to let their kids watch Sesame Street again. I can see their point but then again it's stupid since the age range for Sesame Street is so young that kids this age couldn't possibly be affected by this news.

I like how some people have the nerve to make this into a political thing. According to them, if he was a Conservative he would have been fired, and not rehired.

Yeah, like I'm really gonna believe that. :rolleyes:

I checked the "Street Gang" book out of the library and have started reading it. I let you know my thoughts when I've finished.

Voice of Elmo Accuser: "I Didn't Lie, I Want to Undo Settlement"
11/19/12
by TMZ Staff


The man who accused Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo, of having sex with him while he was underage stands by his story, claims he was pressured into recanting it, and is now interviewing lawyers to help him undo his settlement.

TMZ broke the story ... Clash and Sheldon Stephens entered into a settlement in which Clash agreed to pay Stephens $125,000, but in return the agreement provides the following:

"Stephens agrees that immediately upon execution of this Agreement, his counsel, Andreozzi & Associates, P.C., shall release the following statement ... 'He [Stephens] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship.'"





We've learned Stephens has met with lawyers in Los Angeles and told them he was pressured into recanting his allegation and insists he's telling the truth when he says he had sex with Clash when he was 16.

Stephens -- who is now 23 -- is telling lawyers he will gladly forfeit the $125,000 to restore his name. Stephens is saying he was literally crying during the final negotiations and repeatedly said he didn't want to sign.

Clash's lawyer told us Friday he would have no comment on the settlement story.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/11/19/voice-of-elmo-accuser-underage-sex-allegation-settlement-lie/

Link (http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/11/20/elmo-actor-kevin-clash-resigns-amid-sex-allegation/#ixzz2Cmq8U300)

NEW YORK – In 2011, Muppeteer Kevin Clash starred in the Sundance award-winning documentary "Being Elmo."
"When I was nine years old, it was just a dream that I had: Wow, I wish that I could work with the Muppets," Clash says in the film's trailer.
Now that dream has turned into a nightmare.
Sesame Workshop says Clash, Elmo's puppeteer and voice, has resigned from "Sesame Street" in the wake of allegations that he had sex with not one but two young boys.
Last week, a man accused Clash of having sex with him when he was 16, a charge Clash denied. The man recanted his underage sex claim, but then recanted his recantation, saying he had been pressured into it.
But on Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York charging Clash with sexual abuse of a second youth. The lawsuit alleges that Cecil Singleton, then 15 and now an adult, was persuaded by Clash to meet for sexual encounters.
The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $5 million.
It was more than Sesame Street could stomach.
"Sesame Workshop's mission is to harness the educational power of media to help all children the world over reach their highest potential. Kevin Clash has helped us achieve that mission for 28 years, and none of us, especially Kevin, want anything to divert our attention from our focus on serving as a leading educational organization," the program said in a statement to FoxNews.com. "Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin's personal life has become a distraction that none of us wants, 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."
Last week, as the sex scandal unfolded, Sesame Street honchos tried to assure fans that the high-pitched Muppet was more than just the voice Clash gave him.
"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," Sesame Street's rep said.
In addition to his marquee role as Elmo, Clash had served as the show's senior Muppet coordinator and Muppet captain. He won 23 daytime Emmy awards and one prime-time Emmy.

Third Kevin Clash Accuser Surfaces, Files Suit Against Elmo Puppeteer
11/27/2012
by Erin Carlson


A third man has surfaced to accuse Kevin Clash of engaging in underage sex. The anonymous accuser filed a lawsuit Tuesday in New York City against Clash -- the longtime voice of Sesame Street puppet Elmo -- who resigned last week amid allegations he had sex with two other men when they were in their teens.

Citing court documents, The New York Post reports that the man (aka, "John Doe") is a Florida resident in his late 20s claiming to have encountered Clash during a visit to New York when he was 16.



"When John was just 16 years old and attending high school, he traveled to the New York area for modeling opportunities," the accuser's attorney, Jeff Herman, said in the suit.

"At 16 years old, John went on a gay chat line to meet friends who were also gay. John specifically stated his intention on the chat line as non-sexual. John was contacted through the chat line by Kevin Clash. Kevin Clash said his name was Craig and he was 30 years old. Kevin Clash was approximately 40 years old at the time."





According to the New York Daily News, the lawsuit alleges that "Kevin Clash gave John alcohol and groomed him" and that the two "engaged in sexual conduct including oral sex."

The pair continued a sexual relationship after the accuser turned 18 and moved to New York, Herman was cited as saying.

Clash's representative did not immediately respond to The Hollywood Reporter's request for comment.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/third-kevin-clash-accuser-surfaces-394461

Elmo Sex Scandal: Kevin Clash Accused of Underage Sex by 4th Alleged Victim
The Huffington Post | by Andy Campbell
12/10/2012


A fourth man has come forward with claims that he had a sexual relationship with Elmo's puppeteer when the accuser was 16.

The newest allegations heat up the firestorm that's engulfed Kevin Clash, formerly an integral member of "Sesame Street". Clash resigned as Elmo's voice and puppeteer in November when several men filed lawsuits claiming that they had sex with him while they were underage teens.





NBC News uncovered the latest lawsuit that was filed on Monday by a man identified as John Doe. The suit claims that Clash was in his mid-30s when in 1995 he befriended the alleged 16-year-old victim. Clash reportedly flew the teen from Miami to New York, where the two engaged in sexual activity.

Well-known sex abuse lawyer Jeff Herman represents three of the accusers, including the newest man.

"According to our lawsuit, Kevin Clash knowingly paid to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of satisfying his sexual interests," a statement from Herman said.

Herman didn't immediately return calls for comment from The Huffington Post.





Last month, another unidentified accuser said he was 16 when he had sex with Clash in 2000. A week before, now-24-year-old Cecil Singleton filed suit, claiming that the two had inappropriate contact when Singleton was 15.

The first accuser later recanted his claims that he and Clash had sex. But he then recanted his denial, saying that Clash's attorneys pressured him into a settlement.





The allegations cost Clash his job and recently an upcoming Warner Bros. film that would've featured him.

Clash's camp has denied the allegations but Clash hasn't delved into specifics about any case.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/elmo-sex-scandal-fourth-allegation-for-kevin-clash_n_2271111.html

Now I really don't know what to make of this. Are all these alleged victims innocent, or are they just after his money?

I can say this, though: If there's one thing I learned, it's that the word "pedophile" is so frequently misused, it's not even funny. If anything, Kevin Clash is either a hebephile or an ephebophile. In fact, I hope I'm not the only here who is disturbed by the frequent misuse of the word "pedophile".

Remember, at this point these are all just accusations.

Now the authorities have to look for evidence to find out if they can prove anything. It's very hard to prove he-said/she-said in court with little to no physical evidence, especially since what ever happened occurred years ago.

It would be great if these online chat logs can be recovered (or if they were saved) or if these plane tickets can be brought up with Clash on the billing. They have to prove that they had sexual/physical contact with him when they were minors.