https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/style/elmo-x-question.html

Elmo's "How is everybody doing?" tweet opened (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/the-internet-is-trauma-dumping-on-elmo-following-viral-tweet-seen-more-than-140-million-times.5511428/) a yawning chasm of despair, surprising Sesame Street bosses.

Elmo's social media manager recounts the "whirlwind" of replies to her viral "How is everybody doing?" tweet (https://www.today.com/parents/family/elmo-social-media-manager-christina-vittas-rcna136605)

Christina Vittas, 25, went from intern for Sesame Workshop to becoming the voice of Elmo on social media before going viral this week. On Monday morning, Vittas tweeted two sentences — “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” (https://twitter.com/elmo/status/1751995117366296904) — that blew up to thousands of responses and 180 million views. "It was a whirlwind!" she tells Today.com, which says that Vittas refreshed her screen throughout the day as she worked from home, and her roommates heard her laughing each time a particularly funny response appeared. She found a particular Roman Roy tweet (https://twitter.com/sleep2dream/status/1752047357439434817) to be the funniest. Vittas jokes that she wants to buy Pierre a coffee because she’s been sent this tweet so many times. “I really appreciate that personally,” she says. “We all believe that Elmo is a living, breathing monster on Sesame Street, but there are people that understand that this is social media, there’s someone behind the scenes doing the work, and I felt a great response from the marketing community.”

Larry David was forced to issue an apology after attacking Elmo live on the Today show (https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/larry-david-attacked-elmo-today-show-apologizes-backlash-1235894378/)

Elmo was on Today to discuss his viral "How is everybody doing?" tweet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBidHiE2bzQ) and David was on to promote Curb Your Enthusiasm's final season when David decided to attack Elmo (https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1753115411741036699) to the horror of the Today cast. “Oh my god!” shrieked Savannah Guthrie as Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin put their hands over their mouths in shock and horror. Guthrie scolded David, saying: “Larry, you’ve gone too far this time!," while Elmo said: “Let’s get back on the couch and talk about how you’re feeling." David initially said “Somebody had to do it!," but changed his tune during his interview with Guthrie and Kotb, offering an apology (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X73sptdmLb0) to the Sesame Street character live on camera. “Elmo, I just want to apologize,” David said while trying not to laugh. “I’m really sorry.” Elmo accepted his apology.

Elmo's social media manager recounts the "whirlwind" of replies to her viral "How is everybody doing?" tweet (https://www.today.com/parents/family/elmo-social-media-manager-christina-vittas-rcna136605)

Christina Vittas, 25, went from intern for Sesame Workshop to becoming the voice of Elmo on social media before going viral this week. On Monday morning, Vittas tweeted two sentences — “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” (https://twitter.com/elmo/status/1751995117366296904) — that blew up to thousands of responses and 180 million views. "It was a whirlwind!" she tells Today.com, which says that Vittas refreshed her screen throughout the day as she worked from home, and her roommates heard her laughing each time a particularly funny response appeared. She found a particular Roman Roy tweet (https://twitter.com/sleep2dream/status/1752047357439434817) to be the funniest. Vittas jokes that she wants to buy Pierre a coffee because she’s been sent this tweet so many times. “I really appreciate that personally,” she says. “We all believe that Elmo is a living, breathing monster on Sesame Street, but there are people that understand that this is social media, there’s someone behind the scenes doing the work, and I felt a great response from the marketing community.”

Larry David was forced to issue an apology after attacking Elmo live on the Today show (https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/larry-david-attacked-elmo-today-show-apologizes-backlash-1235894378/)

Elmo was on Today to discuss his viral "How is everybody doing?" tweet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBidHiE2bzQ) and David was on to promote Curb Your Enthusiasm's final season when David decided to attack Elmo (https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1753115411741036699) to the horror of the Today cast. “Oh my god!” shrieked Savannah Guthrie as Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin put their hands over their mouths in shock and horror. Guthrie scolded David, saying: “Larry, you’ve gone too far this time!," while Elmo said: “Let’s get back on the couch and talk about how you’re feeling." David initially said “Somebody had to do it!," but changed his tune during his interview with Guthrie and Kotb, offering an apology (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X73sptdmLb0) to the Sesame Street character live on camera. “Elmo, I just want to apologize,” David said while trying not to laugh. “I’m really sorry.” Elmo accepted his apology.

Larry David on attacking Elmo live on Today: "I'd do it again." (https://deadline.com/2024/02/larry-david-is-sorry-not-sorry-for-choking-elmo-1235813333/)

Larry David on attacking Elmo live on Today: "I'd do it again." (https://deadline.com/2024/02/larry-david-is-sorry-not-sorry-for-choking-elmo-1235813333/)

Wil Wheaton posts a 900-word essay slamming Larry David for attacking Elmo: "This appalling, unforgivable, despicable act hits more than one raw nerve for me" (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/wil-wheaton-larry-david-elmo-attack-abused-1235819558/)

“When I was growing up, my dad would grab me by the shoulders and shake me while he screamed in my face,” Wheaton wrote in a lengthy Facebook post. “He choked me more than once. He was always out of control, always in a furious rage, and always terrifying. I’m a 51-year-old man and my heart is pounding right now, recalling how I felt when I was a little boy who loved Grover the way today’s kids love Elmo. So this appalling, unforgivable, despicable act hits more than one raw nerve for me, and I’m going to say what I wish I’d been able to say when this sort of thing happened to me.” As for David, Wheaton wrote: "What the f*ck is wrong with that guy?” he wrote. “Elmo is, like, the best friend to multiple generations of children. In the Sesame Street universe, ELMO IS A CHILD, who is currently putting mental health and caring for others in the spotlight. What an *******. What a stupid, self-centered, tone deaf ******* … Larry David strikes me as a person who mocks and belittles people who are vulnerable and sensitive, and enjoys being cruel, because he feels untouchable."