Voice of "Elmo" leaves "Sesame Street" Under Pedophilia Cloud

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.co...-relationship/

Kevin Clash, long the voice of Elmo on Sesame Street, is taking an indefinite leave of absence under a same-sex pedophilia allegation.

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¶Mr. Clash elaborated in a statement later on Monday. “I am a gay man,” he said. “I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter. I had a relationship with the accuser. It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was. I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation.”

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The Sesame Workshop executive said three outside firms had investigated the matter on behalf of the various parties involved and the organization conducted its own internal investigation. As recently as Nov. 7, the accuser’s attorney indicated to the Sesame Workshop that he did not have any proof that his client was underage at the time of the relationship, according to the executive at the organization.

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The male he had sexual relations with was 16 years old at the time. It'd be ephebophilia and not pedophilia.

Anyway, I'm not sure about the age of consent laws in his area but he was under the impression that the guy was 18 years old. Awkward. I don't know why grown people don't just stay away from kids. I mean if you really have to be checking for their age...smh.

Too suspicious. I think the guy is just out for cash:

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The accuser continued to press his case, but as recently as Nov. 7, the accuser’s legal representative, a lawyer with Andreozzi and Associates, indicated to Sesame Workshop that he did not have any proof that his client was underage at the time of the relationship, according to the Sesame Workshop executive who declined to be named. Officials at the law firm did not respond to requests for comment.

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Shades of Michael Jackson.

Perhaps so. But certainly he knew that even if the guy was 18, he'd be (as they like to say) "technically legal". A whole lot of parents would be aghast to think that Elmo's voice was done by a guy in his late-40s banging an 18-year-old, legal or not. If he were legal, yeah, none of this should matter, but we still live in a day where "some things just aren't done". I already had one friend say "You just KNOW that 18-year-old looked like a kid."

Lex

The kid thought he was hooking up with Elmo. :D

Whelp

Sounds fishy to me but we'll have to wait and see how this story develops.

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Originally Posted by The Fly

The kid thought he was hooking up with Elmo. :D

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Stoppit you!

Elmo very sad... very very sad...

I almost cried when I read this story. I feel sorry for KC, he created a chidren's television educational icon.

I wonder if they used the Elmo voice during sex...

holy shit. ELMO IS BLACK AND GAY??? fuck ernie and bert. elmo is our first gay muppet.

In some countries the age of consent is 16... like in England... and this wouldn't even be a story.

I would wait for more facts before reaching premature judgment. The story doesn't exactly add up.

"Please you want to play wiff elmooooo"


Now I will have nightmares.... thanks

I heard Elmo threw some wild parties...

So no one's going to make any fisting wise-cracks?

Tragic.

He is a very talented man.

This is a mistake which could possibly ruin his career/reputation.

I'm proud that he is being honest with himself, and hopefully he isnt a sicko, and that this was unintentional.

I can seperate actor from character, but I know some people can't.

RIP Elmo. Lol.

^ I'm sure they'll just get another guy to do Elmo's voice, right?

It would be stupid if they just put Elmo to rest over this..lol

^The worst thing is that very probably the kid chased him.

There are two issues here, at the very least.

First, whether men have the prerogative of partnering with other generations. It has not only precedence, but long precendence in the heterosexual population, especially among landed people. When a man amasses an amount of success and wealth, he is naturally the target of matchmaking by both parents and women and they are usually young.

Prince Charles was born in 1948; Lady Diana Spencer was born in 1961. That is almost a generation between them. Was he a pedophile?

The second point is that pedophiles are attracted to pre-pubescent partners (I apologize for the use of that word.) In no instance is anyone suggesting that the partner of Mr. Clash was in appearance pre-pubescent. To be attracted to the young is almost the definition of how sexuality is used in marketing. That men actually act on it is neither shocking nor even unnatural from a biological and evolutionary point of view.

For a forum that otherwise goes out of its way to defy social convention, we never do when it comes to the age gap.

That said, Elmo is as good as dead. RIP

Suddenly 'tickle me Elmo' has a lot more resonance.

The cardinal rule:

Don't fuck anyone who has to do their high school homework after.

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Originally Posted by GiancarloC

I would wait for more facts before reaching premature judgment. The story doesn't exactly add up.

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Unfortunately, the damage has already been done. No matter what the facts reveal, Kevin's career is (pardon the pun) very likely fucked.

I wonder had he been getting his dick wet with a girl this would have been a non-issue, or at least glossed over.

The age of consent here is 15 (they changed it couple of years ago from 14 to 15).

Personally I'm in favor of it being on the lower side, a realistic age.

Being attracted to teens and wanting to have sex with them is the most natural thing in the world. It's the way nature intended it to be. If it wasn't then we would reach puberty later in life. I don't like societies tendency to want kids to stay kids longer than in the old days.

As far as I'm concerned there is just pedophilia and then normal attraction. Words like ephebophilia shouldn't be in the dictionary.

Personal experience: I lost my virginity to a 30 year old when I was 16. I never felt like a victim afterwards, although some people have put pressure on me to feel that way (how fucked up is that?).

Wouldn't it have been smarter to go to lengths to avoid even the appearance of impropriety?

Can you immagine phone sex with ELMO...............? "That's it, now lick my balls, WEEEEEEEEEEE..........*|**|**|*

This is nothing more than a modern day relationship comming to an end. sour grapes if you asked me. I bet the younger is trying to extort as much $$ as possible out of the elmo guy. That's all.

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Originally Posted by thatgirl

The male he had sexual relations with was 16 years old at the time. It'd be ephebophilia and not pedophilia.

Anyway, I'm not sure about the age of consent laws in his area but he was under the impression that the guy was 18 years old. Awkward. I don't know why grown people don't just stay away from kids. I mean if you really have to be checking for their age...smh.

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You're right, paedophilia involves pre-pubescent kids... that word is actually not showing in the link posted to.

The whole story sounds really fishy to me... I know I could have had sex with older men when I was 16yo, I had enough maturity to... so the legal age for sex issue is really tricky, how to set/define it and still make sense?
But as you suggest, when one has to check for someone's age, he better ask for his ID or refrain from any involvement at all...
Never understood the attraction to kids and alikes myself...

bah

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Originally Posted by Hard-up1

There are two issues here, at the very least.

First, whether men have the prerogative of partnering with other generations. It has not only precedence, but long precendence in the heterosexual population, especially among landed people. When a man amasses an amount of success and wealth, he is naturally the target of matchmaking by both parents and women and they are usually young.

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I agree.

Most people--especially young Americans--don't seem to understand that in generations past, intergenerational mating was quite the norm. My Father, who was born in 1930, was 15 years older than my Mom; they're still married. My OH's father was 14 years older than his Mom; their marriage lasted until he died.

In addition to this, the gentleman from Iceland made a formidable point--one I hadn't previously considered. Obviously, we evolved to procreate at a very young age, elsewise we wouldn't go through puberty at that age.

The problem lies in the fact that a teenager has a brain that has not matured yet, so an older man can easily take advantage of such a boy for sexual purposes. I don't know what the answer is.

Our laws here somewhat deal with that issue.

Although adults can legally have sex with 15-17 year olds the sexual laws are still stricter than if it's someone over 18.

For example if you take advantage by giving the teen alcohol, drugs or money... then it's illegal. Also if you are a relative or have a role model type of status like being his teacher or a priest then it becomes illegal also (if he's under 18). If you are very aggressive and the uncomfortable teen just goes a long with it then it's illegal.

So there is a age gap where it's all kinda gray... so in my opinion it's good for the laws to be somewhere in the middle too.

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Originally Posted by G-Lexington

A whole lot of parents would be aghast to think that Elmo's voice was done by a guy in his late-40s banging an 18-year-old, legal or not."

Lex

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Ken Russell film unrelated.

In case anyone was wondering, it seems to be over now...But is anyone really reporting it?

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2012/11/13...nst-puppeteer/

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Originally Posted by johaninsc

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:rotflmao: Reading some of the comments in this thread has me wondering...

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Originally Posted by The_Reaper

In case anyone was wondering, it seems to be over now...But is anyone really reporting it?

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2012/11/13...nst-puppeteer/

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Just like that, eh? The damage has been done. I guess that's all the accuser wanted, to ruin the guy's reputation. How strange.

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Originally Posted by The_Reaper

In case anyone was wondering, it seems to be over now...But is anyone really reporting it?

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2012/11/13...nst-puppeteer/

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if i was elmo, i'd sue that bitch.

Kevin is a Good-Looking Dude and Deff my type looks-wise...The few Kevins I've ever known were all attractive.......He hasnt said whether he's Gay or Bisexual but I always wondered...Kevin was on Wendy Williams a while back and talked about his young daughter..Now imagine what she's going through at school..

This was a strange, strange 3-day story....There's old email that Kevin sent the guy a couple of years ago telling him he'd help him out...What happened between that civil email up to today that made that young Man go to Sesame street with accusations will remain a mystery..

I think its obvious money is going to be exchanged since both parties Lawyered up and this problem was shut-down within 24hrs of going global...Some have asked is this a crime on the young Guys part..Well if Kevin and his Lawyer offered money behind closed doors then that rules out extortion....This was all about Money...I would have fought it but Kevin is being advised to stop this problem in its tracks to Protect Elmo...

Damage has already been done...Regardless of how this ends perception is reality to a lot of Folks....

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Originally Posted by MisterMajestic

He hasnt said whether he's Gay or Bisexual but I always wondered...

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If you're talking about Kevin Clash, yes he has. It was in the very first link in this thread:

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In a statement, Mr. Clash said he had a relationship with the accuser, who is now 24, that “was between two consenting adults,” and added, “I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not.”

He said, “I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter.”

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According to the latest news, the accuser is an aspiring model who's been in trouble with the law before. He was charged a few years ago with receiving stolen property -- $250,000 worth of jewelry that he claimed was a gift from an LA music manager (who reported the jewelry as stolen).

Sad to say but the damage has already been done. His career as Elmo is over..and all based on a lie.

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Originally Posted by gsdx

If you're talking about Kevin Clash, yes he has. It was in the very first link in this thread:

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Yes I am talking about the American Celebrity Kevin Clash and not Kevin Zegers and you need to go back and read what Kevin Clash said in that Link.......Kevin has never agreed to talk about his sexual Orientation in Public because he always felt it was personal & private...He has no other choice but to talk about his private life now since it was disclosed by an old Lover.....

For years the only thing I knew about Kevin is his Love for his daughter...He never talked about her Mother or any Love interest.....I always wondered if he might be Gay or Bisexual even though he never disclosed his orientation during interviews...

Everyone in his private life and all of his co-workers know he's Gay but that's not something he ever shared with the General public...Who he sleeps with is personal & private but I'm sure Elmo kept him from coming out to the General public....

If you did your homework you would have known that this MESS is what caused Kevin to disclose his orientation........

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Originally Posted by zoltanspawn

Wouldn't it have been smarter to go to lengths to avoid even the appearance of impropriety?

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And would that be impropriety of the younger partner going for the older, or vice versa?

"Impropriety" is invoked when we have another objection.

From everything it sounds like, there was an actual relationship between the two men. The resonant objection seems to be age gap, not child-likeness.

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Originally Posted by Hard-up1

And would that be impropriety of the younger partner going for the older, or vice versa?

"Impropriety" is invoked when we have another objection.

From everything it sounds like, there was an actual relationship between the two men. The resonant objection seems to be age gap, not child-likeness.

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The two are intertwined, I think. As I said, one FB friend "you just know that 18-year-old looked younger". To this woman, the only reason for someone over 40 to get together with a guy who is that young is to satisfy his ephebophilic tendencies.

Lex

... and more to the story???

http://gawker.com/5962135/second-man...=recirculation

It's sad that he had to resign. Kevin IS Elmo. People can understudy him, but even Brian Henson could never recapture the essence of Kermit.

Money has destroyed yet another career.

http://gma.yahoo.com/elmo-actor-kevi...c-news-tv.html

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Kevin Clash, the actor who created the voice and persona of Elmo on Sesame Street, resigned from the children's show today in the wake of a new allegation that he had a sexual relationship with an underage boy.

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The first claimant recanted.

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Originally Posted by palbert

The first claimant recanted.

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It's like with Michael Jackson. When the first claimed abuse, more and more 'jumped on the bandwagon'. I knew that Kevin's career was over as soon as the first claim came out, even though it was recanted. The damage had been done and there was no fixing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icryB7O9SSk

*dates (possibly having sex with) underage men for years/decades*

*agrees to participate in documentary about his life and work*

*receives widespread recognition as the man behind the voice*

*is shocked when inevitable tattling commences*

*resigns*

*struggles to find work as a puppeteer in this wintry economic climate*

j/k

*goes away for awhile*

*makes comeback in twenty years a la Pee-Wee Herman, goes on late-night and says he's sorry in elmo voice*

*we giggle because we're stoned and he sounds funny*

*a baby explodes in the microwave, a tragic yet common occurrence since pot's legalization*

The lesson here is obvious and two-fold; meaning here are the two obvious lessons:

1) Exposure exposes.

and

2) Set the timer before you get high.


In other words, this guy was pretty dumb.