Kevin Clash, the man who's lent Elmo his voice since 1984, has taken a leave of absence fromSesame Street amid accusations from a 23-year-old man who says Clash had sex with him when he was 16 and Clash was 45. Clash admits he had a relationship with his accuser, but only after he was of age, TMZ reports. "It was between two consenting adults, and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not," Clash says.
Sesame Workshop says it believes the allegations "are false and defamatory," and that Clash is taking leave so he can "protect his reputation." Clash's accuser has accused Sesame Workshop of trying to silence him, and has hired a team of lawyers that represented one of Jerry Sandusky's victims. He also gave TMZ an email in which Clash appears to acknowledge the underage relationship, but Sesame Street officials believe it is fraudulent, because he never mentioned it to them when they asked for evidence of the affair.
Updated Nov 13, 2012:
The Elmo sex scandal is no more. The man who said he had a sexual relationship with puppeteer Kevin Clash while still a minor has recanted, reports the New York Times. "He wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship," says the unidentified man's lawyers. "He will have no further comment on the matter." Clash, for his part, issued a statement saying he was "relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further.”
Clash remains on leave from Sesame Street Workshop, which investigated the allegations and found they had no merit. The workshop did discipline Clash for showing "poor judgment" on company email in his communication with the accuser, reports ABC News. TMZ first published the story.
Sesame Workshop says it believes the allegations "are false and defamatory," and that Clash is taking leave so he can "protect his reputation." Clash's accuser has accused Sesame Workshop of trying to silence him, and has hired a team of lawyers that represented one of Jerry Sandusky's victims. He also gave TMZ an email in which Clash appears to acknowledge the underage relationship, but Sesame Street officials believe it is fraudulent, because he never mentioned it to them when they asked for evidence of the affair.
Updated Nov 13, 2012:
Accuser of Elmo Puppeteer Recants
The Elmo sex scandal is no more. The man who said he had a sexual relationship with puppeteer Kevin Clash while still a minor has recanted, reports the New York Times. "He wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship," says the unidentified man's lawyers. "He will have no further comment on the matter." Clash, for his part, issued a statement saying he was "relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further.”
Clash remains on leave from Sesame Street Workshop, which investigated the allegations and found they had no merit. The workshop did discipline Clash for showing "poor judgment" on company email in his communication with the accuser, reports ABC News. TMZ first published the story.
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| Elmo and puppeteer Kevin Flash of the film "Being Elmo" poses for a portrait in the Fender Music Lodge during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival on Monday, Jan. 24, 2011 in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Victoria Will) |
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