Elmo Muppeteer Kevin Clash resigns from Sesame Street

[jgidley]

This is just so, so sad. I used to love Elmo when I was a kid, and as much as he gets on my nerves now, you really can't deny that what Kevin Clash and Elmo have done has changed the world of Sesame Street forever. Goodbye, Kevin. You will be deeply missed.

 

[Drtooth]

He didn't do that. He said we don't know the facts, so we shouldn't judge either way. Engaging in blaming the alleged victim here is not constructive and it's also something we've been asked not to do.

The people who say "we shouldn't judge either way" are the same people who actually are. That's what his entire posts were about.

I'm not saying one's a saint and one's Satan, I'm saying:

A) He shouldn't be labeled an evil sexual deviant all the while forgetting everything else he has done. He didn't molest kids, he didn't murder anyone, he just did something morally screwed up. Let's stop acting like he did something so incredibly terrible and unforgivable and label him as such.

B) Poor judgement wasn't exclusive to Kevin. It wasn't a rape, so the "victim" is just as in the wrong for multiple reasons. To then come forward and demand money for "emotional suffering" for his poor judgement 20 years later...words fail me.

He was disciplined by Sesame Workshop for inappropriate use of their email system.

Which is the only connection it has with SW... and he was punished for it.

 

[dwayne1115]

I just wish that all this would go away and things would stay like they were a month ago. Or even a year ago. I really hope that Sesame can bounce back from this in time. Elmo is never going to sound the same again, and that is truly sad. However we can look at all the great things that Elmo and Kevin have done for Sesame and be greatful for his work.

I remember something that Jim Henson once said (this is not a direct quote) he said something like "If I could leave this world just a little bit better then when I came that would be what I want" regardless of what Kevin may or may not have done he can turly say that he has done this.

 

[PoisonBadNews]

What I'm seeing a lot here is exactly what I've found my reaction to be, and my wife's...I didn't really like Elmo, I got that preschoolers like him and that's what important, but let's just say I tend to spend the last seventeen minutes of Sesame Street putting dishes in the dishwasher. But I always loved Kevin, I'd known him from interviews and whathaveyou since the 90's, and of course it was hard not to love the man after seeing Being Elmo. I mean, he was like so many of us, someone who loved the Muppets from day one, and he ended up being the de facto star of Sesame Street. Very, very few people end up achieving their life's ambition to such an extent.

But this whole thing has cemented my support for him, and made me realize that, though Elmo's World may not be my thing, it wouldn't be Sesame Street without Elmo. In many ways Kevin is the one who's really picked up Jim Henson's mantle, in that he's now both one of the key people behind the scenes and in front, as well as the charismatic public (human) face of Sesame Street. All of these allegations sound like attention/money seeking scumbags looking to cash in on a man who wouldn't hurt a fly.

 

[MedullaPancreas]

Kevin Clash should have paid the prisoner's extortion request?

I think it's absurd he should have to resign over something that happened in his personal life. I've never liked Kevin Clash more than I do right now and would love to boycott Sesame Street if I still watched it or had kids that watched it. Guess we should fire any tallent that's ever played a character for not being that character while off the clock. Should write it into the contract that Puppeteers can't go for a beer after work either because that might ruin the image of your show. Yet Katy Perry is on full display while hosting Sesame Street, which was spoofed by Saturday Night Live.

This rant brought to you by the letter H for Hypocrisy.

 

[dwayne1115]

I think it's absurd he should have to resign over something that happened in his personal life. I've never liked Kevin Clash more than I do right now and would love to boycott Sesame Street if I still watched it or had kids that watched it. Guess we should fire any tallent that's ever played a character for not being that character while off the clock. Should write it into the contract that Puppeteers can't go for a beer after work either because that might ruin the image of your show. Yet Katy Perry is on full display while hosting Sesame Street, which was spoofed by Saturday Night Live.

This rant brought to you by the letter H for Hypocrisy.

I understand your frustration I do... but lets reemeber that Kevin was not fired, he quit on his own.

Yes these are issues that involve Kevin's personal life, but it also deals with "minors" who may or may not have been involved with Sesame Street. Even is they where not the way the media has turned this out to be has made Kevin look really bad, and it also afeccts Sesame. Many partents would start questioning why they where allowing Kevin to still be on the show in light of all these events whether true or false.

In Kevin's statment he says that these issues are taking away the focas of what Sesame is really all about, and sadly he is right. The sad part about this is that even though it was part of Kevin's personal life it has also affeced Sesame Street.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

Gonna give my two sense on this and then unwatching this thread. I know people are deeply saddened that Kevin will no longer be performing Elmo or be apart of Sesame in general. But think about what Kevin is actually going through since this whole thing happened. I cannot imagine the emotional toll it's probably taken on him, family, friends, and yes even Sesame. This is something that is gonna take a long, long, time to heal from and frankly some scars will probably never fully heal. It's even more sad that all this happened close to the holidays...I'm sure it's gonna hard for him to enjoy them although I hope he does find some joy in being with those close to him.

Yes a BIG void has been left a Sesame and they will be huge shoes to fill. I am more then anything saddned that his career on Sesame had to end this way. I always thought he would be performing until the day he died or he would retire at a great old age.

To Mr. Clash: I wish you the best of luck in whatever life has in store for you next. As a Muppet fan I support your decision and hope there is light for you at the end of this tunnel somewhere.

I'm sure there is one man who is looking out for you:

 

[beaker]

Spit take... 20 years?! I'm sorry, but if something is wrong you don't wait 20 years.

Well unfortunately this time the story seems to be breaking and sticking. Other than the whole sale slaughter of the Palestinians by Israel, the news is rather quiet lately. No election/storm/CIA sex scandal to distract.

Also the accusation is even worse, so I think it was the only course for Clash to step down. Obviously SS supports him all the way and would not let him go if there was another way. I wish he could go work for Disney and he'd be a much needed boost to the Muppets again.

 

[ftnpro]

This is sad in so many ways. I have a great deal of respect for Kevin Clash, and if these allegations turn out to be true, that will be forever tarnished. He is innocent until proven guilty, so we just have to wait and see how this plays out.

They're talking about an understudy that he trained taking over Elmo, so I guess that's the best we can hope for. Of course, we all appreciate it when one person operates for a character for many years and imbues it with his or her personality. It's always hard to accept something new... at first.

I'm glad the Muppet universe hasn't been tainted by this sort of thing until now.

 

[dwayne1115]

Gonna give my two sense on this and then unwatching this thread. I know people are deeply saddened that Kevin will no longer be performing Elmo or be apart of Sesame in general. But think about what Kevin is actually going through since this whole thing happened. I cannot imagine the emotional toll it's probably taken on him, family, friends, and yes even Sesame. This is something that is gonna take a long, long, time to heal from and frankly some scars will probably never fully heal. It's even more sad that all this happened close to the holidays...I'm sure it's gonna hard for him to enjoy them although I hope he does find some joy in being with those close to him.

Yes a BIG void has been left at Sesame and they will be huge shoes to fill. I am more then anything saddned that his career on Sesame had to end this way. I always thought he would be performing until the day he died or he would retire at a great old age.

To Mr. Clash: I wish you the best of luck in whatever life has in store for you next. As a Muppet fan I support your decision and hope there is light for you at the end of this tunnel somewhere.

I'm sure there is one man who is looking out for you:

Well put very well put and something that in all this I did almost forget. Ths has to really hit hard for everyone involved. Even the acussiers could be hurting in all of this.
This is the first and I pray the only scandle we have in our Muppet world, I don't think us fans can take much more.
We have had a really tough year with the passing of Jerry, The Sesame vs. Mitt Romney issue, and now this. My hope is that we can get a new Muppet movie soon and try and start the healing prossess from all of this.