Allegations of sexual relationship with minor(s) by Elmo Pupeteer, Kevin Clash, to be true?

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Do you think Allegations of sexual relationship with minor(s) by Elmo Pupeteer, Kevin Clash, to be true?

Elmo puppeteer resigns over sex allegations

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Kevin Clash, the puppeteer behind the "Sesame Street" character Elmo, has resigned following new allegations that he had sex with an underage boy, adding to an ongoing controversy involving one of America's most popular children's brands.

In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Cecil Singleton is seeking more than $5 million in damages from Clash. Singleton claims he met the then-32-year-old puppeteer in 1993 in a gay chat room when he was 15.

It added that on numerous occasions over a period of years Clash engaged in sexual activity with Singleton.

The news came just a week after another man recanted his claims that Clash had sex with him when he was 16 years old.

Clash, 52, said he was leaving Sesame Workshop, the company behind the television show, after nearly 30 years with a very heavy heart.

"I have loved every day of my 28 years working for this exceptional organisation. Personal matters have diverted
attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer," he said in a statement issued by his publicist, Risa B Heller.

"I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately," he added.

The New York-based Sesame Workshop said it was a sad day for "Sesame Street," which premiered in 1969 and has been educating and entertaining children for decades with characters such as Elmo, Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch and Cookie Monster.

"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," the company said in a statement.

A representative declined further comment.

The unnamed 23-year-old man who first accused Clash recanted his claims last week, saying the relationship was consensual.

His lawyers were not immediately available to comment on the lawsuit.

Clash had denied the allegations and acknowledged a past relationship with his first accuser. He added the pair were both consenting adults at the time.

"I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it," Clash said at the time.

Sesame Workshop said the first allegations involving Clash came to its attention in June when the earlier accuser contacted the company by email.

The Elmo character debuted on "Sesame Street" in 1979. While Clash was the third performer to animate the child-like shaggy red monster, Sesame Workshop credits him with turning Elmo into the international sensation he became.

Kevin Clash, former Elmo puppeteer, faces third underage sex allegation

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(CBS/AP) - Former longtime Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash is facing allegations of underage sex from a third accuser.

Pictures: Elmo puppeteer resigns amid sex allegations

The 29-year-old Florida man filed a lawsuit against Clash in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, accusing him of sexual activity in 2000 when the man was 16 years old.

Jeff Herman, the accuser's lawyer, said his client started writing a book in 2009 about his relationship with Clash and the lawyer will be releasing excerpts of the memoir during a press conference on Tuesday, New York Daily News reports.

The lawyer said his client met Clash on a gay chat line when he was exploring modeling opportunities in New York. The accuser said during this time Clash went under the pseudonym "Craig" and claimed to be 30 years old, the Daily News reported.

Herman said his client met with Clash again in 2003 and 2004, and over time figured out Clash's identity through the numerous Elmo dolls in his apartment when he met the teen for sex.

A spokeswoman said Clash "believes this lawsuit has no merit."

Herman also represents 24-year-old Cecil Singleton, who filed a $5 million lawsuit accusing Clash of sexual relations when he was 15, the Daily News reported. Clash also faces allegations from Sheldon Stephens, who said he had sexual relations with Clash when he was 16 years old.

Clash resigned amid the sex scandal.

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Type: Question • Score: 9 • Views: 3,728 • Replies: 31

Something seems dubious.
The accuser, now 29 .... see, that part right there is what I hate about accusers who come out years later in any case. It happened (if it happened at all) when you was 16 BUT for some reason you wait until others come before you to speak up. So 13 years have passed and you remember every detail, huh? So wait till a man is rich and famous and NOW you want to come forward. So at 18 you didn't want to come forward? Please, everyone and their momma will be coming out now.
And I think they lost credibility - imho - when it was revealed they were on a gay chat line. Dont misunderstand me; if Clash knew these guys were underage, he should definitely be held accountable for that. But, if these guys lied about their age and are now, all of a sudden, claiming to be a 'victim' because they found out who he is, then these guys should be held accountable. If you are going into a gay chat room, you aren't there to socialize about world events, that is for certain. When people begin to realize that some teenagers can be just as predatory and manipulative as some adults, then that farcical societal construct that views all children (including teenagers) as innocent will have to be taken with a grain of salt.

So anyone plan on taking a swing of being Elmo's voice .... planning on any auditions anybody?

1 Reply

@RST,

They already have some people lined up to operate Elmo -- there had already been substitutes, understudies, that sort of thing, and Kevin Clash is evidently working on identifying and mentoring which one will take over completely.

As for this situation, lots of elements.

1.) I think it's sad that just the allegation alone can be enough to destroy someone's career, especially when that allegation was later recanted.

2.) HOWEVER, I think it's very possible that the people (or one person) were/was actually 16, and didn't come out with it now not because of fame/ money but just because of dealing with the whole thing. That definitely happens.

3.) I don't think the gay chat line thing is really here or there. Definitely doesn't negatively impact credibility in my eyes. Someone could both be doing a gay chat line (which certainly was stupid and risky) and also be maneuvered into a situation where he has sex with an adult.

4.) I think it's possible that Kevin Clash is really completely innocent of any wrongdoing -- that he believed that he was having sex with people who were of age.

5.) I also think it's possible that he did know that they were very young and proceeded anyway.

1 Reply

@RST,

Quote:

Do you think Allegations of sexual relationship with minor(s) by Elmo Pupeteer, Kevin Clash, to be true?

I think that no one has enough information to evaluate the validity of these allegations, particularly since one of the allegations has already been re-canted.

Furthermore, these allegations seem to be voiced at this time, not to pursue the matter as a criminal offense, but rather as an attempt to gain money through civil suits--so the motives of the accusers have to be taken into account.

It's much too premature to judge Mr. Clash based on any of this.

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Not knowing any of the people involved, I have no idea if the allegations are true. We'll all just have to wait for the trial, and I hope there is one if Clash is innocent.

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my favourite radio show plays a game called better headlines, they ask their listeners to try and top the nations newspaper headlines, one of the best suggested for this story was "Show Me On The Young Boy Were the Puppet Touched You"

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So, if a kid says "Elmo sucks" it may be more literally true than they knew?

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@RST,

I don't know why this is news any more than some guy in Missouri (for example) being charged with the same crime. Why does this particular guy get all this news coverage? Even if Elmo is the greatest muppet ever does the guy who voices him deserve national scrutiny?

1 Reply

@engineer,

engineer wrote:

Why does this particular guy get all this news coverage? Even if Elmo is the greatest muppet ever does the guy who voices him deserve national scrutiny?

First, the guy is rich and famous. I suspect this kind of attention comes with being a celebrity.

Second, he has (had?) daily interactions with minors.

Third, there's the drama of "he's accused!", "wait, the accuser recanted!", "wait, the accuser recanted the recant!"

Finally, there are all of the horrible puns... "We need someone to help Count the accusations!"

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I remember that in the 1990's Elmo sometimes appeared as an assistant chef on The Frugal Gourmet, another PBS star who was hit with sex allegations involving minors.

http://media.egotvonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Jeffsmith.jpg

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@sozobe,

Quote:

2.) HOWEVER, I think it's very possible that the people (or one person) were/was actually 16, and didn't come out with it now not because of fame/ money but just because of dealing with the whole thing. That definitely happens.

It's hard to say, since the accusers are seeking damages in excess of $ 5 million. It took the accuser nine years to decide he was ruined? But for five million he will forget and forgive?
What also caught my attention is somehow the plaintiff is only now aware of harm that this alleged behavior is said to have caused. Perhaps it is legitimate but why, other than greed, would the figure be set so high.

As others have noted, simply the allegation is enough to damage the accused, guilty or not.

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This is all about hounding someone because they're gay. What's the age of consent over there? Over here it's 16, so he wasn't having sex with a minor. As they originally met in a gay chatroom he's not using his position as a puppeteer to groom children/vulnerable adults he meets in the workplace.

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@RST,

The irony in this matter is that the real victim is Kevin Clash.

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Are we supposed to ignore people when they make these type of charges? As some on here have said, we don't have all the facts to judge it by.

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Although we shouldn't make assumptions about Kevin Clash, we certainly should not assume the accusers are dishonest. It is very difficult for any victim of sexual abuse to come forth.

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@edgarblythe,

We should not ignore the victims, there's been a real scandal over here involving powerful figures in the 60s and 70s, (Jimmy Savile and Cyril Smith) who got away with abuse because their victims weren't believed.

Clash is being accused of consensual sex with someone over the age of consent that he met in a gay chatroom.

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God you're tedious. Not all the world is set up like your little walled garden. The age of consent in the United States is 18--now tell us all about how superior your system is. If he had such relations with the individuals concerned, it is legally child sexual abuse in the United States. Now prance around some more with your phony indignation, and don't forget to attempt to claim that what happens where you live is somehow relevant.

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@Setanta,

Not just that. I saw the age 15 in one of the posts up above.

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The man is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but as so many have already pointed out, his life--at least a public life--is already ruined. If a court determines that he was diddling even a 16 year old boy, i'll have zero sympathy.

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@Setanta,

Izzy seems to be saying the opposite in fact.

izzythepush wrote:

Clash is being accused of consensual sex with someone over the age of consent that he met in a gay chatroom.

(I added the emphasis.)

Anyway, yes, that's what's so difficult about these situations and why I'm so loath to judge without more information (or even then, because often the crux of it comes down to differing accounts of the two people involved).

On the one hand, it's a damn shame that a mere accusation can have such power. I know someone who, given the caveats above, I'm 99.9% sure did not do what he was accused of doing. There was an investigation and he was cleared of the charges. Yet his career (working with children) was destroyed.

On the other hand, I know or know of so many victims of sexual abuse of one kind or another who only were able to say something about their assailants much later. (Jerry Sandusky's victims, for example.) And the last thing I'd want to do is doubt them, in any way.

1 Reply

Allegations of sexual relationship with minor(s) by Elmo Pupeteer, Kevin Clash, to be true?

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