Elmo

American breathed a sigh of relief when President Obama was re-elected, not because of his Medicare plans or immigration policies, but because the alternative would have been Mitt Romney, who had released plans to cut funding to PBS, which would have effectively meant cutting funding for Sesame Street.

The beloved show has proved its worth once more this week with an episode focussing on divorce. Sesame Street has never been a vacuous show, and was once of the first edutainment shows- everyone loves and learns from Count Dracular. But as the show itself comes under the radar since one of its executives was effectively forced into resignation due to allegations of underage sex with boys, dealing with more serious issues has become increasingly pertinent, such as divorce.

In the episode frilly pink fairy Abby Cadabby talks to Elmo about her two houses, one where she lives with Mommy and one with Daddy. Accompanying the episode is an online video from the Sesame Street makers, explaining their decision.

Continue reading: Sesame Street: "D Is For Divorce: Big Feelings On Sesame Street"

It has been over a month since Kevin Clash's first confused accuser came forward to sue the voice of Elmo for sex with an under age boy. Since then another three people have also sued Clash. The fourth accuser's suit has filed a suit, made public knowledge today, under the name John Doe (either that's a pseudonym or his parents have an interesting sense of humour). This is the third lawsuit still in action as the first accuser agreed to a financial deal and chose not to further the litigation. 

The details of Doe's case, according to TMZ, state that "he's suffered tremendous emotional, mental and psychological damage as a result of the relationship." Doe's lawyer, Jeff Herman (who is also representing two of the other accusers) has also said that: "According to our lawsuit, Kevin Clash knowingly paid to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of satisfying his sexual interests." Apparently, this took place in the mid to late '90s when the victim was 16-17, and Clash in his 30s.

The suit claims that Clash and Doe met in Miami in 1996, struck up a relationship and spent a lot of time on the phone before Clash offered to pay for a flight to New York. Doe then stayed at Clash's home for four days, according to CBS. Clash has already resigned from Sesame Street where he was a creative executive producer and the voice and puppeteer of the beloved character Elmo.

Continue reading: Elmo's Kevin Clash Comes Under Fire For A Fourth Time With Another Underage Sex Accusation

Kevin Clash, most known for voicing Sesame Street’s iconic Elmo, has been accused of another instance of sexual abuse of a minor.

This time the accuser, who has chosen to remain anonymous and is only quoted as John Doe in court proceedings, has stated that the abuse occurred on numerous occasions, when he was 16 or 17 and Clash was in his mid-thirties. Doe recounts that the Sesame Street actor paid for him to fly to NYC, as well as giving him a place to stay and some money. The man’s attorney, Jeff Herman, was quoted by TMZ as saying that according the lawsuit, Kevin Clash knowingly paid to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of satisfying his sexual interests. Doe is the fourth person to come forward with accusations against Clash. The actor resigned from the job as Elmo’s puppeteer after the second accuser, Cecil Singleton, came forth, accusing him of sexual abuse when he was 15. /p>

Sesame Street has yet to address the allegations, but a company spokesperson said for USA Today "Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin's personal life has become a distraction that none of us want, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from Sesame Street. This is a sad day for Sesame Street.” Surely, it is a sad day for everyone who has grown up with the iconic voice of Elmo.

Elmo putting recent troubles behind him and enjoying the Hollywood Christmas Parade

We all love a good Christmas parade round this time of year, but it should come as no surprise that when it comes to pulling out all the stops Hollywood likes to go a few steps better than everyone else. Elmo, the original Batmobile, Papa Smurf, Herbie the Lovebug, even Uggie - the dog from Oscar-winning film The Artist - were all on display in some form or other as the procession wound its way through a brisk Los Angeles yesterday (November 25). 

Continue reading: Pictures: The Hollywood Christmas Parade Benefiting Marine Toys For Tots

As two people have made allegations against Kevin Clash for sex with under age boys the star Elmo puppeteer has resigned from Sesame Street leaving the fate of Elmo somewhat in the lurch. 

Although Sesame Street have said that Elmo is bigger than this scandal, and will continue to appear in the show, there are still plenty of questions about how that will work with the absence of Clash. 

Marketing consultant Mark Joseph told Fox News, "Kids' properties require extra sensitivity and in order to protect a brand like Elmo, PBS needs to move quickly to find a replacement... There is no margin for error when it comes to kids' properties, and what might be forgiven in other contexts are not in that world."

Continue reading: Who Could Replace Kevin Clash As Elmo On Sesame Street?

It appears the voice of Elmo sex abuse scandal is nearing an end. Kevin Clash agreed to pay Sheldon Stephens $125,000 with one condition: that he recant his story that Clash had sex with him when he was a minor, TMZ have reported. 

"Stephens agrees that immediately upon execution of this Agreement, his counsel, Andreozzi & Associates, P.C., shall release the [following] statement ... 'He [Stephens] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship,'" said a statement, which goes onto say that if Stephens is asked by anyone about his relationship with Clash, he must only repeat the statement [above] in the settlement that recants his story. Contrary to this, though, it is reported that even though he signed the document, Stephens didn't want to, and cried while applying his signature, insisting that Clash had sex with him when he was a minor and was pressured into signing the settlement. Perhaps we're not nearing an end after all.

TMZ broke the story of the withdrawal of Stephens statement, with his lawyer releasing a statement saying, "[The accuser] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. [The accuser] will have no further comment," but who knows where this fresh information will lead. 

The man who accused Kevin Clash - the voice of Elmo - of having sex with him while he was just 16-years-old is sticking by his story. As was previously reported by TMZ.com, Mr Sheldon Stephens entered into a $125,000 settlement in which he confirmed that his sexual relationship was Mr Clash was adult and consensual.

The agreement released late last week read, "Stephens agrees that immediately upon execution of this Agreement, his counsel, Andreozzi & Associates, P.C., shall release the [following] statement ... 'He [Stephens] wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship," though Stephens is said to be having second thoughts and wants to give up the $125,000. He met with his lawyers in Los Angeles and told them he was pressured into recanting the allegations and insists he had sex with Clash while he was just 16-years-old. Stephens will gladly forfeit the $125,000 to tell the truth about their time together and was reportedly crying throughout the final negotiations, initially refusing to sign.

Clash's lawyer said on Friday (November 16, 2012) that he had no comment on the settlement story, though we're pretty sure this one is going to run and run and run. 

Continue reading: Elmo Sex Scandal: Accuser To Forfeit $125,000 And Stick By His Story

The sexual abuse scandal that surrounded Elmo’s voice man, Kevin Clash, had shocked many member of the public, especially given the heightened exposure many public figures have now been put under within the spectrum of child abuse. But now this particular ‘case’ has been put to bed by the person who made the allegations.

The accuser, now 23 years of age, has recanted his allegations, saying that they had an "adult consensual relationship". The accuser's attorney released a statement to E! News, clarifying the nature of his relationship with 52-year-old Clash: "This office represented the 23-year-old man who was the subject of many media reports regarding Kevin Clash. He wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. He will have no further comment on the matter." Clash also issued his own statement in response: "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest," the Emmy-winning Muppet man said. "I will not discuss it further." 

Continue reading: Elmo Kevin Clash Sex Abuse Scandal: Finally At An End?

The unraveling potential sex scandal over Sesame Street’s Elmo voice over actor Kevin Clash continues apace, with TMZ reported that he sent the man accusing him an email apologizing for constantly talking about sex.

It’s been widely reported now that a 23 year-old has accused Clash of having a sexual relationship with him seven years ago, when he would have been just 16. Clash, 52, has admitted that he had one with the accuser, but insists that it didn’t take place until after he had turned 18 years-old and has gone so far as to take a leave of absence from Sesame Street to fight for his name. The latest report by TMZ, though, points to an email sent in 2010 to the accuser in which Clash apologized for repeated references to sex and promised to make the recipient's “dreams come true”.

"I'm sorry that I keep talking about sex with you, its driving me insane” the emails reads. "I want you to know that I love you and I will never hurt you. I'm here to protect you and make sure your dreams come true." Clash continued, "I'll have my assistant book a ticket for you to come to NY and we can talk about this in person."

Kevin Clash, the voice (literally) behind Sesame Street's beloved character Elmo, has been accused of having a relationship with an under-age boy, reports TMZ. 

The 'boy' in question remains unnamed and is now 23, he alleges that Clash and he began a relationship when he was 16, when Clash would have been 45. The puppeteer fervently denies the allegations, saying that their relationship was mutual and didn't begin until the accuser was over the age of 18. He said: "I had a relationship with [the accuser]. It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not."

Sesame Workshop, the television organisation behind Sesame Street, released a statement. "In June of this year, Sesame Workshop received a communication from a young man who alleged that he had a relationship with Kevin Clash beginning when he was 16-years-old. This was a personal relationship, unrelated to the workplace. We took the allegation very seriously and took immediate action." They said, "Kevin insists that these allegations are false and defamatory and he has taken actions to protect his reputation. We have granted him a leave of absence to do so." Sesame Workshop lawyers have met with the accuser twice already, on behalf of Clash, but feeling that they were trying to 'muzzle' him, said accuser, opted to employ top lawyers Andreozzi and Associates to represent him.

Continue reading: Elmo Puppeteer Kevin Clash Accused Of Relationship With Boy Aged 16