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Kevin Clash, Voice of Sesame Street’s Elmo, on Leave After Being Accused of Sexual Relationship with 16 Year Old

November 12, 2012 by 3 Comments
150x113 Kevin Clash, Voice of Sesame Streets Elmo, on Leave After Being Accused of Sexual Relationship with 16 Year Old

Kevin Clash, Voice of Sesame Street’s Elmo, on Leave After Being Accused of Sexual Relationship with 16 Year Old. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Oh no, say it ain’t so — Kevin Clash, the man who voices Sesame Street’s Elmo, has taken a leave of absence amid allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy.  Sesame Street’s lawyers were contacted by a 23 year old man who claims he had a sexual relationship with Kevin Clash seven years ago, when he was 16.

According to TMZ, Kevin Clash admitted he had a relationship with the man, but only after the accuser was an adult and said the accusations were both false and defamatory.

UPDATE#1:  From Huffington Post – The man who accused the voice of Sesame Street’s beloved Elmo of having a sexual relationship with him when he was 16 has recanted his story.  The New York Times reports that the law firm representing the accuser, who has not been named, released a statement saying the man “wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with [Kevin Clash] was an adult consensual relationship.”

Kevin Clash, Voice of Sesame Streets Elmo, on Leave After Being Accused of Sexual Relationship with 16 Year Old
04 Kevin Clash, Voice of Sesame Streets Elmo, on Leave After Being Accused of Sexual Relationship with 16 Year Old
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About Janet Shan

Janet Shan is a freelance journalist, blogger and social media consultant. Janet specializes in political and social commentary, as well as business writing. She is the founder and managing editor of the Hinterland Gazette. She is putting the finishing touches on her new novel, a mystery based in the hills on Montego Bay, Jamaica.

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  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/15458282944035344707 repsac3

    Awful, if true.

    The obvious questions, though, are why the alleged victim waited so long to say anything, and why he went to Sesame Street, rather than the police, when he finally did decide to say something?

    There needs to be a full investigation–and prosecution, if the facts warrant it–but the story as reported so far creates more questions about both parties than it answers… And the fact that some on the right are using this shoddy shell of a story to further their own sociopolitical ends is really disgusting.

    • http://blackpoliticalthought.blogspot.com HinterlandG

      Repsac3 — From what I have read, the statue of limitations is close to running out. Due to the nature of the allegations, a thorough investigation must be done. Kevin Clash’s reputation and career will be irreparably damaged no matter how you view this situation.

      By the way thanks for the email, but I’m not getting any pop-ups on my end. I had a new advertising program and I removed the link just in case that’s where that was coming from. Thanks for the heads up.

      • http://www.blogger.com/profile/15458282944035344707 repsac3

        “Kevin Clash’s reputation and career will be irreparably damaged no matter how you view this situation.”

        Assuming he isn’t guilty of anything illegal, that’s the real shame of the thing. What consenting adults–including consenting adults who just turned 18–do behind closed doors should be nobody else’s business, but because Kevin Clah is gay and entertains children, this admittedly unorthodox but completely legal relationship will haunt him for the rest of his life, and likely end his carreer as Elmo.

        While that kinda age difference makes no sense to me–gay or straight, an 18 year old may look good, but once they open their mouths, the lack of life experience would be a real turn-off for most folks in their 40′s, i’d think–it is legal, and there are men and women gay and straight who are happy in such relationships.

        The story’s out there and it has to play out, but it’s a damned shame, especially if Kevin didn’t commit any crime, but was simply in an unconventional relationship with a guy too immature to handle it, and vengeful enough to end his former partner’s career because of it.