Voice of Elmo (Kevin Clash) accused of having sex with teen boy

**Tails** · 11-13-2012, 01:38 PM

Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash sent racy email to accuser apologizing for constantly 'talking about sex' - NY Daily News

I find this sickening if he really was just 16. He's been the voice of Elmo for about 3 decades now and many many people grew up with Elmo and Sesame Street.

**Kugyince** · 11-13-2012, 05:14 PM

What a great gig he had.

**Winnebagel** · 11-13-2012, 05:34 PM

Yeah. People in positions like that (especially working with children) have a responsibility to be above board. This is really terrible if true.

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 06:17 PM

Remember innocent until proven guilty. He's not denying the relationship he's denying he did anything illegal. The letter he sent to the guy was well after he turned 18. That guy is accusing him of this but it's really just his word against elmos. It could easily be a case of a disgruntled ex lover trying to ruin his life.

Also isn't 16 technically the legal age of consent in most states? Either way 16 isn't the same as saying this was with a kid, I remember being 16.

Also again, this could've gone in my Current Events topic. I'd merge it but I can't do that still for some reason.

**Wolf** · 11-13-2012, 06:22 PM

now the 23 year old says it is false but if it was true that is really bad for sesame street

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 06:53 PM

Wait now he's retracting? He should be sued or something for ruining this guys reputation. He better get his job back.

**ARedLetterDay** · 11-13-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

Wait now he's retracting? He should be sued or something for ruining this guys reputation. He better get his job back.

Michael Jackson all over again.
Anyways, I'm sure he will get his job back, since it was Clash who left in the first place.

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 07:47 PM

I don't think it's fair to compare this to the MJ scandal. To be blunt MJ was a freakshow and about as abnormal as possible. Also he had more than one accusation and they were from kids much younger than the one in this story.

**Slime Slayer** · 11-13-2012, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

He should be sued or something for ruining this guys reputation.

I read the headlines, but didn't click the stories. The headlines were enough for me to gt the gist of it: Elmo guy = scumbag.

Had I not read your posts in this thread I might have gone my whole life thinking that. This is a non story without the Elmo twist. Disgusting.

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 08:13 PM

That's the problem, most people will not read about the retraction or they'll assume he was paid to change his tune. He needs to be prosecuted and made an example of.

**ARedLetterDay** · 11-13-2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

I don't think it's fair to compare this to the MJ scandal. To be blunt MJ was a freakshow and about as abnormal as possible. Also he had more than one accusation and they were from kids much younger than the one in this story.

It started, though, with a scumbag parent who wanted to sue MJ for absurd amounts of money. He accused MJ of molesting his child, and MJ was found not guilty in 2005. The fact that the father wanted to sue MJ for a bunch of money is my own personal view on the subject, mostly because of the "not guilty" verdict.

Tl;dr, MJ was found not guilty on all 10 felony and 4(? I think?) misdemeanors. It was a false allegation, much like what this 16 / 18 / 23 year old is accusing Kevin Clash of.

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 08:56 PM

I'm not 100% familiar with MJs legal trouble but I remember he paid one of them off, might've been more. Paying off your accuser and putting them under a gag order doesn't seem like the act of an innocent person.

**ARedLetterDay** · 11-13-2012, 09:09 PM

That was also false.
Yes, he paid money to the accuser, but it wasn't to shut him up. It was an act of apology for befriending the fathers son and figured it was the least he could do even amidst all the allegations. EVEN THEN, the father demanded MORE money from MJ.
I'm personally not a fan of MJ's music, I like one or two songs, so these aren't biased opinions, mind you. It's unfortunate that he had to go through that, both MJ and the child who was allegedly molested.

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 09:12 PM

You have a link to them explaining what the settlement was about? I've never heard of it being a gift to the family who dragged his name through the mud, seems kinda odd.

**ARedLetterDay** · 11-13-2012, 09:24 PM

Oops. Looks like he did pay off the accuser, but the amount was never disclosed.
I was apparently talking about the 2003 allegations. Sorry everybody!

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 09:57 PM

That's what I was talking about, doesn't exactly scream innocent right?

**ARedLetterDay** · 11-13-2012, 10:00 PM

It doesn't, but we'll never know.
And yes, before I'm told so, I know how messed up the Justice System is sometimes, so even a verdict of not guilty doesn't necessarily mean he / she is not guilty. I personally believe he is innocent, though. He was, for all intents and purposes, a child trapped in a man's body with some really good dance moves. I don't think another kid (although strangely it has happened) could do that to another kid.
-shrug.
Ah well.

**Dudebro** · 11-13-2012, 10:04 PM

I've seen enough about MJ to know that he was weird enough to be suspicious. Anyone who gets a carnival in their yard and only wants to hang out with kids is bizarre to say the least.

**Slime Slayer** · 11-13-2012, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

I've seen enough about MJ to know that he was weird enough to be suspicious. Anyone who gets a carnival in their yard and only wants to hang out with kids is bizarre to say the least.

Kinda sounds like fun... kids are a great excuse to act like an idiot. Of course you need suitable 2nd players too. (note to self: new topic idea)I think the story about MJ was that his childhood was not a childhood it all, it was full blown adulthood. It really made him feel cheated, so he basically said "frig it, everyone deserves to be a kid for awhile, I've got the money to do it, so I'm gonna do it" Now obviously it was wrong for him to play doctor with the little kids, but maybe he thought it was part of what he was cheated out of. Not saying he did play doctor, I'm not even sure of what degree the allegations were, but if I recall correctly they were pretty mild, childish if you will. Regardless of what he did or didn't do, I can't help but to see him as a victim. It's a really unique situation.

The Elmo guy was just on the local news tonight.

**Dudebro** · 11-20-2012, 03:17 PM

Voice of Elmo quits after underage sex lawsuit filed - CNN.com

This bothers me. The first accuser recanted and admitted he was lying. Now some other guy decides to file a 5 million dollar lawsuit claiming he was abused at 15. Not only that but his lawyer said this-

Quote:

Kevin Clash preyed on vulnerable teenage boys, like Cecil Singleton, to satisfy his depraved sexual interests," attorney Jeff Herman said. "By coming forward now, Cecil hopes to spare the lives of others like him and to begin his own healing process.

If this is another lie to get money they should prosecute him harshly for trying to paint him as a monster based on one allegation. Also it's kinda telling that this guy came forward now and wants 5million dollars. Usually victims of this kind of thing don't want publicity and they don't care about big cash settlements, they just want the accused to be punished. I think it's a shameless cash grab.

Because of this scandal he's now quit his job. If it turns out to be false then these people ruined his life and forever put a stain on Seasame Street.