Voice of Elmo Could Face Sex Charges
Not everyone was surprised to find out that the man behind the voice of Elmo is gay, but when news broke that Kevin Clash may have had an affair with a 16-year-old boy, things started looking grim on the usually chipper Sesame Street.
Clash, who hails from Baltimore, has been playing the voice of Elmo for the past few years. But amid accusations that he had an affair with a 16-year-old about seven years ago (the accuser is now 23), Clash, 52, took a leave of absence from the long-running children’s show after admitting that he had a relationship with the young man after he became an adult, according to the Baltimore Sun.
TMZ broke the story after being contacted by the young man in June. And while no evidence has been produced to substantiate the affair (the two did exchange emails), both Sesame Street and PBS are investigating. “I had a relationship with [the accuser],” Clash confessed to TMZ. “It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not.”
That’s all fine and dandy, but if you’re working for one of the most well-known children’s television franchises in the world, maybe you should consider dating guys who are at least old enough to get into Woody’s.
