TICKLE HIM ELMO!

Okay, I watched and read this story develop all week and I can't keep my mouth shut about it any longer! I never grew up with Elmo, but my younger cousins and niece and nephews were huge fans! I bought them the very popular "Tickle Me Elmo" dolls, which they still have to this day. Elmo had become an icon on Sesame Street exceeding the popularity of Bert and Ernie or even Big Bird. That's what makes this a sad say on the street they call Sesame. It turns out; Puppeteer Kevin Clash, the longtime voice of Elmo, resigned on Tuesday after a $5 million dollar lawsuit labeled him a pedophile who trolled telephone chat rooms in a hunt for underage lovers. Yeah, right! The lawsuit was actually the second filed against Clash this month. Earlier he was hit with allegations of a sexual relationship with an underage teenage boy. Those allegations were later recanted. 

This new suit filed by a Cecil Singleton, claims he was just 15 when the award-winning voice of the popular kids' character seduced him. Singleton recalled his first meeting with Clash in 2003, "He presented himself as the perfect gentleman. He told me how beautiful I was....After dinner, we walked and talked. He asked me if I might come to his apartment so he could give me a proper good-night kiss. He gave me the most passionate kiss I ever had experienced." Supposedly, a two-week romance ensued marked by mutual groping, masturbation and heavy make-out sessions followed despite Singleton's admission that he was just a high school sophomore. Not for nothing, but this sounds like a mutual relationship. It doesn't sound like Clash held a gun to the kids head and did all these things to him. If all of this is indeed true, I do agree that Clash was wrong to touch anyone less than 18 years of age, but according to the details given by Singleton, it sounds like two consenting adults, regardless of his age, on a date. Not once did he say that he didn't want to be kissed or groped. Why is he crying about it now? Because he needs money for school? Or maybe he's an attention whore. 

Anyway, Clash, who is 52, divorced his wife in 2003, and has a 19-year-old daughter. He's also been openly gay for many years, but that doesn't make him a kid-toucher. I've personally met Clash a few times when he came up to WKTU in New York City for an interview during our morning show, and I thought that he was this amazingly talented guy who can turn the Elmo voice on and off at any time! It was insane to watch. Regardless, I cannot picture this guy who held a 28-year career as Elmo looking to grope little kids! His sexual preference really doesn't matter. If these men, who say that they were touched by Clash back then, are telling the truth, why did they wait so long to say something? If I was molested or touched when I was underage, I would've told the authorities right away! I wouldn't have waited 8 years to start pointing fingers unless I wanted money from this celebrity!

Sesame Workshop granted Clash a leave of absence after the first allegation of sex with a minor, but it was Clash who resigned when the second allegation came out because he did not want anything to divert the Workshop's attention from their focus on serving as a leading educational organization. The Workshop noted that it was a sad day for Sesame Street and I have to agree. 

The first accuser, who recanted his allegation, just yesterday, said that he received a $125,000 settlement in return for recanting his charges. He is now saying that the relationship did happen and wants to return the settlement money. To me, this sounds like his lawyer saying, "We can get more than $125,000 from this guy! Return the money and let's get more!" I think that these two accusers are a couple of gay douchebags who are just looking for a quick pay day! They're obviously not realizing by making this a public affair, they just ruined a man's livelihood. Not to mention, they might've have ruined an icon for many kids growing up! Way to go, douchebags! Like I said, touching kids is extremely wrong! Why did these guys wait so long to press the panic button! Just wondering.....