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Author Topic: Voice of Sesame Street's 'Elmo' accused of affair with underaged Teen  (Read 3024 times)
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San
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« on: November 12, 2012, 10:43:52 AM »

Voice of Sesame Street's 'Elmo' accused of affair with underaged teen

By DAVID K. LI
Last Updated: 10:07 AM, November 12, 2012
Posted: 9:49 AM, November 12, 2012



Kevin Clash poses with Elmo in 2010 for The Post.

The man who voices beloved children’s character “Elmo” took a leave of absence, after he was accused of having an affair with an underaged boy, Sesame Street officials said today.

The allegations against Kevin Clash, 52, go back seven years and the puppeteer said he needed a break from work to fight the allegations.

Officials with Sesame Workshop -- the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street -- said they conducted their own review, and couldn’t find conclusive evidence of any pervy, illegal acts by Clash.

But Clash’s employers conceded he used “poor judgment” in having a “personal relationship” with the accuser -- although accusations of underaged sex were “unsubstantiated.”

“We met with the accuser twice and had repeated communications with him. We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation,” according to statement by Sesame Workshop.

“We also conducted a thorough investigation and found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated. Although this was a personal relationship unrelated to the workplace, our investigation did reveal that Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding internet usage and he was disciplined.”

Sesame Workshop claims it first learned of the lurid allegations this summer.

“[In] June of this year, Sesame Workshop received a communication from a then-23-year-old man who alleged that he had a relationship beginning when he was 16” with Clash, according to a statement by Sesame Workshop.

The nonprofit group granted Clash’s request for time off.

“Kevin insists that the allegation of underage conduct is false and defamatory and he is taking actions to protect his reputation,” his employers said. “We have granted him a leave of absence to do so.”

 ::snipping2::

Read More:  http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/voice_teen_elmo_accused_of_years_f8XoIk95DNEivcqxnL7B2O
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San
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« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2012, 10:57:30 AM »

Voice of Elmo
Denies Sex w/ Underage Boy
Takes Leave of Absence from Sesame Street




Kevin Clash -- the man known as the voice of Elmo -- has taken a leave of absence from Sesame Street in the wake of allegations he had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old boy, TMZ has learned  ... allegations Clash adamantly denies.

We've learned ... Sesame Workshop lawyers recently met with a 23-year-old man who claims he and Clash began a sexual relationship 7 years ago ... when he was 16 and Clash was 45.

Clash has acknowledged to TMZ he had a relationship with the young man -- but insists it only took place AFTER the accuser was an adult.

Sesame Workshop honchos tell TMZ ... "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."

Sesame Workshop officials acknowledge to TMZ they met with the accuser twice and had a number of other communications with him.

Sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell TMZ ... after the accuser's initial meeting with Sesame Street, the accuser felt Sesame Workshop's lawyers were trying to muzzle him ... so he lawyered up with Andreozzi and Associates -- the firm that represented one of the victims in the Jerry Sandusky child rape case.

On August 15, 2012 ... Andreozzi fired off a letter to Sesame, accusing the company of trying to "discredit the victim in order to protect its employee and the image of one of its most valuable characters," adding, "This approach places a greater value on a puppet than the well being of a young man."

 ::snipping2::

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2012/11/12/elmo-kevin-clash-sex-sesame-street-underage-boy-allegations/#ixzz2C1YIM5i3

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« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2012, 01:44:19 PM »

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/elmo-puppeteer-accuser-email-apologizing-talking-sex-article-1.1201117
Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash sent racy email to accuser apologizing for constantly 'talking about sex'
Clash, who has voiced Elmo for 28 years, was caught in a sex scandal on Monday as Sesame Workshop confirmed he had been accused of an inappropriate relationship with an underage teen. Clash said the relationship was 'between two consenting adults.'
November 13, 2012

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« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2012, 07:17:06 PM »

Elmo accuser recants; says relationship was 'consensual'

By MICHAEL SHAIN, KATE SHEEHY and DAVID K. LI
Last Updated: 6:08 PM, November 13, 2012
Posted: 9:58 AM, November 13, 2012


The man who accused Elmo’s real-life persona, Kevin Clash of an underaged hookup has recanted his story, his legal representatives said today in an email, calling the relationship 'consensual.'

This office represented the 23-year-old man who was the subject of many media reports regarding Kevin Clash,” according to the accuser’s legal team.

“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, 52, had always conceded he had a relationship with the accuser, but only after his 18th birthday.

“I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest,” Clash said early this evening. “I will not discuss it further.”

Earlier today, TMZ reported that Clash had apologized to his accuser for rampant 'sex' talk in e-mail.

"I'm sorry that I keep talking about sex with you, its driving me insane," Clash allegedly wrote in an e-mail to his accuser.

"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."

But even as embarrassingly salacious as that e-mail was, TMZ reported Clash sent it after the now-23-year-old accuser had turned 18.

So ultimately, the troubling correspondence actually fit Clash’s narrative of the relationship.

"I'll have my assistant book a ticket for you to come to NY and we can talk about this in person," according to Clash's e-mail.

Sesame Street announced yesterday that Clash had taken a leave of absence to battle these pervy accusations.

The accuser went to Clash's bosses in June, sparking an internal investigation.

"I had a relationship with the accuser. It was between two consenting adults, and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was," said Clash, a dad who lives on the Upper West Side.

"I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter."

 ::snipping2::

Read More: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/elmo_voice_sorry_for_sex_talk_report_KKzUUtI0gpWh5dRfX2NmlK
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« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2012, 10:00:54 PM »

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/elmo-tickled-fourth-teen-suit-article-1.1217227
Fourth accuser: Elmo tickled me, too! Kevin Clash sued by another underage victim
The 'Sesame Street' puppeteer could face criminal charges for flying his young lover to New York, the suit charges

December 10, 2012

Sesame Street was brought to you Monday by the number four — as in the fourth man who has sued puppeteer Kevin Clash, claiming the voice of Elmo sexually abused him as a teen.

The latest allegation — filed by a man identified in court papers as S.M. - raise the possibility of criminal charges for Clash for the first time.

The documents allege Clash paid for the then-16 or 17-year-old to fly to from Miami, Fla. to New York City in 1996.

“Clash lured (John Doe) to visit him in New York with promises to pay for his plane ticket, be a ‘dad’ to him in New York and give him cash and a free place to stay,” court documents read.

If true, Clash could be charged with transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2013, 11:56:23 PM »

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/184832/federal-judge-drops-three-sex-abuse-lawsuits-against-sesame-street-puppeteer
Federal Judge Drops Three Sex Abuse Lawsuits Against Sesame Street Puppeteer
July 1, 2013

A federal judge on Monday threw out three sex abuse lawsuits against Kevin Clash, the "Sesame Street" puppeteer who created the character Elmo.
Three men accused Clash of sexually abusing them while they were underage.

The judge said the men waited too long too sue, saying the six-year federal statute of limitations had expired.

He also noted the men had been over the age of 18 for more than three years before filing the lawsuits.

The men plan to appeal.
 
One other lawsuit against Clash is pending in Pennsylvania.
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« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2014, 11:40:44 PM »

http://www.wfaa.com/news/entertainment/264023531.html
Last sex-abuse lawsuit against Elmo actor tossed
June 20, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A judge in Pennsylvania has dismissed the last of five sex-abuse lawsuits filed against the Emmy-winning puppeteer who voiced the "Sesame Street" character Elmo.
The ruling doesn't weigh the merits of Sheldon Stephens' claims against actor Kevin Clash. It says he filed suit too late.
The 25-year-old Stephens has publicly accused Clash of luring him into a sexual relationship when he was underage.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Conner says Stephens failed to sue by age 19 under laws in New York, where their meetings took place.
The 53-year-old Clash resigned from "Sesame Street" amid the accusations. Defense lawyer Michael Berger says he can now move on with his life.
 
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