I managed to take a few extra days off around Christmas and New Year’s, while flipping through the television channels, I made the mistake of stopping on a PBS station. I unfortunately heard that whiney, annoying, high pitched Elmo voice. I thought it to be very strange that I was hearing that voice because I recalled that Kevin Clash, voice for the whiney annoying Elmo, had been accused of an, ahem, “inappropriate relationship” with a young man:
http://www.tmz.com/2012/11/12/elmo-kevin-clash-sex-sesame-street-underage-boy-allegations/
“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. “
Eventually, that escalated to:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/elmo-hit-underage-sex-allegation-article-1.1208359
“A new lawsuit says puppeteer Kevin Clash seduced his third underage victim in a posh Manhattan love nest decorated with furry Elmo dolls and celebrity photos.
Clash, 52, plied the 16-year-old aspiring model with liquor and sweet talk after they met on a gay chat line in 2000, alleged the lawsuit filed Tuesday. It was the third time Clash has been hit with underage sex allegations in two weeks.”
Uh,oh, a pattern is developing
I was really quite surprised that with the Elmo character being associated with possible criminal activity, that the character was still being used.
Now, just for fun, let’s compare that to another “similar” issue:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000607/bio
“Now a genuine comedy-circuit star, he became a frequent guest of David Letterman and a favorite at Caroline’s in New York. In 1984, he sold out Carnegie Hall. He later auditioned for the cast of “Saturday Night Live” (1975), but when that didn’t turn out as planned, he started writing a feature-length screenplay for Pee-Wee to star in, and asked friend Tim Burton to direct. Released to wildly divergent reviews, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), followed its star cross-country in a madcap search for his beloved, stolen bike. The $7 million picture ended up grossing $45 million. That following year, CBS which had been losing children’s audiences to cable programming, was interested in finding something to shore up its Saturday Morning lineup. The network company signed him to act/produce and to direct its live-action children’s program called “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” (1986). They doled out an eye-popping budget of $325,000 per episode – the same price as a prime- time sitcom. Reubens received complete creative control, albeit with three minor exceptions. During its five-year-run on CBS, he never appeared in general as himself. He even granted printed interviews in full Pee-Wee regalia.
The image of Pee-Wee was broken on July 26, 1991. On his summer vacation, Reubens was visiting his parents in Sarasota and sought escape from boredom by catching a showing of the X-rated film, Nurse Nancy. He fell victim to a police sting operation and was arrested for sex charges when detectives allegedly saw him playing with his private parts. He was released on $219 bail and nobody realized what had happened until somebody recognized him beneath his long hair and goatee. The media went berserk: ‘Kids show star arrested for indecent exposure’. Because of his behavior, CBS dropped the Playhouse and related merchandise was released from its shelves. He agreed to pay a $50 fine plus $85 in court costs to Sarasota County, and he produced a 30 second public service message for the Partnership For Drug-Free America commercial. As part of the deal, the county sealed all legal papers relating to the actor’s arrest and didn’t leave Reubens with a criminal record. The scandal marked the virtual death of Pee-Wee Herman. Reubens appeared as his favorite character for the last time at that Autumn’s MTV Music Video Awards. The enthusiastic reception was not surprising, as he had received 15 thousand supportive letters during his arrest. Regardless, he had recently made a promise not to play Pee-Wee anymore and used his arrest as a chance to portray other roles.”
The key part of that is what I remember the best.
“The media went berserk: ‘Kids show star arrested for indecent exposure’.”
I can remember a memory wipe of Pee-Wee that would have made Stalin or Mao proud.
All video tapes were pulled off the market; all Pee-Wee toys were disappeared from stores, an incredibly successful television show ended.
For what?? Masturbating in an ADULT MOVIE THEATER????
OK, It’s not an activity that (a) I would suggest, (b) recommend, or (c) participate in, but let’s put it in context and compare to what Kevin Clash is accused of doing….
HAVING SEX WITH A MINOR !!!!!
For Christ’s sake, he works for a CHILDREN’S show.
And not just a children’s show, but one of the most respected and highly valued (by those who care)
So why is the Elmo character still on the air and being sold in stores?
http://hotnewsandphotos.com/?p=13215
“As it turns out Kevin Clash resigning from Sesame Street hasn’t appeared to hurt Elmo toy and video sales in the least.
In a quick and information study TMZ reached out to 20 retailers across the country to find out of Elmo was pulled from the shelves or if sales slowed following the Kevin Clash resignation and claims of sexual misconducted by a second man.
Not only were stores not pulling the Elmo toys and videos from their shelves, they in many cases didn’t have any in stock because of super high demand ahead of Christmas.
In fact employess in Florida, Texas, South Carolina and New York were largely unaware of the Kevin Clash controversy.”
Unaware??
Really??
It couldn’t be that Elmo is the golden jewel in the Sesame Street crown and if they did remove the character it would cost the left wing PBS propaganda machine millions of dollars. eh?
Amazing as to what liberals can get themselves worked into a tizzy about.
And shocking what they don’t.
Bacon Time !!!!!! 