It’s official. Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo, has resigned from Sesame Street. It is a sad day for Elmo lovers of all ages.
I was a Sesame Street kid. I watched it everyday when I was little, and my favorite character, hands down, was Elmo. I remember my mom did a pretty spot on Elmo impression and would always use it to cheer me up. She would say “Elmo loves Katie!!” and it would make me smile every time. The character of Elmo has been around since I was born (technically, Elmo and I are the same age) and has a huge place in my heart. I had always hoped to share the same sort of thing with my future kiddos. I guess that’s not going to happen, and I’m kind of torn up about it.
Now, I’m not saying what Kevin Clash did was right or even true. The guy who accused him of statutory rape recanted one day later, but did irreversible damage to Clash’s career. Clash took an break from the show after the accusation, only to resign a week later after 28 years on the show. The Sesame Workshop released this statement on his resignation:
“The controversy surrounding Kevin’s personal life has become a distraction that none of us want,” leading Clash to conclude “that he can no longer be effective in his job.”
It’s truly unfortunate. Despite the recanting of the accusation, Clash still felt it better to just leave and keep the Sesame Street name clean. I feel that’s a sign of a genuine and good man, leaving something wholesome to keep it wholesome. Now what I want to know is, does Clash own Elmo? Or does the Sesame Workshop? Will we ever see that cute red Muppet again? [via Huffpost]
What do you think about the Kevin Clash scandal?
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guest
that is so sad! but surly Elmo will live on at Sesame Street
guest
This is sad!
I did grow up watching Sesame Street. Cookie Monster was my personal favorite. I didn’t realize Elmo had been around for 28 years, which is older than I am. Then again, Elmo has been around for long as I can remember.
guest
I thought it said, emo.
guest
I had a feeling something like that may happen (don’t get me wrong, I personally think he may be innocent) to someone with money.
But, if he’s guilty, I will be pretty upset. If not, I still think it’s sad that his image is now ruined.
As for Elmo, to me he represents love, I will miss him!
orchid / 150 posts
A big black dude did the voice of Elmo? Kinda scary…
Kind of sad that Elmo is retiring though. Had he not been, he could have taken a bullet for Anne Hathaway by playing the role she’s playing, saving her from getting a brutal haircut.
guest
Someone else has also accused him. I think it’s sadder for the victims, if the accusations are true.
guest
@Chibi_Son_Gokou@xanga - yay who doesn’t love some racism! fuck off.
orchid / 150 posts
@punxybrewster@xanga – It’s racist to think someone is being racist simply by using the word “black” when in fact that person is only being descriptive.
guest
@Chibi_Son_Gokou@xanga - that’s true as far as i know. i think it’s true because i always hear black people of all ages & lifestyles referring to themselves as ‘black.’ it’s absolutely not negative….
guest
@Chibi_Son_Gokou@xanga and @PerfectSkinnyGirl@xanga- you’re not getting it. your comment refers to being a big black man as scary. why is is race necessary as a descriptor in anyway? when was the last time you heard ‘woah, what a scary WHITE dude?’ tell me when? because being white is coded as ‘normal’. you never have to describe a white person, it’s just assumed that they’re white. his race isn’t even the topic of the blog post. so, yeah, i’m gonna tell you to fuck off and that what you’re saying is racist because it is.
orchid / 150 posts
@punxybrewster@xanga – Ok, to be fair, I used to think that Elmo was voiced by a little white girl.
rose / 960 posts
@punxybrewster@xanga - …Dafuq? The thought of black guy, a rather handsome black guy, I must say, voicing Elmo is scary, not because -black guys are scary- but because it’s fucking Elmo. A guy can get his voice that high for extended periods of time? Especially stocky black men who generally hit the low voice notes in the street and in regular media? Ionno, messed with my worldview first time I heard it.
guest
@Chibi_Son_Gokou@xanga - understandable.
@xsPoNgEs_go_SQUISHx13@xanga - it’s called voice acting, you have to be trained in order to achieve the voices you want. even in music, men are able to be more then basses, there are high tenors and singing in a falsetto. it isn’t strange at all for him to be able to pull off a high voice. your sentence about black men’s voices is invalid. there are many types of voices that all men possess. to say ‘especially stocky black men’…just…what?
rose / 960 posts
@punxybrewster@xanga - Obviously, I got that cognitively and it’s not like I mind anymore, but it’s not the most horrible thing to voice what’s truly on the mind, especially if that opinion changes. You keep that up, we’ll never beat racism because it’ll simply fester. And I was just going to go with “stocky men” but I didn’t think it was specific enough for the reply.
daisy / 603 posts
@xsPoNgEs_go_SQUISHx13@xanga - @punxybrewster@xanga - Elmo wouldn’t want you two to fight!
guest
@xsPoNgEs_go_SQUISHx13@xanga - uh……………nope. just nope. if i don’t voice what is racist we’ll never ‘beat’ racism. whatever that’s supposed to mean. chibi may not have meant it, but, what was put through was racist.
orchid / 211 posts
First Twinkies. Now Elmo.
guest
Bam…right in the childhood.