Damn. Kevin Clash has resigned. That’s sad.
Mr. Clash has played Elmo on “Sesame Street” for decades. He was profiled in a documentary last year, “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey.”
That documentary is why I know about him, as it probably is for a lot of people. He seems like an outstanding human being.
It looks as if Sesame Street, or PBS, or both, simply threw him to the wolves.
Last week, Sesame Workshop said the first man’s accusations were unfounded. The organization did not have any immediate comment about the second man’s lawsuit on Tuesday. But in a statement, it said:
Sesame Workshop’s mission is to harness the educational power of media to help all children the world over reach their highest potential. Kevin Clash has helped us achieve that mission for 28 years, and none of us, especially Kevin, want anything to divert our attention from our focus on serving as a leading educational organization. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin’s personal life has become a distraction that none of us want, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from Sesame Street. This is a sad day for Sesame Street.
Chickenshits.
Another young man has made allegations and is suing for massive ($5 mil) damages, I can believe Kevin Clash did choose to resign to cut down on the damage to Sesame Street – can’t you just see the GOP running with this, PBS funds molesters
Man, that sucks. I really like that dude.
“He seems like an outstanding human being.”
So did Jerry Sandusky, if you read his book and talked to the people singing his praises.
I agree that the allegations are at least flimsy enough that PBS could have reasonably stood by him through the investigations, but after Penn State, the BBC stuff, that little dust up in the Catholic Church, I understand why they would distance themselves from this as quickly as possible.
Clash is either a troubled criminal or a person who unjustly had his life destroyed, with absolutely nothing in between.
I cannot say what Kevin Clash is. But no matter what, the wingnuts will point at this, no matter the outcome, as what harm a permissive and liberal media causes.
But it will ignore one vital detail. PBS did not try to bury this as the RCC did. Investigations are on going. If Kevin Clash actually is a pedophile, it will be dealt with. Unlike that organization that insists it is needed for the sake of public morality.
Well that’s true (@ 3). Jimmy Savile, too, and that nice priest who used to come to dinner every Tuesday.
Damn.
Can I make special rules for people I like? No?
siiiiiiiiigh
That way leads to cover ups.
And its also possible that the first accuser recanted because they decided after the media firestorm that they don’t want to deal with the victim blaming and mud that would be thrown as the case dragged on. While it’s possible that Kevin Clash is entirely blameless and the second person is “just out for money” it’s also possible that both young men are telling the truth.
Isn’t that how kids are often treated when they try to tell someone what happened? ” Oh mister so and so is such a nice person, you must have misunderstood what happen!”
I know, I know! That was self-criticism (via self-mockery).
Sorry Ophelia, but I have to go with “Kevin Clash possibly had sexual relations with an underage kid. That‘s sad.”
Reading Clash’s version of the first story, it still seemed a little creepy and predatory, even if technically legal – a 40 + year old having a sexual relationship with a young adult he had known as a minor. I’m glad he resigned, but I wish he had shown better life judgement in his position as a children’s performer and hadn’t had to. Sigh.
I know. It is just frustrating that the wingnuts that will be swinging that about like a club will not see how PBS is objectively better than the RCC. It will be possible to try to find the truth here and act on it. The RCC made their situation so much worse.
Though the Penn State case shows that some people will wave off sex abuse cases; because it was not as important as football.
Sorry for piling on you Ophelia!
Beatrice, compared to all of the crap that Ophelia receives, I doubt that this counts as a pile on.
Sorry if I came off as piling on as well, I just find this subject really triggering. I was once the victim of an attempted crime. I don’t want to go into it too much, but it went from not being believed to being threatened with charges of making a false statement. Effectively killed any trust I had in law enforcement. Sorry for the derail. I realize this is not the same situation and I hope for the sake of all involved that the facts come out, whatever they turn out to be.
So, after I apologize for apologizing, we’ll all stop apologizing. 🙂
Sorry for making you think you have something to apologize for, embraceyourinnercrone (because you don’t).
snerk
No no no, it’s fine. It’s not piling and anyway I was wrong.
You can never judge by appearences. My generation grew up watching Jimmy Savile during the Seventies. We just thought he was a harmless necrophile.
It’s just a shitty, cynical world we live in.
Bill Simmons came up with this concept called the “Tyson Zone.” He’s a sports/entertainment guy, so the idea is that a celebrity enters the Tyson Zone when literally any story, no matter how bizarre, will be immediately believable: Brittany Spears just shaved her head and attacked her ex’s car with a baseball bat–yeah, I can see that; Mike Tyson just bit off his own finger on Letterman (didn’t happen, but after the ear-biting would you say, “No way”?).
Something similar exists with child molesters these days. I don’t think there is a single person outside of my close family and friends (and that may be a result of self-deception–sure hope not) that could be accused of some horrible sex crime involving minors that would surprise me. It may disappoint or sicken me, but I’ve lost my capacity to be shocked. That can’t be good.
ITYM Chick-Shit-Aes? No?
“The suit said that Mr. Singleton [the second accuser, the original accuser having recanted] ‘did not become aware that he had suffered adverse psychological and emotional effects from Kevin Clash’s sexual acts and conduct until 2012.'”
Nine years later he realizes the damage he’s sustained and finds thereby he can file suit for $5 million? It’s just as easy to have grave suspicions and doubts of this person’s actions and motives as it is in Clash’s case. But guess where the vast number of fingers will point? There will be no justice had from this, regardless of courtroom findings.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/elmo-accuser-exposed-876534#1115
“the mystery man who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of engaging in an underage sexual relationship–only to recant the allegation a day later–is a struggling 24-year-old model/actor who was once arrested for the knifepoint robbery of $250,000 in jewelry from a music manager for whom he interned, The Smoking Gun has learned.”
#1 could just be a grifter
#2 could possibly be a copycat grifter…
bobo,
The thing is, being abused as a child stuffs up a sense of normal boundaries. Predators choose children who will not be believed, and resultant stuffed-up sense of normality almost ensures the victim will not be believed.
It’s not easy to differentiate fabrication from truth on the surface, but it is important to resist dismissing outright those who might not be pillars of society. They are even more vulnerable.
23# I am not outright dismissing them, what you say makes perfect sense
However, I am also keeping in mind that it would be relatively easy for anyone off the street to accuse anyone famous of sexual assault
What makes it difficult is 1) famous/rich people are easy targets 2) famous/rich people have power and money, so it is *easy* for them to abuse the powerless
tough call
I hope the truth comes out!
Bobo, if you hope the truth comes out then please stop trying to smear the accuser. You aren’t helping.
***
I loved Being Elmo too :/
jeez, I am not smearing
I just presented some info
and then I clarified
so please, chillax
#23 “bobo,
The thing is, being abused as a child stuffs up a sense of normal boundaries. Predators choose children who will not be believed, and resultant stuffed-up sense of normality almost ensures the victim will not be believed.
It’s not easy to differentiate fabrication from truth on the surface, but it is important to resist dismissing outright those who might not be pillars of society. They are even more vulnerable.”
#8 “And its also possible that the first accuser recanted because they decided after the media firestorm that they don’t want to deal with the victim blaming and mud that would be thrown as the case dragged on. While it’s possible that Kevin Clash is entirely blameless and the second person is “just out for money” it’s also possible that both young men are telling the truth.
Isn’t that how kids are often treated when they try to tell someone what happened? ” Oh mister so and so is such a nice person, you must have misunderstood what happen!””
——–
Agree 100pct with both of you
I hear Rebecca Watson is already promoting a boycott of Ophelia’s next speech!