It’s a Sesame Street shocker for Elmo fans, as Kevin Clash — the longtime puppeteer and voice of the beloved red muppet, has resigned from the PBS children’s show amid a growing sex scandal involving underage boys.
According to a TMZ report, Clash resigns on the day a second accuser comes forward alleging Clash had met him on a gay phone chat line in 1993 when the child was 15.
The bombshell report comes just a week after Clash’s first accuser emerged, claiming he had a sexual relationship with the puppeteer when he was underage. That accuser, Sheldon Stephens, later recanted the allegations.
Sesame Workshop released a statement early Tuesday confirming Clash’s resignation:
“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.”
It’s not clear yet, whether the Elmo character will continue to be part of the franchise.
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