Everything Not A-OK, Elmo Actor Kevin Clash Resigns from Sesame Street Amid New Sex Allegation

RUT-ROH, Where there is smoke, there is fire. Just when you thought Elmo was back and all was A-OK on Sesame Street, along comes new sex allegations with minors …

Recently Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo of Sesame Street fame was accused of sexual relations with a minor and took a leave of absence from The Children’s Television Workshop. However, as soon as the accusation was made that Clash denied, the accuser recanted his story. Everyone thought that Elmo was safe and set to go back to work. Not so fast! Kevin Clash resigned from “Sesame Street” on Tuesday amid new allegations he sexually abused an underage boy. The latest allegation comes from 24 year old college student, Cecil Singleton, who sued Clash for more than $5 million in federal court in New York . Singleton accused the actor of engaging in sexual behavior with him when he was 15.

Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash resigned from “Sesame Street” on Tuesday amid allegations he sexually abused underage boys, bringing an end to a 28-year career in which he turned the furry red monster into one of the most beloved — and lucrative — characters on TV and in toy stores.

Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work ‘Sesame Street’ is doing and I cannot allow it to go on any longer,” the 52-year-old performer said in a statement. “I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately.”

His departure came as a 24-year-old college student, Cecil Singleton, sued Clash for more than $5 million Tuesday, accusing the actor of engaging in sexual behavior with him when he was 15. Singleton charged that Clash made a habit of trolling gay chat lines for underage boys and meeting them for sex.

From the New York Post:

Singleton claims he met Clash in 2003, through a gay telephone chat line.

The plaintiff said there was no intercourse with Clash until after he turned 18.

Before then, their intimate contact included “groping, masturbation, just a lot of intense kissing, touching, that kinda thing, dry-humping,” Singleton matter-of-factly told reporters during a Midtown press conference this afternoon.

One accuser can be explained away, especially when they recant; however, two accusers becomes a trend and sadly there may be more to come. I must admit I was a bit suspect when Clash took a leave of absence so quickly from Sesame Street when the first allegation was made. Something did not smell right. For something that he was so adamant about denying, the leave of absence was announced far too quickly. A co-worker discussed this story with me and said the underage sex story was recanted and asked if I was too quick to condemn the puppeteer. My response was, this is most likely not the end of this story. I would not be at all be surprised if more accusers came out of the woodwork. Not to the extent of Jerry Sandusky, but these kind of stories get legs once one person makes their sexual abuse known. And guess what happened?