Kevin Clash, the Sesame Street puppeteer who voices Elmo, has taken a leave of absence from the show amid allegations he had a sexual relationship with a teenage boy.
The accusations were made in June by a 23-year-old man who claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Clash when he was 16 years old. In a statement issued Monday, Sesame Workshop said an investigation into the matter "found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated" and that Clash was granted a leave of absence as he's "taking actions to protect his reputation."
A Sesame Street rep did not immediately respond to THR's request for further details including when the show expects him to return.
Clash has voiced Elmo since 1985, launching the sweet-natured, red-furred puppet -- who'd been a recurring character since the '70s -- to greater level of fame alongside Big Bird and Cookie Monster.
Last year, Clash starred in the documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, which debuted to positive reviews in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. At the time, The Hollywood Reporter called Clash an "exceptional performer" and the film "a rare documentary that will connect across generations and cultures to delight viewers worldwide for years to come."
The statement reads:
We took the allegation very seriously and took immediate action. We met with the accuser twice and had repeated communications with him. We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation. We also conducted a thorough investigation and found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated. Although this was a personal relationship unrelated to the workplace, our investigation did reveal that Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding internet usage and he was disciplined.
Kevin insists that the allegation of underage conduct is false and defamatory and he is taking actions to protect his reputation. We have granted him a leave of absence to do so.
Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street to engage, educate and inspire children around the world, as it has for 40 years.
