Third Elmo Accuser Claims Kevin Clash Abuse When He Was 16
The events surrounding the downfall of Kevin Clash, the man behind Elmo, aren't over: Yet another accuser has come forward to sue Clash, Robert Gearty at the New York Daily News reported Tuesday evening. This time a 29-year-old man, being referred to as "John Doe," alleges that he and Clash engaged in "some sexual activity" when the accuser was 16 in 2000.
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The accuser's lawyer, Jeff Herman, said that in an initial conversations on a gay chat line, Clash told his client that he was 30, though when they met at the apartment of Clash, who called himself "Craig," the accuser realized the now 52-year-old Clash appeared to be older. Per Herman, "John Doe," who interacted with Clash again in 2003 and 2004, recognized Clash's celebrity when he saw "Elmo dolls, an Emmy award and photographs of Elmo with movie stars." Herman said his client started writing a book about the experience in 2009.
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Herman is also representing Cecil Singleton, the second accuser to step forth, who claims that Clash frequented gay telephone chat rooms to meet underage men.
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All of the controversy, however, has not damaged the Elmo brand — at least when it comes to toy sales, Sam Ro at Business Insider reports. A toy-industry analyst told Ro that the new LOL Elmo doll was selling well this weekend. As for Sesame Street, well, that's another story.
