# Shouldn't have tickled him, Elmo \[Sesame Street puppeteer resigns after sex allegations\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798 "2012-11-12T17:29:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/121 "2012-11-20T18:45:35Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Okay, I understand that the producers of Sesame Street don’t want to be part of the inevitable avalanche of scurrilous newspaper stories, but seriously. The new accuser is “claiming he had only recently become aware of ‘adverse psychological and emotional effects’”? I’m no expert, and I thankfully don’t have that level of trauma in my life, so maybe it’s possible, but c’mon, that at least SOUNDS like a blatant money grab. To be fair, sometimes it takes the courage of another person to help other, similarly effected people come forward regarding cases such as these. If the guy in question is still a very young adult, who has had depression or any one of a multitude of other emotional/behavioural problems for even only a few years, it could easily be understood that it mightn’t be immediately obvious what the possible cause/s may be for his issues. Lots of people in their 30s, 40s, 50s don’t realize that their issues stem from events of their teen years; events that didn’t even seem like a big deal, when they were still teens. It would not surprise me if more “victims”\* come out of the woodwork. - I reserve judgement on whether Clash actually “victimized” these boys/men. Undecided at this time. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/122 "2012-11-20T18:48:28Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > If the guy in question is still a very young adult, who has had depression or any one of a multitude of other emotional/behavioural problems for even only a few years, it could easily be understood that it mightn’t be immediately obvious what the possible cause/s may be for his issues. The timeline in the article implies the new accuser would be 35 now. Just an observation, not a judgment as to whether it makes his claims more or less credible. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/123 "2012-11-20T18:52:23Z")
> [@bup](#): > > The timeline in the article implies the new accuser would be 35 now. > > Just an observation, not a judgment as to whether it makes his claims more or less credible. Sorry, I read both links, which appear to be fundamentally the same, and no current ages were given for either of the accusers, and no timeline was presented that I noticed? ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/124 "2012-11-20T19:09:42Z")
Mightn’t? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/125 "2012-11-20T19:10:33Z")
Huh, the article seems to have changed, because I remember it saying something along the lines of the alleged relationship beginning “twenty years ago.” That plus the given age of 15 equals 35. > [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > To be fair, sometimes it takes the courage of another person to help other, similarly effected people come forward regarding cases such as these. > > If the guy in question is still a very young adult, who has had depression or any one of a multitude of other emotional/behavioural problems for even only a few years, it could easily be understood that it mightn’t be immediately obvious what the possible cause/s may be for his issues. > > Lots of people in their 30s, 40s, 50s don’t realize that their issues stem from events of their teen years; events that didn’t even seem like a big deal, when they were still teens. True, but the article quote said that he only recently _became aware_ of the trauma. Perhaps it’s bad wording, but that gave me mental images of _very sudden_ onset, triggered by either the recent news stories or dollar signs, depending on whose side you believe. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/126 "2012-11-20T19:12:57Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Mightn’t? It’s a cool word, still in use, even to this day, in small secluded corners of the internet wilderness. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/127 "2012-11-20T19:33:48Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Huh, the article seems to have changed, because I remember it saying something along the lines of the alleged relationship beginning “twenty years ago.” That plus the given age of 15 equals 35. Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/128 "2012-11-21T21:10:55Z")
Might need to change the thread title again. I read an article in the paper this morning saying someone else has come forth with allegations that Clash engaged in sexual behavior with him when he was 15, and that Clash regularly trolled gay chat rooms looking for underage boys. Following the latest allegations, Clash has quit his job with Sesame Street. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/129 "2012-11-21T21:12:42Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Might need to change the thread title again. Done. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/130 "2012-11-22T00:35:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That’s actually a fairly common usage among people who are interested in queer theory and identity politics, where there’s a good deal of debate over whether labels like “homosexual” and “heterosexual” have an objective significance, or are entirely self-selected and not subject to outside validation. In that context, the distinction **Annie** raised (and which **MPB** mangled) is significant in that the overwhelming majority of child molesters self identify as heterosexual. Even if you insist on an objective definition of sexuality, defining child molesters as “heterosexual” or “homosexual” is still problematic, because those same predators also, almost overwhelmingly, are exclusively heterosexual in their adult relationships. > > It has been argued that sexual attraction to prepubescents is, effectively, gender blind, and a pedophiles choice of targets is largely shaped by opportunity: men are more likely to be placed in situations where they have access to young boys as opposed to young girls, but given the chance, do not generally scruple as to their victims’ gender. This is not as unlikely as it may seem at first blush. Attraction is usually driven by secondary sexual traits: breasts, biceps, hips, beard stubble, etc. Children of either gender are equally lacking in those traits, which is apparently what draws pedophiles to them. When approached from this perspective, pedophilia is arguably a third and distint orientation from both hetero- and homosexuality. > > Anyway, regardless of that, it is unarguable that men who identify as homosexual are vastly less likely to be child molesters than men who identify as heterosexual. While **Annie** ’s post may have been lacking in some nuance, the central thrust of her argument remains valid and important. No, the thrust of her argument was that it the word did not mean what it actually means. It wasn’t clumsily worded. She was offended because someone dared use the word itself, not that they showed some lack of knowledge of the subject. And not only did I do a paper on this at college, I also had to research because I had POCD for awhile, fearing that I might actually be attracted to minors. What you say applies to child molesters, who are usually not actually pedophiles (as they do not identify as such). Actual pedophiles do align with sexual preferences at roughly the same percentages as adults do, hence why the terms heterosexual and homosexual pedophile is useful. Pedophiles by definition are attracted primarily to children, and many exclusively so, so there’s no way to do actual correlation. I guess I’m less offended now than I am dumbfounded by how you both can read what **Annie** said as being about the concept and not the words themselves. Sorry to make you a little less happy at the bad feelings of others. Hope you have a decent Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/131 "2012-11-22T03:28:24Z")
Oh shit, you wrote a _paper_? In _college_? Well, shut my mouth! I didn’t realize I was dealing with a bona fide expert, here! ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/132 "2012-11-22T06:49:26Z")
Well so much for my defending Clash earlier and saying he’ll come out unscathed (that was before the latest allegations). Now that he’s quit I don’t think there’s much life left in the story (barring anything even more salacious coming out). And I think, well, this is the way it had to go. Even if these ‘relationships’ were not ‘predatory’ or ‘abusive’, he’s fucking Elmo for Christ’s sake! He can’t be that character and like gay teenage buys too. But I hope they don’t start expunging Elmo from the past Sesame Street universe though, that would be unnecessary and ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/133 "2012-11-22T12:12:31Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Even if these ‘relationships’ were not ‘predatory’ or ‘abusive’, he’s fucking Elmo Wouldn’t that just be masturbation? [Or maybe not…](http://www.headinjurytheater.com/images/comic%20kermit%20porn%20video%20jared%20hindman.jpg) (Link is in questionable taste but technically SFW) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798/134 "2012-11-22T13:43:35Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Only to people intent on being obstructionary. I’ve played Obstructionary. The key is to not let your team see what you’re drawing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-have-tickled-him-elmo-sesame-street-puppeteer-resigns-after-sex-allegations/640798.md?page=6)