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Voice of Elmo resigns

Posted at 11:45 AM, Nov 20, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-20 11:45:42-05

Kevin Clash, the puppeteer who provides the voice of Elmo on “Sesame Street,” has resigned from his Sesame Workshop position, the company announced Tuesday.

“Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding Kevin’s personal life has become a distraction that none of us wants, and he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job and has resigned from Sesame Street,” it said.

Earlier this month allegations surfaced that Clash had an inappropriate relationship with a minor. The accuser later recanted the accusation.

In a statement published in the New York Times, the Sesame Workshop commented on Clash’s resignation:

Sesame Workshop’s mission is to harness the educational power of media to help all children the world over reach their highest potential. Kevin Clash has helped us achieve that mission for 28 years, and none of us, especially Kevin, want anything to divert our attention from our focus on serving as a leading educational organization. Unfortunately, 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.