The man who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of an illicit sexual relationship is now recanting the allegations, according to The New York Times.
From The New York Times:
Andreozzi & Associates, a law firm that said it represented the accuser, who has never been named, said in a statement that “he wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship.” The statement added, “He will have no further comment on the matter.”
Now that the dust has settled on the 2012 general election, stories of improper sexual conduct have begin to dominate the national media landscape. I wish I could recap the story swirling around resigning CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus, but the twists and turns are honestly quite difficult to follow. Secret CIA prisons, affairs, FBI investigations... It's all a bit much. Plus, there's not really a gay angle to the story.
But over the weekend, a second story broke with a decidedly gay subplot.
The puppeteer and voice behind “Sesames Street” character Elmo was forced to take a leave of absence from the show following an accusation he had an improper sexual relationship with a then-16-year old male.
Some 1,200 people have signed a petition on Change.org calling for PBS and the makers of children's show “Sesame Street” to let perennial roommates Bert and Ernie marry. The petition, created by Lair Scott, was posted two days ago. A Facebook page created for the cause has 400 fans.
The petition reads:
In this horrific age of LGBT kids taking their own lives, they need to know that they ARE BEAUTIFUL and their lives are worth living. Aside from those that are committing suicide, the bullies that facilitate these tragedies need to learn that homophobia is NOT okay. They need to know that acceptance of their fellow human beings would indeed plant a seed of peace that will reverberate throughout the world. We are not asking that Sesame Street do anything crude or disrespectful. Only that they allow Bert & Ernie to marry or even add a transgender character to the show. It can be done in a tasteful way. Let us teach tolerance of those that are different. Let Sesame Street and PBS Kids be a big part in saving many worthy lives.