The man who accused Kevin Clash (Elmo) of underage sexual conduct has RECANTED

[The Straight Story]

The man who accused Kevin Clash (Elmo) of underage sexual conduct has RECANTED. His lawyer now says it was "adult consensual relationship."

Retweeted by Breaking News

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Thank you for your honesty, Mitt.

I know you were angry and all, but come on.....

[demhottie]

2. Do you think it was a RW smear?

[Anthony McCarthy]

4. First they went for Big Bird and couldn't take him down, so....

[demhottie]

5. Seriously or are you kidding!

Honestly , an attempted RW takedown doesn't seem implausible but I just can't tell if you're joking.

[Anthony McCarthy]

10. I was kidding

I think it was someone trying to shake down Clash and Sesame Workshop by blackmail. I've heard Clash, he sounds too smart to do something that stupid.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. No, just playing off the Big Bird hate. nt

[Anthony McCarthy]

3. That's all anyone needs to know about it.

It's two consenting adults having a private relationship.

I'd date Kevin Clash. Maybe he's ready to try an older man, after this.

[demhottie]

7. Well, I don't know if there is a way back

Once a Sesame Street actor has been outed and accused of child molestation, I think his career may be over?

[yardwork]

9. Having consensual sex with a 16 year old is not child molestation.

It would be statutory rape in many states, but I don't think that anybody would consider it child molestation.

[4th law of robotics]

18. Well no it wouldn't. However . . .

in this society the accusation (even entirely unfounded) is often enough to destroy a man's reputation and career.

Even if he doesn't do any work involving kids.

If he does . . .oh boy it's so much worse.

It's 100% entirely unfair but there you have it. We're still reeling from the satanic day-care child molesters that apparently were everywhere in the 90s.

We haven't purged them all yet so we must be extra cautious.

/

[pinboy3niner]

22. It looks like he also recanted the underage allegation

The accuser now says it was "an adult consensual relationship.”

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/accuser-recants-allegation-against-elmo-puppeteer/?hp

[yardwork]

23. Yes, I get the point of the OP. I was responding to the comment about child molestation.

Even if the accuser had not recanted and the allegations had turned out to be true, it would not have been child molestation.

[Bluenorthwest]

14. Hey, listen up. The fact that he is gay is not a 'career over' thing.

The other was a false accusation. Why would that ruin his career? You claim being out would ruin his career?
Jaysus.

[DURHAM D]

15. "outed" really?

As what? What century is this?

[yardwork]

24. Think of the children!! We can't have a gay man being the voice of a TV puppet!!!!

[DURHAM D]

26. Elmo is not just a puppet - he is one of my best friends.

I never could relate to Big Bird.

[lalalu]

8. This is why names should not be released until a person is actually charged.

[Anthony McCarthy]

13. I'd go farther than that

the media should get to cover everything about an alleged crime but only after a trial has reached a verdict.

The right to a fair trial is denied by letting the media pollute the jury pool, both for the accused and for the people who have a right to the real criminal being found guilty, but we have a right to a valid trial that won't be overturned on that basis. The medias' right to cover a trial can be fulfilled after that has been guaranteed to the extent possible. There is no right to scoops, leaks from the prosecution and the defense and the lies that are spread by the media before a trial takes place.

[lalalu]

25. I agree

[4th law of robotics]

20. +1

Innocent until proven guilty . . . unless it's to protect children. We can never be too careful when it comes to protecting the innocent. A trial and requiring evidence is far too lenient.

[ejpoeta]

11. problem is with an accusation like that is it is hard to get beyond it

[brer cat]

16. Right.

Most people remember the accusation, not the recant.

[agracie]

19. Once the plate is broken...

...it can never be perfectly repaired. The damage is done.

[DURHAM D]

27. Is that how you feel about it?

[xchrom]

17. +1

[4th law of robotics]

21. "where there's smoke there's fire"

A convenient excuse many use to hold accusations (even false ones) against an individual forever.

Ok they couldn't prove it in this case, but why would the accusation even be made if it weren't kinda true?

Better safe than sorry eh?

[HopeHoops]

12. It might be too late.

[gollygee]

28. I hope he gets his job back

I don't think anyone would care that he's gay. Mr. Noodle's brother Mr. Noodle was played by a gay actor and it was known and no one cared. I think the only issue was the accusation that the guy was underage, but now hopefully Elmo's World will not change. I can dream.