My gay neighbor said something that startled me.

[Archae]

I didn't expect I'd ever hear the word from him.

He called the two guys who accuse Kevin Clash "f*****."

He explained to me that gay is gay, but a guy who waits 20+ years to blackmail someone famous for money, is a (bleep)-ing f****.

Never heard my neighbor say anything close to that before.

[xfundy]

1. Yeah, pretty much.

The allegations do seem to be focused on cash. BUT, if he was involved with underaged sex, that's never good. Except, apparently, when it's cloaked in religion, in which case it never happened.

But I do hope the guy is innocent.

[pnwmom]

3. The first accuser's lawyer says he wants to give back the money

and take back the recanting, because he can't live with his decision to deny what he says happened.

What is your reaction to that?

[Lex]

4. He's killed his reputation for being truthful

is the problem with that unfortunately.

[DanM]

11. +1

Couldn't agree more!

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, licking his chops for any potential $$$$$ from a settlement for his consensual fling. I haven't

followed this closely, but sure sounds like a case of extortion.

[Nye Bevan]

6. Can there truly be "consent" when one party is underage? (nt)

[RKP5637]

7. To me, having been underage myself, there is no true demarcation line other

than for legality. With respect to legality, consent takes on a different meaning as it should. Should I go after all of those in my underage years. No, not for me. Others will because they were coerced. ... that said, I do think there are also a number of opportunists that come forward too. Sexual maturity does not occur IMO at some magical chronological age. ... that said, we do need it for legality because there are some very creepy people in the world.

[obamanut2012]

8. There was no "underage sex"

[Honeycombe8]

10. No. The brain isn't fully developed until age 25.

But there has to be some age at which a line is drawn. So the line is drawn at the age when someone can be required to die for his country.

I remember trying to explain this to some guys when i was about 18, as they were lusting after some 16 yr old girl. They saw no difference between 16 and 18 or 20. Being a young woman, and once having been 16, I tried to explain to them. They still didn't understand, so I told them that they would understand when they got older and had 16 year old daughters.

Someone that age doesn't have the life experience to use good judgment, or to possibly foresee the long term effects of things. That's why they are more reckless drivers, for example, and experiment with a party phase, and have panty raids. All juvenile things. They're not grown up, yet.

They are more easily convinced and coerced and manipulated than someone older with more life experiences. There is a reason the law protects them in that regard. And that's why sexual deviants go after those teens - because they are more easily manipulated.

So legally, they cannot consent.

[HopeHoops]

5. He's right.

[HillWilliam]

9. FWIW, here's my gay $.02

The whole thing smells funny to me. Given what little fact has been reported I can't really sort it all out yet. I hope Clash is not guilty because I'm still a huge fan of Sesame Street/CTW. I'm pretty sure that if there was the least hint of impropriety anywhere, then Hensons would never have tolerated it, Elmo-moneymaker or no. There's just too much on the line and CTW has too great a reputation to bear any kind of risk.

Still, Clash should have known better than to become involved with anyone who ever had anything to do with the shows. Like my granddad used to say, you don't dig your shithouse next to the well.

The whole truth will come out sooner or later. My mind is open enough to realize that also sooner or later I will either be relieved or greatly disappointed.