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Revision as of 21:26, November 20, 2012
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'''Kevin Jeffrey Clash'''
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR2Q2a0JABQ Kevin Clash - Archive Interview Part 1 of 4]
(b. September 17, 1960) is an accomplished puppeteer whose characters include [[Elmo]], [[Clifford]] and [[Hoots the Owl]]. He served as ''[[Sesame Street]]'' Muppet Captain and co-executive producer for several years, and was promoted to "senior creative advisor" at Sesame Workshop in May 2007.
"[http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=79&article=35822 Workshop promotes Elmo]", ''C21Media'', 16 May 2007.
The 2011 documentary ''[[Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey]]'' chronicles Clash's life as a puppeteer.
'''Kevin Jeffrey Clash'''
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR2Q2a0JABQ Kevin Clash - Archive Interview Part 1 of 4]
(b. September 17, 1960) is an accomplished puppeteer whose characters include [[Elmo]], [[Clifford]] and [[Hoots the Owl]]. He served as ''[[Sesame Street]]'' Muppet Captain and co-executive producer for several years, and was promoted to "senior creative advisor" at Sesame Workshop in May 2007.
"[http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=79&article=35822 Workshop promotes Elmo]", ''C21Media'', 16 May 2007.
The 2011 documentary ''[[Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey]]'' chronicles Clash's life as a puppeteer.
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Clash resigned from ''Sesame Street'' in November 2012 in response to two allegations that he had sexual relationships with teenage boys.
Jensen, Elizabeth and Stelter, Brian. "[http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/kevin-clash-elmo-puppeteer-resigns/ Kevin Clash, Elmo Puppeteer, Resigns]", ''The New York Times'' Media Decoder blog. November 20, 2012.
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Clash resigned from ''Sesame Street'' in November 2012 in response to two allegations that he had sexual relationships with teenage boys.
Jensen, Elizabeth and Stelter, Brian. "[http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/20/kevin-clash-elmo-puppeteer-resigns/ Kevin Clash, Elmo Puppeteer, Resigns]", ''The New York Times'' Media Decoder blog. November 20, 2012.
Sesame Workshop released a statement about Clash's resignation on November 20:
Sesame Workshop released a statement about Clash's resignation on November 20:
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"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''."
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"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''."
==Background==
==Background==
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Clash grew up with parents George and Gladys, older siblings George Jr. ("Georgie") and Anita ("NeNe"), and little sister Pam. His father works as a flash welder operator at Raymond Metals and a neighborhood handyman, and his mother ran a daycare.
''My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud''.
Clash grew up with parents George and Gladys, older siblings George Jr. ("Georgie") and Anita ("NeNe"), and little sister Pam. His father works as a flash welder operator at Raymond Metals and a neighborhood handyman, and his mother ran a daycare.
''My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud''.
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Clash began building puppets at the age of ten. Clash's parents were supportive of his interest in puppetry, driving him to puppet shows, allowing for his love of television and craft, and not urging him to attend college when he announced he was pursuing puppetry professionally. Among his television viewing were such series as [[Shari Lewis]] and [[Lamb Chop]], ''[[Burr Tillstrom|Kukla, Fran, and Ollie]]'', and ''H.R. Pufnstuf''. Clash has admitted he watched television inches away from the screen, with no permanent eye damage.
His parents were supposedly more amused than angered when he cut apart his father's good overcoat to create a monkey puppet with the fuzzy black lining.
As a tribute, Elmo's parents were named [[Louie#Elmo's World|George]] and [[Elmo's Mom#Elmo's World|Gladys]] in an ''[[Elmo's World]]'' segment; their names have since been changed.
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Clash began building puppets at the age of ten. Clash's parents were supportive of his interest in puppetry, driving him to puppet shows, allowing for his love of television and craft, and not urging him to attend college when he announced he was pursuing puppetry professionally. Among his television viewing were such series as [[Shari Lewis]] and [[Lamb Chop]], ''[[Burr Tillstrom|Kukla, Fran, and Ollie]]'', and ''H.R. Pufnstuf''. Clash has admitted he watched television inches away from the screen, with no permanent eye damage.
His parents were supposedly more amused than angered when he cut apart his father's good overcoat to create a monkey puppet with the fuzzy black lining.
As a tribute, Elmo's parents were named [[Louie#Elmo's World|George]] and [[Elmo's Mom#Elmo's World|Gladys]] in an ''[[Elmo's World]]'' segment; their names have since been changed.
He performed on Baltimore's Harbor Front as a teenager. In high school, he was voted "Most Likely to be a Millionaire."
He performed on Baltimore's Harbor Front as a teenager. In high school, he was voted "Most Likely to be a Millionaire."
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Kevin Clash first met Kermit Love in the 1970s, who occasionally arranged for the fledgling puppeteer to visit the set of ''Sesame Street''. In 1979, the main Muppet performers were performing in a ''[[The Muppet Movie|Muppet Movie]]'' float in the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], and extra puppeteers were needed for the ''Sesame Street'' float. Clash was brought in to perform [[Cookie Monster]] for the event.
Kevin Clash first met Kermit Love in the 1970s, who occasionally arranged for the fledgling puppeteer to visit the set of ''Sesame Street''. In 1979, the main Muppet performers were performing in a ''[[The Muppet Movie|Muppet Movie]]'' float in the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], and extra puppeteers were needed for the ''Sesame Street'' float. Clash was brought in to perform [[Cookie Monster]] for the event.
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Later, in 1983, he was officially hired to perform in ten episodes of ''Sesame Street''. However, at the time he was performing full-time on two other shows, and the producers of both refused to work around his schedule. Thus, Clash was forced to tear up his contract to appear on ''Sesame Street''.
''What Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud''
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Later, in 1983, he was officially hired to perform in ten episodes of ''Sesame Street''. However, at the time he was performing full-time on two other shows, and the producers of both refused to work around his schedule. Thus, Clash was forced to tear up his contract to appear on ''Sesame Street''.
''What Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud''
Kevin Clash was also given the opportunity to perform in ''[[The Dark Crystal]]'', but Kermit Love dissuaded him, urging Clash to concentrate on his other series work.
Kevin Clash was also given the opportunity to perform in ''[[The Dark Crystal]]'', but Kermit Love dissuaded him, urging Clash to concentrate on his other series work.
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Kevin Clash officially became a ''Sesame Street'' puppeteer in 1984. Some of his earliest characters included [[Hoots the Owl]] and [[Dr. Nobel Price]], later supplemented by the likes of [[Baby Natasha]] and [[Kingston Livingston III]]. However, it was Elmo who became his main character, once Clash assumed the part from previous puppeteers [[Brian Muehl]] and [[Richard Hunt]], and placed his own imprint on the red monster. Clash has also sung in voice-over in a variety of film and cartoon inserts on the series, including "[[Skin]]", "[[Animal Books]]", and "[[Take Care of That Smile]]."
Kevin Clash officially became a ''Sesame Street'' puppeteer in 1984. Some of his earliest characters included [[Hoots the Owl]] and [[Dr. Nobel Price]], later supplemented by the likes of [[Baby Natasha]] and [[Kingston Livingston III]]. However, it was Elmo who became his main character, once Clash assumed the part from previous puppeteers [[Brian Muehl]] and [[Richard Hunt]], and placed his own imprint on the red monster. Clash has also sung in voice-over in a variety of film and cartoon inserts on the series, including "[[Skin]]", "[[Animal Books]]", and "[[Take Care of That Smile]]."
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Clash served as an additional Muppet performer on ''[[Follow That Bird]]'', where he performed the voice of one of the feathered friends,
Clash, Kevin ''[[The MuppetCast]]'' Episode 48
and reprised Elmo, along with other characters, in the feature film ''[[The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland]]'' and innumerable specials, appearances, and videos.
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Clash served as an additional Muppet performer on ''[[Follow That Bird]]'', where he performed the voice of one of the feathered friends,
Clash, Kevin ''[[The MuppetCast]]'' Episode 48
and reprised Elmo, along with other characters, in the feature film ''[[The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland]]'' and innumerable specials, appearances, and videos.
==More Muppets==
==More Muppets==
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==Notes==
==Notes==
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* His daughter Shannon was born in 1993.
Elisa Chia, [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/222188/1/.html "Meet the grown-up behind Elmo"], 31 July 2006.
As a little girl, she thought Elmo was her brother. Later on: {{quote|[Laughs, impersonating his daughter] “Hi Daddy, can I speak to Elmo?” “Yeah, yeah, Okay.” [In Elmo's voice] “Hi Shannon.” “Hi Elmo — listen there’s this new Barbie that I… ” [Laughs] Let me tell you, Shannon has earned many more Emmys than I have with her dramatics … I’d take my Emmy and put it down on the floor. [Applauding] “Oh, you deserve this, girl.”
Anthony Breznican, "[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/01/28/sundance-being-elmo/ Sundance: 'Being Elmo' reveals big-hearted man behind the fur]", ''Entertainment Weekly'', January 28, 2010.
}}
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* His daughter Shannon was born in 1993.
Elisa Chia, [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/222188/1/.html "Meet the grown-up behind Elmo"], 31 July 2006.
As a little girl, she thought Elmo was her brother. Later on: {{quote|[Laughs, impersonating his daughter] “Hi Daddy, can I speak to Elmo?” “Yeah, yeah, Okay.” [In Elmo's voice] “Hi Shannon.” “Hi Elmo — listen there’s this new Barbie that I… ” [Laughs] Let me tell you, Shannon has earned many more Emmys than I have with her dramatics … I’d take my Emmy and put it down on the floor. [Applauding] “Oh, you deserve this, girl.”
Anthony Breznican, "[http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/01/28/sundance-being-elmo/ Sundance: 'Being Elmo' reveals big-hearted man behind the fur]", ''Entertainment Weekly'', January 28, 2010.
}}
* Kevin Clash rarely appears on talk shows without Elmo. One of the few instances in which he appeared on television as himself was on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'', in a 2006 episode, "The Faces Behind the Famous Names".
* Kevin Clash rarely appears on talk shows without Elmo. One of the few instances in which he appeared on television as himself was on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'', in a 2006 episode, "The Faces Behind the Famous Names".
* He made a longer appearance on the July 11, 2006 broadcast of ''[[Rove Live]]'' performing Elmo first and later appearing as himself with Elmo. Other appearances on TV as himself include ''[[Emeril Live]]'' and ''Grill It! with Bobby Flay''. In the latter, he prepares a ribeye steak and his favorite vidalia onion recipe with butter and garlic which he describes as what ''Sesame Street'' would call a "[[Is Cookie Monster now the Veggie Monster?|sometime food]]."
* He made a longer appearance on the July 11, 2006 broadcast of ''[[Rove Live]]'' performing Elmo first and later appearing as himself with Elmo. Other appearances on TV as himself include ''[[Emeril Live]]'' and ''Grill It! with Bobby Flay''. In the latter, he prepares a ribeye steak and his favorite vidalia onion recipe with butter and garlic which he describes as what ''Sesame Street'' would call a "[[Is Cookie Monster now the Veggie Monster?|sometime food]]."