The puppeteer who performs as the Sesame Street character Elmo has been granted a leave of absence from his job amid allegations he had an improper relationship with a 16-year-old boy.
Kevin Clash denies the allegations first reported by TMZ but says that he had a consensual relationship with a man, who is now 23, that occurred when the accuser was of legal age.
“I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter,” Clash, 52, tells PEOPLE in a statement via his personal rep.
“I had a relationship with the accuser,” his statement continues. “It was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to characterize it as something other than what it was. I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation.”
Sesame Workshop officials said in a statement released to PEOPLE that they have investigated the claims and found that the underage sex allegations could not be substantiated.
“Although this was a personal relationship unrelated to the workplace, our investigation did reveal that Kevin exercised poor judgment and violated company policy regarding internet usage and he was disciplined,” the company said in a statement.
Sesame Workshop officials told PEOPLE that the character Elmo would survive despite the scandal, saying, “Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street to engage, educate and inspire children around the world.”
Archive | November 2012
MTV Explains Why Christina Aguilera’s Lotus Wasn’t A Comeback At All She’s A Niche Artist.
By James Montgomery (@positivnegativ)
Christina Aguilera’s Lotus album was supposed to signify her return to prominence, a high-powered collection of songs penned by the biggest hitmakers in the business (Max Martin, Shellback, Alex Da Kid), preceded by a supercharged first single and paced by duets with not one, but two of her fellow judges on “The Voice” (she already ticked Adam Levine off the list last year with “Moves Like Jagger”).
Of course, when the folks at SoundScan released sales figures Wednesday morning (November 21), we learned that things didn’t quite pan out the way Aguilera had intended: Lotus sold slightly less than 73,000 copies, a number not quite disastrous but not exactly inspiring either. It debuted at #7 on the top 200, behind new albums like the “Breaking Dawn” soundtrack, the Weeknd’s Trilogy (the overwhelming majority of which was available for free online last year) and Soundgarden’s King Animal. And, somewhat tellingly, it came nowhere close to matching the sales of Taylor Swift’s Red — currently in its fourth week of release — or One Direction’s Take Me Home, which outsoldLotus by nearly 500,000 copies.
Christina Aguilera Will Bring ‘Lotus’ Cover To Life For AMA Performance
So while it’s not entirely accurate to call Aguilera’s latest a bomb, one can’t escape the fact that it wasn’t a triumphant comeback album either. Then again, maybe it was never supposed to be in the first place.
Because, while Aguilera certainly commands a massive — and maniacal — online fanbase (just write anything less-than-complimentary about her to see proof of this), perhaps it was unfair of us to heap such lofty expectations on Lotus, especially given Aguilera’s recent history. We all know how her last album, Bionic, fared (you can debate whether it was“ahead of its time” all you want), but album sales being what they are nowadays, that only tells half the story. It’s more telling to look at how she’s fared on the singles charts — the true test of any pop star — because, really, we probably should have seen all this coming and tempered our expectations accordingly.
Aguilera has had only three solo #1’s on the Billboard Hot 100, and two of them came during the Clinton administration. Her fourth was “Lady Marmalade,” a song also featuring Pink, Mya and Lil’ Kim, and her fifth was “Moves Like Jagger,” a Maroon 5 song on which she received a featured credit. Since 2002, she’s only had three singles land in the top 10 (2002’s “Beautiful,” 2006’s “Ain’t No Other Man” and 2008’s “Keeps Gettin’ Better”), and her best showing in recent years was “Not Myself Tonight,” which made it to #23. Lotus‘ first single, “Your Body,” peaked at #34, and eight weeks after it was released, it’s currently at #84. None of this is meant to pile on, mind you, it’s simply repeating the facts.
So why has Aguilera failed to replicate the dominance of fellow pop stars like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna or Beyoncé? There are plenty of theories — the prevailing thoughts (whether real or imagined) that she’s not as likable as Perry or Bey, does not work overtime to channel the same outsider spirit as Gaga (and therefore isn’t as relatable) or simply hasn’t been as smart with her choices as someone like Rih Rih — though I tend to believe that each of them are half-baked at best. Perhaps the truth of the matter lies in her lack of singles success, because it suggests that Aguilera is no longer a pop star; she’s a niche artist.
Christina Aguilera Celebrates Everyone At The 2012 AMAs
And that’s not a slight. In her best moments (and I wish there were more of them on Lotus), she can out-sing just about anybody, and as the recent crop of pop stars has proved time and time again, well, singing isn’t their primary concern. She still releases interesting stuff — I’m in the camp of folks who loved “Your Body” and think there are plenty of equally worthy follow-ups on the new album, like “Make the World Move” or “Sing for Me” — and, shoot, her backstory is as compelling as they come. She has a loyal fanbase, one that has thinned in recent years, but remains nonetheless. She can still work with anyone she pleases and make the kinds of albums she wants. As far as niche artists go, Aguilera’s got it pretty good. But I really think that it’s time for her to stop trying to compete with her contemporaries and embrace the uniqueness of her situation.
And that goes for us in the media too. Was it unfair to expect big things — the kinds of things she was capable of 10 years ago — from Lotus? Probably. Was it also inevitable? Most definitely. But why did Aguilera need a comeback anyway? From where I’m sitting, she’s fine exactly where she is.
Can Openly Gay Rapper Le1f Make It In The Mainstream Hip Hop Industry?
Today, I read an article in Now Magazine about an African-American gay rapper Le1f. According to Now Magazine, Le1f real name is Khalif Diouf parents are from Senegal. I am not sure if Le1f is going to be a star in hip hop due to the homophobia in the music industry. However, I watched Le1f’s video and he seems very self assured, confident, and he’s flamboyant which is refreshing. He has already released a mix tape called Dark York. Already the media are comparing Le1f to Frank Ocean for obvious reasons because they are both black queer men. There are some differences between the two artists.
First, Le1f is a confident gay black man he’s not pretending to be bisexual or trying to present a blurred image of his homosexuality for marketing purposes. Meanwhile, Frank Ocean sexuality is confusing because he hasn’t really declared he’s gay. Frank Ocean’s record label probably told him not to be more clear about his sexuality in order to appeal to mainstream audiences.
Frank Ocean has only said he fell in love with a man when he was nineteen years old. The video Wut is extremely homoerotic from Le1f’s dancing in daisy duke shorts, lap dancing a male model, and the cute semi nude male dancer seductively dancing in the video. The two female dancers are gorgeous and the video is fierce!
Days of our lives gay storyline: Sonny & Will Have Sex For First Time Disappointed No Mention Of Safer Sex Or Condom Use.
Yesterday, on the NBC soap Days of our Lives Salem’s gay couple Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis finally had sex for their first time. The love scene was tasteful, but it wasn’t as progressive as I thought it should be. I commend NBC, for allowing two gorgeous young gay male characters to be able to have a mature gay relationship which does involve sex. The after glow scene is excellent, Will and Sonny are clearly naked under the sheets discussing the first time together. However, I am disappointed that Greg Meng, an openly gay man and executive producer of Days of our Lives did not have the courage to allow the writers to write a scene with Sonny and Will discuss safer sex.
After all, the character Sonny admits to Will in a coffee house scene he’s had sex with men since he returned to Salem. HIV & AIDS is a serious concern in the gay male community and according to the Center for Disease Control website gay men are still getting infected with HIV at an alarming rate. Now, a counter argument is, Days of our Lives is on daytime television, it is a soap not real life and is just fantasy, just entertainment a way to escape from the real world. My concern is, for some fans of Days of our Lives they don’t want to see a conflation of the real world problems with their fantasy. I imagine for some heterosexual and gay viewers introducing a condom in a gay love scene is “too real” and “too gay” to wrap their minds around it. It would also mean a realization that gay men do indeed have sex. There still seems to be some anxieties about allowing gay men to have a realistic homosexual relationship on television.
On another American soap, One Life To Live three years ago the gay storyline was more progressive Kyle and Oliver did discuss safer sex and condom use. Kyle gave a speech about how much he loved Oliver and he wanted him to enjoy their first time together. Kyle also told Oliver that using protection was an example of showing him how much he loved and cared for his lover. Now why couldn’t Days of our Lives have done something similar and discuss condom use?
Another argument is, the heterosexual characters don’t use condoms on Days of our Lives so neither should the gays. The assumption is, Will and Sonny barebacked they did not practice safer sex since condom use was not discussed. What kind of message is Greg Meng and NBC sending to gay men? However, how many opportunities are Sonny and Will realistically going to have sex on daytime television? Let’s be honest here, this might be the ONLY TIME Will and Sonny are going to have sex on screen. It was a huge opportunity for Greg Meng and NBC to discuss HIV & AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and safer sex.
I believe Greg Meng and the writers of Days of our Lives should have written a scene with Sonny and Will discussing safer sex and using a condom. Television is a powerful medium, it can be used to educate people. Soap Operas have a tradition of actually breaking down barriers in relation to taboo subjects that Prime Time television tends to ignore. Days of our Lives can reach a lot of gay men who watch the show and a simple reminder about condom use can send a message that safer sex is important.
Another point to consider is, I think the reason Days of our Lives ignored the discussion about HIV & AIDS is because it would be too real for the conservative viewers. The gay love scene seemed a bit chaste to me, I am kind of disappointed to be honest, I thought Will and Sonny’s first time together would be more passionate and erotic. There still seems to be a double standard for gay male characters on television. Gay men are still treated like second class citizens on television they can be funny, attractive, but they aren’t allowed to be able to express their homosexuality and have passionate sex. Now, I am not arguing Days of our Lives love scene with Sonny & Will needed to be gay porn.
However, I do believe given the fact the heterosexual characters Gabi Hernandez and Nick Fallon had several love scenes under the sheets passionately making out there is a clear double standard. It is disappointing, in the year 2012, that gay male characters are not treated exactly like heterosexual characters on television. Even though, I am a bit disappointed, I acknowledge that Days of our Lives has indeed done a good job with the gay storyline. Will and Sonny are allowed to kiss, to hug, to even have sex which is indeed progressive compared to other shows like Modern Family on ABC or Glee on Fox with their gay male characters. I think NBC is fearful of upsetting the homophobic straight conservative viewers. If you visit Days of our Lives Facebook page there are so many hateful homophobic people that are outraged about Sonny and Will’s gay romance.
Chandler Massey and Freddie Smith are doing an excellent job with the gay storyline. Some fans complained on the internet that Chandler appears too nervous, and awkward kissing Freddie. I think Chandler’s kissing has improved and I see the chemistry between the two actors I still feel that Freddie is more natural and comfortable than Chandler with kissing other men on screen. I still believe in the gay storyline on Days of our Lives and I hope the writing is a bit more realistic and more passionate in the future.
Smoking Gun Website Reveals Elmo Voice Actor Kevin Clash’s Accuser Is A Male Model & A Criminal!!!
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NOVEMBER 14–The mystery man who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of engaging in an underage sexual relationship–only to recant the allegation a day later–is a struggling 24-year-old model/actor who was once arrested for the knifepoint robbery of $250,000 in jewelry from a music manager for whom he interned, The Smoking Gun has learned.
The accuser, Pennsylvania resident Sheldon Stephens, had his unsubstantiated claims against Clash published Monday on the gossip web site TMZ. The smear triggered a torrent of social media activity and press reports that portrayed Clash, 52, as a predator (the New York Post’s front page headline read “Nookie Monster”).
While Stephens (seen at right) has not been publicly identified, TSG yesterday learned of his identity and confirmed his role in the Clash matter with two sources, a family member and a friend.
It is unclear how Stephens, who once lived in New York City, met Clash, who resides on Manhattan’s West Side. A friend of Stephens said that he “attracts these high-powered men,” but that the model wannabe was a “God-fearing guy” and “not just a pretty boy.”
In a statement released yesterday, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania law firm–which no longer represents Stephens–reported that Clash’s accuser “wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship.” TMZ initially reported that the man claimed to have been 16 when his sexual relationship with Clash began.
Shortly after the statement’s release, TMZ scrambled to publish a story (citing “sources close to the situation”) claiming that attorneys for Clash and the accuser were, right then, purportedly “discussing a financial settlement and 6-figures were on the table.” At that point, however, Stephens was no longer being represented by Andreozzi & Associates, the Harrisburg law firm, and had no other legal representation. The issuance of the statement was done as a courtesy by Stephens’s former counsel, who noted that, “He will have no further comment on the matter.”
The acknowledgement that the damaging claim against Clash was not true came as a relief to the producers of “Sesame Street,” who, as The New York Times notes, “had been alarmed by seeing the words ‘under-age sex’ in the same sentence as ‘Elmo.’”
The recanting, however, came after TMZ had effectively outed Clash as a gay man. In a statement, the puppeteer noted, “I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter.” It is unknown if TMZ, one of the country’s leading practitioners of checkbook journalism, paid Stephens for his story.
Stephens, who did not respond to e-mail and Facebook messages, describes himself as an “Entrepreneur, Student, Model, Actor” on his Twitter account, which is protected. His Facebook page’s “About” blurb notes, “I like to consider myself a rare breed. I’m very spontaneous and random…I’m determined and goal oriented. My destiny is laid on a solid gold brick pathway……. MY FUTURE IS BRIGHT and never will it dim.”
Online searches turned up dozens of modeling-type photos of Stephens, who often uses the name “Sheldon Xzavier.” However, there is no evidence that the 5’ 10” Harrisburg resident has met with any success as a model or actor. In a submission this year for a cover shoot with an online fashion magazine, Stephens wrote that, “I’ve always wanted to land a major project such as this one. It will help restore my confidence and to give me a better outlook on the future of my career.”
Photos show Stephens in a variety of U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, and New York City, where he is seen posing in a hotel room overlooking the World Trade Center memorial. As seen below, Stephens appears in a 30-second online commercial for a York, Pennsylvania clothing store. He also has a page on the Xtube porn site, but it appears inactive.
According to an October 2011 resume, Stephens has taken classes at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, and expects to receive a bachelor’s degree from the 322-student school in May 2013. Along with several internships, he reported working as a valet at a Hilton hotel in Harrisburg, and as an office assistant at an American Automobile Association branch.
Stephens’s resume also lists stints at a pair of clothing stores in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood. During this period, he resided in Brooklyn, but eventually returned to Harrisburg, where he now lives in a school dormitory about a mile from his mother’s apartment.
Felicia Stephens, 48, was charged last March with attempted murder after she allegedly repeatedly stabbed her husband with a pair of scissors. Free on bail, Stephens, who is also facing a felony aggravated assault rap, is next due in court December 19. Following his 
mother’s collar, Sheldon Stephens described her to a newspaper reporter as “the nicest person in the world.” Mother and son are pictured at right.
Court records show that Stephens himself has been arrested several times since 2009. Last year, Stephens was busted for passing a bad check, though that charge was eventually dismissed after he settled the debt with a Harrisburg business. He was also collared last May for reckless driving, and subsequently pleaded guilty to a traffic offense.
The most serious criminal charges filed against Stephens came in September 2009, when he was arrested at the Harrisburg airport after stepping off a flight from L.A..
According to a criminal complaint, music manager Darian Pollard contacted the Beverly Hills Police Department to report that Stephens–an intern that he had just fired–had robbed him at knifepoint of a $250,000 “white gold necklace with diamonds” and a “white gold ring with diamond baguets.”
Pollard, who heads DP Music Entertainment Group, told cops that Stephens had boarded a flight bound for Harrisburg. Beverly Hills police contacted their counterparts in Pennsylvania, and two officers detained Stephens, who “was wearing the necklace and also the ring” as he exited the plane, reported an investigator, who added, “He made no attempt to hide either article.”
Cops, who did not find a knife in Stephens’s luggage, arrested him on two felony receiving stolen property counts. Stephens, according to 
the complaint, denied that the jewelry was stolen. “He insists they were gifts,” a cop noted.
Criminal charges were initially filed against Stephens in a Pennsylvania court, where a judge ordered him held in lieu of $15,000 bail (his prison mug shots are here). The criminal complaint notes that a Beverly Hills Police Department detective told Pennsylvania investigators that he “would be filing charges in Beverly Hills for theft and other charges.”
However, a TSG search of L.A. county court records did not locate any evidence indicating that charges were subsequently filed against Stephens in Beverly Hills. The charges lodged against Stephens in Pennsylvania were dismissed two weeks after he was arrested at the Harrisburg International Airport.
In brief phone interviews, Pollard described himself as a “very wealthy” man who has been held up “like five times.” He claimed not to recall being robbed at knifepoint by Stephens or calling Beverly Hills cops. A friend of Stephens’s dismissed the Beverly Hills incident as a simple “misunderstanding,” likening it to a “domestic dispute.”
In addition to Stephens’s modeling and acting pursuits, he has founded a management company whose web site describes itself as “a boutique style full service agency representing the industries elite.” The firm’s “target markets” include Harrisburg, New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. Stephens describes himself as having traveled the U.S. as a “High Profile Model, Hollywood stylist, Public Relation rep, and an Intern for multiple entertainment and production Agencies.”
Among the companies listed as partners of Stephens’s fledgling concern is “DP Music Management,” Pollard’s firm (the name of which does not appear, however, on Stephens’s resume).
Stephens’s web site also notes that one of his goals has been “spearheading Local Celebrities to National Stars.” Mission accomplished (17 pages)
Breaking News: Elmo Voice Actor Kevin Clash Career Tarnished Accuser Changes Story Now Claims They Had A Consensual Adult Homosexual Relationship.
Elmo and Kevin Clash pose for photographers on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Photo: REUTERS
11:20PM GMT 13 Nov 2012
The 23-year-old man, who had claimed that when he was 16 he and Kevin Clash, 52, had begun a relationship, recanted his statement through his lawyer last night.
The man, who has not been identified, “wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr Clash was an adult consentual relationship,” the statement from the lawyers’ said.
Mr Clash, who had previously denied the accusastions, said: “I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further.”
Sesame Workshop had said its own investigation, during which its lawyers met with the accuser twice, had found the allegation of under age sex to be unsubstantiated.
But it said Mr Clash had exercised “poor judgment” and was disciplined for violating company policy on internet usage.
The puppeteer, who has voiced the red furry monster Elmo since 1984, told TMZ he did have a relationship with his accuser but “it was between two consenting adults and I am deeply saddened that he is trying to make it into something it was not.”
Mr Clash was granted a leave of absence at his own request in order to “protect his reputation” and to fight the allegations, Sesame Workshop said.
Last year Mr Clash starred in the successful documentary film “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” which told the story of how he had dreamed as a child of working on The Muppets.
In 2006 he wrote a book called “My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing Out Loud.”
Shocking Allegations:Elmo Puppeteer Kevin Clash Takes Leave from Sesame Street Accused Of Having Sex With Male When He Was Only Sixteen.
By Andrea Billups
Kevin Clash
Kevin Wolf/AP
Coronation Street Bisexual Storyline: Marcus Cheats On His Boyfriend Aiden With His Best Female Friend Maria.
There is a lot of controversy online about the new Coronation Street storyline of the gay character Marcus falling in love with his heterosexual female friend Maria. In today’s episode, Maria schemes to keep Marcus from moving away to London with his boyfriend Aiden. Maria realizes she’s fallen in love with Marcus and she doesn’t love her boyfriend Jason. At the end of the episode, Maria and Marcus argue and then they have sex. Some people believe Coronation Street is promoting the myth that being gay is a choice and not a sexual orientation. However, I think sexuality is more complex than just being black and white. People don’t just fit into neat categories of heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Human sexuality is fluid and some people through out their lives can move between the three categories.
Gayblackcanada 
