Kevin Clash

Kevin Jeffrey Clash (b. September 17th, 1960) is an accomplished Muppeteer whose characters include Elmo, Clifford, & Hoots the Owl. He currently serves as Sesame Street Muppet Captain & co-executive producer. He was promoted to "senior creative advisor" at Sesame Workshop in May 2007. The 2011 documentary Being Elmo : A Puppeteer's Journey chronicles Clash's life as a puppeteer. He has also voiced a few Grouch  related characters.

Clash resigned from Sesame Street in November 2012 in response to two allegations that he had sexual relationships with teenage boys.

Sesame Workshop released a statement on November 20th:

"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, & 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, & he has concluded that he can no longer be effective in his job & has resigned from Sesame Street. This is a sad day for Sesame Street."

Background
Clash was born & raised in Turner's Station, a predominantly black suburb of Baltimore, Maryland.

Clash grew up with parents George & Gladys, older siblings George Jr. ("Georgie") & Anita ("NeNe"), & little sister Pam. His father works as a flash welder operator at Raymond Metals & a neighborhood handyman, & his mother ran a daycare.

Clash began building puppets at age 10. Clash's parents were supportive of his interest in puppetry, driving him to puppet shows, allowing for his love of TV & craft, & not urging him to attend college when he announced he was pursuing puppetry professionally. Among his TV viewing were such series as Shari Lewis & Lamb Chop, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, & H.R. Pufnstuf. Clash has admitted he watched TV inches away from the screen, with no permanent eye damage. His parents were supposedly more amused than angered when he cut his father's good overcoat apart to create a monkey puppet with the fuzzy black lining. As a tribute, Elmo's parents were named George & 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".

Coming to the Muppets
Kevin Clash 1st met Kermit Love in the 1970s, who occasionally arranged for the fledgling puppeteer to visit the set of Sesame Street. In 1979, all the main Muppeteers were performing in a huge Muppet Movie float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, & extra puppeteers were needed for the Sesame Street float. Clash was brought in to perform Cookie Monster for the event.

Later, in 1983, he was officially hired to perform in 10 episodes of Sesame Street. However, at the time he was performing full-time on 2 other shows, & the producers of both refused to work around his schedule. Thus, Clash was forced to tear his contract up to appear on Sesame Street.

Kevin Clash was also given the opportunity to perform in The Dark Crystal, but Love dissuaded him, urging Clash to concentrate on his other series work.

Kevin Clash officially became a Sesame Street Muppeteer in 1984. Some of his earliest characters included Hoots the Owl & Dr. Nobel Prize, later supplemented by the likes of Baby Natasha & Kingston Livingston III. However, it was Elmo who became his main character, once Clash assumed the part from previous Muppeteers Brian Muehl & Richard Hunt, & placed his own imprint on the red monster. Clash has also sung in voice-over in a variety of film & cartoon inserts on the series, including "In My Animal Book" & "Take Care of That Smile".

Clash served as an additional Muppeteer on Follow That Bird, where he performed the voice of 1 of the feathered friends as well as that of Hoots the Owl, & he reprised Elmo, along with other characters, in the feature film The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland & innumerable specials, appearances & videos.

More Muppets
During the late 1980s, Clash was involved with a variety of Henson productions. He performed P.J. in the Play-Along videos, & Father Bunny & Be-Bop in Tale of the Bunny Picnic. He would also perform Eliot Shag on Dog City, various characters in Muppet Time insertions. He also performed the title character, Billy Bunny in the Muppet Sing-Along video Billy Bunny 's Animal Songs.

Clash became 1 of the main Muppeteers on The Jim Henson Hour. His 2 main characters on the series were the lizard-like Leon & Clifford, the bass player. Out of these 2, only Clifford has as remained a major character, subsequently appearing in The Muppets at Walt Disney World, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, a guest spot on The Arsenio Hall Show, the albums Muppet Beach Party & Kermit Unpigged, & the feature films Muppets from Space & The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. However, Clifford became a star when he hosted the short-lived Muppets Tonight, for which Clash had also performed Mulch & Craniac (as well as Waldorf's performer in episodes 1 & 10, filling in for Dave Goelz).

Clash performed in many of the recent Muppet films, including Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets from Space, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie, & The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. In Muppet Treasure Island, he performed 1 of the main villains, Polly Lobster, as well as Spa'am & Black Dog. He also performed the Muppetry of many of Frank Oz's characters in many scenes, & Frank Oz performed the voices later. Although he performed the Sam the Eagle puppet but not the voice in Muppet Treasure Island, he later performed the character's voice, but not the Muppetry, in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie following the retirement of Frank Oz from the Muppets (John Kennedy did the Muppetry), as well as in the video game Muppets Party Cruise.''

Creature Shop Work
Clash's worked on 1 of Jim Henson's fantasy films, Labyrinth. He puppeteered & voiced the lead Fiery, while also operating Ambrosius & 1 of the Four Guards. Clash also worked on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, supplying the face & voice of Master Splinter.

On Dinosaurs, Clash starred as Baby Sinclair & also played Howard Handupme & various episodic mammals.

Reflecting on his decades as a Muppeteer, in the fall of 2006, Kevin Clash released an autobiography titled My Life as a Furry Red Monster.

Interviews
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation interviewed Clash in 2004 for the Archive of American Television. The 2-hour interview was posted on YouTube in 2008. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Fran Brill & Kevin Clash
Muppeteering on Sesame Street has partnered Clash with various different Muppeteers over the years. His most frequent partner however, is Fran Brill. Ever since 1993, when Brill 1st originated the role of Zoe, the character has always been paired with Kevin Clash's Elmo, who quickly became Zoe's best friend, & vice versa. Brill & Clash have had several other pairings over the years also:

Fran Brill / Kevin Clash Muppets Pairings

 * Zoe/ Grouch   Cab Driver 
 * Zoe/Wolfgang the Seal
 * Zoe/Kingston Livingston III
 * Zoe/Elmo
 * Mae/Elmo
 * Miss Fran/Elmo
 * Sandy/Elmo
 * Bell/Elmo
 * Birthday Cake/Elmo
 * Camera/Elmo
 * Bow/Elmo (with Tyler Bunch's Violin character)
 * Wanda Cousteau/Wolfgang the Seal
 * Roxie Marie/Elmo
 * Roxie Marie/Kingston Livingston III
 * Roxie Marie/Hoots the Owl
 * Roxie Marie/ Preposterous 
 * Roxie Marie/Benny Rabbit
 * Prairie Dawn/Hoots the Owl
 * Prairie Dawn/Elmo
 * Prairie Dawn/Benny Rabbit
 * Prairie Dawn/Kingston Livingston III
 * Mary/Hoots the Owl
 * Queen Olivia/Elmo
 * The Sun/Elmo
 * Little Bird/Elmo
 * Porcupine/Billy Bunny

Muppeteer Credits

 * Sesame Street: Elmo (1984 - 2012), Baby Fats Domino, Baby Tooth, a beet from "Grow High Grow Low", Benny Rabbit, The Big Bad Wolf (several '80s Sesame Street News Flash skits), Billy Idle, Cee Lo Green Muppet, Chad, Chef John, Chip the Cat, Clementine (1985- 1988), Cloud, Cookie Monster's Mommy ("The First Time Me Eat Cookie"), Dexter (head), The Duck, Dr . Nobel Prize (1984 - 1988), Eel, Ernie 's Lavender Anything Muppet friend from "Don't Throw That Trash on the Ground", Female Sun, Ferlinghetti Donizetti, 1 of the 4 Grouches Named Moe, The Grand High Triangle Lover, Gus, Honkers, Hoots the Owl, J. P., Kermit the Frog 's Doctor, Kingston Livingston III, Left, "Let's Go Driving" son,  Luba Merquick , Next Generation Security Officer Mel, Mike the Ladybug,  Miss Blechman , Natasha, Pablo Paint Palette, Patti Paintbrush, Paul Pencil, Peter Piper, Pizzeria Dos Lavender worker,  Preposterous , Professor D. Rabbit, Sad, Sam (pianist), Selma Worm, Sergeant Gabriel, Shark (in "I Get a Kick Out of U"), The Sun (in "Where Do I Belong?"), The Super Foods broccoli, Timmy, Watson, Wolfgang the Seal, Yip Yip Martian
 * Follow That Bird: Additional Muppeteer
 * The Alphabet Game: Dimples the Dog
 * Getting Ready to Read: Sam
 * Free to Be... a Family: Unemployed Bear
 * Labyrinth: Firey 1, Ambrosius, 1 of the Four Guards (both Muppetry only)
 * The Tale of the Bunny Picnic: Be-Bop, Father Bunny
 * Jim Henson's Play-Along Video series: P.J.
 * Wow, You're a Cartoonist!: Artie
 * Neat Stuff To Know & To Do: Dwayne, Vinny Brontosaurus
 * The Jim Henson Hour: Clifford, Leon, Ace Yu ("Dog City"), Caiman ("The Song of the Cloud Forest"), Nick ("The Song of the Cloud Forest"), Blue Extreme, Doglion, Frackles, Bob
 * The Cosby Show: The Hippocritic Oaf, Beautiful Day Monster, Luncheon Counter Monster, Pineapple
 * Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splinter
 * The Muppets at Walt Disney World: Clifford
 * The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson: Clifford
 * Dinosaurs: Baby Sinclair, Howard Handupme, Howlin' Jay, Female Grapdelite, Dinosaur Chief (face), Ethyl Phillips (sometimes, Muppetry), Mr. Ashland (Muppetry), Pterodactyl (Muppetry)
 * Dog City: Eliot Shag
 * Billy Bunny 's Animal Songs: Billy Bunny
 * Sesame Street Stays Up Late!: Elmo, Cousin Pepe, Elmo - noske, Bjarne Betjent (voice)
 * Muppet Time: Do Re Mi Monster, Jeffy
 * Mr. Willowby's Christ mas Tree: Father Mouse
 * Muppet Treasure Island: Bad Polly, Spa'am, Black Dog, Real Old Tom; Muppeteer for Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam the Eagle (some scenes), Mr. Bimbo
 * The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss: Little Cat Fleep
 * Muppets Tonight: Carter, Clifford, Composta Heap, Craniac, Galahad, Moo - Ing's henchman, Mulch, Lester Tomwater, Arthur Modell, Waldorf (101 & 110)
 * Muppets from Space: Clifford
 * The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Elmo,  Grouch   Cab Driver ,  Grouch   Jailer , Pestie
 * Muppet RaceMania: Clifford & Spa'am
 * Bert & Ernie 's Word Play: The Frosty Four
 * It's a Very Merry Muppet Christ mas Movie: Sam the Eagle (voice only) & Clifford
 * The Muppets' Wizard of Oz: Clifford
 * Sesame Beginnings: Baby Elmo
 * Elmo 's Christ mas< Countdown: Elmo, The Mouse King
 * Panwapa: Azibo the Monster

Animation voices

 * Sesame Street: Grandpa Mudcat, "Madlenka" theme singer, "Feets Too Big" shoe salesman
 * Big Bag: Avery
 * A Sesame Street Christ mas Carol: Sam the Super Automated Ghost of Christ mas Future

Director

 * Beginning Together ( 2006 )
 * Make Music Together ( 2006 )
 * A Celebration of Me, Grover ( 2004 )
 * Ki ds ' Favorite Country Songs (2007)
 * Let's Eat ! ( 1998 )
 * Here for You ( 2007 )
 * Abby in Wonderland ( 2008 )

Producer

 *  The Adventures of Elmo in Grouch land  ( 1999 )
 * " Elmo 's World " (1998 - 2011 )
 * Sesame Beginnings ( 2006 )
 * Elmo palooza ( 1998 )
 * Cinder Elmo ( 1999 )
 * Coming Home ( 2009 )

Other

 * Labyrinth (1986 ), assistant production coordinator
 * Muppet Treasure Island (1996 ), puppet coordinator
 * Dog City (1992 - 1995 ), puppet captain
 * Big Bag (1996 - 1998 ), production consultant

2012 scandal
On November 12th, 2012, Clash took a leave of absence from Sesame Workshop, after a 23-year-old man publicly alleged that he had been in a sexual relationship with Clash which began when the accuser was 16, placing him below the sexual age of consent in the state of New York. Sesame Workshop had initially been presented with the allegation in June, & its investigation found the allegation to be unsubstantiated; however, Clash was disciplined for violating company policy around Internet usage in the workplace. Clash issued a statement in which he confirmed that he is gay & acknowledged that he had been in a relationship with the accuser; however, he characterized the relationship as being between consenting adults.

On November 13th, the accuser's lawyers, Andreozzi & Associates, released the following statement:

"This office represented a 23-year-old man who was the subject of many media reports regarding Kevin Clash. He wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. He will have no further comment on the matter."

Clash released this statement through his publicist in response to this news: "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest. I will not discuss it further." Sesame Workshop released this statement: "We are pleased that this matter has been brought to a close, & we are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode."

Awards & honors

 * Clash won Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series for his work as Elmo & Hoots the Owl on Sesame Street in 1990, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, & 2007.