Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash accused of underage relationship, taking leave from ‘Sesame Street’

[FrodosPet]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/elmo-puppeteer-kevin-clash-accused-of-underage-relationship-taking-leave-from-sesame-street/2012/11/12/10cefca2-2cda-11e2-b631-2aad9d9c73ac_story.html

The puppeteer who performs as Elmo on “Sesame Street” is taking a leave of absence from the iconic kids’ show in the wake of allegations that he had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy.

Puppeteer Kevin Clash has denied the charges, which, according to Sesame Workshop, were first made in June by the accuser, who by then was 23.

~ snip ~

“I had a relationship with the accuser,” Clash said in a statement of his own. “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.”

Sex with a person under 17 is a felony in New York if the perpetrator is at least 21. It was unclear where the relationship took place, and there is no record of any criminal charge against Clash in the state.

~ snip ~

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This could cause a lot of problems for PBS and Sesame Street.

According to the article, he is admitting a relationship with the accuser, but saying it is between consenting adults. As the age of consent is above 16 in New York, either the accuser is wrong about the age, or Mr Clash is in deep dung.

[jollyreaper2112]

1. Never could get a handle on the age thing

This old for consent, that old for marriage with consent of the parent, gotta be 18 for porn. Confusing. Gotta wait until they're considered cougers to be sure Chris Hansen isn't paying a visit.

So in this case, if the boy was 17 he would be legal? Or only legal if he were getting married to a woman? There's that country singer girl who got married to a 40 or 50-something actor while she was 16. But it was legal, no legal connundrum.

[rachel1]

2. Stupid and arbitrary age laws have created this problem

Why not just consider all 16, 17, or 18-year-olds as adults so that none of us will have to worry if we're old enough to do this and that?

[FrodosPet]

3. Middle aged people have no business having sex with 16 year olds

I am not going to say a 16 year old can give informed consent in a mature way, just that MOST of them cannot. I think it is wrong to destroy the lives of two teenagers who hook up - the 21 year old limit makes sense, but late 40s with 16? No.