The voice of Elmo for the last 28-years Kevin Clash has resigned amidst a scandal that begun when he was accused of having a relationship with a boy when he was 16. Although 23-year old Sheldon Stephens later recanted his claim and said the relationship happened when he was an adult, he later had a change of heart and said he was paid $125,000 to keep quiet about the story. Now another boy has come forward with a $5 million lawsuit and a claim of an affair with Kevin 20 years ago when he was just 15, prompting Sesame Street to release this statement:

“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.”

See what the actor had to say about this ugly sting of events after the jump and speculate why this is all happening now in the comments section.

“I have loved every day of my 28 years working for this exceptional organization. Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing, and I cannot allow it to go on any longer. I am deeply sorry to be leaving and am looking forward to resolving these personal matters privately.”

Tagged as: Buzz, Elmo, Kevin Clash, Resign, Resignation, Sesame Street, Sexual Charges, Voice