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Kevin Clash

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Puppeteer

The Resume

    (September 17, 1960- )
    Best known for performing Elmo on ‘Sesame Street (1985- )’
    Operated puppets for ‘The Great Space Coaster (1981-1985),’ ‘Labyrinth (1986),’ ‘The Jim Henson Hour (1989),’ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990),’ ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991),’ ‘Dinosaurs (1991-1994),’ ‘Muppet Treasure Island (1996),’ ‘Muppets Tonight (1996-1998),’ ‘Muppets from Space (1999),’ ‘It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)’ and ‘The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz (2005)’

Why he might be annoying:

    Many Muppet fans despise his Elmo character and accuse him of ruining ‘Sesame Street.’
    Fully one quarter of each episode is devoted to that character.
    Some call Elmo ‘the red menace.’
    One critic wrote: ‘Elmo doesn’t teach anything except how to be a loud, obnoxious, hyperactive nuisance with atrocious grammar.’
    For years, it was impossible to escape Elmo toys, especially the Tickle Me Elmo doll.
    As Elmo, he was a frequent guest on ‘The Rosie O’Donnell Show.’
    He repeated the catch phrase 'Not the Mama,' ad nauseam; as the baby on 'Dinosaurs.'
    He took a leave of absence from Sesame Street after being accused of having a relationship with a 16 year old boy (November 12, 2012).

Why he might not be annoying:

    Some people say Muppet fans who hate him should get a life.
    Many children adore his Elmo character.
    He won an Emmy for Best Performance in a Children’s Series (1990).
    The character became the most popular new Muppet since the early days of ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘The Muppet Show.’
    Some people think he voiced the obnoxious Jar-Jar Binks in the ‘Star Wars’ series, but he did not.
    Elmo was satirized multiple times on ‘The Simpsons.’
    His real speaking voice is nothing like Elmo’s.
    He is one of only a few African-American Muppeteers.
    When people say they didn’t know Elmo was black, he responds: ‘He’s not black, he’s red.’
    The man who accused him of having an improper relationship recanted his story and admitted he was an adult when he had a relationship with Clash (November 13, 2012).

Credit: Wieland Kalligaro


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 18 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 44 Votes: 43.18% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 7 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 64 Votes: 67.19% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 535 Votes: 81.50% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 52 Votes: 40.38% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 115 Votes: 35.65% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 106 Votes: 54.72% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 268 Votes: 42.91% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 101 Votes: 49.50% Annoying