Voice Of Elmo Steps Down Amid Allegations

Kevin Clash, puppeteer and voice of "Sesame Street"'s Elmo, has left the kids' show amid accusations of underage sex, Sesame Workshop announced Tuesday.

A 24-year-old man accused Clash of having an underaged sexual relationship with him, only to recant the next day. Another man came forward and filed a lawsuit against Clash Tuesday. 

Sesame Workshop issued a statement which read:

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.