Super Bowl Update

"This is a sad day for Sesame Street."

That's from Sesame Workshop following the resignation of longtime puppeteer Kevin Clash, better known as the man who brought Sesame Street's Elmo to life.

Clash has been embroiled in controversy following accusations - later proven to be unsubstantiated, said Sesame Workshop - that he had an inappropriate relationship several years ago with a young man who was then 16 years old.

In a statement last week, Clash acknowledged a relationship between “two consenting adults,” but said the man otherwise had been making a “false and defamatory allegation.”

The man later recanted his accusation (and a second accuser has now filed a lawsuit against Clash); the first accuser's attorney issued a statement which said he “wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship.”

But the die was cast.  In a brief statement on its website, Sesame Workshop called the controversy “a distraction that none of us wants,” and announced that Clash had resigned because he could no longer be “effective” in his job with the children's program.

"I am resigning from Sesame Workshop with a very heavy heart," Clash said in a statement Tuesday. "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."