Puppeteer for Sesame Street's Elmo character accused of relationship with 16-year-old boy

BY FRAZIER MOORE, AP TELEVISION WRITER

NEW YORK -- 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.

"We took the allegation very seriously and took immediate action," Sesame Workshop said in a statement issued Monday. "We met with the accuser twice and had repeated communications with him. We met with Kevin, who denied the accusation."

The organization described the relationship as "unrelated to the workplace." Its investigation found the allegation of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated. But it said Clash exercised "poor judgment" and was disciplined for violating company policy regarding Internet usage. It offered no details.

"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.

Clash, the 52-year-old divorced father of a grown daughter, added, "I am a gay man. I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter.

"I am taking a break from Sesame Workshop to deal with this false and defamatory allegation," he said.

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Eagle Scout Zach Wahls: 'UPS showed true bravery' when it cut funding to the Boy Scouts

A statement from Eagle Scout Zach Wahls, founder of Scouts for Equality, via Change.org:

“UPS showed true bravery today in standing with the 80,000 Americans, including thousands of Scouts and Scout leaders, who oppose the Boy Scouts’ hurtful anti-gay policy. That bravery is what Scouting is all about,” said Wahls. “Corporate America gets it better than most: policies that discriminate aren’t simply wrong, they're bad for business and they're hurting the Scouting community. You would think that after all the Boy Scouts have lost as a result of this policy, they would understand that.”

Click here for more about the Change.org campaign.

GLAAD: UPS Foundation says it won't fund Boy Scouts because of ban on gay scouts and leaders

GLAAD has announced that UPS Foundation has adopted a nondiscrimination policy that makes the Boy Scouts ineligible for funding based on its ban of gay scouts and leaders.

"UPS Foundation is the second corporate sponsor of the BSA to adopt such a policy after the Intel Foundation," according to a GLAAD news release on Monday.

From GLAAD:

The UPS Foundation today joined a growing number of corporate leaders in providing financial support to those organizations that align with the company’s non-discrimination policy. Under this policy, the Boy Scouts of America is no longer eligible for grants from the UPS Foundation because of the BSA's ban on gay scouts and scout leaders.

The UPS Foundation posted the following on its site:

The UPS Foundation seeks to support organizations that are in alignment with our focus areas, guidelines, and non-discrimination policy. UPS and The UPS Foundation do not discriminate against any person or organization with regard to categories protected by applicable law, as well as other categories protected by UPS and The UPS Foundation in our own policies. These include, but are not limited to race, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, pregnancy, age and religion.

UPS confirmed to GLAAD that under these guidelines, which UPS said have been in development for several months, organizations that are unable to attest to having a policy or practices that align with the Foundation’s non-discrimination policy will no longer be considered eligible for funding. Prior to The UPS Foundation’s non-discrimination language, UPS gave $167,000 to various Boy Scouts of America entities in 2010 and said there would not be a change to grant-making at that time according to an American Independent report in September 2012. UPS has consistently received high marks on the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Corporate Equality Index, an annual survey that rates U.S. corporations on their non-discrimination policies and practices toward LGBT employees and consumers.

Click here to read more on GLAAD's website.

Video | Broward Commissioner Sue Gunzburger honored Nov. 11, 2012, by Equality Florida

Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith introduces Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger, recipient of the group's 2012 Voice For Equality Award at the 2012 Broward gala at the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale.

Gunzburger spoke Nov. 11, 2012, of marriage equality, her gay son, Ron, and lesbian daughter, Jude.

Video by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff
More at http://t.co/X0TGKdZY

Gallery | Florida's first openly gay lawmakers appear together at Equality Florida Broward gala

Florida's first two openly gay state legislators made their first joint appearance after the November 2012 election on Sunday at Equality Florida's annual Broward awards gala.

Above, Joe Saunders of Central Florida, left, and David Richardson of Miami Beach, right, wave to a cheering crowd of several hundred Equality Florida supporters at the downtown Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, after being introduced by Equality Florida Deputy Director Stratton Pollitzer, center.

Broward County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger – accompanied by her gay son Ron and lesbian daughter Jude – received Equality Florida's 2012 Voice for Equality Award.

Right, Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith presents Gunzburger with her award.

Click here to view more pictures from the gala. Photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.