Elmo Toymaker Hasbro Responds to 'Sesame Street' Controversy

2:31 PM PST 11/20/2012 by Seth Abramovitch

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"We are confident that Elmo ... will continue to delight children for years to come," a company spokesman says.

Hasbro is standing behind Elmo.

Kevin Clash, Elmo Puppeteer, Resigns From Sesame Workshop Amid Sex Scandal

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In the wake of the resignation of the popular Sesame Street character's puppeteer, Kevin Clash, amid multiple allegations of having sex with minors, the toy manufacturing giant tells The Hollywood Reporter that it will continue to make and back products based on the squeaky-voiced creature.

STORY: Kevin Clash 'Deeply Sorry' to Leave Sesame Street

"Sesame Street and its wonderful characters have been entertaining and educating children and families for more than 40 years," a spokesman for Hasbro says. "We are confident that Elmo will remain an integral part of Sesame Street and that Sesame Street toys will continue to delight children for years to come."

The controversy comes at an inopportune moment for the company, just weeks after introducing its latest Elmo product -- the LOL Elmo -- in anticipation of the holiday shopping season. The toy, priced at $39.99, giggles and convulses gleefully and is a direct descendant of Tyco's Tickle Me Elmo, which caused toy store riots during the 1996 Christmas season.

It joins Hasbro's extensive line of Elmo-branded merchandise, featuring everything from alphabet blocks for toddlers to toy cell phones and electric guitars geared toward older children.

STORY: Kevin Clash, Elmo Puppeteer, Resigns From Sesame Workshop Amid Sex Scandal

Clash, a 52-year-old veteran of Sesame Workshop and the subject of the critically acclaimed 2011 documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, said in a statement to THR that he leaves the show after 28 years "with a very heavy heart."

"Personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work Sesame Street is doing, and I cannot allow it to go on any longer," Clash added.

Email: seth.abramovitch@thr.com

Twitter: @SethAbramovitch