Names and faces

— The puppeteer who performs as Elmo on Sesame Street is taking a leave of absence from the children’s 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 was 23 then. “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, 52, 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.” Neither Clash nor Sesame Workshop indicated how long his absence might be. “Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street to engage, educate and inspire children around the world, as it has for 40 years,” Sesame Workshop said in its statement.

Anne Hathaway credits her new husband, Adam Schulman, for helping her get through the grueling filming of the screen adaptation of Les Miserables. In Les Miserables, the 30-year-old actress plays Fantine, a struggling, sickly mother forced into prostitution in 1800s Paris. Hathaway lost 25 pounds and cut her hair for the role. She tells the December issue of Vogue that the part left her in a “state of deprivation-physical and emotional.” She felt easily overwhelmed and said Shulman was understanding and supportive. The couple wed in September in Big Sur, Calif. The December issue of Vogue hits stores Nov. 20.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 11/13/2012

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