Former Sesame Street puppeteer Kevin Clash is in the hot seat yet again, as E! Online reports that a third man has come forward claiming he had sex with the performer behind Elmo when he was just 16 years old.
The new accuser plans to file a lawsuit in court against Clash today and is reportedly planning to write a book (with excerpts being released early) about his relationship with Clash.
The currently unidentified man is expected to hold a press conference today at 1 p.m.
“Mr. Clash believes this suit has no merit,” a rep for Clash t0ld E! News.
Clash resigned from Sesame Street last week after a second accuser, Cecil Singleton, came forward and sued him over a relationship he allegedly had with the puppeteer when he was an underage teen.
Clash, 52, had been performing on Sesame Street for nearly 30 years and is responsible for making the Elmo character a cultural phenomenon.
However, Sesame Workshop has insisted that Clash’s troubles will not effect the future of Elmo.
“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 a statement after the first allegations against Clash were made.