View source for Elmo

{{short description|Muppet character on the children's television show Sesame Street}}
{{other uses}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}<!--This article is about a character from an American TV show. Please use the American English spelling in this article.-->
{{Infobox character
| series      = [[Sesame Street]]
| image       = Kevin Clash with Elmo, May 2010 (2) (cropped).jpg
| first       = 1980 (season 11) (as a supporting character); 1985 (season 17) (as a permanent character)
| creator  = Caroly Wilcox
| portrayer   = {{Plainlist|
* '''Principal performers'''
* [[Kevin Clash]] (1985–2012)
* [[Ryan Dillon]] (2013–present)
* ''[[Elmo#Casting history|see all below]]''
}}
| lbl21       = Fur color
| data21      = Red<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sesame Street |date=September 16, 2014 |title=Sesame Street: Lupita Nyong'o Loves Her Skin |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIC2hHECZ6Y#t=88 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211118/xIC2hHECZ6Y |archive-date=2021-11-18 |access-date=September 17, 2014 |publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
| species     = [[List of Sesame Street Muppets|Muppet]] monster
| gender      = Male
| family      = {{Plainlist|
* Louie and Mae (parents)
* Daisy (sister)
}}
| relatives   = {{Plainlist|
* Mimsy (cousin)
* Cousin Pepe (cousin from Mexico)
* Elmo-noske (cousin from Japan)
* Elmer (cousin from Texas)
* Aunt Sue
* Elmo's Grandma and Grandpa
* Selmo
* Elmo's Great Grandmother
* Elmo (great-great grandfather and namesake)
* Uncle Jack
* Aunt Jill
* Jesse (cousin)
* Chester (cousin)
* Chester's parents (aunt and uncle)
* Funella Furchester (aunt)
* Furgus Fuzz (uncle)
* Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz (cousin)
* Ollie (cousin)
}}
| nationality  = American
| lbl22        = Birthday
| data22       = February 3<ref>{{cite tweet|user=elmo|title=Elmo wants to thank everyone who wished Elmo a happy birthday! And when Elmo says "everyone," Elmo means . . . everyone. #HappyBirthdayElmo|number=1621614505078702080|publisher=Twitter|date=2023-02-03|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
}}
[[File:ClintonPSA-018 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Elmo and [[Rosita (Sesame Street)|Rosita]] film a [[Public service announcement|PSA]] in 2005 with then-Senator [[Hillary Clinton]]]]
'''Elmo'''  is a red [[List of Sesame Street Muppets|Muppet]] character on the children's television show ''[[Sesame Street]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2011 |title='The Muppets': Where's Elmo? |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/muppets-disney-elmo-jason-segel-263180 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> A furry red monster who speaks in a high-pitched [[falsetto]] voice and [[Illeism|frequently refers to himself in the third person]], he hosts the last full five-minute segment (fifteen minutes prior to 2017) on ''Sesame Street'', "[[Elmo's World]]", which is aimed at [[toddler]]s. He was originally performed by [[Kevin Clash]]. Following [[Kevin Clash#Abuse allegations|Clash's resignation]] in late 2012, Elmo has been performed by [[Ryan Dillon]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 21, 2012 |title=Elmo Left Behind on 'Sesame Street' As Puppeteer Kevin Clash Exits Amid Underage Sex Scandal |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/elmo-actor-leaves-sesame-street-article-1.1205900#ixzz2GWzezE00 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
==History==
Elmo is self-described as three-and-a-half years old and his birthday is on February 3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=This Week in Sesame Street: Elmo's Birthday |url=http://www.sesameworkshop.org/our-blog/2012/02/03/this-week-in-sesame-street-elmos-birthday |publisher=Sesame Workshop |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=July 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708191522/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/our-blog/2012/02/03/this-week-in-sesame-street-elmos-birthday/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Elmo characteristically avoids [[pronoun]]s in reference to himself, instead [[illeism|referring to himself in the third person]] (e.g., saying "Elmo wants this" instead of "I want this").<ref name=":0" /> ''Sesame Street'' staff writer Nancy Sans once described Elmo's origins: "There was this extra red puppet lying around and the cast would pick him up sometimes and try to create a personality, but nothing seemed to materialize."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rhoades |first=Shirrel |date=December 20, 2011 |title=Being Elmo |url=http://tropiccinema.blogspot.com/2011/12/being-elmo-rhoades.html |access-date=July 5, 2012 |publisher=Tropic Cinema}}</ref>
[[File:Sesame Street- Grand Canyon Families.webm|thumb|Elmo with Murray, another ''Sesame Street'' Muppet, in a video published by the [[National Park Service]].]]
The character of Elmo was originally conceived as a supporting character and background character by Henson Associates-based Muppet artist/builder Caroly Wilcox in 1979, first appearing in the ''Sesame Street'' song "We Are All Monsters", which first aired in a Season 11 episode during 1980. Elmo became a named and recurring character on ''Sesame Street'' (during the street storylines) sometime later that season (episode 1439, to be exact), although he still appeared as a supporting character in segments in later episodes of the show at the time. The character was performed by a rotating ensemble of Muppet performers such as [[Jerry Nelson]] and [[Kathryn Mullen]] while he was a background character in such ''Sesame Street'' segments from 1980 to 1984. As a named character, Elmo was performed by [[Brian Muehl]] from 1980 to 1984, and later [[Richard Hunt (puppeteer)|Richard Hunt]] from 1984 to 1985 upon Muehl's departure. However, in 1985, Hunt was so frustrated with the puppet, he squeezed it and threw it at [[Kevin Clash]], who then performed Elmo. Clash said that Elmo should be a character who is kind and loving. Sans says of Clash, "one day in 1985, Kevin Clash, a talented puppeteer, raised him up and brought energy and life into Elmo and from that day forward we would all write for Elmo."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shon |first=Debora |date=January 31, 2006 |title=Sesame Street will spend this weekend in Poughkeepsie |work=Poughkeepsie Journal |url=http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060131/LIFE/601310301/1005}}</ref>                                                                                                             Modern Elmo debuted with the Season 17 premiere of ''Sesame Street'', episode 2096 (first aired November 18, 1985, following the release of the ''Sesame Street'' film ''Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird''). In the episode, Big Bird is tired of the adults refusing to believe him about Snuffy, so he decides to arrange for them to come to his nest and meet Snuffy, and Elmo offers to help. Snuffy returns, then tells Elmo he had better go home and brush his fur to prepare for the grown-ups' arrival, but Elmo holds on to his snuffle so he cannot go; as such, the adults meet Snuffy for the first time ever. Clash cites a moment later in season 17 (from Episode 2215 in which Elmo packs for an imaginary vacation) as the moment when he "found his voice" as Elmo, and by 1987, he became added to various episodes and product lines. [[John Tartaglia]], [[Matt Vogel (puppeteer)|Matt Vogel]], and [[Jim Martin (puppeteer)|Jim Martin]] have all been secondary performers for the character, providing movement for Elmo's arms and legs, particularly in green-screen shots.
Alongside [[Cookie Monster]], Elmo has appeared in ''[[The Furchester Hotel]]'', where he is taking an extended stay because of his fascination with the Furchester Hotel. His father Louie is the brother of Funella Furchester.
On May 27, 2020, ''[[The Not Too Late Show with Elmo]]'' premiered on [[Max (streaming service)|Max]]. The series stars Elmo as the host of his own [[late-night talk show]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sesame Workshop to debut 'The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo' on HBO MAX on Tuesday, May 27, 2020 &#124; Sesame Workshop |url=https://www.sesameworkshop.org/press-room/press-releases/sesame-workshop-debut-not-too-late-show-elmo-hbo-max-tuesday-may-27-2020 |website=www.sesameworkshop.org |access-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530194144/https://www.sesameworkshop.org/press-room/press-releases/sesame-workshop-debut-not-too-late-show-elmo-hbo-max-tuesday-may-27-2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Popular culture==
After becoming a regular guest on ''[[The Rosie O'Donnell Show]]'', Elmo began touring the talk-show circuit. He has appeared on ''[[Martha Stewart Living]],'' ''[[Martha (TV series)|Martha]]'', ''[[The Tony Danza Show (2004 talk show)|The Tony Danza Show]]'', ''[[Rove (TV series)|Rove Live]]'', ''[[Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=35&prgDate=09-30-2006&view=storyview |access-date=June 29, 2014 |publisher=NPR}}</ref> and ''[[The View (U.S. TV series)|The View]]''. Elmo and a developmental expert gave babysitting tips on the June 18, 2005, episode of ''[[Teen Kids News]]''. He has also appeared on ''[[Emeril Live]]'', helping [[Emeril]] make (non-alcoholic) eggnog during a Holiday Special shown in December 2008. Kevin Clash and [[Aaron Neville]] were also guests on this show. On a special episode of ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show|Oprah]]'' called "The Faces Behind the Famous Names", Kevin Clash and Elmo appeared at the same time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2008 |title=A Guy's Guide to Oprah: 'Barbie, Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, and Elmo' |url=http://www.aguysguidetooprah.com/2008/06/barbie-marc-jacobs-jimmy-choo-and-elmo.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219082624/http://aguysguidetooprah.com/2008/06/barbie-marc-jacobs-jimmy-choo-and-elmo.html/ |archive-date=February 19, 2012 |access-date=June 29, 2014 |publisher=Aguysguidetooprah.com}}</ref>
Elmo was the star of the 1999 full-length, theatrically released motion picture ''[[The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland]]''. He also starred in the special ''[[Elmo Saves Christmas]]''.
Elmo also appeared in a fifth-season episode of ''[[The West Wing (TV series)|The West Wing]]'' along with his friends [[Zoe (Sesame Street)|Zoe]] and [[Big Bird]]. In that episode, Elmo receives a medical checkup from [[Abbey Bartlet]], the [[First Lady]] (who is making a guest appearance on ''Sesame Street''), and cheekily questions her about the validity of her medical license.
Elmo also appeared in the eighth-season episode of ''[[Scrubs (TV series)|Scrubs]]'', "[[My ABC's]]", along with [[Oscar the Grouch]], [[Grover]], and an Anything Muppet named "Ex Ray". All four characters are in separate fantasies of [[J.D. (Scrubs)|J.D.'s]] in the episode.
At the request and with the assistance of Rep. [[Duke Cunningham]], he testified before the [[House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education]] in April 2002, urging support for increased funding in music education.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 24, 2002 |title=Mr. Elmo goes to Washington |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2002-04-23/politics/elmo.hill_1_elmo-instruments-congressional-committee |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011091903/http://articles.cnn.com/2002-04-23/politics/elmo.hill_1_elmo-instruments-congressional-committee?_s=PM%3AALLPOLITICS |archive-date=October 11, 2012 |access-date=June 29, 2014 |publisher=CNN}}</ref>
''[[Emeril and Elmo's Healthy Start]]'' was a special featuring Elmo and [[Emeril Lagasse]] that aired on November 4, 2005, at 8 p.m. as part of the [[Food Network]]'s second annual "Cook With Your Kids Week". The special was produced in conjunction with Sesame Workshop's [[Healthy Habits for Life]] program.
In 1996, a [[Tickle Me Elmo]] doll became a [[fad]] [[toy]].<ref name="People">{{Cite magazine |date=January 13, 1997 |title=Just Tickled |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20143226,00.html |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |volume=47 |issue=1 |access-date=2022-10-05}}</ref>
Some traditionalist fans of ''Sesame Street'' have complained that Elmo's prominent status has caused roles to be greatly reduced for several older characters,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jumptheshark.com |url=http://www.jumptheshark.com/topic/sesame-street-general-comments/1767 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010051720/http://www.jumptheshark.com/topic/sesame-street-general-comments/1767 |archive-date=October 10, 2007}}</ref> with some referring to him as the "Little Red Menace".<ref>[http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_412445.html "Elmo dethrones Big Bird"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823084740/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_412445.html|date=August 23, 2010|title=dead link}}, Kim Lyons, ''Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'', January 11, 2006</ref> Some fans also blame Elmo for the semi-permanent departure of [[Kermit the Frog]] from ''Sesame Street''.
In its [[FAQ]], the [[Sesame Workshop]] addresses the allegation that Elmo [[illeism|referring to himself in the third person]] will teach children [[improper English]], by stating that this behavior "mimics the behavior of many preschoolers. Like 3-year-olds, he doesn't always have the skills or knowledge to speak proper English."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Why does Elmo refer to himself in the third person? Won't this teach kids improper English? |url=http://www.sesameworkshop.org/faq?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369&_faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_action=addquestion&_faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_category=About%20the%20Television%20Program&_faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_faqtype=faq&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=browsefaq_WAR_sesameportlets4369&_browsefaq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_category=About%20the%20Television%20Program# |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927021430/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/faq?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369&_faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_action=addquestion&_faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_category=About%20the%20Television%20Program&_faq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_faqtype=faq&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=browsefaq_WAR_sesameportlets4369&_browsefaq_WAR_sesameportlets4369_category=About%20the%20Television%20Program |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=October 29, 2008 |website=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Sesame Workshop}}</ref>
==Casting history==
===Principal performers===
* [[Kevin Clash]] (1985–2012)
* [[Ryan Dillon]] (2013–present)
===Alternate performers===
* [[Jerry Nelson]] (early 1980s)
* [[Kathryn Mullen]] (early 1980s)
* [[Brian Meehl|Brian Muehl]] (1980–1984)
* [[Richard Hunt (puppeteer)|Richard Hunt]] (1984–1985)
===Assistants===
* [[Paul McGinnis]]
* [[John Tartaglia]]
* [[Jim Martin (puppeteer)|Jim Martin]]
* [[Ryan Dillon]]
===International puppeteers===
* Kōji Ochiai (Japanese [[NHK]] dub of ''Sesame Street'')
* Kenta Matsumoto (Japanese, [[Sesame Street (Japan)#Sesame Street's Japanese co-production|TV Tokyo]])
* [[Davide Garbolino]] (Italian version of ''[[Elmo's World]]'')
* [[Eduardo Garza]] (Mexican Spanish, Latin Spanish dub of ''Elmo's World'')
* Igor Cruz (Mexican Spanish)
* Sabine Falkenberg (German)
* [[Hein Boele]] (Dutch dub of Sesamestreet)
* Jogchem Jalink (Puppeteer of the Elmo replica puppet used on the Dutch version of Sesamestreet)
* Tomasz Bednarek (Polish version of ''[[Elmo's World]]'')
* Damon Berry (''[[Takalani Sesame]]'', known as "Neno")
* Christophe Albertini (5, ''Rue Sésame'')
* Ariel Doron ([[Rechov Sumsum]])
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Elmo (puppet)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061108122509/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/tickle/ Tickle Elmo]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061108123353/http://www.sesameworkshop.org/sesamestreet/elmosworld/ Elmo's World]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070519061939/http://www.wpt.org/blog/2007/02/be-more-tuned-in-podcast-kevin-clash.html Downloadable 15-minute interview with Elmo voice and puppeteer Kevin Clash from Wisconsin Public Television] – Kevin Clash talks about how he became Elmo and how the Muppet is able to affect children's lives
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZHSDjtD-dg "Sesame Street: A YouTube Interview with Elmo"] – Sesame Street Official Channel, [[YouTube]]
* {{IMDb title|0218892|Cinderelmo}}
{{Sesame Street Characters}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Sesame Street Muppet characters]]
[[Category:Fictional illeists]]
[[Category:Fictional monsters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:Child characters in film]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1980]]