It’s a sad day for the Muppet and entertainment communities. Kevin Clash, a 28-year veteran performer on the popular children’s show Sesame Street, resigned from his job on November 20, 2012. According to Sesame Workshop’s statement, both Clash and the studio felt it was best for him to leave due to recent controversaries surrounding his personal life. Neither Clash nor Sesame Workshop want this incident to reflect badly on the show and its primary mission. Clash’s puppetry career started early in his childhood and led him to have a career on Captain Kangaroo and The Great Spacecoaster before ultimately Jim Henson picked him up to work on the feature film Labyrinth. Clash’s talents soon took him to the Street and a furry red monster named Elmo. The beloved monster will still be seen on the show, only puppeteered by a step-in.