Larry David‘s viral attack on Elmo became the focal point of his visit later in the day to “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” where the host grilled David on answers for what would make a person want to attack the beloved “Sesame Street” character on live television. Both David and Elmo were guests on the Feb 1. edition of NBC’s “Today” when David crashed the morning show set during Elmo’s interview and throttled his face.
“The clip is going around online, Larry. You can’t hide from this,” Meyers told David. “Elmo, some might say, is loved by all.”
“Yeah, yeah. I did it,” David said when asked for an explanation. He then impersonated Elmo’s high-pitched voice and continued: “Elmo was talking. I was waiting to be interviewed, and Elmo was going on about mental health and I had to listen to every word. And I was going, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, I don’t think I can take another second of this!’ And so I got off my chair and I approached him and I throttled him! I couldn’t take it!”
David then wisecracked: “And you know what? I would do it again!”
Just think of David’s Elmo-driven freakout as a homage to another great comedian, Zero Mostel. After appearing on The Muppet Show in 1977, Mostel quipped that Jim Henson “has the best possible actors. If you have a disagreement with them, you can always use them to wash your car.”
It’s been a rough week for the little red blob of polyester: Here’s a life lesson, Elmo: don’t ask questions you don’t want to hear the answer to.
On Monday afternoon, the furry red monster posted this on Twitter (latterly known as X): “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?”
Big mistake. Huge.
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What learnings can be made from this in (relatively) buttoned-up Britain? Don’t ask anyone how they are feeling. Ever. Strangers’ overwrought emotions are always better in than out; it’s gruelling enough trying to keep the stopper on your own yawning chasm of Weltschmerz.
Can you imagine what would happen if, say, Paddington Bear checked in on the nation? I’d struggle not to howl; the last time we saw him he was taking tea with Her late great Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, remember?
Yes, that’s better. Have a little private cry now and you won’t need another for decades. And certainly not on social media where, for every kind action, there is an unequal and opposite overreaction.
Poor Elmo is probably in hiding. Definitely in therapy. Will he be cancelled? In the Twittersphere no good deed goes unpunished. See, now I’m emoting. I really need to go where the air is sweet. Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?
America’s Newspaper of Record advises its readers that they better hurry — it’s going to become much gritty and vibrant soon:
Elmo Radicalized After Migrants Bused To Sesame Street https://t.co/1yINdDnI4G pic.twitter.com/vwhAveQNt8
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) February 2, 2024