Elmo’s question leads to online firestorm
«How is everybody doing?» That’s the question Elmo asked to fans online. It generated thousands of responses.
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Larry David just couldn’t «Curb» himself.
The «Curb Your Enthusiasm» star and creator crashed the «Today» show’s conversation with Elmo — who went viral this past week — and his dad, Louie, on Thursday. As Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin tossed it over to Al Roker, David went behind the couch, where the «Sesame Street» characters were conducting the interview, and started squeezing Elmo’s face.
The hosts and Louie are seen panicking as David also mimed throwing a right hook.
«Mr. Larry, Elmo liked you before!» the Muppet yelled after the comedian’s retreating figure. «Let’s get back on the couch and just talk about how you’re feeling.»
«Larry, you’ve gone too far this time,» Guthrie admonished David, who was off-camera. He responded: «Somebody had to do it!»
Later, Guthrie and Kotb urged David to give Elmo a heartfelt apology. After some urging, the actor conceded, «Elmo, I just want to apologize» — though the sincerity was broken when he immediately laughed afterward.
«Thank you, Larry,» Elmo responded. «Elmo accepts your apology.»
But despite David’s apology, the «Seinfeld» co-creator defended his actions in an appearance on «Late Night with Seth Meyers» later on Thursday, telling Meyers he couldn’t «take another second» of listening to Elmo «going on about mental health,» so he «throttled him.»
«I couldn’t take it,» David added. «And you know what? I would do it again!»
The «Today» hosts had Elmo and Louie on their show to discuss his recent viral moment, which started with a seemingly innocuous X post on Jan. 29: «Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?»
This prompted some of the post’s 200 million viewers to pour their hearts out to the fuzzy red monster.
The comments became so intense Monday, that Sesame Street’s official X account tweeted links to mental health resources.
«Thank you, Elmo, for checking in with a reminder for us to pause and take a mindful moment to focus on how we’re feeling,» the account replied before adding links to the resources.
Contributing: Julia Gomez and Brendan Morrow
