By Matt Pascarella
You know his face and have probably heard his voice. Elmo is
known by people of all ages throughout the world. But do you know the man
behind this fury red monster? Kevin Clash has had an interest in puppetry since
he was very young. This documentary shows you how Kevin got started and
eventually met Elmo and the impact the two have had on so many.
“I didn’t know this was going to happen,” Clash said at the
beginning. He had always dreamed of working with the Muppets. He was captivated
by television and was a fan of the Wonderful World of Disney and Captain
Kangaroo.
Clash loved Sesame Street from its very first airing in
1969. He wondered how the puppets were made and who was controlling them. He
became immediately fascinated by the work of master puppeteer Jim Henson and
whenever Henson had a special or a TV show, Clash was watching. He wanted to be
a part of what Henson was doing.
Curiosity overcame him one day and he made a puppet out of
his father’s coat. He was afraid of how he might react, but all his father said
was ‘next time, just ask.’ From that point forward, both of his parents were
extremely supportive. Clash began making his own puppets and performing at
neighborhood puppet shows and for the children in his mother’s daycare. He had
a gift and a dream. A dream that he stuck with from that point forward until
today.
His first break came when he got on a Baltimore’s Channel 2
show called ‘Caboose.’ Now TV was more than entertainment, it was research.
Clash watched the Muppet Show to try and figure out how to be as good as those
puppeteers. He reached out to Kermit Love, who worked with Henson, and Love
invited Clash to visit him in New York City. On a class trip, Clash met Love
and was able to learn more about building and controlling puppets.
As Clash got better and better, people began to notice him,
his skill and love for puppetry. He got a job working on Captain Kangaroo and
brought Cookie Monster to life during a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He soon
was asked by Henson to work on the movie ‘Labyrinth.’
Afterwards he met Elmo, who was a little different than the
Elmo of today. As the years went on, Kevin realized what a difference Elmo was
making and how happy he made children. Elmo was quickly a sensation. Now, Clash
is in high demand and has earned more responsibility on Sesame Street; the
mentee has become the mentor.
This was a feel-good documentary. I never thought about the
voices behind the Muppets because they are so life-like and well done. Learning
more about Kevin Clash and getting a small peak behind the curtain as to what
it’s like to be a puppeteer was interesting. My niece is a big Elmo fan and I
think it’s pretty cool that Clash is still making a difference for a brand new
generation. I recommend any fan of Elmo, no matter the age, watch this
documentary. Two red fury thumbs up! <
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