In the followup to my item yesterday about the sex abuse scandal involving Kevin Clash of Sesame Street, most people were outraged, although some commenters here on S & A and elsewhere, wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But let's be honest folks. It's over for him.

According to entertainment columnist Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times, high level sources at the Sesame Workshop told him that it was "highly unlikely" that Clash would ever return to the show.

In fact one source invloved with the show told Zwecker that "unless things suddenly move in Kevin’s direction right away, and he is proven to be a victim of an ugly smear, rather than an adult sexual predator of a minor, he is finished in the world of children’s entertainment." 

The Sesame Workshop, which made $47 million in merchandising last year, also released an official statement saying that: “Elmo is bigger than any one person and will continue to be an integral part of Sesame Street.”  

Or, in other words, Clash is expendable, we're giving him the kiss off, and finding someone else to do Elmo.

And there has already been more fallout. The documentary Being Elmo, about Clash and his career in puppetry, which was scheduled to air on local PBS stations this month around the country, such as WTTW in Chicago this week, is being pulled from their schedules and replaced with other programs.