Still Scared About the Storm? Elmo Is Here for You

I was a little too old for Sesame Street once Elmo really hit the bigtime, so my loyalties will forever lie with GROVER (OBV). But after watching the fucking awesome 2011 documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (Netflix Instant! Right now! Go!), I feel like I finally get Elmo. And I love that little dude.

Elmo made an appearance on WNYC this morning to talk to kids (and, let’s be honest, hella hella grownups) who are feeling freaked out about Not-a-Hurricane Sandy. If there’s a better balm for mild PTSD than Elmo telling you that he loves you, I’d like to hear it.

Perhaps the toughest question of all, however, came from one young listener who Lehrer said “might be the youngest caller ever in the history of the show.” The young girl, who sounded only barely old enough to go to school herself, wondered whether she would be able to school on Thursday. Elmo wasn’t sure (no decision had been announced), but he did have one last comforting message for his young fan: “Elmo loves you.”

Sniff. Oh…it’s nothing, I just got something in my eye. Something called THE WONDER AND INNOCENCE OF CHILDHOOD THAT WE CAN NEVER GET BACK.