The puppeteer who performs as the Sesame Street character Elmo has been granted a leave of absence from his job amid allegations he had an improper relationship with a 16-year-old boy, the Sesame Workshop tells People. Kevin Clash , who voices Elmo on the popular children's show, has denied the allegations, which were first reported by TMZ.com. According to report, Clash, who was 45-years-old at the time, says he had a consensual relationship with a man, who is now 23, that occurred when the accuser was of legal age. (The legal age of consent in New York, where Sesame Street films,