Skip to Content

Elmo impersonators roaming New York are nothing new, but one going off on anti-Semitic / racist tirades – ranting maniacally about Jews while harassing tourists – is.

The NYPD was forced to remove a man wearing the familiar furry, red Elmo costume from Times Square after he exploded into an obscenity-laced rant.

It’s less funny and more scary than it sounds. Here’s a quick clip:

The Hollywood Gossip Logo

Other Elmos around New York said they recognized the man from prior clashes and worry that this incident could tarnish their collective reputation.

In between posing for photos and harassing tourists for tips, the offending Elmo would go off on xenophobic and anti-Semitic tirades for some reason.

The man, whose name was not released because he was not arrested, was taken to Metropolitan Hospital Center for a psychological evaluation.

The man would shout “crazy stuff” about the other impersonators, said one witness, adding that people tried to keep a wary distance from Elmo.

One can certainly see why. Red dude’s got some anger issues.