Elmo has been having quite the week. The Sesame Street favorite went viral after posting a seemingly innocuous tweet where he was just “checking in” on how everyone is doing. However, the little monster ended up inundated with a flood of replies that showed that people are not doing so hot.
Because Elmo is a beloved character on a children’s program, his viral moment was spun into a teachable lesson in checking on your friends. It was a kind, wholesome message that Elmo shared with Thursday morning’s episode of TODAY until Larry David had other plans. Namely, beating the crap out of America’s most adorable puppet.
In a bizarre and hilariously random moment, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star flew onto the set and started pounding on Elmo as the TODAY hosts couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Al Roker was visibly stunned. If David thought this would be an off-camera moment that no one would see, he was sorely mistaken.
After joking that “someone had to do it,” the curmudgeonly comedian was forced to apologize to Elmo live on the air. Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager sat David down and asked if there’s anything he wants to say to Elmo.
“And from your heart,” Bush Hager said, prompting David to quip, “From where? What organ are you talking about?”
However, David relented and apologized. Although, Elmo’s voice chirping in almost send him back over the edge. Naturally, this made Elmo go viral again as people reacted to Larry David assaulting the number one children’s TV character of all time.
You can see some of the reactions below:
Good morning everyone https://t.co/4xXY4zav0y
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) February 1, 2024
you’re laughing. larry david assaulted elmo on morning television and you’re laughing https://t.co/51OaoltAiI
— hannah strong (@thethirdhan) February 1, 2024
https://t.co/STbO3ALpel pic.twitter.com/XMkXlzeAWO
— Brian Hurst (@Hurstcules) February 1, 2024
I feel like Larry David punching a sesame street puppet and getting tons of shit for it while stubbornly refusing to apologize because “He’s just a stupid puppet” could be an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm https://t.co/ZqwdUkyqkT
— Zane Schacht – Voice Goblin
(@VoicesByZane) February 1, 2024
I have so many questions and all of them are inaudible through my laughter https://t.co/5dP6nuoitu
— David Neary (@DeusExCinema) February 1, 2024
100 years from now, Larry David will be a mythical figure known all throughout the land in stories told to keep children in line.
“Make sure you say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’, or the Larrydavid will eat your toes while you sleep.” https://t.co/lMMuGFzWiz
— Brendan Foley (@TheTrueBrendanF) February 1, 2024
The “ask permission before you touch people” lol https://t.co/Y2Ty3yeuAb
— Theocratic Dictator (@theodictator) February 1, 2024
This is the Will Smith slap for white people https://t.co/h1Ug49U6wq
— sovereign simp-izen (@TooMuchWit) February 1, 2024
(Via TODAY on YouTube)