Torchbearer Elmo?: ‘Sesame Street’ Creature Bids to Carry Olympic Flame

By Leah Rozen | Posted on June 7th, 2012

The furry, red Olympian (Facebook)

Who’s red, furry, speaks in a high voice and hopes to take part in the Olympics in London this summer? That would be Elmo, everyone’s favorite monster from Sesame Street.

Elmo has launched his campaign to be the first monster to serve as an Olympic torchbearer with a video and a Facebook page.

In the Elmolympian video, Elmo explains that if he trains for enough Olympic events, he thinks he’ll have a shot at the torchbearer slot. He is then seen giving a go to running the hurdles, weightlifting and gymnastics against a backdrop of such London landmarks as Big Ben and Tower Bridge. As he trips or falls each time, he reassures worried viewers by chipperly piping up, “Elmo’s okay!”

Take a look: