PBS
Sesame Street may not exist in real life, but it is canonically located in New York City. As a result, you might think the characters who reside there would be rooting for the Knicks in the NBA Finals, and Elmo has managed to catch some heat for refusing to throw his support behind the team that plays in the borough he calls home.
The first episode of Sesame Street aired in 1969 and revolved around the people and puppets who live on the fictional (and eponymous) road that’s located somewhere in Manhattan. The program has dropped some hints concerning the neighborhood it’s in over the decades, and in 2019, a sign bearing its name was permanently erected on the actual corner of Broadway on 63rd Street on the Upper West Side.
Elmo was not part of the original cast, which included iconic characters like Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch. He popped up in the background of the show for the first time in 1979, but he didn’t really become the lovable red monster he’s known for being until stepping into the spotlight in the second half of the 1980s.
Now, Elmo probably shouldn’t be on social media when you consider he is perpetually three years old. However, he is a fairly prodigious poster who recently decided to wade into NBA Twitter right before the Knicks and the Spurs officially ushered in this year’s Finals.
However, he has riled up Knicks fans over his decision to sit on the fence when it comes to who to root for in the series.
Knicks fans are mad at Elmo for refusing to root for them in the NBA Finals
On Wednesday, Elmo hopped online prior to Game 1 between the Knicks and the Spurs to let the world know he hopes “both teams have fun.”
That did not go over well with people who are rooting for New York and assumed Elmo would be doing the same based on where he’s from, as his mentions were flooded with fans imploring him to pick a side, reminding him of his roots, and highlighting a picture of Grover posing with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire.
On Friday, Elmo tried to do some damage control but only invoked more anger after once again trying to play both sides without committing to either one.
KNICKS that last message! Elmo didn’t mean to SPUR you on! https://t.co/rSsbhlPzyj
— Elmo (@elmo) June 4, 2026
Do better, Elmo. Do better.