Are “It's not right, Elmo. Not good,” But thanks for asking.
The beloved “Sesame Street” character checked in on Monday, the last Monday of what feels like the longest January in history, checking in on how everyone was doing with a seemingly harmless tweet.
What occurred was an existential crisis in which X users shared their sense of overwhelming fear and anxiety, from the personal to the global, that affected even the little red Muppet. He probably didn't expect the Internet to vent its collective anguish in his responses, but it did.
“Elmo just signed up! How's everybody? the tweet saying, prompting more than 12,000 responses, 47,000 retweets and 115,500 likes as of Wednesday morning. The simple question also caused the “adults” behind her account to chime in and take advantage of the interest in the post to share mental health resources.
“Every morning I can't wait to go back to sleep. Every Monday I can't wait for Friday to arrive. Every day and every week for life”, X user ContrarianGuild. answered.
“The world is burning around us, Elmo,” the YouTuber wrote. Steven Mcinerneysharing a viral meme known as “Hellmo.”
“Elmo, we are tired,” he added. brownish.
“Elmo, I'm suffering from existential dread over here,” the journalist responded. David_Leavitt.
“Elmo I'm depressed and broke,” he wrote. datdadatty.
“Elmo, I just got fired,” he added. UsingCigarettes.
“People have lost all hope in a dystopian nightmare that was once called 'America,'” he wrote. Gundam is here. “We are told not to trust our eyes and to 'believe science.' Unless science has to do with gender. We are on the brink of a civil war, a world war and a cultural war. In the absence of God, there is only Taylor Swift.”
“And it's an election year,” another user responded to that tweet.
“I'm at my lowest point. Thank you for asking,” she added. woshingo.
“We didn't have all of us traumatized throwing Elmo on my bingo card,” he observed. LivinLaVidaLisa.
Soon, verified accounts began to pile up.
“Palms are sweaty, knees are weak, arms are heavy.” tweeted Universal Pictures, citing Eminem's Oscar-winning song, “Lose Yourself,” from the studio's 2002 film “8 Mile.”
“It's been a tough time since we left the streets and entered the workforce, Elmo,” he wrote. @VROnTheWeb.
Rachel Zegler, star of “West Side Story” tweeted who is “resisting the temptation to tell Elmo that I'm a little sad.”
“I need Elmo to know that I slept with stuffed Elmo from Sesame Place my entire childhood,” Zegler added.
“Oscar was right”, user be libertarian answered.
“Feeling 100,” he reflected. Sony Photos.
The beloved childhood character — and the person who manages his social media account — was likely overwhelmed by the response to Elmo's vibe control, prompting a follow-up tweet from the muppet the next day.
“Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned it's important to ask a friend how they're doing. Elmo will be checking in again soon, folks! Elmo loves you. #EmotionalWellness,” Tuesday's tweet. saying.
The floodgates opened by Elmo's tweet also got “Sesame Street's” nonprofit parent organization, Sesame Workshop, tweet resources for emotional well-beingas well as other encouraging tweets from Elmo's colorful neighbors.
“Mental health is health!” Sesame Workshop tweeted.
“I'm here to talk about it whenever you want. I will also provide you with cookies. #EmotionalWellness,” he tweeted. Cookie Monster.
“I'm here if you ever need a shoulder to lean on. “I'll make us both a cup of hot tea.” aggregate Bert from the iconic duo Bert and Ernie.
“Stop by my garden if you ever need a reminder of how magical you are! #Emotional well-being” tweeted Abby Cadabby.
Meanwhile, Big Bird, who remained sheltered for a week, thanked Elmo & Co. for keeping an eye on him.
“I'm big again! What an adventure the last 7 days have been. I learned a lot by seeing the world from a different perspective”, Big Bird tweeted. “@Elmo and many other friends visited me. Thanks to everyone who signed up for #HelpBigBird. Today and every day, #Let'sHelpEachOther!”
In a Wednesday statement to the Times, Sesame Workshop (the “adults who help Elmo”) explained its long-standing mission to help children “grow smarter, stronger and kinder.”
“Take advantage of the interest in Elmo's tweet to publish it the quote tweet of 'Sesame Street' with emotional well-being resources is exactly what Sesame Workshop was created to do,” said Aaron Bisman, vice president of audience development at Sesame Workshop. “Many of our social posts are designed to make audiences smile or laugh, while others promote and share resources for children and the parents, caregivers and loved ones who make up their circle of care.”
Bisman said his team helps Elmo and his Sesame Street friends with their social media accounts (there are 50 in total) and is aware of their reach.
“[O]Our social media team is aware of the relationship audiences have developed with the characters over the past 54 years. “Elmo is the lovable furry monster that audiences have a deep connection with and is a good friend who asks 'how are you?'” Bisman added.
Elmo's viral record also caught the attention of President Biden, who attempted to motivate struggling Americans by invoking the “Sesame Street” theme song.
“I know how difficult it is some days to sweep away the clouds and get to sunnier days,” the US president said. wrote in X. “Our friend Elmo is right: we have to be there for each other, offer our help to others who need it and, above all, ask for help when we need it. Even if it is difficult, you are never alone.”
In California, Republicans and Democrats this week joined in bipartisan support for Proposition 1, a ballot measure aimed at addressing the state's serious homelessness and mental health crisis.
Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposal, which will appear on the March 5 primary ballot, asks voters to update California's aging mental health services system to increase drug addiction care and provide more than 10,000 new treatment beds through a $6.4 billion bond, according to The Times' The Taryn Luna.
