Don't ask questions if you aren't ready to hear honest answers.
This is what the official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Sesame Street character Elmo learned recently when he asked people how they were doing. This is a fairly standard social media question for larger accounts to ask, but Elmo's social media reach and special place in the U.S. childhood pop culture led people to reply.
And reply. And reply. What they said was... not great. Layoffs and personal tragedies, world affairs and depression.
Elmo learned about them all.
The replies were so many and so bleak that the account posted again a day later.
The responses to the question were all different flavors of human sadness.
Some, however, managed to make puns through their pain.
People remarked on how everyone flocked to dump their issues at Elmo's fuzzy metaphorical feet.
Sprinkled throughout the replies were a few happy people, including Chance the Rapper.
Others turned the question on Elmo.
Let's remember: Elmo is a puppet. It's Elmo's social media team that had to read all the replies.
Elmo and the other Sesame Street characters can be found on Max (by HBO), as well as their social media accounts.
@LeeMerrittesq/X
@bob_moss/X
@jelanijones/Bluesky
@Aurkayne/X
@sadcommunistdog; @froglok/Bluesky