'I'd like to do it again!'

entertainment

By Gabrielle Hayes, Fox News

Larry David, co-creator of “Seinfeld” and star of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” justified his defeat of the “Sesame Street” Elmo puppet.

David told “Late Night” host Seth Meyers that he assaulted the doll on the set of “Today” because he couldn't take another second of his message about mental health and declared that he would try to hurt the doll again if he could.

Myers brought up the kerfuffle, saying, “I was on the 'Today' show this morning. And so was Elmo. It's safe to say that Elmo is loved by everyone. Want to tell us what happened with Elmo, Larry?”

David looked embarrassed and confused by his words when Myers brought up the viral clip from his NBC morning show segment.

During the broadcast of the “Today” show — in which co-anchor Al Roker gave a brief weather report — the camera quickly cut to where the other anchors and guest Elmo were sitting on the couch.

David can be seen holding Elmo's face as the doll screams. The comedian also sashayed into character while the show's hosts looked in shock.

After another squeeze of Elmo's face, David walked out of the group, smiling. “Sir,” the doll shouted after him. “Larry, Elmo used to love you!” As the co-hosts processed the scene behind them, the doll called out to David, saying, “Let’s go back to the couch and talk about how you feel!”

“Larry, you went too far this time,” co-host Savannah Guthrie told David, to which he replied, “Somebody had to do it.”

David made the same point when Myers mentioned how he went to “choke” Elmo. “Yes, yes,” he said. I was like, 'Elmo was talking, okay? I was waiting to do my interview, and Elmo was talking about mental health and I had to listen to every word.'

“And I was like, 'Oh my God, oh my God, I don't think I can take another second of this!'” he continued, using a high-pitched voice to mock the doll. Returning to his normal voice, he shouted, “And so I got up from my chair, approached him, and strangled him!”

“There you are,” Myers remarked amused.

“I couldn't take it!” David said, adding: “And you know what? I would like to do it again.”

The Elmo altercation happened after the Sesame Street star went viral on X this week for asking his 500,000 followers how they felt. The innocent question sparked a conversation on social media about mental health, and even President Biden felt it was important enough to comment on.