So much has gone down over at Warner Bros. Discovery since the turn of the month, with some truly sensational headlines around its DC properties and lack of action on Ezra Miller. But, somehow, it gets much, much worse: it is canceling Elmo.
Yes, the adorable red puppet being with a nearly insatiable appetite for knowledge and idol of children everywhere. They’re after him. The Not Too Late Show with Elmo has been given the axe, with Warner Bros. Discovery set to remove the show from HBO Max this week. Completely shelving Batgirl we can forgive, but stopping Elmo’s show where he wears a suit? Unforgivable.
Twitter is up in arms about the decision, and the Elmo Army is ready to declare war on Warner Bros. Discovery who is stacking up enemies like nobody’s business.
The reaction is not too dissimilar to that of any other tragedy. Tears are being shed, people working through the cycle of grief, and of course, shitposting their way to a better mood.
Perhaps most succinctly is “how dare they”, as Elmo faces cancel culture for reasons out of his control. Attempting to challenge the monopoly on late shows owned by Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon seems to end only in defeat. To quote John Milton, Elmo should learn “what reinforcement we may gain from hope; If not, what resolution from despair”.
National treasure status can’t defend you from anything. First, they came for Elmo, and I did not care for I am not Elmo, then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.
Get into HBO Max while you can, before The Not Too Late Show with Elmo goes the way of the dodo. Shazam: Fury of the Gods star Rachel Zegler perhaps the most notable of the responses, with her tweeting “crying rn”. You have the power to change things, Zegler.