Aug 22, 2014

After a spate of arrests and bad publicity, the costumed characters who pose for tourist photographs in New York’s Times Square in the hopes of a cash tip have formed an association to preserve a livelihood that has come under increasing scrutiny.

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, poses with a woman while dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo in Times Square, New York July 29, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, carries the head of the Sesame Street character Elmo while he walks through Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, while he walks through Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico (C), stands amidst other people, all dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo, while they look to make tips for photographs in Times Square in New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo, exchanges his tips for larger bills from a street food car vendor in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, and dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo, buys food from a street food cart in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, who dresses as the Sesame Street character Elmo, heads into a subway station after making tips for photographs in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, gets dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo inside of a subway station in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, exits a subway station dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, walks across an intersection dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo, in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo rests in Times Square, New York July 29, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

: Jorge, an immigrant from Mexico, poses with children while dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo in Times Square, New York July 30, 2014. Elmo and Cookie Monster have long delighted young viewers on TV’s “Sesame Street,” but the recent antics of New York street performers dressed as the beloved characters have drawn the ire of city officials and now the show’s producers. Sesame Workshop, which owns the rights to Big Bird, Ernie and the assorted puppet monsters on the 45-year-old program, said on July 29, 2014 it was drafting plans to stop performers who dress up as the characters from appearing in Times Square, where they pose for photos with tourists and then demand tips. Picture taken July 30, 2014. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Elmo and Cookie Monster have long delighted young viewers on TV’s “Sesame Street,” but the recent antics of New York street performers dressed as the beloved characters have drawn the ire of city officials and now the show’s producers.

Sesame Workshop, which owns the rights to Big Bird, Ernie and the assorted puppet monsters on the 45-year-old program, said in July it was drafting plans to stop performers who dress up as the characters from appearing in Times Square, where they pose for photos with tourists and then demand tips. – Wire reports

Being Elmo in Times Square

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