Jon Stewart has always been game for a tough interview, and though Elmo might be safe, ‘Elmo’ is not.

In the clip above the Daily Show host recaps a controversial X post from the beloved Sesame Street character’s official account. On June 4, Elmo made a neutral comment on the NBA finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, writing, “Elmo hopes both teams have fun!” In response, Knicks fans demanded the New Yorker “pick a side” — and on Monday night, that included Stewart.

To scrutinise the post, Stewart interviewed a knockoff ‘Elmo’ — one The Daily Show has wheeled out during previous X post debacles. Suffice to say this is not the Sesame Street Elmo you know. It gets dark.

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