We humans know that when someone asks us in passing, “How are you?” we are to say “I’m well, thanks, how are you?” And then we go about our day, miserable or not. But Muppets not so smart. Sometimes Muppets not understand human psyche or how to read room. And that’s just the situation Elmo found himself in this week, making the mistake of asking people who probably spend a good chunk of their day on social media how they’re doing.

In his Monday morning check into his 525,000 followers’ well being, the beloved Muppet asked, “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” Any guesses as to how the majority of the 16,000+ responses went?

One reply read, “The world is burning around us, Elmo”, while another confessed, “Wife left me…Daughters don’t respect me…My job is a joke…Any more questions, Elmo???…Jesus man.” We have to imagine the furry red creature got a little more than he bargained for on this one…

But because he’s adorable and the spirit Muppet we all need, he took the comments with a straight face and spun peoples’ woes into a lesson. “Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon, friends!  Elmo loves you.” Cookie Monster even agreed to lend an ear and share his baked goods! At the same time, Oscar the Grouch kept up his piss-poor attitude, saying if you have any problems, he doesn’t want to hear them but would gladly lend you his trash worm Slimey for emotional support. Notably for some of Elmo’s followers, February 24th is Emotional Health Awareness Day, so be sure to check in on your friends, family and Sesame Street residents.

Maybe it’s fun for people to leave it all out for Elmo on social media and imagine him scrolling through a sea of depression and self-loathing, but hopefully the real outcome here was that he gave people a place to vent or express something they maybe normally can’t in their everyday lives. Sesame Street has always been a safe space for viewers, so it’s pretty incredible that someone (no matter how furry) is bringing that to the bowels of social media.

We here at JoBlo.com know better than to ask how you’re hanging in, but we hope for the best and if you ever need an ear, there’s always Elmo.

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