Sesame Street star Elmo has learned the hard way that if you’re from New York, diplomacy is not on the menu when it comes to the Knicks.
On Wednesday, the Muppet character made the mistake of wishing both the Knicks and their opponents, the San Antonio Spurs, well just before tip-off.
“Elmo hopes both teams have fun!,” he wrote on X.
It did not take long for fans to point out that Sesame Street is canonically based in Manhattan, making Elmo a bona fide New Yorker. His tweet did not go down well.
“This isn’t the time for sportsmanship Elmo. These streets ain’t sesame,” wrote one bitter fan.
“PICK A SIDE COWARD,” a Knicks fan account demanded.
“Don’t you dare forget your roots you little red f***,” another joked savagely.
“I hope Elmo gets priced out of New York and has to move to New Jersey,” added a fourth.
Elmo eventually responded to the outrage, writing on X Thursday: “KNICKS that last message! Elmo didn’t mean to SPUR you on!”
The Knicks drew first blood in the NBA Finals, extending their remarkable winning streak with a dramatic comeback victory in Game One on Wednesday.
Jalen Brunson spearheaded the Knicks’ charge, scoring 30 points as they overturned a 14-point second-half deficit to defeat the Spurs 105-95. The Knicks are now just three wins away from their first championship in 53 years.
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Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has announced he plans to attend Game 3 on Monday night and may attend Game 4 as well.
“I’ve been a Knicks fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan. He’s a nice guy,” Trump said from the Oval Office Thursday, referring to the owner of the Knicks.
“He’s been a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy, and he’s got a team that’s amazing.”
The Knicks are currently auctioning off a pair of celebrity row seats for Game 3, placing the highest bidder alongside familiar faces like Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet and Spike Lee.
The auction commenced Thursday at noon EST on knicks.com/celebrityrowauction and will run until Sunday at 5 p.m. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Garden of Dreams Foundation, an organization that collaborates with MSG’s companies to assist children in need throughout the tristate area.
The bid is currently at $500,000 at the time of writing.
Additional reporting from The Associated Press
