Elmo Asked Twitter How It's Doing - The Replies Were Cute, Hilarious & Super Dark

Elmo is straight up not having a good time. 

If there's one good thing about the universe, it's that Elmo is still a beacon of hope in this twisted, chaotic world we live in. The "Sesame Street" character has been the poster child for the franchise, emerging as one of the most recognizable pop culture figures in history. Soft-spoken and kind (except when he's beefing with a pet rock), Elmo is a shining example of how curiosity can lead to greater discoveries — except on X (formerly known as Twitter).

In late January 2024, Elmo took to X to ask his nearly 500,000 followers how they were enjoying their new year, simply saying "Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?" As expected, Elmo's simple, honest, and genuine question was met with some truly dark and disturbing answers, pointing out just how miserable this year has been for many. "Every morning, I cannot wait to go back to sleep. Every Monday, I cannot wait for Friday to come. Every single day and every single week for life," @ContrarianGuild shared in a tweet that garnered nearly 30,000 likes. As devastating as that answer is, it's one of the lighter ones that manifested from Elmo's query. "Wife left me Daughters don't respect me My job is a joke Any more questions, Elmo??? Jesus man," another X user expressed.

These answers are (hopefully) jokes, but some kept it real with Elmo, like @marsroseo, who says "Elmo we are tired." 

Elmo's tweet became a viral sensation, garnering over 138 million views in just 24 hours. Clearly, there's money to be made by ruining Elmo's day, which is why some brands hopped in on the trauma-dumping trend. "do u want my real answer elmo," replied the Sour Patch Kids account. The buck didn't stop there, as the "Among Us" video game account just simply tweeted "suffering." For context, these brands are sharing their darkest moments with a muppet that's 3½-year-old. "Ran out of milk. do the math," replied the Oreo account.

And then there's "The Walking Dead" X account, who went full bozo on Elmo by posting a photo of a bloody Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) on his knees screaming. Some big brands even took the opportunity to shamelessly plug their products, failing to realize just how therapeutic it was for some to share their deepest woes with the red puppet. "Not great. ppl are forgetting they can preorder wings before the big game," Popeyes wrote. "Craving a burrito. what's Elmo's Chipotle order?" Chipotle asked.

As weird as the whole thing is, some people genuinely tried to interact with Elmo, resulting in maximum cuteness, reminding us that the "Sesame Street" portfolio of characters are some of the kindest in the world.  

Perhaps the best answers to result from Elmo's tweet were the ones that were nostalgic for their childhood memories. "It's been a tough time since we left the street and entered the workforce, Elmo," wrote X user @VROnTheWeb. "@elmo I shouldn't have rushed wanting to be an adult ... I need a break big guy," shared @cosmic_undrtone, echoing a sentiment that many of us share. Others, like rap sensation Chance the Rapper, were grateful for their lives, writing, "Honestly, I'm in a really good place rn." And then there's @vincenzolandino, who was just happy to be talking to the iconic character, writing, "If my daughter knew I was talking to Elmo right now, she'd be so excited." See, life isn't so miserable, right? 

After receiving some of the most traumatic answers we've ever read, Elmo pulled an Elmo by sharing just how pleased he was to hear his friends chatter away. "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. #EmotionalWellBeing" wrote the X account, which is run by the help of Elmo's mom and dad.