It's been one week since comedian Larry David viciously and brutally assaulted* the innocent Muppet Elmo (*David sort of messed with his face for a few seconds) and the world is still processing how a just society could allow for such senseless violence.

Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, as most people fired off memes about the comical "attack" in line with David's curmudgeonly persona, but not everyone was amused by the incident, and one of the most prominent voices to condemn the assault thus far is actor and writer Wil Wheaton, known for his roles in Star Trek and The Big Bang Theory and his sizable social media presence.

Last Saturday, Wheaton posted on his Facebook page a passionate essay against David's behavior towards Elmo, comparing it to borderline abuse he suffered as a child and standing in firm defense of Elmo and the values The Muppets stand for.

Elmo was on The Today Show last week to discuss his "Just checking in!" tweet that resulted in a mass of comedic trauma dumping on the poor Muppet. Wheaton saw the viral story differently than others, calling it "a deeply meaningful and important moment of collective support among disparate people who have been struggling through the traumas of a pandemic, daily mass shootings, the rise of fascism and everything associated with Trump's violence and cruelty."

For Wheaton, David stepping on Elmo's moment was crass and cruel. "He had to indirectly tell everyone who opened their hearts to a Muppet that they were stupid, and he thought it was a good joke to physically attack and choke this character who is beloved by children and adults alike," wrote Wheaton. "You know what that tells impressionable young people about sharing their feelings?"

The long post got a largely positive reaction on Facebook, but it was received differently when it was reposted to Twitter / X by user @Lowenaffchen yesterday. There, several users saw Wheaton's diatribe as a massive overreaction, akin to when Judd Apatow mused that Will Smith could have killed Chris Rock in the infamous Oscar's Slap or the My Own Afghanistan copypasta.

David and Elmo appeared to make up later in the episode of The Today Show, though they appeared to still be on icy terms. David's "apology" was clearly (and comedically) forced and insincere, while Elmo was noticeably shaking with rage "accepting" David's apology.