A feud between Elmo and Zoe’s pet rock ‘Rocco’ on Sesame Street has become an unlikely viral obsession.
The fallout has seen iconic puppet Elmo issue a statement and hundreds of thousands of people weigh in on the matter on social media.
So where did it all begin?
The long-running beef seems to have started following an argument over a very serious matter - a raisin oatmeal cookie.
A hilarious clip from a 2004 episode of the show features Elmo, Zoe, and of course, Rocco at a bakery.
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When Zoe said Elmo couldn’t have the treat because Rocco wanted it, Elmo lost it.
Calling her out, he ranted: "How is Rocco going to eat that cookie, Zoe? Tell Elmo. Rocco doesn’t even have a mouth. Rocco is just a rock. Rocco is not alive."
The clip quickly went viral, receiving over seven million views since it was posted on Tuesday.
The popularity of the clip led to Elmo issuing a statement. The puppet wrote: “Don’t worry everybody! Elmo and Zoe practiced sharing and are still best buds forever! Elmo loves you Zoe! Ha ha ha!”
But he added: “Elmo doesn’t want to talk about Rocco.”
He then went on to subtweet Rocco, writing: “Has anybody ever seen a rock eat a cookie? Elmo is just curious.”
Other clips of the feud have since come to light, including one where Zoe openly gaslights poor Elmo over how the stone apparently moved:
Several other videos from the show - where Elmo is clearly fed up with the rock - were also posted:
People are absolutely loving the drama, with one Twitter user claiming it’s the best thing about 2022:
With Elmo trending, Twitter users shared their favourite Elmo clips, revealing another historic feud between the puppet and talk show host Jimmy Fallon:
The feud has also sparked hilarious memes and reactions:
Apparently, there’s also beef between Big Bird and Barkley:
Some are calling for Zoe to make a Twitter account so she can spill all the tea.
Fingers crossed…














