Blue Cluess first host, Steve Burns, gives people closure and we have feelings

So about that time Steve went off to college… #BluesClues25 pic.twitter.com/O8NOM2eRjy

— Nick Jr. (@nickjr) September 7, 2021

It’s the 25th anniversary of the lovely Nickelodeon children’s show, Blues Clues. Steve Burns, now 47, hosted that adorable show from its start in 1996 until 2002. Steve was the only human in front of an animated background featuring a dog named Blue. Steve was so patient and seemingly interested in the audience. His character would pause, waiting for kids to answer his questions and help solve the puzzles. There was something so wholesome and engaging about that show. In 2002 Steve was replaced by Joe, played by Donovan Patton. Joe was decent and goofy, but he was no Steve and a lot of kids and moms felt Steve’s absence. Blue Clues ran with Joe as host up until 2006, when it ended. In 2018 it was rebooted as Blues Clues and You, with host Joshua Dela Cruz. Steve, who originally left the show because he felt he was getting too old for the character, is a producer on Blues Clues and You.

For the show’s 25th anniversary, Nickelodeon posted a video of Steve addressing the audience again and explaining why he left. You can see that above and here’s what he said:

“You remember how when we were younger, we used to run around and hang out with Blue and find clues and talk to Mr. Salt and freak out about the mail and do all the fun stuff, and then one day I was like, ‘Oh hey, guess what? Big news I’m leaving. This is my brother Joe, he’s your new best friend,’ and then I got on a bus, and I left, and we didn’t see each other for like a really long time. Can we just talk about that? Because I realize that was kind of abrupt.

“I just kinda got up and went to college. And that was really challenging, by the way, but great because I got to use my mind and take a step at a time, and now I literally am doing many of the things that I wanted to do.

“And then look at you, and look at all you have done, and all you have accomplished in all that time. And it’s just, it’s just so amazing, right?” Burns said in the video. “I mean, we started out with clues, and now, it’s what? Student loans, and jobs, and families? And some of it has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know.

“I wanted to tell you that I really couldn’t have done all of that without your help. And in fact, all the help that you helped me with when we were younger is still helping me today, right now. And that’s super cool. I guess I just wanted to say that after all these years, I never forgot you. Ever. And I’m super glad we’re still friends.

“You look great, by the way. Whatever it is you’re doing is working.”

[via kristv.com]

I watched Blues Clues with my son when he was a toddler. He will turn 17 in a couple of weeks and so we watched Steve’s episodes as reruns. Honestly I started writing this story a couple of days ago and I couldn’t finish it! (It was a hard week for many reasons, particularly the loss of Michael K. Williams.) When I first saw this video I absolutely lost it. It reminded me how fleeting childhood is, and how my son will leave the house in less than a year. I’m weepy as hell now just writing this. So many people who watched this show as children were hit equally hard by Steve’s sweet video. Many have said that they’re finally getting closure.

It has been kind of hard Steve! Thank you for explaining everything. I never forgot you either and you look good too.

#GenerationsTrend with the Blue’s Clues hosts 💙 #BluesClues25 pic.twitter.com/5JtXIr0yyZ

— Nick Jr. (@nickjr) August 29, 2021

This is one of the sweetest interactions I’ve had on Twitter. I memorized that song and used to sing it to my son.

The sun's a hot star, mercury's hot too, venus is the brightest planet earth's home to me and you

— celebitchy (@celebitchy) September 1, 2021

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