‘Blue’s Clues’ Star Steve Burns ‘Depressed’ by Online Rumors He Died

Steve Burns Opens Up About Coping with Internet Rumors After “Blue’s Clues”

Many stars of children’s television shows have become victims of internet fixation, and Steve Burns, the former star of “Blue’s Clues,” recently shared how online rumors affected his mental health. During an appearance on Rainn Wilson’s “Soul Bloom” podcast, Burns reflected on a persistent rumor that he had died before completing his time on the show in 2002.

“When a rumor like that persists for three or four years, it stops being funny,” Burns expressed. “When it persists for 10 years, it feels like a cultural preference. … When it persists for 15 or 20 years, you start to feel like you’re supposed to be.”

Steve Burns portrayed a fictionalized version of himself on Nickelodeon’s “Blue’s Clues,” engaging directly with young viewers in each episode starting in 1996. He led the show for over 100 episodes across six years before passing the torch to Donovan Patton in 2002. The transition introduced viewers to Joe, Steve’s on-screen brother and the new face of the series.

Although it’s common for TV stars to move on from their roles, Burns’ departure sparked a dark online rumor suggesting his death, which circulated as a reason for his exit from “Blue’s Clues.”

Reflecting on his post-show struggles, Burns shared, “What a lot of people don’t understand is that during the show, the internet was beginning to internet, and the world decided, or a large portion of the world decided, that I had died. It was not what you want to hear when you’re severely clinically depressed.”

“I didn’t recognize me. Everyone thought I was dead, and eventually I started playing along,” Burns admitted.

In recent years, Burns has engaged more directly with fans, confronting the online rumor with his Instagram handle, “SteveBurnsAlive.” He has also contributed to the “Blue’s Clues” revival by writing and directing episodes, as well as appearing alongside Donovan Patton in the Paramount+ movie “Blue’s Big City Adventure,” released in 2022.