Blue’s Clues began airing on Nick Jr in 1996, which is much earlier than I thought. If I had to guess, I would have said 2000. I was already a teenager by the time it hit cable, so I never watched it. It was not aimed at my demographic, but it was impossible to miss the impact it had on so many young children. When I began working at Blockbuster in 2001, we had two VHS tapes of Blue’s Clues that we could never keep in stock. It was insane how much of a demand there was for this educational kids show and its quirky host Steve. I was almost jealous of the generation of kids who got to grow up with such an impactful show.
Over the past five or six years, Steve Burns has re-emerged online. It was during COVID that I took notice, as I saw him offering support and guidance to the adults, who grew up watching him. It was almost Mister Rogersish and I couldn’t help but admire the man, who was no doubt typecast in a specific role, sort of re-embrace it with a focus on mental health. Steve Burns seems like one of the good guys.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a trailer for his new podcast that aired today. It looked interesting. Steve was tackling deep subjects, with a variety of guests, and the same speak to the camera storytelling that made Blue’s Clues such a hit. I showed my wife the trailer, and she noticed a few Blue’s Clues easter eggs. Anyway, the first episode dropped today and I just got done watching it.
The website describes the podcast as
There are a thousand podcasts you can listen to. This one listens back.
Alive with Steve Burns continues the conversation you began all those years ago. Back then it was letters and numbers and graham crackers. Now it’s death, sex, taxes, and all the big, messy questions of being alive. Why does money stress us out? Is the American dream dead? What’s the future of truth?
Each week, a new guest drops by Steve’s window for a genuine and respectful dialogue between two people just trying to figure it out, together.
It’s filmed like a short television show, and I would recommend watching it on YouTube and not listening to it as a regular podcast. I think you’d miss out on a lot of what made the podcast so enjoyable.
In the first episode, Steve welcomes you into his cabin and the topic on deck is death. His first guest is a popular Tik Toker who happens to be a hospice nurse named Julie McFadden. They have a short conversation as Steve talks to Julie out his window, which I’m guessing is something that happened in Blue’s Clues. It was a cute gimmick that works well and makes for an interesting watch.
As a host, Steve could use a little work, but this is just the first episode. The set up, visuals, and unique storytelling all made up for what the interview lacked. It was strange, it was almost like being there with a friend, so I got to imagine for the adults who grew up watching this show they are going to feel like they are reconnecting with an old friend.
There were three short commercials sprinkled throughout the podcast, which Steve read the scripts from his front porch. Anyone who listens to podcasts knows this is inevitable and I didn’t mind. It was easy to skip.
With a runtime of thirty-seven minutes, the show felt well paced and just long enough to keep me watching. I appreciated the respect for my time and the proper use of editing. I came away having learned some things, and I had an appreciation for a solid discussion of a tough topic.
The internet is full of shit these days. We all know it. But Alive with Steve Burns felt refreshing and authentic, and while I didn’t grow up with Blue’s Clues, I’ll always support thoughtful and kind content online.
