Sports Editor Joe Clark reminisces on the easy life with Nick Jr.’s Steve Burns

By Joe Clark, Sports Editor

19 years ago, I lost one of my first friends, and now I understand why. 

Steve Burns, the original host of the Nick Jr.’s hit Blue’s Clues returned last week to release a video message for the show’s 25th anniversary. In the message, he delivered an emotional speech to everyone who grew up watching him, explaining why he left. Steve explained that he went to college. 

“I got to use my mind and take a step at a time, and now I am literally doing many of the things that I wanted to do,” he added.

Steve recalled the good times we had with other friends like Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper (who both currently reside in my cabinet) but also acknowledged what his friends have been through over the years. 

“And it’s just… it’s just so amazing, right? I mean, we started out with clues and now it’s what? Student loans, and jobs and families, and some of that has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know,” Steve told us. 

The video went viral and spawned reactions across social media from people who grew up watching Steve. Many commenters appreciated not only him telling us all why he left, but also his talk about some of the complexities of life. 

In the video, he wore the same shirt he wore for all 100 episodes of the show he appeared on before he handed off the reins of the show to Joe, who went on to host 43 episodes. Joe was fine as a host, but he was nothing like Steve. 

Blue’s Clues is still on the air and has been rebranded as Blue’s Clues & You, where Steve and Joe appeared in the premiere to welcome their cousin Josh as the new host of the show. A Blue’s Clues & You movie is currently in the works.

When I was sitting in my thinking chair with my own handy dandy notebook, trying to figure out why the heck Blue would leave a paw print on the tree, I wasn’t worried about finding a job or school or really much of anything except my next cup of milk. I would get up and dance with Steve when we finally figured out Blue’s clues, which were pretty hard sometimes. 

Steve taught me about holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in “Blue’s First Holiday”, which I still watch every holiday season. When I think of Blue’s Clues, I think of Steve. And last week, when Steve talked to me, it made me unbelievably happy. 
“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,” he said. I’m glad we’re still friends too, Steve.