'Blue's Clues' star Steve Burns on what helped talk more about mental health

Former Blue's Clues host Steve Burns has found a new audience decades later with his viral TikTok videos.

Now 51, Burns recently opened up about the unexpected impact of those viral videos—where he just checks in—and how they inspired his upcoming podcast, Alive, launching September 17 via Lemonada Media.

His first video, where he simply asked, “How you doing?”, racked up millions of views. Since then, his content — often just quiet, empathetic questions directed at viewers — has helped regain his popularity.

“I didn’t do anything,” Burns said of that first viral moment. “I didn’t even write it — I just improvised. And the response made it clear that a careful, respectful conversation is something people are missing on their phones.”

"I think that's why it punched through," he added.

Burns, who began hosting Blue’s Clues in 1996 at just 22 years old, left the show abruptly in 2000, with his character “going off to college.” He was replaced by Donovan Patton as his on-screen brother, Joe. Around the time of his departure, Burns quietly struggled with depression—which he has been more open about in recent years.

After leaving, false rumours of his death circulated online. “That’s not what you want to hear when you're severely clinically depressed,” he once shared.

His new podcast, he adds, works to humanise everyday struggles, including difficult topics like death, money, and relationships.

Episodes will feature conversations with hospice nurses, elected officials, celebrities, and others navigating the complexities of modern life.