I was born in 1989, so I grew up with all of the best kids’ cartoons, including “Blue’s Clues.” Steve Burns, the host of “Blue’s Clues,” was my favorite part of the show. I still watched the show after Steve left, but it wasn’t the same without him.
His sudden departure from the show broke my inner child’s heart.
I know I’m not the only one who misses Steve — for years, millions of kids got to know Steve and love him as much as I did. He was warm, wacky, and comforting — traits that we all needed in our adult role models as young children.
For the 25th anniversary of “Blue’s Clues,” Burns gave millennials something that we didn’t even know that we needed: a check-in video asking how we are. In the video, Steve apologized for leaving the show and said that it must have been disappointing and difficult for us to see him go. The video quickly went viral because it touched the adults who grew up watching Steve Burns on “Blue’s Clues” and helped us heal our inner children. So many of us are still nostalgic for Steve’s version of the show, so his apology validated how many of us feel now that he’s moved on.
After his viral video warmed the world’s hearts, Burns created a TikTok account where he’s created more viral content that’s hit us all in the feels. His videos make us feel safe, even with everything going on in the world right now.
We need Burns’ positive, validating, safe space now more than ever.
We’ve come out of a pandemic and are facing wars in multiple countries and a critical presidential election in America. Life is uncertain for many of us, but the challenges that we face today could last for years.
Steve Burns is willing to take time to comfort us, even after leaving the role we loved him in. His TikTok videos let us escape adult problems and take us back to the innocence of childhood, if only for a few minutes.
We desperately need Burns’ compassion in the world.
Both the adults who grew up loving him and the children who don’t yet know him need to experience his warmth, kindness, and empathy because it’s in short supply these days. I wish that today’s children could know Steve Burns like millennials did — they’d remember his care and support for the rest of their lives,
Steve Burns isn’t just an actor who once hosted a beloved children’s cartoon; he is also a core part of millennials’ childhoods. He’s the man we didn’t realize that we needed when we were kids, but we’re so grateful for him now. Every child deserves to watch a man like Steve Burns, and I hope the next generation can find their own positive role models too.
Featured Photo via Google Creative Commons.
