Steve From ‘Blue’s Clues’ Shows Up for Nickelodeon Fans on TikTok Amid ‘Quiet on Set’ Fallout
As the fallout from revelations in the recent Quiet on Set docuseries continues to impact Nickelodeon’s stars and fans, the original host of the Nickelodeon series Blue’s Clues is warming their hearts, over 20 years after he exited the hit show.
Steve Burns, 50, starred alongside an animated dog named Blue as the original host of the popular afternoon Nick show from 1998-2002. The interactive show had the audience follow Blue and her trail of clues that revealed her day. Each episode saw Burns pause for young viewers at home to reply to his questions; eventually nominated for nine Emmy Awards, Blue’s Clues was renowned for emphasizing social and emotional skills and for not talking down to kids.
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During the years in which Blue’s Clues ran on Nickelodeon, a different set of shows ran on the network under showrunner and producer Dan Schneider. All That, iCarly, The Amanda Show and many more were sitcom-style shows designed to appeal to teens in their awkward years. But the years where Schneider created one hit series after another are now under major scrutiny after the release of Quiet on Set exposed the man once called the “Norman Lear of children’s television” for his toxic workplace behavior and writing style many deem inappropriately suggestive for a young audience.
In the four-part docuseries, Drake Bell, the star of Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh, also reveals the extensive sexual abuse he suffered from the age of 15 at the hands of dialogue coach Brian Peck and also how he provided anonymous testimony that led to Peck’s 2004 conviction for lewd conduct with a minor.
As all of this news was revealed last week around Nick’s shows and former stars, both of which fans deeply associate with their childhood, Burns decided to drop in on Blue’s Clues fans, appearing on his TikTok account to create a space where they could share their thoughts and feelings.
“Hey, I’m checking in,” Burns began in his post, not mentioning Schneider or anything about Quiet on Set. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Burns stares toward the viewers in the selfie-style clip for over one minute, seemingly reading fans’ comments as they tick across his screen (but are unseen by viewers of the clip). “OK. Alright, well, it’s good to hear from you. You look great, by the way,” he concluded.
Burns addressed his abrupt exit from the series in a similar fashion in 2021.
The clip’s simple style and concept of providing a neutral space for viewers to speak up is in the spirit of his show. While he’s created similar clips on TikTok in the past, fans understood what this clip was regarding and responded with praise for their host from decades ago, expressing gratitude that they got to see him in this moment.
“Thank you for being one of the GOOD parts of Nickelodeon, Steve,” one user wrote. Another responded: “They need you. The kids who are grown now who watched Nickelodeon. Thanks for being here.”
Since Quiet on Set premiered last week, reactions to the docuseries from Schneider himself and those who worked with him have been made public, with many condemning the behavior and others sharing their bad workplace experiences. In a 19-minute video released Tuesday, Schneider apologized for aggressive and misogynistic workplace behavior while denying that some other allegations in the docuseries are true.
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