Overview

• Steve Burns, former host of Blue’s Clues, revealed that persistent internet rumors claiming he had died exacerbated his clinical depression during and after his time on the show.
• The false claims, ranging from drug overdose to suicide, persisted for over a decade despite efforts by Nickelodeon and Burns to debunk them publicly.
• Burns disclosed that the rumors and depression led to a decade of isolation and alcohol dependency, during which he felt unrecognizable and disconnected from himself.
• Even Burns’s own family members occasionally believed the rumors, highlighting the pervasive and damaging nature of the misinformation.
• Burns credited therapy and the compassionate ethos of his Blue’s Clues character for helping him recover and has since used his platform to advocate for mental health awareness.