Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
Steve Burns, known for his role as the titular character on Blue’s Clues, was informed about the persistent and erroneous rumors of his death that circulated throughout his tenure on the show from 1996 to 2002. These false reports significantly impacted the actor as he struggled with depression.
Maintaining Awareness
“My continued presence was an uncomfortable reality, it seems,” Burns, now 51, revealed during the Thursday, May 1, episode of Rainn Wilson‘s “Soul Boom” podcast. “That was something people frequently mentioned. ‘I assumed you had passed away. Hadn’t you died?’ When such sentiments persist for a decade, it feels like a cultural desire… you start believing you should be [deceased].”
The star elaborated, “I was grappling with this depression after departing the series. But many fail to grasp that during my time on the show, the internet was gaining traction, and a substantial portion of the world decided that I had died.”
The Rumors Explored
The speculation ranged from Burns dying due to drug overdose to taking his own life. Despite these claims being groundless, Burns disclosed that it was “not the news you want to hear when experiencing severe clinical depression.”
Vulnerable and Powerless
“When countless strangers insist you are dead… it is detrimental when you’re severely clinically depressed,” he added. “There was nothing I could do to stop these rumors. Nickelodeon disliked the chatter as well.”
He further noted that even his family members were deceived by the hoax, with his mother calling him in tears to confirm if he was still alive. Ultimately, Burns felt helpless against the rumors. Even when he appeared in public, skeptics remained unconvinced.
“So I appeared on The Rosie O’Donnell Show and acknowledged, ‘Hi. I’m still here.’ I was on a talk show where I danced with Busta Rhymes, and some people still thought I was [deceased] — what more proof was there needed?” he said.
The Road to Recovery
Burns further detailed his battle with depression, which resulted in self-isolation and the development of an alcohol addiction.
“I built a home in Brooklyn and rarely left. I term it ‘the gray period’ of my life,” he confessed. “It was nearly a decade where I did nothing but consume a couple of bottles of wine alone each night, watch MythBusters, and eat Pad Thai.”
He continued, “I gained around 50 pounds. I was unrecognizable, even to myself. Everyone thought I was gone. And eventually, I started to entertain the idea. Perhaps I was [dead].”
If you or someone you know is in crisis or facing turmoil, support is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
Remembering the Provided Maths
Notes on Time
Event Trigger
The Emotional Predicaments
- Rainn Wilson
- Rosie O’Donell