Steve From "Blue's Clues" Got Real About How Much He Was Actually Paid For The Show
Do you remember Steve from Blue's Clues on Nickelodeon, the show that basically helped raise most millennials?
Steve Burns recently revealed that he barely made any money from starring in the first few seasons of the Nick Jr. developmental children's show, in which he was featured alongside the animated dog Blue.
Steve, only 22 years old at the time, starred in Blue's Clues from 1996 to 2001 before being replaced by Donovan Patton, and now it is starting to make sense why he decided to exit the show.
On an episode of the podcast Soul Bloom with Rainn Wilson, Steve opened up about his time on Blue's Clues and his mental health journey, revealing how much he made from the children's show.
Related: Here's Why Channing Tatum And Zoë Kravitz Reportedly Split
"Every waiter I ever knew made more money than I did for the first many seasons of that show," Steve said.
"My real gig was, I was a voiceover guy. I fell into that early," he added.
Related: Leonardo DiCaprio's 26-Year-Old Girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, Just Talked About What It's Really Like Dating Him — And Some Of Her Comments Are Making Me View Them Differently
Steve thought he would be doing a voiceover for an animated character on the show. "Because I thought it was a voice thing, I went to the audition. And when I got there, there was a camera in the room. And I thought, 'Oh, shit. I better do something.' Yeah. And so I looked at the script, and, you know, I figured … I'm gonna act the shit out of this."
While the low pay was indeed wild, it wasn't necessarily why Steve parted ways with the show. In a 2006 Nickelodeon special, Behind the Clues: 10 Years of Blue, Steve revealed, at the time, he was losing his hair. "I knew I wasn't going to be doing children's television all my life. Mostly because I refused to lose my hair on a kids TV show, and it was happening fast."
Thankfully, Steve and Donovan would return for the premiere episode of the new and improved Blue's Clues and You, hosted by Joshua Dela Cruz in 2019. Steve would star in the feature film Blue's Big City Adventure alongside the other guys as well.
Steve has since shown up a couple of times on the internet to directly address his longtime fans, and it has made people incredibly emotional. He even checked in on us big kids on his TikTok page after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, and gee, didn't we all need that?
TikTok @hioutthereitsmesteve / Via tiktok.com
It's a bummer about the low pay, but I think I speak for most millennials when I say we're glad Steve auditioned for Blue's Clues.
Listen to the full podcast episode here.
Also in Celebrity: These 21 Celebrity Ex-Marriages Were So Brief And Bizarre, They Practically Evaporated From Hollywood History
Also in Celebrity: 28 Celebs Who Never Seem To Get Canceled Despite Some Pretty Awful Behavior
Also in Celebrity: 15 Celebs Who Went From 'Wait, They Did WHAT?!' Normal Jobs To Massive Fame
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Refinery29
36 minutes ago
- Refinery29
Do Me A Favour And Stop Sending 'Happy Birthday!' Texts In The Group Chat
The past might be a foreign country but if you're an older millennial with a Yahoo email address and a drawer full of trainer socks, the present is no less baffling. Why are grown men trading punches over plushies? What in the name of god is the poop rule? Who's eating all the cottage cheese? Bewildering trends like these are hardly a modern phenomenon, I know, but in the age of TikTok they spread from one side of the world to the other before you can say 'Dubai chocolate'. Consequently for those of us who dip in and out of social media instead of maintaining a constant online presence, logging into Instagram on a Sunday night can feel like climbing the Magic Faraway Tree and finding yourself in a strange new land. Still, crazes come and go and for the most part provoke nothing more than a chuckle or a raised eyebrow. So what if we lose the run of ourselves every now and then? Ultimately the clamour subsides, the dust settles and society rights itself again. Events rarely spin completely out of control because the majority of people, I like to think, know how to behave — online and off. And then a friend drops a message in the group chat. 'Happy Birthday Tash!' It is 7.01 a.m. and you are still in bed, rubbing sleep from your eyes. Within minutes, texts begin to arrive from the other members of the group. You can tell who's made an effort to personalise their message — or, perhaps, who is in a rush — by the presence of an extra exclamation mark here or an abbreviation there. 'Happy Birthday Tash!!!' 'Have a great day T x' 'HBD Tash!' The birthday girl, hopefully having a lie-in, is silent and now you are feeling the pressure to add a greeting to the chorus. The fact that there is a thoughtfully chosen card for Tash propped up on your dresser, to be handed over when you meet her later for a celebratory drink, is neither here nor there. Failure to participate in the birthday pile-on will be noted not just by Tash but by everyone else in the group. Dutifully you tap out a message and head for the bathroom to brush your teeth. Friends coming together to wish another friend happy birthday. Harmless enough, right? Wrong. If you ask me, the person who sends that initial message is committing an egregious act of friendship hit-and-run. Think about it. DM a friend on their birthday and chances are you'll have to send at least one follow-up text when they inevitably ask how you are and what you've been up to. Share your well wishes in the group chat, however, and you sidestep the time-consuming business of engaging in further conversation — a particularly effective strategy if the friend in question is second-tier rather than BFF. Perhaps this is the cynic in me talking but I suspect, too, that the motivating factor for sharing birthday greetings in the group chat is less a desire to make your loved one feel special on their special day and more a compulsion to show off. There is a performative function to dropping a 'Happy Birthday!' text in a space where it can be seen by people other than the intended recipient. The fact that it unleashes, almost invariably, a flood of messages from other members of the group is confirmation for the original texter that they are somehow superior. That they have won the friendship race. (I'm not extrapolating here; check out these posts where proponents of such heinous behaviour confess to relishing this very feeling.) It's the group chat equivalent of the juvenile mentality that was common in the early days of YouTube, when people — probably men, let's be honest — would scramble to be the first to comment on a clip, posting simply and quite pointlessly, 'first'. And what about the poor individual on the receiving end of this barrage of texts? Imagine waking up on your birthday, reaching for your phone and opening the group chat to find a stream of greetings all sent within minutes of each other. To my mind these aren't 'Happy Birthday!' messages. These are 'Gina's wished you Happy Birthday so now I'm wishing you Happy Birthday!' messages. Or 'Oh shit I forgot it was your birthday, good job Ellie reminded me. Happy Birthday!' messages. The overarching sentiment is not warm and heartfelt but guilt-stricken and insincere. For she's a jolly good fellow? Don't make me laugh. If you are lucky enough — or, depending on your perspective, unfortunate enough — to be part of a family group chat, there is a fun twist on this trend which involves adults who really should know better filming their kids singing 'Happy Birthday' to nan or grandad or whoever and dropping the video in the chat. We know what you're doing, guys. Send the video directly to the recipient and pass up the opportunity to have the entire family coo over your little one's adorable lisp and idiosyncratic dance moves? Please. The trouble with this is that it creates a kind of one-upmanship, with each subsequent birthday kicking off a procession of pageant-like home movies in which grown-up siblings vie to outdo one another via the medium of their children's cuteness. I have a kid myself so I understand the drive to show them off but in doing so the person whose birthday it is — the reason for all this silliness, remember — gets forgotten altogether. Am I being overly sensitive? I don't think so. There is a difference, for my money, between platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which invite and thrive on performativity, and messaging services like WhatsApp that facilitate communication on a private, more personal level (unless you are in government, of course). It is an unfortunate fact that the group chat brings out our more irritating human tendencies but perhaps that is unavoidable — a reflection of how a group of adults would interact in the real world. What makes me sad is seeing performative behaviour of the kind that we have come to expect elsewhere on social media invade these more intimate spaces. So let's commit to stop sending 'Happy Birthday!' texts in the group chat. The only person who needs to see those words is the one who's celebrating.
Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
36 Budget-Saving Products You May Not Have Seen Yet
A tinted lip balm that's eerily close to the same magic as "Black Honey," TikTok's beloved $25 ~universal shade~ from Clinique, that it will genuinely startle you — especially when you see the price. This is a perfect, non-sticky "go-to" lippie that's just a step above the "no makeup makeup" look, giving the perfect subtly polished effect. Lottabody's Coconut Oil Foaming Curl Mousse designed for all hair types to give you satisfyingly hydrated, volumized, frizz-free curls at a FRACTION of the price of its competitors. A delightfully affordable instant foot peeling spray for anyone ready to go full YEEHAW!! on a pedicure, without the big salon price tag. This not only helps gently remove dead skin, but moisturizes dry and cracked heels, so you'll really get some refreshing bang for your buck. A cult-favorite Creamy Coconut fragrance rollerball reviewers compare to the pricey Sol de Janeiro version. 👀☀️ This is from TikTok-famous small business brand Kuumba Made, known for its luxury scents at ridiculously affordable prices, so you know they're on their game — reviewers especially love how ~beachy~ and long-lasting this sweet but elevated fragrance feels and how nicely it plays with other scents! A "spray and go" enzyme-based laundry stain remover that works its magic in one wash to help you instantly get rid of all that discolored dried sweat, oil stains, or deodorant residue on your favorite clothes, so you don't have to spend big money replacing them when the Stain Fairy lays her curse. A magnetic air fryer cheat sheet to help minimize effort and maximize deliciousness so you can get dinner on the table as quickly (and cheaply!!) as possible. The takeout delivery driver will miss you. 👋 Monday Haircare Dry Shampoo with all the oil-absorbing, refreshing power of its competitors, *plus* added keratin for protection against frizz and breakage. The subtle gardenia scent is just extra extra credit after all that. E.l.f. Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm for all the ultra fans of Summer Fridays, Rhode, and Laneige whose bank accounts are begging them to put a stop to the lippie madness. These new deliciously tinted, moisturizing, buildable glosses are just as buttery and decadent as the balms that inspired them, for a fraction of the price. (Brb, drowning myself in the "Strawberry Shortcake" and "Vanilla Toffee" flavors.) A jewelry-cleaning stick with cleansing solution on a brush designed specifically to get in the nooks and crannies of your jewelry, so you can dig out all the grime that's accumulated over the years on the cheap instead of taking it to the jeweler. Sally Hansen's iconic Insta-Dri nail polish perfect for anyone who wants quick touch-ups on their fingers and toes but has ZERO time to spare. If you're looking for a reliable, long-lasting, fast-drying polish to save not just time, but big bucks at the salon, I cannot recommend these enough! A set of Victoria's Secret–inspired seamless "invisible" underwear so soft and stretchy your butt will want to *sing* when you slide them on. This is a true holy grail underwear that doesn't show, doesn't ride up, and somehow manages to look cute all at the same time. Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener, which will be your holy grail for concealing and brightening dark circles under your eyes when your summer schedule is throwing you for a loop. This lightweight, color-adapting formula is designed for truly ~invisible~ coverage that makes a drastic difference — one that a lot of reviewers compare to the $33 Becca version. A cute lil' insect catcher you can set in a plant or near your fruit bowl or compost to deal with any unwanted fluttering guests. These odorless sticky traps are designed to work indoors and outdoors and will stop fruit flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and more — without the high price tag of the electronic or liquid versions. An airtight Deli ProKeeper so beloved that it's gone viral on FridgeTok (if you know, you KNOW). Not only does this free up space and clutter in the fridge, but it keeps deli meat and cheese so fresh that you'll actually get your darn money's worth by preventing waste. A bottle of Elizavecca hair treatment, an Olaplex-like repairing mask infused with collagen ingredients and protein extracts that will help restore hair health and reduce shedding. All you gotta do is apply it on wet hair after a shampoo, wait five minutes, and rinse it out. The Pink Stuff's new "Sqeezy" sponge set, which is living up to its "miracle" catchphrase by helping reviewers with their toughest cleaning projects, like grimy pans, mildewed showers, and marked-up walls. If you aren't already in the cult of Pink Stuff cleaning paste, it's so good at its job that reviewers call it "gold in a jar" and "witchcraft." This is the perfect alternative to pricey paint jobs and replacing cookware! Olay's Firming Body Lotion full of collagen peptides and a Vitamin B3 complex for *ultra* hydration designed to visibly plump, firm, and moisturize your skin — all at a fraction of the price of other firming lotions, like the internet's beloved $48 Elasti-Cream. A set of darling reusable Swedish dishcloths that can be washed up to 50 times in the dishwasher, and are designed to replace 17 (!!) rolls of paper towels each. These are strong enough to tackle tough stains and grime, but gentle enough that they won't scratch cookware or hurt your skin. A set of super affordable hydrocolloid nose pore patches (compare to the $16 Mighty Patch equivalent) that will make you go "boy HOWDY" when you see how much gunk collects on them overnight. Reviewers swear by these for gently lifting out sebum from pores and pimples and minimizing their appearance! A lawn dog spot repair treatment to help your grass look as spiffy and green as it did before Fido decided to mark their territory by peeing in the same parched spots over ... and over ........ and over again. Reviewers notice results within *days* (and your bank account will weep in relief that you didn't hire lawn professionals to do it). E.l.f.'s Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops, another home run from the brand's moisturizing "Holy Hydration" line that reviewers are comparing to the $35 Watermelon Dew Drops from Glow Recipe. This lightweight formula is designed to brighten and plump skin for a dewy effect, whether you're wearing it alone, applying it under your makeup, or mixing it with your foundation. A Lululemon-inspired mini wristlet wallet set that looks just like their $50 version, and also easily holds cash, cards, and lip balms, so you don't have to deal with the whole muss and fuss of a purse if you're going on a walk around the neighborhood. Plus, you know what they say — keep your friends close and your beloved lippies closer. Eos' Shea Butter Vanilla Cashmere body lotion, which TikTok has spent years going *feral* over both because of the lightweight, long-lasting moisture, and the soothing, delicious smell that reviewers compare to more expensive brands like Philosophy and Bath & Body Works. It's so beloved that Eos recently released a matching Vanilla Cashmere Shave Oil! A set of golden bracelets giving ~quiet luxury~ vibes at "I want to pay rent this month" prices. Reviewers especially love these mix-and-match sets because they look like expensive versions from Cartier — the middle one is giving the $8,000 "Juste Un Clou" and the studded one is giving the $6,000 "Love Bracelet!" E.l.f's Lash XTNDR Tubing Mascara, a GODSEND for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. This uses lightweight ~tubing~ technology to wrap around lashes and give them a natural-looking, smudge-proof extension so good it almost looks fake. The real boon, though, is how easily the "tubes" slide off in clean, easy swipes at the end of the day when you're washing your face — absolutely no smudging, over-scrubbing, or special eye makeup removal products required. A drain snake you can funnel into your shower or sink drain that honestly works a little *too* well at unclogging hair in older sinks and bath tubs, pulling it up in one (semi-horrifying) go before you have to resort to expensive plumbers or using pipe-damaging traditional drain cleaners. An affordable, Lululemon-esque longline sports bra just as comfy, supportive, and versatile as the real thing that reviewers love it both for outdoor workouts, gym use, *and* errand running. This is designed to be supportive without being too compressive, with lightweight fabric that keeps you breezy in the heat. A two-stage knife sharpener, because those blades you bought back in the day?? They're probably super dull by now. Instead of replacing them with pricey versions, ~refresh~ them with this. Jergens Natural Glow Firming Self Tanner Body Lotion to give you a gradual-building, vacation-worthy ~sunkissed glow~ over the course of just a few days. Not only is this easy peasy to apply compared to other finickier, streaking lotions, but it's formulated with collagen and elastin to help your skin appear firmer *and* glowier, and a HECK of a lot cheaper than its competitors. A reusable microfiber Swiffer mop pad that reviewers love not only because it's ready for action again right after a wash cycle, but because it picks up a ton more dirt, gunk, and debris than the disposable mops do, *and* it's a heck of a lot cheaper than stocking up on the one-use versions over time. MagicMinerals AirBrush Foundation, which lives up to its name and THEN some — one quick spray of the foundation on the included brush, and it glides so smoothly and subtly over your skin texture that you'll feel like a makeup artist did it for you. Reviewers in their thirties, forties, and up especially swear by this lightweight but effective formula, and love that it's ridiculously easy to use. The Face Shop's Rice Water Bright Foaming Facial Cleanser, a gentle, cult-fave Korean beauty product reviewers swear by as an alternative to the pricey Tatcha Rice Wash. This hydrating cleanser removes waterproof makeup and sunscreen with ease, has an ohhhh-so-satisfying lather, and leaves skin moisturized after use. A Bentgo stackable lunch container perfect for commuters who want to get back in the groove of bringing cheaper lunches from home again — this right here is a perfect leakproof, sturdy option for your mobile salad/charcuterie/"girl dinner" situations. It's also nice and deep for mixing salads, has an upper compartment to keep your other ingredients separate, *and* a container for dressing. A set of Bala Bangle-inspired wrist and ankle weights to get your ~fitness~ on this spring — these serve all the same cuteness and function without the $55 price tag. Not to mention this has a TON more colors available to match your 'fits. A painless, mint-flavored teeth-whitening pen reviewers swear by as an alternative to pricey professional treatments and strips. This gets results from the very first use, lightening up years' worth of stains from coffee, tea, wine, or just, you know, existing as a human with teeth. A set of spicy margarita instant cocktail tea bags — all the sophistication of tea and the 😜 of a cheeky cocktail, without the exorbitant bar price tags or the sugar crash. All you have to do is add three ounces of cold water, 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, and the tea sachet into a glass, and you'll have a delicious cocktail in one minute.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Adults' star Malik Elassal: Add Canadian comedian, actor and writer to the list of comedy sensations
For decades, comedy has been considered one of Canada's greatest exports, including notable talents like Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Catherine O'Hara and the late John Candy. Adding to that legacy is Malik Elassal, who stars in the popular new show Adults (on Disney+ in Canada, Hulu in the U.S.), created by Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon). Making the move from Alberta to the U.S., incredibly skilled in hysterical stand-up comedy, with moments from his sets going viral, Elassal is set to be another of one Canada's comedy legends. And what makes Adults a great introduction for many is that the show really showcases each cast member's unique comedy strengths. "We all come from these different places, but when we come together there's something between all of us," Elassal told Yahoo Canada. "Amita [Rao] is an improviser. Lucy [Freyer] was an actor in Juilliard. But then when we come together, we sort of have our our own rhythm that's outside of improv training, outside of more standard actors training, or outside of TikTok." In Aults, a group of friends move in together in Samir's (Malik Elassal) childhood home in New York. Samir is trying, at least sometimes, to take on more responsibility in life, Billie (Lucy Freyer) is pursuing a career in journalism, Anton (Owen Thiele) was Samir's college roommate who can be friends with anyone. Issa (Amita Rao) is taking on odd jobs with her infectious personality, and she's dating Paul Baker (Jack Innanen), who she convinces Samir to let move in with the rest of the group. The show in intensely funny in a way that leans into absurdity at times, awkwardness at others, and navigates different elements and styles of comedy effortlessly, largely thanks to this impressive cast. With Elassal already receiving positive feedback from the show, he's really just happy to make people smile and laugh. "It feels like it falls in line with my love language, to give somebody this big thing and for them to enjoy it," he said. As Elassal described, a lot of the brilliant on-screen chemistry we see between this group of friends in Adults was formed by the natural evolution of the group's off-screen dynamic. "[When] we started hanging out and started being on set, you just realize that somebody has been on the same version of the internet as you," Elassal said about his friendship with fellow Canadian Jack Innanen. "We just really became close." With Samir having a particularly close frienship with Billie in the show, Elassal added that even just taking walks with Lucy Freyer and ribbing each other in real life informed what we see on-screen. Additionally, Kronengold and Shaw looked to the actors to inform their scripts. "We started to find out that things from our lives would end up in the script," Elassal said. "So we'd have takes where we got to add things in there, and that was always really fun." A particularly hysterical moment in the show is Episode 6, where Billie is hosting her boyfriend, and her former high school teacher, played by Charlie Cox, for dinner. As Billie tries to get all of her roommates in line with the hopes of a more sophisticated evening, things quickly take an unexpected and hysterical turn when Cox's character shows up high on a "pony dose" of ketamine, and Paul Baker's friend, who happens to be Julia Fox (who's playing herself), comes over for the meal. "We were block shooting the whole series, so every episode was over the span of like four or five days, or so. And usually we have different locations and we were going to different places, but ... for like four or five days in a row we're just in this house, basically," Elassal explained about that epiosde. "And I'm in this giant suit looking ridiculous and running around, and it just felt like a day that never ended." "It really kind of led into this dreary, looming feeling that the episode has. ... Charlie would show up, and then me and Charlie would have scenes together at like 2:00 a.m., after everybody went home, and he was kissing me on the forehead. It's all just very surreal. ... And then one day they're like, 'Oh, hey, Julia Fox is coming today.' ... You see my reaction to Julia Fox being on my couch in the episode, ... it's basically just how I felt." In terms of what drew Elassal to a career in comedy, there wasn't necessarily a specific "breakthrough" moment, but he can identify the time that he understood the feeling of being able to make someone laugh. "I remember a moment watching my older cousin, when I was younger, stand up and do an impression of his dad to all of the aunts and uncles, ... and him making them all laugh so hard," Elassal said. "And I was like, 'Oh, this is the coolest person I've ever seen.'" "I think something from that time might have gotten in my head of like, that's a real, worthwhile thing to do in your life, is to be able to make a group of people that happy." While a Canadian making the move to the U.S. always feels like a big professional step, it was a "culture shock" for Calgary-raised Elassal. "It's insane. It's such a culture shock," Elassal said. "You're going to the airport in America and they have signs up like, hey please don't bring your gun on the plane. And I'm like, are people doing that? Like, accidentally?" "I mean, there's a craziness to America. And it's fun to live there. But whenever I come back to Canada, I still feel at home, even though New York is home right now." As Elassal's career progresses, from stand-up comedy to TV, and even joining projects from other famed comedians, like Pete Holmes' podcast, "You Made It Weird," we certainly can't wait to see what Elassal does next. "It's unbelievable. I'm consistently so happy to get to meet all these people that I was already such a fan of, and it's amazing to get to work with them," he said. "It's such a dream come true. ... I'm really lucky that I get to have my dreams come true."
