Steve from Blue's Clues will be at Indiana Comic Con. His words on mental health still matter

Steve Burns, the original host of Nick Jr.'s award-winning TV show, "Blue's Clues," is scheduled to make a three-day appearance at Indiana Comic Con this week.

He joins a Who's Who of other pop cultural entertainers — Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen, Randy Quaid, George Takei, John Cleese and more — also flocking to Indianapolis.

UPDATE: Indiana Comic Con kicks off in downtown Indy. See what's happening

"Blue's Clues" fans will remember Burns fondly for his role as "Steve," a gentle adult living in an imaginary world of talking salt-shakers, mailboxes and other friendly household objects. Clad in a familiar striped green shirt, Steve encouraged preschool-aged children to help him decipher what message energetic puppy, "Blue," was trying to communicate each episode with her pawprint-marked clues.

The show was a smash hit for Nickelodeon, earning the network not only high ratings but eight consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations, as well as a prestigious Peabody Award in 2001 for its "play-along, think-along" approach to learning.

What people didn't know, says Burns, is that his mental health suffered all throughout the series.

Burns has said his character required him to play the part of someone full of "constant wonder and joy." In real life, Burns amassed a crushing weight of self-doubt.

"You don't fight depression, you collect it," Burns said, speaking to a packed theater in Arkansas last April, according to an article that ran in the Democrat Gazette.

'Blue's Clues' actor Steve Burns opens up to audiences about mental health

In multiple interviews since his departure from "Blue's Clues," Burns has opened up about his battles with mental health, telling Variety Magazine in November 2022 that he was "struggling with clinical depression" during his entire tenure on the popular children's show.

"There was a cost," he told Variety, "after years and years of going to the well," trying to scoop out some joy he could use for the show.

"My job description was to be the happiest man in North America," Burns told founder and CEO of Childhood Cancer Society Tommy Head last October during an interview uploaded to YouTube. "Most days I was very much not that. I had to provide a generation with self-esteem when I was struggling with my own approval."

Steve Burns: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. His character on 'Blue's Clues' did it all the time

It wasn't until after leaving "Blue's Clues" in 2006, Burns has told interviewers, that he hit a wall — his depression felt unmanageable. As Burns struggled, he looked back at his former character, 'Steve', a person who always asked for help whenever he needed it, and Burns made the decision to do the same.

Today, according to Burns, he's doing better.

"'Steve' was never afraid to ask for help," Burns has told audiences and interviewers. "There's a sense that to ask for help is to also simultaneously admit weakness. I found that that's not true, and that's the most profound lesson that 'Steve' ever taught me."

It's a lesson that Burns, a pillar of children's educational programming, hopes no one ever forgets.

Get help: mental health resources you can use

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, chat with them online via their website, or text HOME to 741741 (multiple languages available). If there is an emergency, call 911.

You can also dial 988 to reach a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.

From 211 to 988: Here's how to access the mental health support lines in Indiana.

'After all these years, I never forgot you... ever.' Watch Steve Burns' emotional message to fans on Blue's Clues 25th anniversary

How many episodes of Blue's Clues was Steve Burns in?

Burns appeared in roughly 100 episodes of Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clue's" over the course of a decade, beginning with its premier in September 1996 until 2006, according to IMDb.com. His additional credits include making appearances in the spinoff series, "Blue's Clues & You," as well as lending his voice talents to videos and video games of the popular franchise.

Who was the second Blue's Clue guy?

Actor Donovan Patton replaced Burns in 2002. Playing the role of "Joe," Patton appeared in 51 episodes of "Blue's Clues" from 2002-2006.

How many hosts has Blue's Clues had?

Nickelodeon's "Blue's Clues" has been helmed over the years by three main hosts. In 2019, Broadway actor Joshua Dela Cruz joined the long-running series to play the role as "Josh." The Filipino-born star was selected with help from Burns. All three of the show's hosts — Dela Cruz, Patton, and Burns — are friends in real life, according to People Magazine.

"We really are friends. We actually do see each other socially. And we would be friends even if we weren't on the show, I think, if we met," Burns told PEOPLE in December 2022.

Will Steve Burns sign autographs at Indiana Comic Con 2024?

Steve Burns is scheduled to sign autographs during Indiana Comic Con on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 22-24 at Celebrity Row, which is on the first floor of the convention center.

The cost for Burns' autograph is $50, according to the organization's website. A photo with Burns was listed at $70.

Note: Indiana Comic Con appearances were last retrieved from the organization's website on March 19 and are subject to change due to scheduling conflicts. Check Indiana Comic Con's official website for the latest information.

When is Indiana Comic Con 2024?

The Indiana Comic Convention is scheduled Friday, March 22 from noon - 10 p.m., Saturday, March 23 from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Sunday, March 24 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Where does Indiana Comic Con take place?

The event takes place at the Indiana Convention Center at 100 South Capitol Ave. in Indianapolis.

Indiana Comic Con 2024: How to meet Rosario Dawson, George Takei

John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @JTuftsReports.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Nickelodeon star Steve from Blue's Clues coming to Indiana Comic Con