Steve Burns, the beloved original host of Blue’s Clues, is back in front of a camera and microphone with Alive, a new podcast from Lemonada Media that premiered Wednesday.
Two decades after he left children’s television, Burns now aims to take the sensibilities of his old show—curiosity, calm, and connection—and grow it up for an adult audience.
The title itself is a reflection of Burns’ newly mature approach. He was moved by the viral reaction to a 2021 anniversary video where he reconnected with fans.
“When people discovered I was still alive, they were happy about it,” Burns said. “That connection seemed to endure, and this podcast is my way of continuing it.”
A homemade ethos
Alive feels unlike most podcasts on the market.
Burns records largely from home, handling not only the hosting but also writing and composing original music. He wants the show to feel handmade, invoking the aesthetic of public access television and the intimacy of a childhood friend.
Episodes feature unexpected structural choices: long silences, open-ended questions, and interactive listening moments where the audience is invited to reflect. Burns sees those pauses not as empty space but as “active silence” that allows listeners to feel like participants.
Arielle Nissenblatt, founder of the consultancy EarBuds Podcast Collective, said those pauses could resonate deeply with adults who once watched Blue’s Clues.
“It lets listeners stop for a minute and feel that comfort wash over them,” she said. “You get relaxation and thoughtfulness without fully tuning out.”
That meditative quality makes Alive stand out in a market where podcasts are often designed to maximize pace and efficiency.
“Some people want to learn something new, others want to recap the news or get entertainment,” Burns said. “This is about being together in the weirdness of life, not about racing to the next fact or joke.”
Lemonada’s role
For Lemonada, Alive represents both a creative bet and a commercial opportunity.
Chief executive Jessica Cordova Kramer described the partnership as “full on,” with Burns serving as executive producer and creative visionary while the network provides infrastructure, marketing, distribution, and sales.
“Steve is beloved across so many sectors of society, and his show is talking about universal experiences—failure, dying, finances—that marketers want to engage with,” she said. “Our job is to package that in a way that feels authentic to him and valuable for them.”
