steve burns

Burns began by reminiscing about his “Blues” days, dubbing himself “the original gangster host” and joking about the "meaningful conversations” he’d had with condiments, going “crazy” when the mail showed up and searching for clues that “were painfully obvious to everyone" but him.

“And that’s where you came in, my friend,” he told the crowd. “In each and every episode, I would need your help and so I would stand in front of the camera and look into the lens as if I was looking right at you, my ride or die, and I would ask, ‘Will you help me?’"

He then shared how one of his most common catchphrases used to “concern” him, given that his mostly preschool audience was a “very literal group of people."

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"Very often, someone will repeat to me a phrase that I said all the time on every episode,” Burns recalled. “And that’s, ‘If you use your mind and take a step at a time, you can do anything that you wanna do.’”

Apparently one young viewer named Brian did in fact take the mantra to heart, and wrote to Burns saying "Dear Steve, I love your show. I want to be a pizza."

“As the years passed, I’ve often thought of Brian, worried that he’s lived his life according to my advice in pursuit of the dream of actually becoming a piece of pizza. And I wonder if Brian is out there somewhere deeply disappointed, covered in marinara sauce. And I hope that he’s not,” Burns quipped.

This is where the speech took a profound turn.

Burns told that audience he hopes that rather than taking the message literally, folks will use the catchphrase as “an empowering reminder of the power of hard work” and an “empowering reminder of the importance of having a dream.”

“We’re all expected to have one of those, aren’t we?” he asked, before contemplating on how we are expected to know “what will ultimately make us happy” from an early age, and then “to follow it relentlessly.”

“It’s absurd, when you think about it.”

Burns then shared his own dream of becoming a serious actor, and how, even if it didn’t pan out the way he expected it to, the pursuing of that dream did help him find fulfillment.

“I left college to be a brooding, very serious, definitely pretentious actor in New York City. I wanted to live a life of impenetrable theatre and make films that no one would see. That was my dream. And it had absolute nothing to do with being on children’s television.”

That’s where the clip cuts off, but according to a post from SUNY’s Facebook, his conclusion was:

"Your life may not lead to your dream. But your dream will lead you to your life. There are often incredible opportunities in the surrounding areas, to the right and left, north and south of your dream. I’m a living breathing example of that fact, and my wish for you is that you will be too."

Oh Steve, there you go again…tugging at our heartstrings and giving us remarkable wisdom.

Needless to say, viewers were moved…not to mention a little nostalgic.

"This is how you do a commencement speech. Inspiring people going forward and encouraging them in such a pure spirit," one person wrote.

Another added, "I'm 28 and 'Blue's Clues' was my everything. I still have my red chair and handy dandy notebook. As an adult having Steve talk to me makes me feel so good about myself…thank you Steve."

We are so glad your dream brought you to where you are, Steve. May we all have the courage to follow our own dreams and be open to where they take us.