Questions And Answers: Steve Burns

Well, it might be difficult to win certain roles now...
I played a murderer on "Homicide" in the middle of this whole thing. I didn't think anything of it. But we got a lot of e-mail from parents-they were really confused. And I said, 'Wow. This is what it's like to be pigeon-holed.' It's a pretty tough thing to break out of a mold like this. Then again, [the show] is never going to be as big as Pee Wee Herman or "Sesame Street," I don't think. I don't run around in the media as Steve-I don't really want the character itself to be this huge, full-blown-shove-it-down-your-throat media event like Pee Wee or Elmo.

What kind of messages are you trying to get across with the show?
My whole goal is to make it funnier. We are the most educational show on TV for preschoolers, and that's goal No. 1. But there's no reason why we can't be 50 times funnier than "Sesame Street," too. But that's really difficult because the formula is so specific. We rely very heavily on research and what works. We don't want to lose anything by adding adult humor. So I continue to try to sneak it in whenever I can. If it were up to me, there would be so much more. My fantasy for children's television is that it's not really children's television, it's everybody's television. If we want parents to be discerning about what children are watching then we need to put stuff in there for them to watch too.

Is Steve a really demanding role?
Less than it was. In the last two seasons I said 'This guy doesn't have to move around so much.' But it's definitely a higher degree of energy than I have naturally. The really demanding part of the job is working on a blue screen. It's maddening, really. It's tedious work, speaking to invisible microns of air. It's just me on a big blue screen.

That's amazing that you're able to do that...
Yes, for your Emmy consideration...

Do you have a sense of personal responsibility because of the role? Did you sign a morals clause?
I didn't, because I don't believe in them. But obviously I have a great sense of personal responsibility. You know, that "Homicide" role is something that in hindsight I don't know if I should have done. "Blues Clues" has been incredibly good to me, and I've been working so hard on it for so long that I take it very personally. I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize what so many kids love. So there's a lot of responsibility there.

So that makes it tough to go out clubbing...
Well, I do go out clubbing. I'm going out tonight-I've never seen a four year old at a club.