Notizie

It’s not the flashiest streamer, but Paramount+ runs deep in reliable, rewatchable series.

Whenever I hear Paramount+, my brain immediately jumps to CBS and Showtime. And endless reruns of “NCIS.” And sure, that’s still a big part of what the platform offers. Paramount+ is built around a lot of what the parent company does best: procedurals, reality staples, and legacy hits from cable networks like Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, and Comedy Central. But it’s also not the whole story. Once you start digging, you realize this is quietly one of the deepest comfort TV libraries on streaming — with a growing slate of originals and more variety than you might expect.

Blue’s Clues fans are especially blue now that the revival Blue’s Clues & You has been canceled. And Josh Dela Cruz, who played the cartoon puppy’s human companion on the Nickelodeon show, is heartbroken, too. Dela Cruz confirmed the show’s demise on Instagram on Thursday, July 17, as he wrote about his role in Theatre Group Asia’s upcoming production of Into the Woods in Makati, Philippines. “Ever since Blue’s Clues & You was canceled, people have been asking if I’d ever return to musical theatre — and the answer has always been yes,” he wrote. But that offhand mention of Blue’s Clue & You’s cancellation came as a shock to fans. “Cancelled?! Nooooooo,” one fan wrote. Dela Cruz replied, saying, “I know! I wasn’t allowed to talk about it, but it’s been long enough.” Another fan wrote, “Ok, but how am I just now learning...

Content producers and marketers who hope to connect with young viewers can gather insights from the many studies that characterize children’s consumption habits and preferences. With its latest report, Moonbug is asking a slightly different question: What about mom and dad?

The media company behind hit franchises like CoComelon and Blippi queried the adults in the room to compile its 2025 State of Parenthood Report. After surveying 1,000 U.S. parents who have kids under the age of 10, and conducting in-depth interviews with 15 parents, Moonbug drew a clear conclusion: Most caregivers don’t see their families accurately represented in children’s content and associated ads.

Moonbug chose to conduct its survey to highlight the gap between what parents want from family content and what those videos actually look like. “Despite all the products, platforms, and programs built ‘for families,’ parents consistently told us the same thing: ‘This isn’t made for me,...

Nickelodeon dominated the children’s programming market in the 1990s and early 2000s with shows like SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer. As the years have passed, one show has seemingly lived on in the hearts of kids and adults alike. Now, the host of one of the most popular Nickelodeon shows is coming back to continue what he started.

Steve Burns, who wasthe original star of Blue’s Cluesand hosted the show from its first episode in 1996 until his departure in 2002, is starting a podcast. The catch is that instead of focusing on the preschool audience like Blue’s Clues did, the new show will be for adults. It makes sense that his new show would be for an older audience, since it’s been nearly 30 years since the show first aired. So, many of the kids who grew up with Steve and his animated puppy, Blue, are now adults.

Burns...

After some time in his ‘Thinking Chair’, Steve Burns is starting a dialogue with the generation who grew up watching him on Nickelodeon.

The original star of Blue’s Clues is launching his own podcast, Alive, from Lemonada Media this fall, described as “cozy and delightful weekly series” that explores “what it means to stay human in a complicated world.”

“There are a thousand podcasts you can listen to, this is one that listens back,” explained Burns in a statement. “I really want to continue what we started decades ago. For us, it was all about curious investigation. It was about looking a little closer. About asking the right questions.”

Following his original run on Blue’s Clues from 1996 to 2003, solving mysteries with the help of his titular animated dog, Burns “continues to connect with both the generation who grew up with him and new audiences alike” as he prepares to host guests on Alive.

Blue’s Clues host Steve Burns is launching a podcast designed to continue teaching the adults who watched his show as children.

The podcast, titled Alive, will tackle the idea of “adulting” and “what it means to stay human in a complicated world.” The idea was sparked by the viral video Burns released around the 25th anniversary of the show, in which he apologized for leaving the show and praised his former viewers for now navigating the world as adults, including contending with student loans, jobs and families.

“There are a thousand podcasts you can listen to, this is one that listens back. I really want to continue what we started decades ago…. For us, it was all about curious investigation. It was about looking a little closer. About asking the right questions. About following the clues that helped lead us toward greater understanding. Alive is really just a continuation of...

Adam Brody had his own “welcome to L.A.” moment. The actor recently reflected on first arriving in the city to start his screen career. Among the first roles he went out for? “Blue’s Clues.”

Brody told THR in the below video that he “tried really hard” to land the hosting gig for the kid’s TV series. “I really wanted ‘Blue’s Clues’ early on when I first moved to L.A. I tried really hard. It’s like 1999. I didn’t get it. But I would’ve loved it,” Brody said.

Steve Burns famously was cast instead, with Donovan “Joe” Patton and Josh Dela Cruz later hosting additional iterations of the iconic series. “Blue’s Clues” premiered in 1996.

Brody also recalled auditioning for “Dawson’s Creek.” “There’s an early ‘Dawson’s Creek’ role. It really made me nervous to read with Scott Speedman. I was sweating,” he said. “I believe [the role] went to Michael Pitt.

Passionate fans of pre-school video icon Ms. Rachel are protecting their favorite YouTube songstress by making violent threats to Olivia Munn and John Mulaney.

The online harassment is in response to a recent People interview in which Munn described her distaste for a number of popular children’s shows and videos. “I know kids love (Ms. Rachel), but the thing is, if I can’t watch it, I’m not going to spend the rest of my life going crazy,” Munn complained. “These kid shows drive me crazy.”

Ms. Rachel wasn’t the only one who got a thumbs down from Munn. “Malcolm asked for Blue's Clues, and I don’t know who showed him Blue’s Clues, but they are on my shit list now. I said, ‘Hell no. Not in my house.’”

Play

Because the internet, people went nuts. Despite generations of annoyed parents complaining about cloying shows ranging from Caillou to Cocomelon — heck,...

Olivia Munn doesn’t let her kids watch everything on TV geared towards children.

The 44-year-old The Predator star has two kids – Malcolm, 3, and Méi, 8 months – with partner John Mulaney.

And in a new People cover story, she explained why they won’t be watching any TV shows tailed to young children.

Keep reading to find out more…

During the discussion, she revealed she doesn’t let her kids watch most shows directed towards children, including Ms. Rachel…because she doesn’t like watching them.

“I know kids love [Ms. Rachel], but the thing is, if I can’t watch it, I’m not going to spend the rest of my life going crazy,” she explained.

And it’s not just Ms. Rachel: “These kid shows drive me crazy.”

The cartoons aren’t an exception, either.

“Malcolm asked for Blue’s Clues [recently], and I don’t know who showed him Blue’s Clues, but...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Many of the famous children's television shows of the past few decades, from the silly "Spongebob Squarepants" to the more serious and ambitious "Avatar: The Last Airbender," share a home: Nickelodeon, often called simply "Nick."

Nickelodeon is distinguished by its orange splatter logo (designed by Tom Corey & Scott Nash) and its variety of programming. Kids are not a monolith, so Nickelodeon has sister channels and programming blocks to appeal to different niches. You'd be unlikely to see anything as edgy as Adult Swim's programming on Nick at Nite, but it still targets viewers who've long aged out of shows aimed at extremely young kids, like "Blue's Clues."

But what is a "Nickelodeon"? You may have seen viral social media posts claiming that the word is Latin for "I don't care about God," but those claims are nonsense.

When I was a kid,...

The cosmos of sandbox crafting games is wide, and it’s a special kind of thrill when a new star appears, inviting a closer look with the promise of something thoughtfully constructed. Cubic Odyssey emerges with this quiet confidence, suggesting that building worlds and telling stories can be part of the same grand celestial dance. This creation is, fundamentally, an expansive space adventure rendered in those familiar, tactile voxels.

Consider the deep satisfaction of shaping an environment, piece by piece, then imagine that intimate creative energy fueling expeditions across unknown star systems. What might stir the spirit here is the game’s aspiration to thread a genuine narrative current through your explorations, aiming to give purpose to your constructions.

The developers paint on a vast canvas of procedural generation, meaning each player’s galaxy holds its own specific mysteries, its own vistas. You are an explorer here, not simply a...

Before Gabby and her fun feline gang take over theaters this fall, Gabby’s Dollhouse will take the stage with a new live show in the U.S.

Presented by Walmart, Gabby’s Dollhouse Live! kicks off in Long Beach, Calif. on Sept. 19 and will make stops in over 75 cities across North America, including San Francisco, San Diego, San Antonio, Tampa, Boston, Cleveland, Nashville, Atlanta, Louisville, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland and more. Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster and are expected to range from $40 to $122; presales begin on Wednesday, May 14, at 10 a.m. local time for select dates, while the general public on-sale starts Friday, May 16, at 10 a.m. local time.

Buy 'Gabby's Dollhouse live!' tickets at Ticketmaster

The show runs approximately 75 minutes, with a 15-minute break between two 30-minute acts. VIP packages will be offered and will include access to the pre-show, a VIP goodie set,...

For all the touching impact that Steve Burns had on the many children who grew up on Blue’s Clues, Nickelodeon apparently felt that the show’s star didn’t deserve to live in a house as nice as the one that they gave to his dog.

Despite leaving Blue's Clues at the end of its fourth season in 2002, Burns is still one of the most recognizable stars in the history of Nickelodeon, a network that isn't exactly known for taking great care of its talent. In fact, Burns’ performance as the caretaker of an unusually investigative puppy was so popular and beloved that the actor and musician from a small town in Pennsylvania quickly became overwhelmed by the pressure of being America’s favorite kids’ TV host, causing Burns to leave Blue’s Clues for the sake of his hairline and his struggling mental health.

As Blue's Clues continued sans Steve,...

Steve Burns is opening up about his time hosting ’90s children’s show Blue Clues.

The 51-year-old actor and musician made an appearance on Rainn Wilson‘s Soul Boom podcast.

During his appearance on the podcast, Steve spoke about his experience on the kid’s show, which he hosted from 1996 to 2001, including how much he made and what happened to him after the show.

Keep reading to find out more…

“I got Blue’s Clues early, but every waiter I ever knew made more money than I did for the first many seasons of that show,” he revealed of his earnings.

Steve referred to the series as his “side hustle” based on the modest pay, and credited voiceover work as his true main source of income.

“My real gig was, I was a voiceover guy. I fell into that early,” he explained, saying commercial voiceovers “would kind of sustain him,” even...

Steve Burns remembers his small paychecks from his time on Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues.

Burns hosted the first four seasons of the kids’ mystery show from 1996 to 2002, with the animated dog Blue. But even though the show was a hit on the network, Burns recalls not making much money from it.

“Every waiter I ever knew made more money than I did for the first many seasons of that show,” Burns told Rainn Wilson on a recent episode of the Soul Boom podcast. “Blue’s Clues was my side hustle forever. My real gig was — I was a voice-over guy I fell into that early.”

Then, Burns recalled that when he received the audition for the show, he originally thought it was for a voice role on the children’s show. “If I had known that it was to be the guy on the show, I wouldn’t have gone not...

Blue’s Clues vaulted Steve Burns to TV stardom… but didn’t give him typical TV-star pay. In a new interview, Burns said he had a “grim” standard of living while hosting the Nickelodeon children’s show. “I got Blue’s Clues early, but every waiter I ever knew made more money than I did for the first many seasons of that show,” Burns told Rainn Wilson in the May 1 episode of Wilson’s Soul Boom podcast. In fact, Blue’s Clues was Burns’ “side hustle forever,” since his real gig was doing voiceovers for commercials. And that voiceover work “kind of sustained” Burns as he lived in a hallway in a New York City apartment. “But man, it was grim for a long time,” he added. On Blue’s Clues, Burns played Steve, the on-air human who invites viewers to help him decipher clues left for them by a blue, animated dog. Burns...

For those who grew up watching Blue’s Clues and wondered whatever happened to Steve, the host’s exit might not be such a mystery.

Steve Burns recently revealed that he made very little from the first few seasons of starring in the Nickelodeon kids show, which he led alongside the titular animated dog from its inception in 1996 until 2001, when he was replaced by Donovan Patton.

“Every waiter I ever knew made more money than I did for the first many seasons of that show,” revealed Burns on the Soul Boom podcast, noting that he considered the part a “side hustle” at first.

“My real gig was, I was a voiceover guy. I fell into that early,” he noted, explaining he only auditioned for Blue’s because he thought he’d be voicing a cartoon character.

Burns added, “Because I thought it was a voice thing, I went to the audition.

Steve Burns, who an entire generation simply knows as Steve from Blue's Clues, is opening up about the negative impacts that online rumors of his death had on him. Blue's Clues premiered on Nickelodeon on Sept. 8, 1996, and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon with kids and made the character of Steve, the green-striped wearing owner of the lovable dog Blue, a household icon. An entire generation likely remembers the sad episode where Steve left for college, leaving his brother Joe (played by actor Donovan Patton) to be the series' new lead. Steve's final episode of Blue's Clues aired on Apr. 29, 2002, and rumors quickly spread online that actor Burns had passed away.

During an appearance on Rainn Wilson’sSoul Bloom podcast, via Variety, Burns opened up about how his experience leaving Blues Clues saying he was “in the throes of this depression after I left the show.” He then opened up about the rumor that he died,...

Many stars of children’s television shows have become victims of internet fixation, and “Blue’s Clues” lead Steve Burns says that online rumors have taken a toll on his own mental health over the years. Appearing on Rainn Wilson’s “Soul Bloom” podcast, Burns reflected on his negative reaction to a lingering online rumor that he had died before finishing his tenure on the series in 2002.

“When a rumor like that persists for three or four years, it stops being funny,” Burns said. “When it persists for 10 years it feels like a cultural preference. … When it persists for 15 or 20 years, you start to feel like you’re supposed to be.”

Burns starred as a fictional version of himself on Nick Jr.’s “Blue’s Clues,” speaking directly to the camera (and television viewers) in each episode from his first appearance in 1996. He was the inaugural lead of the series, appearing in...

My first brush with the anthropomorphic rendering of everyday objects was, in all probability, through the wildly popular children’s TV show “Blue’s Clues.” In “Blue’s Clues,” the host, the only human character, invites his audience to an eccentric world where everyday objects like a mailbox, a soap, a clock, and a line of pepper and salt shakers sing, talk, feel, and even reproduce! Subversion and unpredictability are particular features of this imaginative world created solely for children.

Rohin Raveendran Nair’s Mami Select: Filmed on iPhone short film, “Kovarty,” shares little of the mentioned American show’s cultural circumstances and bears little similarity with its distinctive intellectual energy. However, it is not surprising that the short film tugs on the memory of the show, for both of them locate the grand gestures of life in the modest, ubiquitous materials. What sets “Kovarty” apart is Nair’s finely tuned creative...

It seems today, that all you see, is violence on TV and God in your dreams.

Despite the cheery wholesomeness of the show’s introductory sequence, Seth MacFarlane’s long-running animated comedy series Family Guy isn’t fun for the whole family, especially in those households with children younger than 14 or parents with strong religious convictions. For the last quarter-century and counting, MacFarlane and his writers have been thumbing their noses at America’s cultural conservatism while earning enemies in Christian parents’ groups across the political landscape with obscene, sacrilegious and extravagantly violent humor to make your pastor quake in his clerical robes.

Unfortunately, when God-fearing organizations like the Parents Television Council cried, “Won’t somebody please think of the children?” over the content of Family Guy, they did have some reason to be concerned. As one Family Guy fan explained on Twitter, the show exposed them to so much...

Quick LinksBlue Bloods was Marlene Lawston's Final Screen AppearanceCBS Has Never Offered a Concrete Reason for Nicky's RecastSome Fans Have Speculated CBS Wanted to Change Nicky's Storyline

Regarding television, it's never really a surprise when a character gets recast. Plenty of shows, even some of the biggest and most successful series on TV, face this struggle. Sometimes an actor's personal schedule conflicts with filming and sometimes controversy pushes certain actors out of the limelight. There are plenty of reasons a character, even a long-established and popular character, may be recast mid-series. Blue Bloodsis no different and still fell prey to having to recast a character after only a single appearance.

Blue Bloods, a beloved police procedural drama series, is not a stranger to replacing actors or actors departing from the series. Marlene Lawston originally portrayed Nicky Reagan in the Blue Bloods pilot. Lawston only appeared in Season 1, Episode 1, though.

Want to hear something wild? The guy who sings "Mighty Little Man," the theme song for "Young Sheldon" — the first major spin-off of "The Big Bang Theory" that stars Iain Armitage as a young version of Jim Parsons' grown-up genius — also appears on the show, and he's the guy from "Blue's Clues."

That's a lot of information I just threw at you, so let's back up. "Young Sheldon," which ran from 2017 to 2024 and was created by original "Big Bang Theory" head honcho Chuck Lorre and another veteran of the original sitcom, Steve Molaro, opens each episode with a song called "Mighty Little Man" with lyrics like, "I am a mighty little man / Nobody else is stronger than I am / Yesterday I moved a mountain / I bet I could be your hero / I am a mighty little man." As it turns out, this song is an original creation by Steve Burns,...

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced the winners for its third annual Children's & Family Emmy Awards. The event took place March 15 at Television City in Los Angeles and streamed live on TheEmmys.TV app.

Meryl Streep (Storyline Online) won the award for Best Children's Personality, after previously taking home three Primetime Emmys for Holocaust (1978), Angels in America (2004), and Five Came Back (2017). She is a three-time Oscar winner for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Sophie's Choice (1982), and The Iron Lady (2011), which means she now has more overall Emmys than Oscars.

Other big-name champions included Christian Slater (The Spiderwick Chronicles) for Best Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children's, or Young Teen Program; Jacob Tremblay (Orion and the Dark) for Best Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program category; Phoenix Laroche (The Velveteen Rabbit) for Best Younger Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program; and Leslie Carrara-Rudolph...

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), the organization that oversees the Daytime Emmy Awards, announced today that three new members have joined its 2025 Board of Directors, each representing their respective peer groups in Documentary, News, and Children’s & Family Programming.

Named to the Board on Friday are Megan Chao, a documentarian and journalist; Lindsey Reiser, journalist and anchor for CBS News; and Angela C. Santomero, executive producer and co-creator of the popular children’s series “Blue’s Clues.”

The new members help round out the existing NATAS board, giving every competitive programming category a community representative as detailed last March when NATAS announced it would replace its longstanding Board of Trustees with a new Board of Directors, a change that followed a multi-year restructuring of the Academy’s bylaws and governance to be more representative of the industry communities it served.

Those previously named to the Board were to serve either one,...

Paramount+ is removing Nickelodeon titles from its library, including some big properties like Doug, Blue’s Room, and Big Time Rush.

December has seen Doug being taken off the streamer. The animated series premiered in 1991 on Nickelodeon and ran for four seasons. Doug was one of the earliest titles of the “Nicktoons” in the 1990s, which would later include shows like Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko’s Modern Life, Aaahh!! Real Monsters, Hey Arnold! and more.

Other titles purged from Paramount+ include My Life As A Teenage Robot and shows based on DreamWorks Animation films like Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and The Penguins of Madagascar.

AwesomenessTV, Breadwinners, Game Shakers, House of Anubis, Let’s Just Play: Go Healthy Challenge, Welcome to the Wayne, Wonder Pets, and Zoofari were also removed from Paramount+.

More recently, Paramount+ users have reported other titles being taken off the streamer like Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks,...

A television staple is looking for a new home. Sesame Street is winding down its nearly decade-long run on HBO and Max.

Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed to Deadline that it has declined to renew the agreement covering original episodes, but will retain select library rights. Sesame Workshop, the non-profit producer of the show, struck a game-changing deal with HBO in 2015 to have original episodes air first on the premium network before a later broadcast window on PBS.

The arrangement was put in place as leading-edge subscription streaming service HBO Now was getting set to launch and lasted through multiple ownership eras. In 2019, a new deal was struck to shift the show’s base to HBO Max from linear HBO.

Last month, Sesame Street marked the 55th anniversary of its first broadcast. (It has aired on PBS since 1970.) While its towering cultural impact cannot be overstated, as a series competing with...

Ahead of the release of the new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which is out in theaters on December 25th, its star Timothée Chalamet has shared two Dylan covers that appear on the film’s soundtrack: “Like a Rolling Stone” and “The Girl From the North Country.”

The two singles mark the first official releases from the film’s soundtrack following a sneak peak of Chalamet singing “Subterranean Homesick Blues” that arrived in October. The official soundtrack will be out on December 25th, and is comprised of various covers sung by the cast of A Complete Unknown. A tracklist has yet to be revealed; vinyl pre-orders are ongoing and will arrive in January.

Chalamet’s cover of “Like a Rolling Stone” is certainly a faithful rendition of the beloved Dylan tune — although Chalamet’s voice is generally deeper and less reedy than Dylan’s, he’s pretty much nailed...

Ahead of the release of the new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which is out in theaters on December 25th, its star Timothée Chalamet has shared two Dylan covers that appear on the film’s soundtrack: “Like a Rolling Stone” and “The Girl From the North Country.”

The two singles mark the first official releases from the film’s soundtrack following a sneak peak of Chalamet singing “Subterranean Homesick Blues” that arrived in October. The official soundtrack will be out on December 25th, and is comprised of various covers sung by the cast of A Complete Unknown. A tracklist has yet to be revealed; vinyl pre-orders are ongoing and will arrive in January.

Chalamet’s cover of “Like a Rolling Stone” is certainly a faithful rendition of the beloved Dylan tune — although Chalamet’s voice is generally deeper and less reedy than Dylan’s, he’s pretty much nailed...

As Robert Irwin lost his famous father at a very young age, he knows the Crocodile Hunter TV show star primarily through photographs of the late Steve Irwin. It's different to see a complete recreation of his father in person, as expressed by the younger Irwin when he came face to face with a detailed wax figure of his father.

Shared by news.com.au on TikTok, a viral video reveals the reaction Robert Irwin had to the figure. In the span of a few days, the video was liked nearly 3 million times with nearly 200K shares. The viral video showcases Steve Irwin's wax figure standing in one of the Crocodile Hunter's recognizable poses, and Robert can be seen choking back tears as he explains why it's so special seeing his father recreated this way. With the emotions seemingly becoming too much to bear, Robert then appears to walk away to avoid breaking down.

(This story has been edited and truncated to remove quotes that People has removed from its original story.)

Generations of parents and their grandparents run screaming from the room when the sickly sweet strains of Barney’s “I Love You, You Love Me” ooze out of televisions and iPads. But kids hate it just as much — ask any child what they think about that song and listen to them bust out a renegade version.

It’s one thing to disparage the purple dinosaur but some viewers took it to another level. “There were certain things, certain messages that people would send that were pretty threatening,” says Bob West, the original voice of Barney, on the Generation Barney podcast, as reported by People.

Some of those menacing messages came from unexpected places. “If you get a death threat from a middle school child who sends you an email, then it doesn...

Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly has teased the violence audiences can expect from the remaining episodes of the upcoming second half of Season 5. The fan-favorite show, featuring the Duttons at war, returns on Paramount Network on November 10.

The stakes have continued to grow and will now culminate in an all-out war between Reilly's Beth and her brother, Wes Bentley's Jamie. The latter hired hitmen to eliminate Beth and her father, John Dutton III, one of the latest in a series of events between the pair that now sets up Yellowstone Season 5 Part B's violent premise. In an interview with Screen Rant, Reilly addressed what fans could expect from the conflict, teasing a final battle. "So, in the last season, he, with his new girlfriend, Sarah Atwood, hires a hitman," she said. "It doesn't get more violent than that. And Beth says, 'We're at war,' and I think they've...

Blue's Clues personality Steve Burns went viral after his latest post on social media. This time, the beloved teleivison star managed to go viral without saying a single word.

The post was shared on TikTok by Burns, best known as the former host of Blue's Clues, on Nov. 6 just one day after the U.S. presidential election. Burns can be seen with two mugs at the start of the video, placing one beneath the camera as if offering the drink directly to the viewer. He then stands there quietly for about one full minutes, occasionally glancing at the camera and nodding. Though he doesn't mention the election specifically, Burns appears to merely be offering to be there for anyone feeling stressed or otherwise unhappy during a time of political unrest. The video has been liked 1.3 million times with over 131K shares, and a look at the comments section shows that...

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, Kai Cenat’s Twitch sub-a-thon has stirred up drama, and the presidential election has sent some stocks soaring.

Creator commotion

The unwitting star of Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon is Halle Bailey’s infant son. The younger half of Chloe x Halle was initially incensed that ex-partner Ddg brought their child Halo onto Cenat’s blockbuster stream, though she later said she “overreacted.” Halle may be ahead of her time; there’s a lot of talk right now about the morality of children’s on-camera appearances.

Casey Neistat’s David Dobrik doc may never see the light of day. Neistat is conflicted about a project that started as a celebration of Dobrik’s career but was complicated by numerous controversies orbiting the former Vlog Squad member.

As millions of Americans work to process the 2024 election, which saw Donald Trump defeat Kamala Harris, some childhood friends are hoping to help people find comfort, even if it’s just for a moment, amid the chaos.

It can be overwhelming when scrolling on social media during a high-stakes event like a presidential election, seeing thousands of reactions and commentary videos, so Sesame Street characters and Steve from Blue’s Clues wanted to remind people to take a moment to breathe.

On Election Day, the official Sesame Street social media accounts shared a video of Elmo sitting on the steps, with the caption, “Stop scrolling, take a deep breath, and use the next few minutes to escape to a place where the air is sweet.”

The video quickly garnered more than 8.5 million views on TikTok and 5 million views on X (formerly Twitter), with many expressing their gratitude for the reminder. “Never...

One Stone Creative is thrilled to announce the release of its highly anticipated 5th Annual State of Business Podcasting Report. This comprehensive analysis offers an unparalleled look into the top 100 business podcasts, revealing the latest industry trends, best practices, and emerging opportunities in the world of business podcasting.

As the podcasting landscape continues to evolve, staying informed is crucial for creators, marketers, and business leaders alike. This report delves into over 60 individual metrics for each of the top 100 business podcasts, providing a detailed snapshot of what matters the most right now.

Key Highlights of the Report: Cadence, Audience and Frequency: High level shot topics, release schedules, niches and show types. Show Structure and Branding: The latest trends in show formats, art, titles and branding. Notes, Websites, Sponsors and Networks: How top podcasters are engaging with networks and sponsors, and what they are providing to their listeners. Social Media Behavior: What...

For decades, the act of watching kids TV was by appointment only. The networks dictated what was shown and when, whether after school or Saturday mornings, creating legions of fans for “Sesame Street,” “SpongeBob Squarepants” and “Blue’s Clues.” And a stable production pipeline and revenue stream was in place.

Now, that model is all but dead.

Linear ratings for kids television have cratered over the last decade and changed the programming landscape completely. Ratings for Nickelodeon plummeted 86% from 2016 to 2023, while the Disney Channel fell 90% in the same period, according to Nielsen ratings. Instead, viewers aged 2-17 accounted for nearly 30% of YouTube’s viewership in July, according to Nielsen’s Media Distributor Gauge report.

The carefully curated programming blocks of the past have also been upended by streaming, a point-and-click system that requires parents and children to know exactly what they want to watch. This, coupled with the rise of creator-driven...

Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round, the latest entry into the growing roster of dark and daring horror films, is heading to the American Film Market (AFM) thanks to Great Escape. Produced by renowned filmmaker Joe Swanberg and Yale Productions, this twisted sci-fi horror marks the feature debut of Aidan Leary and promises to deliver a mind-bending ride for audiences.

In what can only be described as an unsettling combination of Late Night with the Devil and Blue’s Clues, the film revolves around James Jensen, the host of a children’s show called Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round. However, beneath the playful songs and cheerful puppets, James begins to experience horrifying flashbacks to his repressed childhood memories. As the façade of his seemingly innocent TV show crumbles, James must confront his trauma while questioning whether his puppet co-stars are hiding far more sinister secrets. What’s more, there’s...

Catapulting to fame at an early age, Amanda Bynes had become a successful child actor with an envious career. It was particularly her comedic chops and infectious personality that turned her into a beloved actress and one of Nickelodeon’s top talent, by the age of 13. Prior to achieving her big break, Bynes had already starred alongside icons like Nick Cannon.

Amanda Bynes in All That | image: Nickelodeon

Following her work on the children’s network, Amanda Bynes navigated towards mainstream Hollywood and quickly became a comedy teen queen. Appearing in rom-coms and winning awards for her roles, Bynes had developed a career that was filled with envious opportunities. But then came her health setbacks and legal troubles that led her to quit acting. Once in full glory, Bynes has now become a mystery to be unraveled.

Amanda Bynes’ Rise as a Nickelodeon Star

California-born Amanda Bynes initially started her...

Drake & Josh was one of the hit sitcoms in the early days of Nickelodeon. The sitcom, starring Drake Bell and Josh Peck, wrapped in 2007 but there might be hope for a reboot.

Drake Bell has revealed that there was a talk about a potential Drake & Josh reboot during an interview with The Patriot-News (via Deadline). The actor, who is promoting his new music, has addressed the possibilities of revisiting his old character amid the bombshell revelations in the Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV docuseries. 20 years after the sitcom premiered, they might have an idea about how to reboot Drake & Josh, and it sounds like the right one.

Related Jack Black's Bowser Voted Favorite Villain at Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards

Bowser is a fan favorite villain among younger filmgoers.

Bell revealed he doesn't rule out revisiting his early character, Drake Parker, and that he...

Steve Burns made an unexpected, emotional return to The Late Show, surprising Colbert and fans alike with a heartfelt moment. Fans expressed love and appreciation for Burns, with many hoping to see more of him following his revival. Stephen Colbert has had other surprising guests, such as Steven Spielberg, bringing unique perspectives to the show.

In the past, Stephen Colbert had plenty of emotional moments on The Late Show. Keanu Reeves was a recent example, as the actor had an emotional reaction to The Matrix. Fans also saw Colbert fighting back tears, honoring his Late Show assistant back in April.

However, one of the most emotional moments ever took place with a guest that wasn't even scheduled. Steve Burns stole all the headlines during his return. Let's recap what took place, and how the fans reacted. We'll also take a look at other unexpected guests Colbert invited to the Late Show in the past.

It’s been a long time coming, but Pixar has finally embraced 2D in a feature with the cartoon characters Bloofy and Pouchy from “Inside Out 2” (in theaters June 14). They’re the scene-stealing dog and fanny pack stars of Riley’s favorite preschool show, “Bloofy’s House”, which she still secretly enjoys as a teen.

Bloofy and Pouchy are prisoners in Riley’s Vault of Secrets, where Joy (Amy Poehler) and her emotional cohorts are banished when they refuse to give up control of Headquarters to Anxiety (Maya Hawke). But, in an amusing turn of events, the cartoon characters lead an escape with the help of dynamite that Pouchy packed away.

However, the decision to animate the beagle and his sidekick in 2D only came about as a result of Pixar’s recent forays into hand-drawn animation. “We weren’t sure how we were gonna do it,” director Kelsey Mann told Indiewire.

Exclusive: Esteemed animation studio Titmouse has brought on Marcy Pritchard as VP of Production.

Pritchard joins after working with the company during her time at Nickelodeon, where she was an executive on one of Titmouse’s original series, Kinderwood. Based in New York, she’ll be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day production of the studio’s series, as well as client relationships for its NY-based productions, helping it to continue to expand its New York-based production slate, while helping to grow and train its NY-based production teams.

Boasting 25+ years of experience in children’s entertainment and production management, Pritchard most recently worked as SVP, Business & Creative Affairs at 9 Story Media Group, and at her own consultancy. With Nickelodeon from 1998 to 2018, she began her career there as a production manager, before growing to VP of Development and Series Production by the end of her tenure.

Pritchard’s credits include Blue’s Clues,...

Exclusive: Emmy winner Darren Criss is lending his voice to the upcoming 10th season of DreamWorks Animation’s hit preschool series Gabby’s Dollhouse, which premieres August 5 on Netflix.

Criss will take on the voice of Marty the Party Cat, the latest Gabby Cat who lives in the newly unveiled “Party Room.” Marty can use his Party Tail to magically change the look of the Party Room to fit any occasion and loves to sing, dance, play games, and throw confetti.

Criss joins the cast alongside Laila Lockhart Kraner, who stars as the titular character Gabby.

Created and executive produced by Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, Gabby’s Dollhouse is a mixed media series that unboxes a surprise before jumping into a fantastical animated world full of adorable cat characters that live inside Gabby’s dollhouse.

In 2023, according to Nielsen, the...

Blippi features multiple actors portraying the same character for engaging content with a mix of familiar faces to connect with. Blippi's educational focus mirrors '90s preschool shows, adapting to the age of YouTube with a growing franchise and diverse spin-offs. The incorporation of celebrity cameos and dynamic characters like Meekah and Park Ranger Orson adds an enriching twist to every episode.

The cast of Blippi is a mix of multiple actors playing the same character, children for young viewers to connect with, and celebrity cameos that add a fun and unique twist to episodes. Educational shows in the '90s aimed at preschoolers were generally found on Nick Jr., the Disney Channel, PBS, etc. Now, in the age of streaming and tablets, some of the best educational shows for toddlers and children can be found on YouTube. Blippi, for instance, posted its first episode on the website in February...

Nickelodeon Studios is moving forward with a spinoff to The Thundermans. The announcement follows the franchise making a recent return with a sequel TV movie.

In March, The Thundermans Return premiered on Nickelodeon and Paramount+. The TV movie still stands as the top entertainment telecast of the year so far in Nielsen's Live+3 ratings among children ages 6-11, and it reached 1.6 million viewers during its premiere weekend. Per Variety, this success has led to a spinoff series getting greenlit as well. Filming will start in August 2024 in Vancouver for a planned release on both Nickelodeon and Paramount+, similar to The Thundermans Return.

Related Rugrats Reboot Among Multiple Nickelodeon Titles Purged From Paramount+ Paramount+ has scrubbed multiple Nickelodeon shows from the streaming platform without warning.

The unnamed spinoff will primarily follow Kira Kosarin as Phoebe, Jack Griffo as Max, and Maya Le Clark as Chloe. Reportedly, other original Thundermans cast...

If you don’t have kids, you may not have heard of “Gabby’s Dollhouse.” If you have a preschooler, it has likely become a welcome upgrade from the “Cocomelon” of your child’s nursery school days.

No intended shade at “Cocomelon,” the other monster hit for Netflix in the kids space. “Cocomelon” is simplistic animation set to familiar nursery rhymes — it’s a low lift both in terms of production and consumption. “Gabby’s,” a combination of (a little) live-action and (a lot of) animation, is a child’s entry point into storytelling and imaginative play. It was for my kids — and millions of others.

For 2023, the top 5 children’s series on streaming ranked like this, per Nielsen:

“Bluey” (43.9 billion minutes streamed on Disney+) “Cocomelon” (36.3 billion minutes streamed on Netflix) “SpongeBob Squarepants” (19.8 billion minutes streamed on Paramount+) “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” (13.9 billion minutes streamed on Disney+) “Gabby’s Dollhouse” (12.8 billion minutes...

In 2015, Pixar's "Inside Out" introduced us to a wonderful ensemble of characters in the form of five core emotions inside the mind of an 11-year old girl named Riley. Joy (Amy Poehler) was the leader of the crew, trying to keep Riley happy all the time. Sadness (Phyllis Smith) was constantly stressing out Joy by making Riley feel down in the dumps. Anger (Lewis Black) came out when Riley just couldn't deal anymore, Fear (Bill Hader) made sure Riley kept herself safe, though sometimes irrationally scared, and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) ensured that she never ate broccoli or dealt with anything cringey that might upset her. 

In "Inside Out 2," all the core emotions are comfortable in keeping Riley on the straight and narrow, complete with a new belief system and sense of self (more on that in our full footage reaction from our visit to Pixar Animation), even though...

Inside Out 2 introduces new characters like Anxiety and different animation styles to push Pixar's boundaries further. The sequel's blend of traditional and contrasting animation styles challenges the studio's iconic look and storytelling techniques. Building on the original's inventive scene, Inside Out 2 seamlessly weaves in 2D animation, promising an exciting narrative and technical experience.

Warning: Contains potential Spoilers for Inside Out 2Details around Inside Out 2's new characters not only reveal some significant information about the highly-anticipated sequel's story, but also prove how Pixar is using the movie to push boundaries. Nine years on from the acclaimed original, Inside Out 2 will tackle the next chapter in Riley's life, adding new emotions to the equation as she enters puberty. Given Riley's growth and development as a protagonist, the movie's unique premise means that more characters are almost a prerequisite. However, while each addition promises to bring something new to the table,...

Steve Burns is the latest Nickelodeon star to react to the Quiet on Set docu-series.

In a new interview, the 50-year-old beloved host of Blue’s Clues spoke out after learning about the toxic working conditions young actors endured while on set of popular Nickelodeon shows in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Keep reading to find out more…While talking to Today.com, Steve noted that he worked for Nick Jr., which catered programming for preschoolers and toddlers, out of New York while the older shows, including All That and The Amanda Show, were based in Los Angeles.

“We’re in New York, they’re in L.A. There’s no overlap whatsoever between any of those shows and what we were doing,” Steve said, adding that he had no knowledge of the allegations made against Nickelodeon during his time on Blue’s Clues.

“I don’t have have any particular insight into any of that.