#16 "Blue Friends" with Josh Dela Cruz

From paw prints to magic carpets, Josh Dela Cruz, host of BLUES CLUES & YOU!, has been chasing clues and chasing dreams as long as he can remember. Josh shares his HypeFriend journey — from performing opposite Michael James Scott on stage as “Aladdin” in ALADDIN on Broadway to inspiring millions of kids with “Blue.” Along the way, Josh opens up about how stepping into beloved roles didn’t just entertain audiences—it helped him discover his own voice and the courage to live it out loud. Consider this episode as your cue (and your clue) to be unapologetically you!

00:00 Cold Open: You got scrambled egg in your teeth!
00:50 Ashley visits Michael’s ALADDIN dressing room
03:03 Welcome
03:45 Ashley Travels: 120k people at Comic-Con in Spain?!
05:31 This is a travesty. An No Ashley Bakes’ Story
07:12 Hypes & Gripes: Meeting the Spanish voice for Ahsoka, Michael Jingle Scott, and tourist etiquette!
30:34 Good Gossip: Kindness (of strangers) matters!
36:18 Neighborhood Drop-In: Josh Dela Cruz (Host of BLUES CLUES & YOU!)
38:51 Meeting at Comic-Con: the little nods that started it all
41:40 He’s still got it! Josh talks about returning as Aladdin on Broadway after 7 years!
48:50 Josh talks transitioning from ALADDIN on Broadway to the audition that led to Blue’s Clues and You!
59:25 Josh steps into the role of a lifetime: BLUE’S CLUES & YOU!
1:07:30 Staying true to you on- and off-camera
1:10:26 Stressing about friendship: Keeping up in-person vs over text
1:14:30 BLUE’S CLUES & YOU!: favorite episodes and working with Steve Burns and Donovan Patton
1:20:11 Learning how to embrace yourself from the biggest HypeFriend duo: The Genie and Aladdin!
1:30:06 One Last Thing (Josh Dela Cruz Edition!)
1:35:56 One Last Thing

Join us in our friendship revolution, one HypeFriend (and one clue!) at a time!