It’s Been Years, but Parents Still Aren’t Over the Fact There’s Another ‘Blippi’ Actor

If your kids have been fans of Blippi, the children's entertainer for a while, they probably noticed when the channel (which boasts 17.7 million YouTube subscribers) debuted a new actor to play Blippi. When the change was made, some kids (and, ahem, their parents) were not happy. Like, at all.

Since the new Blippi actor's introduction in May 2021, both actors (Stevin John, the originator, and Clayton Grimm, originally from the live production of Blippi) have appeared as Blippi on the YouTube channel. There have been other changes to the YouTube channel—like the addition of Blippi's friend Meekah—but none seem to have stirred up the audience quite as much as when Grimm was first featured as Blippi. (Sidenote: Meekah's character has also been played by different actresses with much less flack.)

It's been several years and people still aren't over it. Social media is filled with the hashtag #NotMyBlippi and comments like "That's not the real Blippi." While the toddlers and preschoolers who have been watching Blippi may notice a difference—do they really even mind it as much as their parents?

We reached out to Moonbug Entertainment, the company that distributes Blippi, asking them for a response to the continued Blippi backlash.

"The role of Blippi originated with Stevin John and has grown to include Clayton Grimm as well as a variety of talented actors who take part in the live show. Being Blippi is a state of mind and as the franchise continues to grow so too will the actors that play him. Blippi's mission is to build confidence in preschoolers by inspiring curiosity and learning through play and we look to find the best partners to help us bring this to life."

I mean the only constant in life is that things are going to change right?!

The 'Blippi' Backstory

The fracas actually started back in 2019 when angry parents discovered Blippi's live tour would not feature John. Instead, Grimm would assume the role on the road. Needless to say, fans were livid, with many seeking refunds. Grimm recently did his own TikTok explaining how it all came about.

That wasn't the last time the switch caused problems. If you watched Grimm's TikTok above, he explains how two years after the tour, an Instagram post announced his return (also known as "Blippi from The Live Show").

"Due to popular demand we are bringing more Blippi from The Live Show to you all!" the post read. "Don't miss the launch of 'Learn with Blippi' tomorrow on Blippi's YouTube channel. Who's ready!?"

Of course, it ultimately wasn't the end of the world—or even the end of Blippi as everyone knew him. While kids and parents alike were left wondering "Why is there a new Blippi?" and "Why is Blippi different?", the reality was that the original Blippi wasn't being replaced.

"Stevin, the current Blippi, is not going anywhere! He will continue to play Blippi across a range of platforms and media. We are however adding a new Blippi to perform on the new YouTube show!" Team Blippi clarified in a comment below the original Instagram announcement.

'Blippi' Grows and Expands While Kids Adapt

In hindsight, the move made some sense: As Blippi's fan base grew, so did demands on the character's creator. It completely stands to reason that the original actor might need some help in creating all the new content fans continually begged for. Of course, it also makes sense why some parents and children were upset about the abrupt change.

First, there was the initial shock. While the change was teased on the brand's Instagram, the announcement was unexpected and the majority of YouTube viewers weren't aware it was going to happen before the first video with Grimm was uploaded. To suddenly be faced with a massive change to the host of the beloved channel was a bit of a shock to the system for some.

Next, some parents noted how strange it was that the introduction of a second Blippi actor seemed to assume that kids wouldn't notice (or perhaps not care about) the difference between the two actors portraying the same character. "My son noticed immediately and started crying," said one parent. "My 3-year-old hates this guy dressed up like Blippi," said another.

Especially unexpected was the choice to have both John and Grimm continue to play the character in new videos on the channel. "The back and forth is honestly not cool," one commenter said at the time. "I mean if you are going to bring out a completely new person, then give him a new character and name," said another, echoing the confusion about the two Blippis existing together.

Others had another take on the two Blippis: "Get a grip, guys. He's not leaving [he's expanding] his brand! What happens when Stevin ages? Explain to your kids that he is Blippi's helper, [like] Santa in the mall. He can only do so many things for your children. I think this is cool that he is trying to branch out and expand his brand!"

Yet somehow, the internet hasn't moved on.

In the time since the initial uproar, a whole new batch of kids have been introduced to Blippi—some of whom only know (and love) Grimm's Blippi. Grimm continues to appear on the YouTube channel in addition to hosting the Netflix show, Blippi's Adventures and appears in Blippi's Treehouse on Amazon Kids as well as the spinoff Meekah.

We as parents teach our kids that not all change is bad. Change is a part of growing up and a huge part of life. If we don't change and adapt, we can't grow as people. Those parents still claiming #NotMyBlippi need to take a page from the change playbook and move on.