Remember the original Blippi? Here’s why he left and what he’s doing now

The original Blippi, Stevin John, became a household name for entertaining millions of children with educational content. He stepped away from the screen in 2021 to focus on family life and expand the Blippi brand. Although Stevin stepped away from performing full-time, he continues guiding Blippi’s creative direction.

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Key takeaways

• Stevin John created and originally portrayed Blippi in 2014.
• Clayton Grimm replaced Stevin John on-screen in 2021.
• Moonbug Entertainment confirmed that both Stevin and Clayton continue portraying Blippi across different formats.
• In 2025, John co-founded Born To Play, a children’s toy company.

Who is the original Blippi?

Stevin John, born Stephen John Grossman in 1988, is the original creator and face behind Blippi, the lively children’s character who burst onto YouTube in 2014. Before his rise to fame, John served in the US Air Force and later worked as a marketing consultant.

The idea for Blippi came after he noticed his two-year-old nephew watching poorly made children’s videos online. He began producing, filming, and editing the early episodes himself to offer something better.

Blippi’s cheerful tone and educational adventures quickly captured the attention of young audiences. Dressed in the character’s signature orange suspenders, blue shirt, and bow tie, the American entertainer guided preschoolers through fun explorations of everyday topics.

Although John stepped away from appearing on-screen, he has been deeply involved in shaping and producing the brand.

The fun behind learning with Blippi

Blippi is an educational entertainment brand created for toddlers and preschoolers. The character combines a curious, childlike personality with a bright blue-and-orange outfit that immediately attracts young viewers.

Each Blippi video introduces simple topics such as vehicles, animals, and science experiments in a playful, musical format. The aim is to help children explore the world with excitement and curiosity.

According to Moonbug Entertainment’s head of brand marketing, Katelynn Heil, the reason ‘Blippi’ was created was to ensure there was more educational content accessible to children worldwide.

Why did the original Blippi get replaced?

Stevin John, the original Blippi, was never fired from the role. The content creator made a personal decision to reduce his on-screen appearances for family and business reasons. In October 2021, he shared on Instagram that he was going to become a father, and so he needed to spend more time and take care of his family:

I am going to be a dad. Alyssa and I are so excited. Parenthood coming 2022!

Stevin confirmed the baby’s birth in March 2022 and shifted his focus to family life and the broader growth of the Blippi brand. Despite stepping back from performing full-time, he remained the driving force behind the series’ creative direction.

Blippi had by then evolved into a global franchise with growing production demands. He explained to Billboard:

I won’t be on the road, but I am obviously extremely involved with the whole process… I can’t go on the road for many weeks or months at a time.

Mike Katzman, Blippi’s general manager, echoed this reasoning, telling Parents Magazine:

We decided to introduce a new Blippi actor because the demand for Blippi content has grown so much that it’s simply too much for one person to cover.

The transition began in 2021 with reassurance to fans that Stevin was not “quitting.” A May 2021 Instagram post teased a return of “Blippi from The Live Show” and Blippi’s Instagram account wrote in response to the flurry of confused comments:

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!

In 2025, John expanded his work further by co-founding Born To Play, a children’s toy company linking digital content with physical products. Stevin remains active in producing Blippi content while balancing fatherhood and new creative ventures.

Who replaced the original Blippi?

The new live-action Blippi is Clayton Grimm. He is an actor and performer from Colorado who first joined the franchise through its live stage tours. Having played Blippi on stage since 2019, he was already familiar to many young fans before officially appearing in the YouTube series.

In May 2021, the Blippi YouTube channel introduced Clayton in the iconic orange-and-blue outfit, marking his transition from the live show to on-screen episodes.

While Stevin John continued narrating and appearing in select videos, Clayton handled most new episodes and live performances, earning the nickname “Blippi from the live show.”

Since then, the American actor has taken on a larger role across the franchise. By 2023, he was hosting Learn with Blippi, a YouTube series of educational shorts, and appeared in Blippi’s Adventures on Netflix and Blippi’s Treehouse on Amazon Kids.

Clayton has expressed deep appreciation for the role. In a 2025 TV interview, he shared that he studied theatre at NYU and loved working with kids before auditioning for Blippi: The Musical and later joining the TV series. He said:

I taught after-school chess and music … and loved working with kids, loved doing theatre. And then they had an audition for the national tour of ‘Blippi: The Musical.’ I got cast and toured, and it was amazing.

When a third performer joined the Blippi universe in 2024, general manager Mike Katzman reassured fans that Clayton Grimm would still play Blippi and confirmed that audiences could expect him to continue bringing Blippi to life in many more adventures.

Was the new Blippi in a scandal?

There has never been any criminal or corporate scandal involving Clayton Grimm. The so-called “controversy” mainly came from fan reactions when audiences noticed that a different person had stepped into the familiar orange-and-blue outfit.

Many social media users expressed surprise or confusion, with one report noting that “the internet is still full of comments like ‘That’s not the real Blippi’ and the hashtag #NotMyBlippi,” even years later.

Some parents shared similar experiences online, including one mother who said her child started crying when she saw the new Blippi. These reactions stemmed from loyalty to Stevin John rather than any wrongdoing by Clayton.

Moonbug Entertainment and Stevin John addressed the change directly, describing it as part of the brand’s natural growth. In another Parents Magazine interview, Moonbug explained:

The role of Blippi originated with Stevin John and grew to include Clayton Grimm and other talented actors who perform 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.

Beyond the initial fan backlash, Clayton Grimm’s time as Blippi has been free of controversy. Over time, most viewers have embraced the dual-actor format, especially as Clayton and Stevin continue to appear in new episodes.

Who owns Blippi?

Blippi is owned by Moonbug Entertainment, which was acquired by the Blackstone-backed company Candle Media in November 2021. The brand’s original creator, Stevin John, sold it to Moonbug in 2020 but continues to play a key role in its creative development.

Who plays Blippi?

Blippi is currently played by two actors, Stevin John, the show’s creator, and Clayton Grimm, who joined the franchise in 2021. Clayton originally portrayed Blippi during the live stage tours before transitioning to the YouTube series.

What is Blippi’s real name?

The original Blippi’s real name is Stephen John Grossman. He created and first portrayed the character in 2014. Stevin continues to oversee the franchise’s creative direction and remains actively involved in its production.

Is Clayton Grimm no longer Blippi?

Clayton Grimm is still Blippi and continues to appear in new videos and live shows. Despite the addition of other performers, Moonbug Entertainment confirmed that Clayton will still play Blippi in future projects.

When did Stevin John leave Blippi?

Stevin John never officially left Blippi. He reduced his on-screen appearances around 2021 after announcing that he was expecting his first child, choosing to focus more on family and the franchise’s creative growth.

While Clayton Grimm now appears as Blippi in most videos, the original Blippi, Stevin John, continues to guide the creative vision behind the scenes. His efforts to balance family life with brand expansion have ensured that Blippi’s content remains consistent and reliable.

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Duane Martin, LisaRaye McCoy, Elise Neal, and Terri J. Vaughn remain active in acting and filmmaking, while Khamani Griffin and Lavian Greene have pursued careers in teaching and project management. Read on to discover where each of the All of Us cast members is now.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng