If you’ve spent more than five minutes in a room with a toddler lately, you know the hat. The orange suspenders. The "Gee, look at that!" energy that’s either infectious or a one-way ticket to a migraine, depending on how much coffee you’ve had. But for a lot of parents, there's a bigger mystery than how a backhoe loader works. It’s the face.
Wait, that’s not the Blippi I know.
The debate over old Blippi vs new Blippi is basically the "Who is the best James Bond?" of the preschool set. Only with more excavators and fewer martinis.
The Day the Blippi-Verse Fractured
It happened back in May 2021. Without much of a warning, a "new" Blippi appeared on the official YouTube channel. He looked the part. He had the glasses. He had the bow tie. But he wasn't Stevin John, the guy who started it all in 2014.
The internet, as it tends to do, absolutely lost its mind.
#NotMyBlippi started trending. Parents felt like they’d been catfished. It wasn’t just a guest star; it was a full-on replacement in certain videos. This new guy was Clayton Grimm. He’d actually been playing the character for the Blippi Live tours since 2019 because, let’s be real, Stevin John couldn't be in a studio in LA and a theater in Des Moines at the same time.
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But seeing him on the main channel? That was a different story.
Why Did the Original Blippi Actually Leave?
Honestly, he didn't really "leave," but he definitely stepped back. There are three big reasons why the Blippi you see now is often a different human being.
- Parenthood: In March 2022, Stevin John and his fiancée, Alyssa Ingham, welcomed their son, Lochlan David John. When you’re a multi-millionaire with a newborn, spending 12 hours a day jumping into ball pits loses its luster pretty quickly.
- The Moonbug Acquisition: In 2020, a massive company called Moonbug Entertainment (the folks behind Cocomelon) bought Blippi for a staggering $120 million. Moonbug isn't in the business of small-scale production. They wanted Blippi everywhere, in every language, all the time. One man simply cannot film that much content.
- The "Mickey Mouse" Strategy: Moonbug’s goal was to turn Blippi into a brand, not just a person. Just like there are dozens of people who dress up as Mickey at Disney World, they wanted multiple actors who could "be" Blippi.
Comparing the Three Blippis: Stevin vs. Clayton vs. Ben
As of 2026, we actually have a trio of Blippis. It’s getting crowded in the clubhouse.
Stevin John (The OG)
He’s the pioneer. Stevin’s Blippi was a bit more "raw." He did his own stunts, his own editing, and his early videos felt like a guy just hanging out at a park. Some parents find his laugh a bit... much. Others find him more "authentic" because he built the empire from scratch. He still shows up occasionally, but he’s mostly the "Queen Bee" now—running things from the creative side.
Clayton Grimm (The Pro)
Most people call him "New Blippi." Clayton is a trained actor, and it shows. His movements are more fluid, his singing is technically better, and he’s generally considered "less creepy" by a segment of the parent population who found Stevin’s high-energy stares a bit intense. He’s the face of the live shows and the main YouTube series now.
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Ben Mayer (The New-New Blippi)
In late 2024, Moonbug threw a curveball by introducing Ben Mayer. He stars in Blippi’s Vroom Vroom Vehicle Show. He’s the high-octane version. If your kid loves things that go fast, they’re probably watching Ben.
Does the Change Actually Matter?
Here’s the cold, hard truth: Your toddler probably doesn't care.
Most kids under four have a "character-first" recognition. If the hat is blue and orange and the person is pointing at a bulldozer, that is Blippi. End of story.
I’ve seen kids watch an old Stevin video and a new Clayton video back-to-back without blinking. It’s the parents who are the ones doing the deep-dive investigations into facial hair patterns and ear shapes.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Transition
There’s a persistent rumor that Stevin John was "fired" because of his past. If you’ve been on the internet long enough, you know about his pre-Blippi days as "Steezy Grossman" and that... uh... messy viral video from 2013.
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But that’s not why he’s less active.
The transition was purely a business move. You can't scale a $120 million asset if it relies on one guy never getting a cold or wanting a vacation. By bringing in Clayton and Ben, the brand is now "actor-proof." If one person leaves, the show goes on.
The Meekah Factor
We can’t talk about the old Blippi vs new Blippi saga without mentioning Meekah. To make the transitions easier, Moonbug introduced a best friend character.
Originally played by Kaitlin Becker (and later joined by Cashae Monya), Meekah provides a bridge. She’s the constant. Sometimes she’s with Stevin, sometimes she’s with Clayton. It helps the Blippi-verse feel like a cohesive world rather than a revolving door of actors.
Actionable Tips for Parents Navigating the "New" Blippi
If your kid is one of the few who does notice and is getting upset, here is how you handle it:
- Acknowledge the "Friend" aspect: Tell them Blippi has friends who help him teach. It’s not a "fake" Blippi; it’s a Blippi helper.
- Curate your playlists: If you truly prefer the original, YouTube makes it easy to stick to the older uploads. Look for videos from 2014-2019.
- Embrace the production value: The newer videos (2021-2026) have much better audio and educational curriculum. They actually consult with child development experts now, which wasn't always the case in the "Steezy" days.
- Check the Spin-offs: If the live-action changes are too much, try the animated Blippi Wonders. It’s a cartoon, so the "actor" problem completely disappears.
The reality of old Blippi vs new Blippi is that the brand has simply outgrown its creator. Stevin John is still the man behind the curtain, but Clayton Grimm and Ben Mayer are the ones putting in the miles on the playground. Whether you prefer the original or the "Kirkland Signature" version, Blippi isn't going anywhere.
Just make sure you’ve got some headphones. Trust me.