Blippi actor is Stevin John, a 35-year-old American entertainer born on May 27, 1988, famous for portraying the beloved children’s character.
Stevin John is the original Blippi actor who created the character in 2014. He first shared his Blippi adventures with the world through YouTube, and it grew so popular that a major TV network has now bought the show. The sheer success of the series has also necessitated adding a new Blippi actor in the person of Clayton Grimm.
Who Is Blippi In Real Life, and What Is His Name?
The real-life Blippi is Stevin John, a former U.S. Air Force serviceman turned children’s entertainer and popular YouTuber. Funny enough, Stevin John was born on Children’s Day, i.e., May 27, 1988. He grew up aspiring to be a fighter pilot, and after high school in 2006, he joined the U.S. military, specifically the Air Force. He spent two years there before leaving due to the harsh realities of what war entails.
After leaving the military, Stevin John headed out to Los Angeles, where he cut his teeth in marketing. He also chased opportunities in showbiz and appeared in several TV commercials while waiting for his big break. The big break would eventually come not from others but John as he made his own break.
Back in 2013/2014, John loved hanging out with his nephew and discovered that there was not a lot of quality children’s content on YouTube. He, therefore, came up with the character of a fun and energetic man named Blippi, who would produce children-friendly content that is both educational and entertaining.
John posted his first Blippi video on YouTube on January 27, 2014, and it caught on with viewers thanks to his fun and simple presentation. His videos garnered many views, and he accumulated many followers. Currently, the Blippi Empire has expanded beyond YouTube to a TV network. There have also been video games, merch, and even a live musical production.
Where is Blippi From?
Stevin John, aka Blippi, is originally from Ellensburg, a town in Kittitas County, Washington. Ellensburg is located along the Yakima River in the Kittitas Valley, a famed agricultural region. This background is reflected in John’s formative years and influenced his work as Blippi.
Blippi grew up on a farm surrounded by tractors, cows, and horses. While checking out YouTube children’s content, he realized that there was nothing with animals or farm equipment such as tractors or diggers. He therefore decided to include it in his act and it proved to be a hit with his young fans.
What is Blippi Like in Real Life?
Blippi acts like a regular adult in real life. He has various responsibilities to meet his loved ones, family members, and even employees, and he does his best to meet up. However, Blippi is also a big kid at heart in real life. He loves kids and hangs out with them any chance he gets.
While other adults would sit around and talk during occasions such as birthdays, for instance, you would usually catch Blippi with the kids, running around with them, playing tag with them, and just being generally silly.
Blippi believes that it is his natural disposition as a big kid at heart that has helped his show become a success. According to him, kids are more intelligent and intuitive than they let on. As such, they trust him because he easily relates with them.
What Happened to the Original Blippi?
Nothing has happened to the original Blippi. The production company simply added another actor to portray the role of Blippi in 2021. Before that time, an actor named Clayton Grimm had also performed the role of Blippi on the live tour, Blippi The Musical. Some parents were not too happy with this and asked for refunds of their ticket prices.
When a new Blippi was also seen on TV, many took to social media to express their displeasure. The fact remains that the original Blippi, Stevin John, has not abandoned the role. He continues performing it alongside others to produce more content for the brand.
Is There a New Blippi Actor?
There is a new Blippi actor and his name is Clayton Grimm. Grimm attended the famous Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. He has participated in several theatrical productions such as the Mile Long Opera, Gross Indecency, The Winter’s Tale, The Merchant of Venice, DC’s Justice League, and Crazy For You.
Clayton Grimm made his debut as Blippi in Blippi The Musical in 2019. He was also featured in some Blippi videos and online content the following year. By 2021, he officially made it to the TV screens as Blippi. Though many have reacted lukewarmly to the new Blippi, Grimm has thus far done a good job portraying the bubbly orange and blue-wearing children’s character.
Why Did Blippi Change?
Blippi changed because a new actor has been brought on. However, the original Blippi continues to perform the role, conduct meet and greets with fans, etc. Another Blippi was added so that more Blippi content can be produced, and it will be possible for the much-loved character to be in two different places simultaneously.
Old Blippi vs. New Blippi
The old Blippi is Stevin John, a 35-year-old entertainer from Washington, while the new Blippi, Clayton Grimm, is a professional actor, musician, and singer. While the old Blippi dabbled into entertainment, Grimm has pursued it as a career.
Both actors have played the beloved role well, but fans have still expressed some displeasure over the change. Their displeasure stems more from the manner in which the change was implemented and less from Grimm’s performance.
The production network wanted to slip it past the viewers, perhaps believing kids won’t notice. It would have been better if they had been more straightforward about it.
Where Does Blippi Live?
Blippi lives in Washington, his home state. When building his career, Blippi had lived in Los Angeles for about five years. He also spent some time living in Las Vegas as well. Stevin John and his fiancée, Alyssa, live in Washington and welcomed their first child on the 9th day of March 2022.
Blippi has been over the moon about his new role as a father. He has posted several cute pictures of his Son Lochlan Ddavid John. He has also taken his son to see Blippi. The former Air Force serviceman took some time off for paternity leave after the birth of his son.
