Inside the Blippi Harlem Shake Video: How Stevin John Tried to Erase His Gross-out Past
By Alexander Ross
Rather than destroying his career, the controversy accelerated John’s plan to transition Blippi from an individual personality into a corporate franchise. In July 2020, international children's media giant Moonbug Entertainment acquired Blippi alongside CoComelon. In late 2021, private equity-backed Candle Media bought Moonbug in a deal valued at approximately $3 billion.
Under corporate stewardship, the franchise minimized its dependence on Stevin John’s physical likeness. In May 2021, Moonbug introduced actor Clayton Grimm as an alternate live-action Blippi for national touring shows and streaming episodes. They introduced a female companion character, Meekah, played by Kaitlin Becker. John stepped back into executive production and creative guidance, gradually removing his personal identity from daily distribution.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
