Inside the Blippi Harlem Shake Video: How Stevin John Tried to Erase His Gross-out Past
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.
