Blippi
{{Short description|YouTube channel aimed at toddlers}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Blippi logo.png
| caption =
| genre = Preschool
| creator = Stevin John
| developer = Moonbug Entertainment, Candle Media (2021-present)
| starring = Stevin John
Clayton Grimm
Ben Mayer
| voices = Stevin John
Clayton Grimm
Ben Mayer
| country = United States
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes =
| producer =
| location = Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
| animator =
| company = Moonbug Entertainment
Candle Media
| network = YouTube
| first_aired = {{Start date|2014|02|18}}
| last_aired = present
}}
Blippi is an American educational YouTube channel aimed at toddlers and young children. The show features a cheerful, energetic character named Blippi, who takes viewers on adventures to places like factories, play parks, and zoos. As he tours these locations, Blippi relays his experiences directly to his audience, posing questions and explaining unfamiliar concepts.{{Cite web |last=Movie & TV reviews for parents |title=Blippi TV Review |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/blippi |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=www.commonsensemedia.org |language=en}} Blippi was acquired by Moonbug Entertainment in 2020, and became a subsidiary of Candle Media on November 1, 2021.{{Cite web |url=https://blippi.com/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=blippi.com|title=Blippi}}
History
The show was created and the character originally played by Stevin John,{{Cite web|date=2020-07-30|title=Moonbug Raises $120 Million, Acquires Children's YouTube Titans Cocomelon And Blippi|url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2020/07/30/moonbug-raises-120-million-acquires-cocomelon-blippi/|access-date=2021-06-20|website=Tubefilter|language=en-US}} who posted the first episode of the show on YouTube on February 18, 2014, which featured tractors.{{cite web|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=8_V80B2j1U8|title=FARM TRACTORS - KIDS SHOW — Blippi - Educational Videos for Kids|website=YouTube|date=18 February 2014 |access-date=15 July 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Cannon|first=Matt|date=2021-05-09|title=Blippi actor Stevin John is replaced in latest YouTube episode, leaving fans puzzled|url=https://www.newsweek.com/blippi-actor-stevin-john-replaced-latest-youtube-episode-fans-1589878|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-20|website=Newsweek|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509152022/https://www.newsweek.com/blippi-actor-stevin-john-replaced-latest-youtube-episode-fans-1589878|archive-date=2021-05-09}}{{Cite web|title=Who the Heck Is Blippi, Anyway?|url=https://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/television/who-is-blippi/|access-date=2021-06-20|website=Parents|language=en}} Aiming to keep Blippi going, John joined the multi-channel network Moonbug Entertainment in 2020,{{Cite web|last=Alexander|first=Julia|date=2020-10-19|title=YouTube's biggest kids show is about to take over streaming services|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/19/21519095/cocomelon-netflix-moonbug-blippi-hulu-streaming-youtube-children-entertainment|access-date=2021-06-20|website=The Verge|language=en}} which became a subsidiary of Candle Media on November 1, 2021.{{cite web|last=Weprin|first=Alex|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/blippi-franchise-expands-meekah-show-netflix-1235262477/|title=Blippi Franchise Expands With Meekah Show at Netflix|date=2022-11-16|accessdate=2023-08-30| website=hollywoodreporter.com}} The show is dubbed in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Italian, Hebrew, Arabic,
Swedish, Danish, Welsh and Polish.{{Cite web |title=Blippi po polsku – Nauka przez zabawę! - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCJKuCqSdSB4Db7w6YjCSVw/channels |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.youtube.com}}
Until May 2021, the Blippi character was only portrayed by Stevin John. On May 8, Clayton Grimm, who played Blippi in live performances, performed as Blippi for the first time on the channel and hosted as an alternative Blippi with John.{{Cite web|title=Why there's a 'new' Blippi actor — and how confused parents are reacting|url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/new-blippi-actor-confusion-clayton-grimm-stevin-john-211947729.html|last=Donnelly|first=Erin|date=2021-05-10|access-date=2021-09-07|website=Yahoo! Life}} On October 9, 2021, Moonbug announced the addition of a new character named Meekah (played by Kaitlin Becker and Cashae Monya).{{cite web|url=https://www.salamancapress.com/news/state/moonbug-announces-new-character-meekah-to-join-blippi-universe/article_5981eac6-e2b7-51d1-9696-eab544606c9d.html|title=Moonbug Announces New Character Meekah to Join Blippi Universe|website=The Salamanca Press|date=October 9, 2021|access-date=October 10, 2021|archive-date=October 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010015620/https://www.salamancapress.com/news/state/moonbug-announces-new-character-meekah-to-join-blippi-universe/article_5981eac6-e2b7-51d1-9696-eab544606c9d.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/moonbug-announces-new-character-meekah-to-join-blippi-universe-301396507.html|title=Moonbug Announces New Character Meekah to Join Blippi Universe|website=PR Newswire|date=October 9, 2021|access-date=October 22, 2021}} The spin-off series Blippi's Treehouse started airing on December 1, 2021, on Amazon Kids+, with two more characters, Scratch and Patch (both are puppets).{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2021/11/11/blippis-treehouse-featuring-preschool-juggernaut-blippi-premieres-exclusively-on-amazon-kidsplus-on-december-1-2021-moonbug-entertainment-416414/20211111moonbug01/|title="Blippi's Treehouse," Featuring Preschool Juggernaut Blippi, Premieres Exclusively on Amazon Kids+ on December 1, 2021 Moonbug Entertainment|website=The Futon Critic|date=November 11, 2021|access-date=November 13, 2021}}
On November 16, 2024, Ben Mayer started performing as Blippi on the new series Blippi's Vroom Vroom Vehicle Show.https://www.parents.com/another-new-blippi-8744503
= Distribution =
On October 13, 2022, Moonbug Entertainment partnered with Virgin Media to bring Blippi and other Moonbug programs to the United Kingdom.{{Cite web|title=Moonbug content on Virgin Media|url=https://advanced-television.com/2020/09/23/moonbug-content-on-virgin-media/|access-date=2021-06-20|website=advanced-television.com|date=23 September 2020 |language=en-GB}} The show expanded to Southeast Asia in March 2021 when Moonbug partnered with POPS Worldwide to bring children's content to the POPS Kids app.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-10|title=Moonbug Brings 'Cocomelon,' Blippi to 'POPS' App|url=https://www.licenseglobal.com/entertainment/moonbug-brings-cocomelon-blippi-pops-app|access-date=2021-06-20|website=licenseglobal.com|language=en}} Netflix acquired the streaming license to Blippi in January 2022.{{cite web|title= Moonbug Entertainment's 'Blippi' Joining 'CoComelon' on Netflix in January 2022|url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/moonbug-entertainments-blippi-joining-cocomelon-on-netflix-in-january-2022/|website=What's on Netflix|last=Horgan|first=Emily|date=December 17, 2021}}
Licensing and merchandise
In 2019 Blippi signed a master toy deal with Jazwares LLC to sell a variety of merchandise such as toy vehicles, plush and other toys based on the Blippi show, beginning in spring 2020.{{Cite web|title=Blippi inks master toy deal with Jazwares|url=https://kidscreen.com/2019/05/23/blippi-inks-master-toy-deal-with-jazwares/|access-date=2021-06-20}}{{Cite news |last=Patel |first=Sahil |date=2020-02-24 |title=Toy Industry Looks to YouTube Talent for Next Generation of Merchandise |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/toy-industry-looks-to-youtube-talent-for-next-generation-of-merchandise-11582581521 |access-date=2021-06-20 |work=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite web|date=2020-01-22|title=YouTube Star Blippi Hits Play on Jazwares Toy Line|url=https://www.licenseglobal.com/industry-news/youtube-star-blippi-hits-play-jazwares-toy-line|access-date=2021-06-20|website=licenseglobal.com|language=en}}
In early 2020, Jazwares created "My Buddy Blippi," a plush toy that can recreate 15 of the character's sounds and phrases.
In January 2021, Blippi launched an additional toy line.
In addition to toys, books and more, Blippi merchandise also includes clothing.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-18|title=Exclusive: The Point.1888 Inks New Moonbug Licensing Deals|url=https://www.licenseglobal.com/industry-news/exclusive-point1888-inks-new-moonbug-licensing-deals|access-date=2021-06-20|website=licenseglobal.com|language=en}}
''Blippi the Musical''
Blippi the Musical is a live show produced by Round Room Live in partnership with Moonbug Entertainment, and was scheduled to tour North America in summer 2021. In previous tours of Blippi, there had been some outcry as a result of the performances not being performed by Stevin John but by another actor.{{Citation |title=Parents Demand Refunds on Their Blippi Tickets | date=15 October 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MgZRAR9cYM |language=en |access-date=2022-03-03}} Originally scheduled in 2020, live performances were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
''Blippi Wonders''
Blippi Wonders is an animated children's web series based on Stevin John's Blippi. The series is about Blippi, along with either TABBS (an orange cat) or D bo (a blue dog) on a blue car called the Blippi Mobile. The Blippi Mobile can change into many elements, such as adding wings, and can shrink down. The series is produced by London-based Moonbug Entertainment, Italy-based Rainbow CGI and based on a Nova Scotia production services provided by IoM Media Ventures.
Reception
Nathan J. Robinson of Current Affairs criticized Blippi's programming, calling it "dead and sterile" and lacking intellectual curiosity that children can understand.{{cite journal|last=Robinson|first=Nathan J.|url=https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2020/08/the-dead-world-of-blippi|title=The Dead World of Blippi|journal=Current Affairs|date=2020-08-25|access-date=2021-07-27}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|Blippi.com}}
{{Moonbug Entertainment}}
Category:2010s American children's television series
Category:2020s American children's television series
Category:2014 American television series debuts
Category:2010s preschool education television series
Category:2020s preschool education television series
Category:American preschool education television series
Category:Moonbug Entertainment
Category:YouTube channels launched in 2014
Category:YouTube original programming
Category:Cartoonito original programming