Blippi!

I remember hearing rumblings of this creature known as Blippi from other parents. They would ask me "do your kids watch Blippi?" and then give me a look. It was like being part of a secret club. You either knew who Blippi was or you didn't. I kept hearing this name come up again and again with nothing to attach to it. This Blippi character was seemingly in the shadows, waiting to emerge. Much like Sauron in Lord of the Rings. Sauron was rumored to be returning for centuries in Middle Earth and when he finally emerged, all hell broke loose. The same could be said of Blippi. I encountered Blippi on a seemingly normal day at home. My youngest daughter was home and somehow, whether by accident or fate, she stumbled upon Blippi. I can't remember my intial reaction as I have blocked that part of my past. It was quite a traumatic experience. Who was this man-child gallivanting across indoor playgrounds and singing songs about fire trucks? Why was he acting like a toddler? What's with the orange accessories? This was quite a departure from my childhood television programming. I can't recall a time when Mr. Rogers went tumbling across my screen. The most animated that Fred Rogers acted was when he tossed his shoe from one hand to the other. And I liked it that way! But Blippi sought a new approach to teaching our fine young citizens. He would act just like them but also drop some knowledge while somersaulting. As I continued to watch the show and cringe as a grown adult man skipped and hopped about. But maybe this Blippi was on to something. Maybe, just maybe, he was actually teaching our sons and daughters their shapes and numbers. It certainly is a different approach than past shows but I finally came to the realization that Blippi is a genius. Yes, good ol' Blippi is just what our kids need, an adult that acts like a child but also teaches them the basic necessities of childhood. Are kids attracted to his antics? Is that how Blippi disguises the learning? I can certainly see his theory: learning shapes and numbers from a book might not be the best way to teach our future adults. And this is where I began to see Blippi as a genius. Blippi's real name is Stevin John. Prior to playing Blippi he was in the US Air Force and also tried his luck at something called gross out videos. Which worked out well since his original last name is Grossman. How is that not a typecast? The character of Blippi was created when Mr. John noticed his nephew watching one of the many low quality YouTube videos espousing so called knowledge. And any parent will know what those videos look like, we've all seen them (Coco Melon anyone?) Mr. John began posting Blippi videos in 2014 and has continued to grow (and become a multimillionaire). Which begs the question, why didn't I think of this? I am perfectly willing to act like a child for the benefit of learning. Hell, my wife already says I act like one so why not monetize it. Blippi is now available on multiple streaming platforms and has now cast a second actor to play an alternative Blippi, which my family nicknamed Flippi (for fake Blippi...get it?). I have nothing good to say about Flippi, he just sucks. I'm sure that the actor is a nice fellow but it actually makes me want to watch the original Blippi on purpose. He's just that bad. Let's just say he's not winning any Emmys. Blippi has really grown on me and I now see his vision for teaching. It may not be for everyone but it's good wholesome fun. No agendas, no politics, just a guy acting like a child for the betterment of society. What more can you ask for?