JP Patches

The clown who built Seattle

Seattle has become one of the most important cultural and economic centers of the world. The Seattle baby-boomers (and a few, early Generation X slackers) have led the way in business, high-tech, music and the arts. Our area is known for as producing open-minded and creative people. 

What shared experience sparked our imaginations? Was it a lack of oxygen at the top of the Space Needle? Was it a bad batch of clams from Ivars? No, I think we all know whose fault it is!

  It's J.P., the guy we spent two hours with every day! (2 hours a day over 10-15 years adds up to thousands of hours...If you're still reading (and with your attention span that's a stretch) this should frighten you.

To a child growing up near Puget Sound in the 60s and 70s, appearing on the J.P. Patches Show was one of the requirements of a full life.  If you weren't on the show, the next best thing was meeting J.P. in person(and thanks to the generous and indefatigable J.P., there were plenty of opportunities ). It's something that every Patches Pal remembers as a highlight of their childhood (again, this should concern you).

The Emmy winning J.P. Patches Show aired for 23 years on KIRO TV and at one time had an viewership of over 100,000. When it 1left the air in 1981, it was the longest running, locally produced children's program in the country. Today, almost 20 years after the last show, J.P. is still in demand for personal appearances.