Memories of J.P. Patches

Northwest residents are saying goodbye to Chris Wedes, also known as J.P. Patches, the man who delighted Seattle-area children for decades as the star clown on “The J.P. Patches Show. Wedes died at age 84 on Sunday.

Wedes began his television show on KIRO in 1958 in black and white. At its peak, more than 100,000 viewers tuned in each weekday to watch Wedes as Julius Pierpont Patches, the former star of the Ding-A-Ling Circus who retired to become mayor of Seattle’s city dump.

Dave Ross remembers what a big personality J.P. Patches was in the KIRO building back in his early years with the station.

“He was definitely the personality around the station,” says Ross.

Co-host Luke Burbank says he didn’t grow up watching J.P. Patches, but Wedes’ legacy is well-known.

“I can tell you that working in local radio around here, when the topic of J.P. Patches comes up it is almost unlike anything else in terms of lighting up the eyes of people who grew up in that era,” says Burbank.

J.P. Patches was a huge part of my childhood. We watched him everyday. It always seemed like he was talking right to me. He was one of the first of the Mr. Rogers, Sesame Street type shows and we loved him. I was on his show when I was in second grade with my Camp Fire Troop, and years later, probably 10 or 15 years ago, I saw him at the Shoreline parade and I went up and gave him a big hug and I told him how much I liked him and I said, ‘I was on your show in second grade.’ He looked right at me and didn’t miss a beat and said, ‘I remember.’ What a guy. We will miss you J.P.

Norma from Bellevue says:

When all my kids were growing up, the younger ones just all adored J.P. Patches. My youngest daughter, when she was 4-years-old, we went down to the KIRO food fair where he always was at, and he was having a pie eating contest. She got picked to go up on stage for the pie eating contest and she was nibbling around the edges of the pie because she didn’t want to get her face dirty so he stepped in and he said, ‘This little girl wins the award for the neatest pie eater.’ She was so happy. It’s just one of the many things J.P. did to make my kids happy.

Danny in Tacoma says:

In February of 2002, my wife and I had a wedding reception, and unbeknownst to everybody we got J.P. there and he actually walked my wife Janet down the aisle, we replayed a few moments from our wedding, and when he walked through that door I had a big spotlight on him and when I saw his face 50 yards away from me it was like I was looking at him for the first time.
It was a standing ovation as he walked Janet down the aisle and it was just magic. It was just really, really cool, a neat memory. It was just so special to have him a part of our wedding like that.

I was driving yesterday when I heard about J.P.’s passing and I was really sad. I couldn’t believe how saddened I was, because I grew up with him. I’m a 50’s kid. The one thing I remember about J.P. was that everything was positive on his show. It was funny and really pro-kid, pro-fun. You could sit in front of that TV and really feel happy. Watching J.P. made me happy. The best thing that I remember about J.P., well of course Gertrude, but the ICU2TV. That was one of my favorites. I’m really missing J.P. already. I think he’s a childhood memory and will go on forever in my life.

“It honestly amazes me the love they have for the character,” Wedes once said in an interview with Seattle historian Feliks Banel. “At the time, you’re not aware of it. You’re on the air doing the show, trying to have fun, doing something pleasurable that the kids would enjoy.”

The TV show went off the air in September 1981, but Wedes remained a fixture at parades, parties, hospitals and community events where he was cheered by many who watched his show as children.

He is survived by his wife, daughter and a granddaughter.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.