In a rare public appearance, J.P. Patches - KIRO-TV's much-loved clown for 28 years - is coming to Des Moines.

You can meet Julius Pierpont Patches, retired Mayor of Seattle's city dump and former star of the Ding-A-Ling Circus, in person on Wednesday, Feb. 13 in the IOOF Hall.

This no-charge public event at 7 p.m. is sponsored by the Des Moines Historical Society as he celebrates 50 years as Seattle's own "JP."

The IOOF Hall is at South 225th Street and Seventh Avenue South.

Out-of-costume, JP's name is Chris Wedes (pronounced We-dus).

Des Moines City Councilwoman Carmen Scott, a historical society board member, recently said: "Do you remember when Ggoorrsstt the Friendly Frpl was lost, and 5,000 Patches Pals showed up at Woodland Park Zoo to help JP find him?

"Or cartoons he pulled out of his hat, a man climbing into the clubhouse through the hole in the floor, or when Boris S. Wort stole Swami's magic twinkle dust, and JP appealed to his Pals to send their dust in and the post office was inundated with envelopes full of sand/dirt/salt?

"Bring your Patches Pals memories, and be prepared for great video clips, stories and laughter."

On his Web site, JP produces a newspaper, humorously named "The City Dump Gazette." Publication dates are loosely scheduled as "either weekly, semi-annually, bi-monthly, or possibly during any seasonal equinox."

It is accompanied by an equally impressive motto, "All the news that fits the print." Access his website, memorabilia store and e-mail is at JPPatches@JPPatches.com.

The less-than-organized setting for Patches' television show was The City Dump (not a real dump). JP's facsimile TV - ICU2/TV, made of cardboard - was the favorite.

Magically, on a child's birthday their face appeared on screen (with a little parental help) and JP told them to look in a dryer, refrigerator or under the bed, etc., where they'd find a birthday present.

It was that special-ness of zeroing right in, bridging the gap between them as a friend, that made the kids connection.

And maybe that's one of the things still cherished about Chris Wedes. He loves entertaining our kids and it shows.

JP's TV girlfriend "Gertrude" was portrayed by talented co-star Bob Newman dressed in ladies' costumes. This comic team rocked fans with laughter. No show was ever the same since no script existed. Even staff laughed so hard at time the cameras shook.

Newman also created and performed a myriad of comical characters, such as Ketchikan the Animal Man and Boris S. Wort, the second meanest man in the world.

Julius Pierpont Patches (JP) was the Star that held it together with multitudes of pie-in-the face laughs and boom-bang city dump clowning around. A poster on his desk read, "Give a Hoot - Don't Pollute!"

As many as 100,000 kids a day watched JP.

Chris Wedes grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, according to the JP Patches history Web site: "Before he became Seattle's number one clown he was an actor, a D.J. and popular cook among juvenile television viewers."

When director Fred Kauffman accepted a programming role at KIRO-TV, Chris Wedes and Joanie, his gracious wife, and one-year old daughter came to Seattle in 1958.

Asked what his most memorable shows were, he replied, "Many big stars came, such as Steve Allen, Tiny Tim, Debbie Reynolds, Jacques Cousteau." Patches Pals include Bill Gates and former Washington Governor Gary Locke.

What was his favorite personal moment?

"When Children's Orthopedic Hospital announced they assigned a diagnostic waiting room in my name," Wedes said. "I was speechless. Now the room no longer exists due to remodeling.

"Children's Hospital is my favorite charity. I've spent many hours with children there."

His favorite form of travel? "Ship cruises because there's no driving, no packing luggage in and out of places. They feed and entertain us and they stop at interesting ports to explore."

2008 is a banner year for JP and Joanie as they celebrate 50-years of J.P. Patches in Seattle on Feb. 10, his 80th birthday in April and their 52nd wedding anniversary in May.

Physically challenged by a controllable blood cancer condition that requires dialysis three times a week, Wedes' keen sense of humor and love of life remain the same.

And if he had it to do all over again, "would you be J.P. Patches one more time?" "Absolutely!"

Thought for the day: Modesty in delivering our opinions leaves us the liberty of changing them without humiliation.