In a December 2004 Tampa Tribune feature, local Southern Baptist preacher Tom Rives was profiled in his part-time role as KoKoMo the Clown, enthusiastically delivering uplifting spiritual messages to kids and nontraditional church audiences. Said Rives (who estimates he has trained about 400 people for his clown troupes), “I don’t think [preachers] should be going around with a Bible tucked under their arms and a scowl on their face.”
To his critics who say clowning is undignified, Rev. Rives said, “I tell them that all Baptist preachers are clowns. I just went to class and got certified.”