Rodeo clown "Boom Boom" Thompson brings his jokes and stunts back to the Linn County Rodeo this year after his premier in Mound City last year. Thompson is better known as Coach Thompson when he is on the high school football field in Sidney, Iowa, in the off-season. (Submitted photo)
By John Teagarden, Linn County Fair Board
Rodeo clown Shawn “Boom Boom” Thompson returns to the Linn County Fair Rodeo, Mound City, KS for the second time Aug 11-12.
“We hired Shawn for our 2022 rodeo. His comedy and the timing and appropriateness of his jokes to our family-oriented crowd was greatly appreciated by our rodeo committee and our spectators”, said rodeo co-chairman Charly Johnson, Prescott.
“Timing is very critical in comedy and a rain dance”, said Thompson, a Sidney, Iowa, native. “I haven’t perfected my rain dance (yet), but after nearly 30 years of being ‘mic-ed up” in front of a live crowd in an arena, my joke delivery is getting better.”
The Linn County Rodeo committee “discovered" Thompson following a recommendation from their rodeo announcer, Troy Goodridge. Goodridge had announced several bull ridings with Shawn and reported back, “This guy is a hilarious, crowd favorite that’s kind of a hidden gem outside of the northern states.”
Thompson has a day job.
“I teach Industrial Arts and am head football coach at the Sidney community high school,” he said. “I’m blessed, I get to be around young folks nine months of the year, encouraging them and setting a positive example. Then I get paid by rodeo committees to travel, meet new friends, and make people laugh in the summer.”
Thompson said he started his rodeo career as both a bull fighter and funny man. “After six years, I outgrew my bull fighting days – I liked pancakes more than pushups.”
“I’ll have some new-to-you jokes and different acts when I come back to Mound City this year," he said. "After 30 years in this business, I’ve got plenty. We will have the 'Hollywood Actor Audition' again one night where I try to discover new stunt men from five local youth. It’s always a crowd favorite.”