In House farewell, Sam Killebrew suggests a business venture called 'Whoop A Kid'

Gary White, Lakeland Ledger
·2 min read
State Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, at a Polk County legislative delegation meeting in Winter Haven. Killebrew, who is leaving the legislature because of term limits, suggested in his final address in the Florida House on Wednesday a new business venture called "Whoop a Kid," which drew laughter from the floor.
State Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, at a Polk County legislative delegation meeting in Winter Haven. Killebrew, who is leaving the legislature because of term limits, suggested in his final address in the Florida House on Wednesday a new business venture called "Whoop a Kid," which drew laughter from the floor.

Florida Rep. Sam Killebrew, R-Winter Haven, used his farewell address on the Florida House floor Wednesday morning to make a not-quite-serious pitch for a post-legislative business venture: a network of venues for “whooping” children.

Killebrew, 78, is in fourth term as representative for District 48 and is barred by term limits from seeking re-election. In this final week of the two-month legislative session, House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, has been devoting time for outgoing members to address the chamber.

The lawmaker stood at the front of the chamber beside his stuffed monkey, Ophelia — “my companion for the last eight years” — outfitted in a blue dress and a tiara. Holding a microphone, Killebrew thanked his fellow legislators, his staff and his wife, Eileen. He credited Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd with suggesting his first run for the Legislature in 2016.

Killebrew then said that other legislators wondered what he might do after retiring from politics. He said he had been thinking for a long time about a business concept, placing small offices inside stores and airports, a chain called “Whoop A Kid.”

Parents would pay $10 a month for membership cards, Killebrew said.

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“So if you're out at Walmart or Publix or anywhere and one of your kids starts acting the fool, you take that kid over to one of our locations and there'll be somebody there that'll take the kid and take them inside and shut the door and just beat the living daylights out of them, OK?” Killebrew said, to laughter from many in the chamber.

Speaking in a deadpan tone, he added: “And so they give the kid back, and then no matter where you are, if we have a location there, if a kid starts acting up, Mom can just take the card out and say, ‘Do you want to go to Whoop A Kid?’ And we think that's going to work, and we're taking names for investors and stuff at the end of the thing.”

'I am the American dream'

Rep. Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade, gave her farewell address on Tuesday. She talked of first getting involved in political issues when she led a campaign opposing plans to build a prison near a school in her hometown.

Bell first gained election to the Fort Meade City Commission and later served on the Polk County Commission before being elected to the Legislature in 2018. She is leaving to run for Polk County Elections Supervisor.

Bell, wearing a pink suit, mentioned her humble family origins and stated, “I am the American dream.”

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: In House farewell, Sam Killebrew suggests a chain of Whoop A Kid shops