Ellen DeGeneres

How undercover animal-rights activists are winning the ag-gag war

Comedian Bruce Vilanch on being more than a gay caricature

Comedy writing pioneer Bruce Vilanch is bursting with gayness. One of the first openly gay comedians, he's known for his continuing role on Hollywood Squares and as a head writer for the Academy Awards show, as well as writing jokes for Bette Midler, Elizabeth Taylor, The Brady Bunch, Donnie and Mar ... More >>

Photos: Ten famous same-sex couples who've tied the knot

Yesterday, Governor John Hickenlooper signed civil unions into law; for our coverage, click here. In honor of this historic step, we've assembled photos and information about famous same-sex couples who've legally committed to each other, either through marriage ceremonies in areas where doing so is ... More >>

The 50 worst rap lyrics: The complete list

We've finally arrived: The The best of the worst. The creme de la crap. The unholy of unholies. If you thought 50-11 were bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet. These are the lyrics that can turn a good album sour, and make a bad album laughable. Included are quotes from Eminem, Lil B, J. Cole, 2 Chainz, ... More >>

Video: Christopher Dorner, ex-L.A. cop, presumed dead after fiery cabin standoff

Update:Ex-L.A. cop Christopher Dorner has been the subject of a massive manhunt for more than a week after allegedly killing three , including former Denver resident Keith Lawrence; see previous coverage below. Now, the crisis appears at an end, with charred remains found in a gutted California cabi ... More >>

Julie Andrews will bring the hills of Boulder alive as CU commencement speaker

In recent years, commencement speakers for the University of Colorado at Boulder have either been controversial or underwhelming to the vast majority of the student body. But neither of these issues are likely to plague the 2013 graduation ceremony, scheduled for May 10, since the speaker chosen -- ... More >>

Aurora's Sonne Shields wins All American Handywoman title on HGTV

HGTV's All American Handyman competition tests the skills of handymen and women throughout the country, and the winner gets a development deal with the network to star in a show. This time, three of the ten contestants were from Colorado -- and Aurora resident Sonne Shields, 32, was ultimately prono ... More >>

Suzanne Warmington, daycare teacher, busted for pulling knife on six year old

Last year, the decision of a Lakewood Police officer to pepper spray an eight year old made national news. But at first blush, that incident seems mild in comparison with the charges leveled against daycare teacher Suzanne Warmington. She's been accused of pulling a knife on one of her charges, age ... More >>

American Idol is back, with a new host of hopefuls

If the hat Steven Tyler wore during last night's premiere of American Idol is anything to go by, it's going to be an interesting season.​Nearly eight months since Scotty McCreery became America's latest Idol in May 2011, it's good to have the cast of American Idol 2.0 back in action. To wit, R ... More >>

Thirteen hottest vegetarians, in honor of Hug a Vegetarian Day

Flickr photo​As if vegetarians don't get enough kudos for being greener and more animal-friendly than their meat-eating counterparts, now they get rewarded with hugs. And who doesn't love a hug? Today is Hug a Vegetarian Day, according to PETA2. And since we've been slaving away in our cubic ... More >>

Tonight: Greyson Chance at the Gothic

​Just one of the many acts birthed in the last half-decade thanks to YouTube, thirteen-year-old Greyson Chance -- due at the Gothic Theatre tonight with Cody Simpson and Camryn -- could still be considered a bit of an anomaly in his own right. Unlike his pop contemporaries, the 'tween's adorat ... More >>

Brace yourself for the new batch of Justin Biebers: Five heirs to the Bieb's teen-idol throne

​Justin Bieber and his $40,000 hair are making girls swoon all over the world, but this overnight sensation is not alone. Despite the fact that kids everywhere are obsessing and worshipping this pseudo-talented tween, there are more idols in the pipeline. Since kids have the attention spans of ... More >>

Ten people who should host the 2012 Oscars

At least they make decent movies.​Is it time to already begin thinking about next year's Academy Awards show? Well, if you're like most Americans -- and critics, the venerable Roger Ebert among them -- who watched last night's show, then the answer is "yes." The hipster hosts, 28-year-old An ... More >>

The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins serves with dishonor

Tony Perkins.​Last week, Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council in Colorado Springs, said that if the United States ends the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military, it could bring back the draft. His reasoning: strapping young recruits won't want to serve next to men and ... More >>

John Hickenlooper, Tom Tancredo & Dan Maes show Real Gubernatorial Genius in new "ads"

Tom Tancredo.​Colorado's gubernatorial race has offered a good dose of unintentional humor on its own. But Complete Colorado has upped the laugh ante by creating "Real Gubernatorial Genius," satirical commercials (based on a popular Bud Light campaign) that lampoon Dan Maes, John Hickenlooper ... More >>

Anti-Obama & friends billboards link old media to new, says WhoSaidYouSaid's Kelly Maher

Kelly Maher.​Seen those "They Spend, You Pay!" billboards? The ones in which Barack Obama looks kinda drunk, John Hickenlooper appears homicidal, and Betsy Markey, Ed Perlmutter, John Salazar and Michael Bennet seem amused by your pain? According to Kelly Maher of WhoSaidYouSaid, the website b ... More >>

Gay teen suicides: Liberty Counsel, not Focus on the Family, claims GLBT exploitation of deaths

​In a post yesterday, GLBT Center's Hope Wisneski discussed the recent rash of gay teen suicides without attacking Focus on the Family, which recently criticized pro-gay anti-bullying programs as anti-Christian. But while Focus hasn't fanned flames since the national media picked up the suicid ... More >>

OK Go deliver another new snazzy, sure-to-go-viral video for "White Knuckles"

The new OK Go video for "White Knuckles" is premiering today, on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, but you don't have to wait (or watch Ellen) -- we've got you covered. Like its past batch of videos. this new one is clever, funny and shot in one continuous take. You will like it. You will send it to all o ... More >>

Mile High Music Festival: One eskimO on its bare-bones, stripped down approach to music

​ Creating music that alternately recalls shades of John Mayer and Jack Johnson with a strong soul music influence, One eskimO and its song "Kandi" have slowly been infiltrating eardrums since the release of the act's debut last fall. Starting with a casual mention of the band's name about si ... More >>

Ted Haggard: Is reality TV in his future?

Is Ted Haggard ready for his closeup?​Update, 11:25 a.m.: Ted Haggard has made his announcement. It involves a launch party for his new church and a possible documentary. Details below the original item, published at 8:36 a.m. Today at 10:30 a.m., embattled Colorado Springs evangelist Ted Hag ... More >>

Congressman Jared Polis wants kids to have healthy lunch options

No Lunchables would be found in this congressman's childhood lunchbox.​No tater tots or fruit cocktail were harmed in the upbringing of Congressman Jared Polis. No Cheetos or Little Debbie snack cakes either for that matter. In fact, Colorado's second district congressman says he brought hi ... More >>

How Colorado cooled the controversy between the Humane Society and big agriculture

American Idol: Lilly Scott takes on Patsy Cline and helps keep things interesting. Is she too interesting or just interesting enough? We'll see.

If Lilly Scott doesn't win this whole thing on the strength of her talent, she should win just by virtue of the fact that she's infinitely more interesting than, well, everyone else on Idol this season. Really. Her song choices alone ("Lullaby of Birdland," "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "I Fall to ... More >>

Lilly Scott joins Haeley Vaughn as Colorado's great American Idol hopes

Based on the edition of American Idol focusing on Denver auditions, we declared Fort Collins' Haeley Vaughn to be Colorado's great American Idol hope. (Of course, Bikini Boy Ty Hemmerling made a different kind of impression.) But last night's episode marking the beginning of Hollywood Week (and the ... More >>

Diana DeGette John Hickenlooper = Ellen DeGeneres

An early strategy being used to undermine John Hickenlooper in his run for the governorship is actually an old favorite -- portraying him as too liberal. That's the theme of the video above, put together by WhoSaidYouSaid.com, a humor-oriented political website overseen by Republican stalwarts Kell ... More >>

Matt Morris gets the Keys to the City in this webisode

What we learned from watching Matt Morris's new aol Keys to the City webisode: Dude does a damn fine Anita Baker. Rapturous. Seriously. Color us impressed. Morris, in case you haven't heard, is the homegrown, velvet voiced singer-songwriter signed to Justin Timberlake's Tennman Records. His new a ... More >>

Local blogger finalist to cover Winter Olympics for Microsoft

​What writer wouldn't want to cover the Olympics? The glitz, the glamor and the high-profile nature of the gig are just about irresistible, regardless of your feelings about winter sports. I mean, I'd jump at the opportunity, and I couldn't care less about skiing, skating and curling. Well, cu ... More >>

The Legendary Griffin

Look of the Day -- America’s Happiest Couple

Delegating Denver #22 of 56: Louisiana

Westword's top DVD picks for the week of October 11.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of 7/28/2005

Going Mental

Mindhunters is truly stupid fun.

But Seriously, Folks

Five local comics tell all.

Palsy Becomes a Punchline

Standup overcomes his disability

Think Distinct

This summer's movies could withstand the drought.

Water World

There's nothing fishy about Disney's new animated epic.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Staying Out

Emmy or Not to Emmy?

That's been the long, hard decision for TV academy chairman Bryce Zabel

Northern Composure

Tired of downers? In Big Eden, life is full of happy twists.

The T.A.M.M.Y. Show

A documentary gives life to fallen PTL angel Tammy Faye Bakker.

A Sperm's Tale

How CSNY reproduced again.

TV or Not TV?

Afterthought Special

Broadcast Noose

Off Limits

Thrills for the week

Closet Case