Is Roger Hoffmann Serving Spam at His Barbecue?

Early on July 21, I received an e-mail from Roger Hoffmann inviting me to a barbecue, rally and fundraiser to support him in his race to be a Larimer County Commissioner. Because I don’t live in Larimer County and hadn’t heard of the guy, I was not planning to attend…

A Coloradan Sings the Anthem at Cheyenne Frontier Days

As a tenor, Donald Tallman can hit the high notes – something that puts him in demand at sporting events, where the National Anthem has a particularly troubling “freeeeeee.” And last Saturday, July 19, he belted out the tune before the rodeo on the opening day of Cheyenne Frontier Days,…

Tom Tancredo: John McCain’s Silent Whipping Boy

Thus far, John McCain’s political ads have displayed unexpected subtlety — and a spot that’s been airing in these parts of late displays that quality again. The commercial is aimed at Latino voters, and twice over the course of its minute and five seconds, the camera lingers on Colorado Representative…

The Westword.com Blog Shortcut, July 22 Edition

Blogs straight ahead. No pushing and shoving necessary. Cafe Society offers news about Moon Time and Panzano — and Jason Sheehan previews his critique of Hamburger Mary’s, which he describes as “the first gay-themed burger restaurant I’ve found.” Check out those buns. The Cat’s Pajamas puts local designer Vanessa Gochnour…

Ten Things Possibly Found in the McCain Party Box

Last week, the Republican National Committee offered a sneak peek of the “party boxes” that will be for sale at the convention in St. Paul. The boxes, which are 2”x3”, tops, look too small to include actual “party” items like noisemakers or hard liquor. Chances are that they’re just full…

Jay Leno Reaps the Whirlwind

So the date of Jay Leno’s termination — and a termination is what this is, make no mistake—has now been set. On May 29, 2009, Jay Leno will sign off for his last Tonight Show, and Conan O’Brien will take over the following Monday, June 1. And so the crown…

Doonesbury Gets a Mile High

Doonesbury took note today, July 22, of Barack Obama’s recent decision to move his planned acceptance speech from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field at Mile High during the Democratic National Convention next month. And although Mayor Hickenlooper is likely still freaking out a little about logistics for the move…

Marcus Camby Trade Gripes Make Headlines Coast to Coast

Yeah, yeah, the Denver Nuggets won fifty games in the 2007-2008 season. But they were bounced from the playoffs in the first round, just as they had been during recent campaigns when they racked up fewer W’s — and they won’t get near that victory total anytime soon unless they…

Fred Barnes Takes a Shot at Colorado Dems — With Jon Caldara’s Help

“The Colorado Model,” an article in the July 21 Weekly Standard, gives coast-to-coast exposure to what its author, conservative Beltway Boy Fred Barnes, refers to as “an ambitious scheme” by well-heeled lefties to “crush Republicans” in the state. The tack “isn’t a secret,” Barnes writes, but “it hasn’t drawn much…

USA Today Rips Denver’s Plans For DNC Protesters

Playing host to the Democratic National Convention was supposed to bring Denver a gusher of national publicity, and it has — but a lot of it has been bad. Earlier this month, the New York Times smacked the DNC around in regard to rising costs. More recently, USA Today weighed…

Fred Barnes Takes a Shot at Colorado Dems — With Jon Caldara’s Help

“The Colorado Model,” an article in the July 21 Weekly Standard, gives coast-to-coast exposure to what its author, conservative Beltway Boy Fred Barnes, refers to as “an ambitious scheme” by well-heeled lefties to “crush Republicans” in the state. The tack “isn’t a secret,” Barnes writes, but “it hasn’t drawn much…

Rocky‘s Excellent “Deadly Denial” Series

The possible expiration of the traditional daily newspaper may not seem like a big deal to the average person,given the declining quality of many tabloids and broadsheets due largely to budget cuts, layoffs, buyouts and the shrinking number of pages. Every once in a while, however, a publication rouses itself…

Channel 7 in the Anchorman Era

YouTube user robatsea2008 loves the news — especially the old kind. Posts under that name include a treasure trove of vintage clips from long-ago Denver newscasts, each one more cackleworthy than the next. Example? Check out the following clip from a 1977 Channel 7 broadcast featuring gloriously tacky graphics and…

Denver Catholic Register Cuts Back on Publication Schedule

Even close readers of the Denver Catholic Register, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Denver, overseen by Archbishop Charles Chaput (pictured), probably missed a contradiction on page two of the publication’s July 16 edition. The info box in the lower right-hand corner of the page notes that the Register…

USA Today Rips Denver’s Plans For DNC Protesters

Playing host to the Democratic National Convention was supposed to bring Denver a gusher of national publicity, and it has — but a lot of it has been bad. Earlier this month, the New York Times smacked the DNC around in regard to rising costs. More recently, USA Today weighed…

Delegating Denver #53 of 56: Washington

View larger image Washington Total Number of Delegates: 97 Pledged: 78 Unpledged:19 How to Recognize a Washington Delegate: A smiling Washingtonian is more an indication of a nearby photographer than an invitation to friendship. Washingtonians will be extremely polite and helpful, but don’t expect to exchange personal information. As the…

The Westword.com Blog Shortcut, July 21 Edition

We’re chock full o’ blogs again today. Try a free sample below. Backbeat Online has the skinny on the inaugural Mile High Music Festival, with reports devoted to both day one and day two (when Rose Hill Drive, pictured, cut loose). Also on tap: live reviews featuring Yerkish, Andy Falconetti,…

The Video Professor Schools John McCain

As far as we know, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain hasn’t tried the computer-oriented products pimped by Colorado’s own John Scherer, the 2006 Westword profile subject known to late-night infomercial viewers as the Video Professor. But the folks behind a satirical YouTube clip understand that McCain can use all…

Plug Pulled on Peter Boyles’ USA Biker Nation

While KHOW talk-show host Peter Boyles is best known for his takes on immigration policy and the JonBenét Ramsey case, he is also a motorcycle enthusiast so passionate that he launched USA Biker Nation in 2007 as a way of paying weekly tribute to hogs and their riders. But that’s…