Connor Marshall on the Dr. Fart Comic Strip and Running a Comedy Show in a Porn Dungeon

Unabashed in its own gleeful puerility, the once-ubiquitous "Dr. Fart" tag was cheekily crowned Best Unofficial New Public Art in the Best of Denver 2014. Some people saw the tags as an almost dadaist joke, others saw them as petty vandalism — but nearly everyone saw them. The good doctor has now evolved beyond confusing and amusing passersby into starring in his own comic strip. After getting his start in Denver, comedian Connor Marshall moved to San Francisco's foggy shores to tell jokes and co-create a comic strip out of the masked character with the help of fellow Bay Area artists and chuckle miners. Marshall will return to Denver next week, along with "Dr. Fart" co-writer Keith D'Souza, with several shows planned and comics to distribute. In advance of that visit, Westword caught up with Marshall for a brief chat about the history of Dr. Fart, the differences between Denver and San Francisco comedy scenes, and the monthly show he runs at a porn studio.

 Westword: Who is Dr. Fart? Give us a little background on the Dr. Fart mythos.

Connor Marshall: He's a modern-day fartlospher. The stinking man's hero. A dude for the butts. Purveyor of stink. Our Fart Knight, the Caped Assader. Leader of the avant-farte movement. Providing smells, giggles, and the weirdness. It all started from his bottom, now he's here. 

 Where did the idea for the comic come from, and how has it been to watch that take shape?

Talking about doing a comic strip with a friend named Larry Santana Diego. We had a good feeling about it in our guts, and our butts, so we went for it.

Who draws the Dr. Fart comic strip?

A comic named Jeremey Telemantes and Russ Trombeau draw it. Keith and I write.

Is the Dr. Fart tag still popping up here and there?

It's coming to a bathroom near you.

What are the shows you guys have set up for when you get out here?

From April 17  through April 19, we'll be at the Armoury for Mile High Festibowl. On the 22nd, we're on Too Much Fun! at the Deer Pile. Then Keith is on Propaganda at Lannie's on the 26th. 

In your experience with both cities, how does Denver's comedy scene compare to San Francisco's?

Denver has way more white dudes.

I'm curious about the show that you guys run at the Armory (aka the studios for Kink.com). How did that relationship get started and how have the shows gone so far?

I run the show at the San Francisco Armory with [San Francisco comedian] Andrew Holmgren. Keith is a regular there every month. We have had about 100 people show up each time. The relationship we have with Kink is amazing. They love and support the show just as we love and support them. Keith and I have actually partied in the castle.



Follow Byron Graham on twitter @ByronFG for more mildly amusing sequences of words.