PARKER: Josh Blue goes conventional

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 8, 2008 at 9:23 p.m.
Updated July 8, 2008 at 11:13 p.m.

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Comedian Josh Blue

Denver's famous stand-up comic Josh Blue is relieved that his last name isn't Red.

"If the red convention was here, I definitely would not be sticking around," Blue said about the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul that follows the Democratic National Convention here Aug. 25-28. "Or maybe I would, just to harass them. As you can imagine, I could stir up some trouble with the Republicans."

Blue, the winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing last year, doesn't depend on politics in his humor, but he's got plenty to say about his left-leaning point of view. "I'm supporting (Barack) Obama. I think he's a great human being, and he'll help us out with relations with the rest of the world because a lot of countries hate our guts right now."

Since Blue won the televised national comedy competition, the city threw him a parade, and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has declared Aug. 25 Josh Blue Monday.

"I didn't even know the convention was here," he joked. "I thought they were all coming into town for my holiday."

In honor of the DNC, the comedian who uses his cerebral palsy in his act, is working on some anti-John McCain jokes. "Have you ever driven behind a 72-year-old man? You don't want him driving the country and bumping into other countries. 'I'm sorry Canada - I nicked Vancouver.' "

Next up: His own half-hour special, Comedy Central Presents Josh Blue, which will air next year. Red or Blue, that's the big time.

HIS FAVORITE THINGS: Since winning Last Comic Standing last year, Blue has become one of Denver's more celebrated celebs.

He's even turned into a pitchman for our fair city. Go to denver.org/metro/features/ josh-blue for a short Blue-led tour of Denver interspersed with some of his stand-up routines at Comedy Works.

About Blue's must-see and do list:

* The Denver Zoo, "I come here twice a week."

* 850 miles of bike paths.

* El Taco de Mexico, "My favorite Mexican food in Denver."

* Denver Art Museum.

* Coffee at The Market on Larimer Street.

* The 16th Street Mall and the "electric buses."

Nightlife, "Lots of cool bars and restaurants."

"What's not to love about Denver?," he asks. "It's spectacular."

OUT OF THE BLUE: Blue the comedian is also Blue the artist. Access Gallery, 909 Santa Fe Drive, is throwing a preview party to kick off its show of Blue's art, beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The $20 donation includes a barbecue and brews from Breckenridge Brewery, as well as a chance to meet the artist. RSVP: vasco@earthlink.net or call 303-777-0797.

THE SEEN: Music man Chuck Morris, his wife, Becky, Mayor Hickenlooper, The Fray's lead singer Isaac Slade and his wife, Anna, lunching Tuesday at The Palm. "They are a fan of each other, so I set it up," Morris said about the lunch. "And I'm a fan of both of them."

EAVESDROPPING on a man in an Iowa antique store: "Look at this antique. It must be an antique because it was made in Japan, not China."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.

• July 9, 2008

  1:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  EBone writes:

  "...the comedian who uses his cerebral palsy in his act..."
  His ENTIRE act is about CP. I don't know how anyone makes it past 15 minutes of the same joke over and over and over.

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