(Photo: Dead Audio)
By: Jack Adams, Staff Reporter
Mark Twain once said, “Humor is tragedy plus time.” If that were true, however, then a plethora of college students would be winning awards for stand up material based on their academic strife. Personally, I find it a bit more therapeutic to laugh at a professional comedian than at myself; in fact this weekend I found myself in stitches after attending Nick Offerman’s Full Bush Tour at the Paramount Theater in Denver.
For anyone who is not a cult-like fan of the NBC show Parks and Recreation, Nick Offerman is the actor who played Ron Swanson during the show's tenure. Offerman’s show at the Paramount began with a strong disclaimer to the audience stating the show would most certainly not be PG-13, and after a few minutes of some especially ribald material; it was evident the disclaimer was warranted. The pacing of the show was idiosyncratic and indicative of Offerman’s comedic style. The performance included a number of different songs and anecdotes, and Nick’s musical talent shined as he played original songs such as “I am not Ron Swanson,” and “I’m Working Blue.” Even though the show was on a Sunday night, my school work was the last thing on my mind as I was enthralled by Offerman’s comedic wit.
Comedy shows can be a tremendous way to relieve some stress, especially for any college students fed up with burying their noses in textbooks. Also, fortunately for locals, the stand-up comedy scene in Denver is currently booming. Clubs in the Mile High City are regularly attracting the hottest comedians from across the country. Denver is also home to a growing number of reputed comedians and sketch groups. One comedian, in particular, T.J. Miller (most known for his role as Erlich Bachman on the HBO show Silicon Valley), just filmed his stand up special for HBO in Denver, which is his hometown. As the comedy scene in Denver continues to expand, any other Regis students looking to laugh away their anxiety can find more information about local comedy shows here.