THE COMEDY ISSUE: Local LGBT funny people on marijuana, social media and making fun of Highlands Ranch

Grizzly Big Laughs

Catching up with Chuck Roy, Denver’s funniest bear

Standing at 6’3” with curly black hair and a coarse bear, which, together, seems to have grown into a single impressive mane, Chuck Roy is a dominating presence. Indeed, this bear has dominated the Denver comedy scene for over 15 years with his perhaps abrasive, always no holds barred and undeniably original comedy style.

With an already impressive catalog of sitcom appearances and comedy specials, Roy’s career is about to see another huge year. He has a comedy show with legendary comedian Ralphie May airing this summer, he’s shooting a one-hour special in April and he has begun filming a dramatic role for an upcoming independent film. But despite his successes, his paws are very much rooted in Denver.

You’ve been doing comedy in Denver since 1999. That’s a good amount of time! What is it that keep you loving the Denver comedy scene?

Well, Red Rocks Amphitheater and Denver audiences! People here really like to go out for a night of entertainment, including comedy of course, but the scene here is really affected by Red Rocks and all kinds of really great music venues. So, you have a smart, knowledgeable audience; when they commit to a night at your show, they’ve most likely passed up a night at another really good show, so you’ve got to really deliver for them. And if you do deliver, they really bring it right back to you.

What jokes do Coloradans really get into? Or, is there anything that is really, really off-limits?

They love when I make fun of Highlands Ranch, and Highlands Ranch people think that topic should be off-limits.

Tell us about Highlands Ranch.

There’s no ‘highlands’, there’s only one ‘ranch’ and they have those communities where they name the place after whatever they killed to build the neighborhood. And then they put gates up to prevent crime, but if you want to prevent crime in Highlands Ranch, you’ll probably need an auditor — not a gate.

You’re also pretty well-known nationally. You’ve been on some major sitcoms and you have a few shows coming out on television this year. 

I’ve never been in a better position artistically. I’m redeveloping the entire opening of my set to essentially highlight my life as a “Bearly Gay Republican.” And I’m really connected to who I am, both personally and as an artist, and I’ve really been able to share my family stories that were once private and personal. I’m now able to just speak eloquently about, well, the front track of my one-hour special is to talk about what my father said to me when I came out of the closet. And it doesn’t take long for me to transition to subjects like maple syrup farming.

So, Denver is home to some pretty sleazy bars, some fabulously so and some not so much. What’s the raunchiest gig you’ve ever played?

The Squire Lounge and The Lion’s Lair. I used to walk into The Squire Lounge where all of the hip skinny jeans kids who are breaking out now first got together. It was really a romantic period over there between 2003 and 2007. My thing there was I would walk in and start doing material I had just written at 4 o’clock that afternoon. That was the rule on Tuesdays, I’d go to this hellacious dive bar called The Squire and just do jokes that came from that day only. That’s where I developed my
improv skills.

Well, speaking of improv, are you up for a little game? Rapid-fire style: I’ll give you a topic and you give us a joke.

Okay.

All right! Colorado’s marijuana legalization.

I can’t remember what you asked me about.

Colorado’s civil unions.

Less constitutional, more constipational.

Stereotypes about Denverites.

Stoned on weed.

The Oscars.

Faster than an Ellen DeGeneres punchline.

That was great! Thanks so much for your time, Chuck! Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Blush and Blu is a really great venue. I came to Denver because I always thought I could come here and write jokes about going on a date with my boyfriend, I always thought and hoped that Denver would be the first audience to just let that be casual. It’s taken from 1999 to last year, and this last year I’ve really watched Denver come into what I hoped it would be. And Blush and Blu used to be a lesbian bar, but you can’t have a bar open on Cap Hill and just be a gay bar. There’s no gender or sexuality check, it’s just a bar. And I think that’s the coolest thing about Denver. There’s [comedy shows being hosted] for all walks of life who come through the door. Denver’s on its way to becoming a world class city because we are modern…but, when’s the Wrangler going to catch up?

A Riotous Lady

Getting to know Jordan Wieleba, Denver’s punk comedian

Jordan Wieleba’s got an edge. Sporting leather jackets, band tees and a blonde streak amidst her otherwise chocolate brown hair, her punk rock aesthetic lends itself perfectly to her comedy — it’s smart, sassy, provocative and more riveting, but still honest.

Wieleba sat down with Out Front to talk Denver comedy, #selfies, and everyone’s favorite topic — cats.

According to some of your most recent Tweets…

You’ve been reading my Tweets? Somebody has, good!

You’re a miraculous kitty sitter and a still avid-wearer of scrunchies…

Well, I try to. I get in trouble for that.

…so aside from cats and scrunchies, who is Jordan Wieleba?

I am outgoing, abrasive, loud, some people would say funny… not always, but I can be from time to time… I’m not-so-average and against the grain.

Well,  you are a local comedian. Could you tell us a little bit about the Denver comedy scene?

It’s a wonderful scene. As far as I know, it’s one of the best in the country. We have so many different talented people here, and we have fresh people coming in constantly. It’s very welcoming and supportive. Everybody here has the same goal, and we are all willing to work together to
reach it.

You are transgender, and you talk about your experiences as a transgender woman in quite a lot of your comedy. The comedy scene, maybe not in Denver, but as a whole, has been marked by it’s sexism and transphobia. What are some effective ways to smack down hecklers? 

It hasn’t really happened too much to me in Denver, but the other day someone did introduce me as “the most convincing transsexual I know.” I know he wasn’t meaning anything by it, but it was the wrong thing to say. So I just came back with, “Thanks to the most convincing stoner I know!”

Denver’s comedy shows are hosted at quite the array of clubs around Denver. 

(Laughs) Oh, yeah!

What’s the absolute skeaziest, sleaziest gig you’ve ever played?

Actually, it’s not the trashiest place, but one of the first places I did a show after coming out was in Colorado Springs — which probably wasn’t the best place to do my big, inaugural coming out show. This is before no one knew, so I get down to the venue dressed as a woman, and the manager said, “What are you doing?” But I did my thing. The bartender was really awful, and kept saying things like, “Do you want another drink, man?! You did really great, man!”

There was another place, also coincidentally in the Springs, that was the skeaziest place I’d ever been. It was actually a legal weed bar. It was in the deep part of Colorado Springs, like, so deep in Colorado Springs it was Colorado Spraaangs. It was just a bunch of people smoking weed, and instead of hecklers, I just had coughers. I did have someone ask me, “Are you transgender?” I told him yeah and he said, “Oh, thank god! I was going to hit on you, but now I know not to!” That was pretty skeazy.

On that note, there’s been a lot of chit chat about how the legalization of marijuana is going to do wonders for the Colorado economy. And as stoners love to laugh, do you think the comedy economy will benefit, as well?

I know a lot of people who smoke weed, I don’t, but I know a lot of comedians who do. I have some friends who kind of specialize in weed comedy, and they seem to be doing
pretty well!

In addition to pot jokes, what really gets Coloradans laughing?

I have a joke about Highlands Ranch, which is where I live, and people just love that!

I just rip into Highlands Ranch, and people are like, “Yeah, f*ck that place!”

And people love a Casa Bonita joke.

Another Twitter observation, you love taking a #selife.

I do take selfies! That’s, like, a guilty pleasure. I’m so bad about it!

What’s your dream place to take a selfie in Denver?

Oh, wow! I don’t know! Where haven’t I taken a selfie?

Probably in front of a sold-out crowd.

If you were given the opportunity to pitch a television show, what would it
be about?

It sounds narcissistic, but I’ve always wanted to pitch a show about myself. Like, a transgender comedian, and how I live my life in the public eye. I think that would translate really well on to TV.

Other than that, a cartoon about a punk rock band… with cats.

What’s coming up next for you?

I’m going on the road for the first time this year. I am going to Ohio in April for their LGBTQ Awareness Week; they want me to do an hour at a university, which is my first college set and my first hour long show, which I am completely nervous about, but I’m totally stoked they asked me to do it.

I’d love to set up a LGBTQ festival in Denver.

Criminally Funny

Getting into trouble with Felony Misdemeanor

With a style that is at once casual, innovative, and sexy and a penchant for jokes about all things illicit, Felony Misdemeanor is like the love child of Janet Jackson and Richard Pryor.

…had that child been relinquished to the Aurora foster care system.

Out Front recently caught up with Denver’s funniest drag queen to chat about stoner jokes, the 7-11 sign that inspired her name, and the absurd things you do.

For our readers who don’t yet know you, who is Felony Misdemeanor? 

Felony Misdemeanor is your neighborhood B-Girl, or black girl. She is well liked, in my mind, because she’s sweet but keeps it “real.” Straight men love her, gays just want to get her stoned. You want an honest answer, she will tell you. Don’t let her calm demeanor fool you, she will throw a two jab and uppercut combination to the mouth followed, by a stone cold stunner if she has to!

The name “Felony Misdemeanor” may be the most brilliant name in the Denver drag scene. How’d you come up with it?

I was selling drugs and illegal immigrants at a 7-11 years ago when I read a sign that said, “It is a felony/misdemeanor for shoplifting.” Thank goodness I wasn’t doing that!

Of course, marijuana is no longer a felony or misdemeanor in Colorado, and you pretty openly love you some pot and a good pot quip. Care to give us your best stoner joke?

I’m sorry, you want what again?

Where did you get your sense of humor?

My sense of humor came about when I was born. On my birth certificate, it said my race was “Negroid,” which means I’m a black android.

How long have you lived in Colorado?

I have lived here for 10 years as of December 17, 2013.

What are the three funniest, most ridiculous things Coloradans do?

One, buying recreational pot. It’s much cheaper if you get it from a dealer. I’ll hook you up.

Two, buying everything on the store shelves when we have a “winter snow storm” warning.

Three, the girls and gays that won’t wear a coat in this “snow storm.” They’d rather look cute in their little skirts- gays- and booty shorts- girls- and freeze their asses off knowing damn well there is a coat check.

Finally, who are you rooting for this season on RuPaul’s Drag Race?

I was rooting for the stoner girl, Laganja Estranja, but she turned out to be annoying as hell. I don’t have a favorite yet, but that Gia Gunn’s paint says “bitch” all over it. She actually has a bitch face. You know that face that says “I’m a bitch?” Just sayin.’ Good luck to them all though.