Does Denver Have a Dark Sense of Humor? (Boulder, Parker: 2009, university)

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by zenkonami

I also think Denver (and maybe Colorado in general) really shows off a peculiar, dark sense of humor and cares about it's arts.

Really? Any stories, examples of this you'd like to share?

[nele]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Really? Any stories, examples of this you'd like to share?

I can think of two:

1. The mustang statue at DIA, including all the rumors about underground bunkers and tunnels there;

2. That penis-statue thingie that was erected :-) in the Highlands a few months ago.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by nele

I can think of two:

1. The mustang statue at DIA, including all the rumors about underground bunkers and tunnels there;

2. That penis-statue thingie that was erected :-) in the Highlands a few months ago.

We need to put a big rubber bag on the "penis-statue thingie". It should serve some purpose to remind people of safe sex.

Also, then we will not have to look at it.

[Mike from back east]

Okay, who's got the City-Data camera today.....

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by nele

1. The mustang statue at DIA, including all the rumors about underground bunkers and tunnels there;

That was actually the first thing that came to mind when zenkonami said that. That red eye is freaky and needs to go, IMO.

I was kind of surprised when I read that comment, because to me at least, Denverites have probably one of the least senses of humor or irony of any city out there. Denver to me is straight-faced, plain, and polite. Sure, it's a big place, there are plenty of individuals who are real "characters," but I don't think there's any general Denver-wide culture of humor. Not that that's a good or bad thing, just is.

BTW, I did not start this thread. It was just a simple reply to zenkonami's comment in another thread, which Mike took the liberty of moving here.

[zenkonami]

I'll toss two examples out there, though both seem anecdotal and are courtesy of Wikipedia, so have salt granules at the ready. Both of these stories relate to Alferd Packer and may have more to do with Colorado in general rather than just Denver.

Alferd Packer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1) [Alferd] Packer is a legend in popular culture. He has been quoted as having said, in jest, "the breasts of man...are the sweetest meat I ever tasted." In 1968, students at the University of Colorado at Boulder named their new cafeteria grill the Alferd G. Packer Memorial Grill with the slogan "Have a friend for lunch!" Even today students can enjoy the meat-filled "El Canibal" underneath a giant wall map outlining his travels through Colorado. In 1982 the university dedicated a statue to Packer.

2) Lake City, Colorado, close to the memorial to the victims, has an annual 'celebration' of the Packer story, with the expected macabre humor and publicity.

And for the record, both National Velvet and the demon horse came to mind. I kind of like the demon horse, but maybe that just means *I* have a dark sense of humor!

Also, and again maybe I'm taking some general liberties here, I tend to see Matt Stone and Trey Parker's somewhat extreme satire to be somewhat indicative of Colorado's sense of independent political thought, if not sense of humor in general. Not saying everyone in Colorado loves South Park, but...well...they should.

And finally, an indicator of the Denver area's own sense of dark humor. Casa Bonita! Nuff said.

[zenkonami]

OK...just thought of one more, and one in the Denver City Limits. Assuming it's still there, Flossy McGrew's on South Broadway is...at least a little strange. I didn't get to actually visit while there, but have read about it online.

So perhaps my saying a dark sense of humor isn't as accurate as saying...an eclectic sense of humor? Just the observations of someone who (tragically) is not living there now to tell it first hand.

[vegaspilgrim]

Hmmm.... maybe there is some after all, but lurking under the surface.

[suzco]

Also Colorado, not Denver, but should we count Nederland's Frozen Dead Guy days?

[BlueWillowPlate]

I pretty much agree with Vegaspilgrim.
However:
What about the graveyard under Cheesman Park? How can you not just sort of laugh in disbelief at that whole situation?
(Also, anyone ever see the movie The Changeling? That's just plain dark--and based on a true story.)
I think Westword is a Denver treasure. I was not always a contented Denverite, and Westword was always there to feed my sardonic sense of humor.