Late Night Denver Variety Show
by Tim Wenger
If you’ve been around the Denver scene for a while, you may know of (or at least have heard some stories involving), John Rumley. He has been playing in bands in the Denver scene for thirty years, including performances with Slim Cessna’s Auto Club.
His latest venture, Late Night Denver, is a variety show focusing solely on the Mile High City and the people, bands, and events that add culture to our already beautiful cityscape. The show launched in January, with a new episode every other month, the third being featured in May. “I’ve been doing all these little film projects,” says Rumley. “I’ve been collecting all these props and ideas, different camera equipment. Been shooting a lot of different scenes and helping with special effects with some friends of mine that are doing that “Hot Land Hard Fury” movie. I’ve always been looking for different projects to do.
“I had this idea that I wanted to do like an old SCTV thing, where you’ve got your soap opera, you’re sitcom, your talk show with your own commercials and all this stuff. I had Heather Dalton over one night and was going through that, showing her a couple things I had recorded, and we got on the variety show one, and she was like, ‘You should be the host,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, well you should be my co-host.’ The next day I wrote out the monologue for our first episode.”
The show features different segments in addition to Rumley’s monologue. Theresa Mercado hosts and produces a segment called “Live via Satellite” with the help of Ian O’Dougherty that is filmed off location, and features different guests on each episode.
“I like to get it in the first few takes,” says Rumley. “Not only for time, but because it has a live element to it, even though everything is fake about it.”
Rumley himself grew up around theatre. His father worked in the department at the University of Denver, and began making videos with Slim Cessna on Final Cut Pro. “We made some pretty silly videos back then and I just got hooked to it,” says Rumley. “I did a bunch of Tarantela music videos, and then I wanted to start doing something more dramatic.” He started working with some friends to incorporate acting and more intricate film work. “That was fun and all, but I didn’t like the process of trying to organize this huge movie or something, the logistics are just ridiculous.
“As far as putting it on local access or something, I don’t want to be restricted,” says Rumley. The satirical show does feature the crew smoking and drinking, along with using coarse language. “On T.V., I’d have to think about that.”
Rumley’s initial goal for the program was to make six episodes, enough for one year.”Every time we do another episode I start thinking six is going to be totally easy, and I start looking at twelve. I want it to be successful, I want to see somebody, whether it’s Theresa, or someone in one of the bands or something get something bigger out of it, and help expand Denver to the next level.”
Episode 3 will be live May 4.
Online: youtube.com/latenightdenver
Category: Buzzworthy2
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