SIRI AGRELL
DENVER — From Monday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 08:33PM EDT
Yoga with Russell Simmons, a party hosted by the Jennifer Lopez Foundation, primary speech karaoke and a special Democratic burlesque show - it must be a political convention.
Four thousand delegates from 50 states have descended on Denver, followed by an array of journalists, bloggers, protesters, corporate sponsors and celebrity guests.
They have come for four nights of political prime-time action that will include speeches from Michelle Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden, Al Gore and the party's nominee, Barack Obama.
But the unofficial events may prove to be just as entertaining, and play host to as many conflicting agendas.
A group called Recreate 68 will hold anti-war rallies and host a Rage Against the Machine concert on Wednesday night, although the band does not seem to have performed at the Chicago convention 40 years ago.
A life-size replica of a Guantanamo Bay cell will be available for tours, for those delegates wondering what it's like to be detained in the infamous U.S. prison camp.
Visitors with more lofty goals can try out The Presidential Experience Exhibit set up outside of Invesco Stadium, where you can pose for pictures in a replica of the Oval Office or Air Force One.
Amber Lee Ettinger, otherwise known as the Internet phenom Obama Girl, will be holding court in a downtown bar as host of an Obama Crush Party tonight.
But the bloggers who love her will most likely be hiding out all week in The Big Tent, a facility built especially for them, which is sponsored by Google, and therefore probably the most luxurious spot in town.
The most bizarre hybrid of politics and entertainment offered this week has to be the "civic karaoke campaign" brought to Denver by artist Daniel Peltz. He has digitized a dozen Republican and Democratic presidential candidate addresses from the 2008 campaigns into karaoke formats, so you can put on your best power suit and read along to Obama, Huckabee and Clinton. What, no Free Bird?
There will be live performances around the city by Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, N.E.R.D, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Rufus Wainwright.
Planned Parenthood will host a dance party in the Samba Room, and Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am will host a "Yes We Can" celebration.
And what's a Democratic convention without a Hollywood presence? Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Susan Sarandon and Ed Norton are all expected to make an appearance.
The most poorly attended gathering of the week will most likely be a Super Rally held by 2000 election spoiler Ralph Nader, while Bruce Springsteen's acoustic show after Mr. Obama's Thursday night speech is sure to be a highlight.
But the hottest ticket in town is the opportunity to see two men who have arrived with the sole purpose of mocking everyone else gathered in Denver.
Desperate delegates have flooded the online classified service Craigslist looking for tickets to sold-out tapings of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report, both of which are being filmed in Denver this week.
"My friend and I are willing to pay just about anything for tickets to the Daily Show while it is here for the DNC," wrote one woman in her plea for tickets. "We have both had an extremely tough year (me with my own battle with cancer) and missed the chance to snag some tickets to the most fun we could possibly have."
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