What do you want to be when you grow up, Johnny?

The Denver Daily News:

A “rash” of proposed city ordinances that would limit equipment allowed at protests is designed to “demonize” free speech advocates, say activists planning protests around the Democratic National Convention.

Colorado cities, including Centennial and Denver, have recently given consideration to ordinances that would restrict items protesters might use to obstruct roadways, sidewalks and buildings. The Denver ordinance, which will be considered by the Safety Committee on Wednesday, would restrict items “designed or intended to be used for obstructing the public’s ability to freely move about.”

The ordinance would also prevent protesters from bringing any “noxious substance, or dangerous or deadly weapon … with the intent to use the noxious substance or dangerous or deadly weapon for defeating crowd dispersal measures,” states a draft of the ordinance. . . .

[Arapahoe County Sheriff] Robinson said he wants an ordinance that will protect his deputies from “a variety of projectiles” that could be launched at them. He added that the ordinance is also about protecting citizens in the area from similar hazards. . . .

“It’s pure propaganda. The rush to pass these so-called ‘dangerous weapons’ ordinances have the sole purpose of manipulating the public into thinking that those conducting free speech during the DNC are going to beat cops with sticks and squirt them with urine,” said Tom Mestnik, street puppet coordinator for Re-create 68.

Street Puppet Coordinator. I've already had some cards printed up. (In Hollywood, by the way, they're called "puppet wranglers.")

Re-create 68 spokesman Glenn Spagnuolo agreed with his colleague.

“(Sheriff) Robinson knows full well no one has ever been arrested for using a Super Soaker to squirt urine on a police officer,” he said. “It it weren’t such an affront to our right to free speech these ordinances would be laughable.”

Ha. And again: Ha. Funny also that though the Daily puts "demonize' in quotes in their lead, nobody in the story uses the word.

More: Stars fall on Colorado:

It's getting hard to keep track of all the bold-face names emerging as possible attendees to the Democratic National Convention next month.

Here's the list so far: Tim Daly, Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Neil Patrick Harris, Dana Delany, Barry Levinson, Matthew Modine, Alan Cumming, Cheryl Hines, Rachael Leigh Cook, Wendie Malick, Kerry Washington, Forrest Whitaker, Ed Norton, TV writer Tom Fontana and director/writer/ producer Sue Kramer, who will all be part of the nonpartisan Creative Coalition's team of Hollywood types coming here to witness history in the making when the first African-American gets the presidential nomination. . . .

Remember, that's the nonpartisan Creative Coalition!

Hot on the heels of Washington Post blogger Mary Ann Aker (who broke celeb news last week), The New York Daily News reported Sunday that Kanye West, N.E.R.D., Wyclef Jean and Usher "are in serious talks" to perform during the convention, and that Warren Beatty will accompany his wife, Bening, to Denver.

But wait! There's more!

"Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is flying out to Denver for the Yoga Health Foundation's festival, which kicks off the night before the convention. He plans to stick around for the Democratic powwow," according to the Daily News. And big Barack Obama backers Ben Affleck and Scarlett Johansson are expected.

Remember, that's Obama policy advisor Scarlett Johansson (who's not nearly as good looking as Ben Affleck).

Update: This time you don't have to wait if you don't want to, but there's still more!

The Dems are coming! The Dems are coming! But where are they going to stay?

Barack Obama likes the gated Englewood manse of Level 3 CEO James Crowe. So we hear that's Obama-ville during the DNC - together with hotel suites for making deals and spinning wheels. Hillary and Bill Clinton are booked into the Brown Palace. That's where Oprah is trying to stay. I had heard that she was renting a house in Country Club - but she was sniffing around the Brown last week.

Okra Windbag at the Brown, huh? (That's what friend once called her. I told him he was a racist. Okay, I laughed.)

More more: DNC host committee filling up at city pumps to avoid gas taxes:

The committee hosting the Democratic National Convention is using the city's gas pumps to fill up on fuel, avoiding state and federal highway taxes, officials said today.

"There's something there that just doesn't seem right to me because, in a sense, you're saying then that the officials who pass the laws are not willing to live by them, and that concerns me," Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said. . . .

"By doing it this way, by running it through our Fleet Maintenance, that means that that fuel does not pay state or federal highway taxes," Faatz said. . . .

"The DNC is not government. The RNC is not government," Faatz added. "They are political parties and they are putting on a huge party, and that is not providing services to each and every citizen each day."

The comedy services are pretty consistent, though.

More more more: The Rocky is running a series on Civic Center Park, prospective site of much dementia during the DNC. Let's just say it's not very complimentary. Yesterday: Part 1, "What a Shithole." Today: Part 2, "I Think I'm Going to be Sick."