Even in Denver’s crowded comedy scene, Sammy Anzer stands out. The 35-year-old, originally from Queens, New York, is lanky and charming, with a light swagger, pastel-spiked fashion sense, and a giant smile that tees up his punchlines. He’s one of the most active, familiar names in Denver comedy, having headlined clubs, colleges and fundraisers, as well as producing his own showcases and events that use his “ethnically ambiguous” background, as he calls it, as a launchpad into jokes about race, sexuality and more.
But this year, Anzer is diving into a project that’s less about him, and more about the people he tells jokes to. He hopes it will break down barriers between the fine-art world and nontraditional art audiences, as he called them. When he sees the lack of young, diverse faces in these places, he can’t help but wonder: who is art for? “I grew up thinking it wasn’t for me, or people like me,” he said.
“But you don’t have to have a fancy degree or a certain amount of money. Art is for everyone.” Anzer moved to Denver about six years ago, having gotten a degree in education in Memphis, Tenn.
, after leaving Queens. As he taught at Abraham Lincoln, North and Sheridan high schools in Denver, he noticed that his students harbored his same childhood intimidation toward the art world that he had. His solution is a video series called “Comedians Talk Art,” in which he produces funny, professionally made shorts with a rotating list of Colorado comics .
