Clad in a plaid blazer, ash-blonde hair slicked into a low-volume pompadour, Andy Eppler channels a Colorado-ized version of a late night host as he gestures to his sidekick, Jack, during a live, pre-election special edition of his homegrown talk show, Boulder County Tonight.
“We’re on public television right now, so I think by the rules you get a monkey puppet — at least one,” Eppler tells the audience gathered at Longmont Public Media (LPM) on Nov. 3. “Mine is my childhood friend, Jack. Put your hands together for my old friend.”
The audience claps. Jack squeaks. Eppler winks.
Boulder County Tonight has been a regular fixture of LPM’s programming for the past year, bringing in local politicians, gadflies and journalists (like yours truly, full disclosure, on episode two) to talk about community concerns,…