From former Vice President Al Gore to Jersey Shore's Paul DelVecchio (aka Pauly D) and the multi-talented James Franco, famous pols and celebrities were scattered across Colorado over the weekend. In Aspen, Gore delivered the keynote address for a symposium on climate change and the West, focusing on the rapidly declining health of Colorado's forests, reports the Aspen Times [2]. But, as he pointed out, "Trees are far from the only life form giving us a clear signal. Thousands of species are reacting to this new reality we have created on the planet" (via the Colorado Independent [3]).

First lady Michelle Obama and her daughters were also in the high country, but not with a political agenda: The Vail Daily [4] notes the Obamas kept a "low profile" on their buzz-worthy ski vacation, although the paper did manage to snap a couple pics [5]. Back in the metro area, the Boulder International Film Festival honored James Franco and Oliver Stone [6] with the Vanguard and Master of Cinema awards, respectively, although some audience members left the Franco appearance on Saturday not-so-quietly mumbling about the "at times painfully awkward" interview conducted by the festival's Ron Bostwick, writes the Camera [7]. (We were in attendance that night and couldn't agree more.)

Meanwhile, Westword [8] got up close with DJ Pauly D, "Jersey Shore's most drama-free character," at Beta nightclub Friday, taking stock of the gone-wild crowd.