Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert Kick Off 'Rally to Restore Sanity' in D.C.

By Christine Fenno Posted Oct 30th 2010 02:32PM

'Daily Show' host Jon Stewart was joined by Stephen Colbert in welcoming thousands to the National Mall for today's highly anticipated 'Rally to Restore Sanity.'

The event, also billed as the 'Million Moderate March' and the 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear,' after Colbert chose to combine his 'March to Keep Fear Alive' with Stewart's 'Sanity' event (a logical, rational decision that was likely intended all along), is widely seen as a political statement for overwhelmed voters heading to the polls on Tuesday.

The Comedy Central stars have stoked the flames of "reasonableness" in a clear response to Fox pundit Glenn Beck's recent 'Restoring Honor' Rally.

In his opening statements, according to ABC News, Stewart called the crowd "the perfect demographic sampling of the American people," joking, "If you have too many white people at a rally, your cause is racist. If you have too many colored people at a rally, then you must be asking for something...something we as a society are not ready to give."

The day's entertainment included a 'Peace Train/Crazy Train' duet between Yusuf Islam (the folk singer who changed his name from Cat Stevens after he converted to Islam) and rocker Ozzy Osbourne.

Other musical acts reportedly on the roster: Sheryl Crow, The Roots, Mavis Staples, John Legend and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Father Guido Sarducci (Don Novello), 'MythBusters' star Adam Savage and actor Sam Waterston are also scheduled to appear. Colbert initially stormed the stage as his 'Colbert Report' character, dressed in Evel Knievel attire, firing up fans and drawing laughs.

Attendance has not been officially counted yet. Many in the crowd carried irreverant signs with messages like "Support the Right to Arm Bears" and "Decaf Party."

On CNN this week, Jon Stewart insisted in an interview with Larry King that the event was more satirical than political. He explained, "This is for the people that are too busy, that have jobs and lives, and are tired of their reflection in the media as being a divided country and a country that's ideological and conflicted and fighting. This is for those people."

Tags: daily show, jon stewart, stephen colbert

Comments

(50)

Sunday 31 October

By mike711l

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If you missed this rally then you missed participating in a piece of history. Cat Stevens & Ozzy for gosh sake! You won't see anything like that at a tea party or glen beck rally!

By lm

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TO: mike711 - Please - I went to his concerts,etc. way back(in the '70's) when he was still known as Cat Stevens and had not yet disappeared for years then resurfaced worshipping islam.

By tom

Yes... Jon Stewart and Colbert are on an entertainment channel and they are entaining. I like them. Fox is also an entertainment channel registered as so. You see - Fox can not be held accountable for they are not registered as a New Group as CNN, CBS, ABC or NBC. Fox can say anything and in the courts they can claim it was only entertainment and not the facts. If you do not want the true or only what you want to hear, tune into FOX and if you want the true from all prespective sides tune into New Group channels. If you want to control the people, keep them dumb as the Republian Party has. You can see where most of the red states are and where they fall as far as eduction in the U.S. as well as in the world.

By Linda

Wow..Can sure tell it's Halloween today with all the BOOOOOOO WHOOOO'n going on from those who prefer to consistently spew their mere opinions when we the American people simply want the facts..The Roots and John Legend gig was superb and the messages their voices and instruments exuded superb..Washington DC needs to focus on addressing issues in harmony as opposed to incoherently and for goodness sakes stop rewarding them with plane tickets for yet another vacation we the people call ego trips...Peace...

I am SO glad that they had this rally and especially so close to mid-term elections. It really showed that the lefties/progressives have little respect/knowledge about what has been happening to our country for the last two years. Where our country has gone and is still headed under President Barack Hussein Obama,his administration and many in Congress is NOT a laughing matter.

Tuesday 02 November

By anne

I cannot believe the ignorance that is being spewed by so many Americans. Are you kidding me? George W. Bush was in office for eight long years and ran the economy into the ground and you expect President Barack Obama to undo that damage in two years? The republican party has its agenda and it is influencing people to vote them back into power, which would be a travesty.
I never watch Fox news or any of the hate that is being broadcast by Glenn Beck or any of the other idiots on that news channel.
I hope that this rally did some good for the American populace but evidently the majority are too easily influenced by sensationlism and irrational behavior that they see on FOX.

By andrewigarcia

Aren't those outfits a violation of the flag code?

By taniadungaseverino

I would have some RESPECT for this "FREAK", BARNEY SICK FRANK, IF HE TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR SCREWING UP A HUGE PART OF THE ECONOMY!

By artusprime

lol, these two left wing clowns are doing what obama has done to you. screw you people out of millions of dollars for their
own publicuty and pay check..

some one made millions off of this and it wasnt the working man.

By Scroatie

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