Empty Nest Evolution: Stephen Colbert

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Rally to Restore Sanity An Orderly Success

Colbert & Stewart kicking off the Rally
courtesy Huffington Post

I watched the "Rally to Restore Sanity" today on Comedy Central. What? You don't know what it is, you say? Where have you been? Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been touting it since September but even if you don't watch them, the concept made the national news media sit up and take notice without anyone really knowing the agenda.

How was it? I missed the first hour so I'll have to refer to Huff Post for details like approximate number of attendees, etc. but all it sounds as though they were able to accomplish their goals of proving large numbers of people can assemble, whether they agree politically, religiously or in any other way, without inciting a riot or a stomping of heads or any other extreme reaction to those with whom they disagree. Point of fact, Stewart's main issue is the American people are not as extreme or crazy or reactionary or ridiculous as we are portrayed by main stream media of any political persuasion.

Some of it was draggy for a television viewer, rather like watching a telethon without the money raising. They had excellent entertainment from singers Sheryl Crow, Tony Bennett, John Legend, Yusuf Islam better known to Americans as Cat Stevens, Ozzie Osbourne, Mavis Staples, Kid Rock, the O'Jays. They did comedy and the correspondents did bits.

The highlight came at the end when Jon Stewart thanked everyone for coming and explained his goal for the rally. It was heartfelt and serious and I liked it alot. Please take a few minutes to watch. If you want the transposed speech, go here.

Kudos to Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Comedy Central for organizing and broadcasting the event.
Kudos to Arianna Huffington for bussing over 10,000 people from New York to to the rally in D.C. and back again. That is some serious cooperation.