Rally To Restore Sanity's Roots: 'It's So Genius, It Almost Doesn't Make Any Sense Whatsoever'

For the next couple of weeks, we'll be celebrating the upcoming Rally To Restore Sanity/March To Keep Fear Alive by highlighting the ways in which "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" have long advocated reasonableness. You're invited to take part! Remember a "moment of sanity" that was dear to you? Send me an email and tell me about it!

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For many, many, many readers, a key moment in "The Daily Show"'s pursuit of sanity came during his epic, multimedia parody of Fox News's Glenn Beck, in which Jon Stewart was forced to make a stunning admission:

STEWART: America, I thought, as perhaps Teddy Roosevelt did, that some basic protections, backed by the legal authority of the United States government, if necessary, could enhance all of our pursuit of liberty and happiness and life...and what I didn't know is that to even entertain that thought makes me...a progressive. And that's not good!

BECK: [video] Progressives think they know better than you do. They want to control every aspect of your life!

STEWART: I didn't know that is what I wanted! But I guess I want to control every aspect of your life!

What followed was one long descent into the mouth of madness, including masturbation microchips, social justice as a colorectal cancer, a lot of terrifying closeups, frantic panting and ecstatic, arms-akimbo swoons. "It's so genius, it almost doesn't make any sense whatsoever." Stewart's not much for imitations, but he captures the essence quite well. Plus: blackboards!

"I'm sorry," Stewart confessed, "I promised myself that I would cry."

WATCH:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Conservative Libertarian
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

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Comments

[jmbox]

12:15 AM on 10/31/2010

John Stewart is just too funny in this video. I have tears from laughing so hard.

[Bev Ashley]

08:33 PM on 10/30/2010

On Beck's radio show he screams he can't tell you who to vote for.

Then proceeds to tell you how and who to vote for..........for 3 solid hours.
He is such a religious person, give me a break. How do you make fun of all the people and be religious? Wake up people he is NOT religious!!

[Nick2]

11:27 PM on 10/30/2010

In Beck's religion, you can make fun of other people, tell lies, do whatever, as long as you are right and they are wrong. See? Makes sense, no?

[Callah]

01:50 PM on 10/30/2010

How I love that guy...he makes me laugh till I cry!

[scarletxoxoxo]

09:33 AM on 10/30/2010

meow!!!!!!!

[Naanethan]

01:23 AM on 10/30/2010

I read couple of comments here, one thing is very clear is that..
Republicans think Democrats are lazy and live on alms. That is not so true. I do not concur with that notion. The truth is their jobs are outsourced, and this is blatantly supported by the Republican law makers. These days you hardly find anything that has ''Made In USA'' tag. Except for diary products there are no other products that has the label. This is an absolute truth, they can check this at any super stores. When they do not have jobs how are they supposed to work? Mock at the unemployed is mean. I think republicans should learn to respect others differences!

[FreewheelinFranklin]

12:56 PM on 10/21/2010

Woodstock 2010?

[abusanic]

11:05 PM on 10/20/2010

My moment of sanity came when the whole financial crisis was going on and Daily Show ripped CNBC and the Jim Cramer interview. When Jon tells Cramer: you tell the average hardworking American to invest in the stock market for the long term, but then wall street is trading on the short term for Quarterly profits. where is the disconnect?

Jon received a lot of attention of the CNBC clip and later the Cramer Interview, but I think a lot of people who heard it, thought yeah, he is right, nobody was calling out the so called financial wizards and reporters.

[jena132]

11:04 PM on 10/20/2010

genius

I was hoping it was the go f yourself video....anyone got a link?

[dirtfreak]

08:41 AM on 10/20/2010

If you remember, Palin's 'Real America' speech was given in Guilford County, NC (where I happen to reside). In '08 Obama/Biden won Guilford 61-39.

[DarianSentient]

03:41 AM on 10/21/2010

Nice.

[oldfuzz]

12:33 AM on 10/20/2010

Rumor has it that The Rally to Restore Sanity is a cover for fund raising for Sarah Palin's 2012 Presidential campaign. True?

[jena132]

11:02 PM on 10/20/2010

No way.

[skraeling]

03:40 AM on 10/30/2010

OH, I hope so...

[ashabot]

12:26 AM on 10/20/2010

Brilliant.

[drwtsn]

06:27 PM on 10/19/2010

Stewart does a much better Beck impression than Beck does! 10/30/10 - let the sanity begin !!!

[stpmdn]

05:18 PM on 10/19/2010

check out www.buckingcolorado.com
God I hope this guy doesn't get elected. Its pretty scary.

[troyrobertdavid]

02:32 PM on 10/20/2010

Yea I went and looked. It's more than scary.

[Hollyse]

02:37 PM on 10/19/2010

ENOUGH ALREADY of Stewart, Beck, O'Reilly, Olberman, Maddow, Hanity. Shultz... and the rest of TV TABLOID NEWS CLOWNS! Put them all in the battle field front lines and see how they become fast friends. They offer nothing except crippling aspects of each other's point of views and not many a time the news in itself. They're viruses to news, making real news vacant while a thirsty society hungesr for REAL NEWS? What's going on with the military, so called wars, the Gulf disaster, international real news.... where are these real people not offering personal opinions, but just reporting the news? Will Stewart ever step up to serious conversations without hiding behind the blade of slashing others when people try to enlighten Americans to information? I've never heard Stewart once talk about real issues other than to tag on distasteful humor to even the most serious of topics. Beck at least offers connecting powers, history at times with and without slant at least some reality even thoughnhe, too, I question what side of the fence is his back yard lit up. The rest act like tug boats supposidly towing a huge ship into harbour, yet they don't don't which way is the harbour. Guess this has to do with Maritime Law to begin with. Garbage, that's all it is.... GARBAGE! They act more like garbage vessels, full to capacity headiong for the nearest port of call to unload.

[TidalShadow]

02:56 PM on 10/19/2010

Stewart is absolutely a news clown, but that's his job. He's on a comedy network after all. The problem is all the others you mentioned are supposed to give some kind of information. They're all opinion news heads, so they're supposed to have a political slant, but they aren't entitled to their own facts.

Beck is completely ignorant as to the actual history of the US. He has some vague idea of historical persons and events, as do we all, but he has clearly not studied history. Drawing conclusions from a set of facts is normal, but it's important to make sure that those facts are correct, or your conclusions cannot possibly be.

If you want real news, read a newspaper. It's the best objective source we have left.

[towny]

04:14 PM on 10/19/2010

I need to Fan & Fav you:)

[CommodoreP]

05:21 PM on 10/19/2010

ditto

[snoopjohnny]

04:51 PM on 10/19/2010

"Will Stewart ever step up to serious conversations without hiding behind the blade of slashing others when people try to enlighten Americans to information?"

Stewart has had discussions with Colin Powell, John McCain, Tony Blair, John Ashcroft, Vicente Fox, John Bolton and many, many more. If you think these conversations were strictly for laughs, maybe you should watch a few. Then watch O'Reilly. You're absolutely welcome to an opinion. But for many viewers, the questions Stewart asks these guests are very much what's on the mind of Americans. Seriously....Humor doesn't have to be mindless and intelligent discussions aren't always humorless.

[chrisreadabook]

02:48 PM on 10/20/2010

I just read that President Obama is going to appear on his show shortly.

[1jdgriff]

02:21 PM on 10/19/2010

Stewart and Colbert have always been about political parody, and this rally is certainly that. It should be fun to watch, and participate. After all, reality is an illusion caused by the lack of good pot, as I said, this should be fun, which is all it is intended to be.

[drwtsn]

06:03 PM on 10/19/2010

May reality forever escape you!

[FreewheelinFranklin]

12:52 PM on 10/21/2010

My avatar has a saying................