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Al Sharpton is heralding the rise of a national movement that he believes will transform the country. That movement is "Linsanity."
In a parody of MSNBC's Lean Forward campaign, Sharpton recorded a brief impromptu spot teasing a powerful and inspirational force taking root from coast to coast. He said that he sensed "real change in the air" and "hope" among Americans again.
"It's got people from Wall Street to Main Street looking for their own diamond in the rough," he declared. "It's about looking past the surface, beyond the stereotypes and giving unlikely people a chance."
What is it? It's Jeremy Lin, the Knicks point guard whose astounding performances coming off the bench have made him a national sensation. Lin -- who is the only Asian American in the league and an undrafted Harvard graduate -- broke the record for most points scored by any player during his first five career starts, and brought the team to their seventh straight victory on Wednesday.
Sharpton's "Lin Forward" ad is MSNBC's addition to an endless stream of Jeremy Lin puns.
Like the rest of America, the host is absolutely loving the underdog tale. On Wednesday night, he hosted filmmaker Spike Lee to discuss the basketball phenomenon. Lee, who is a diehard Knicks fan, said that he had "never seen anything like this before," and called Lin's rise "amazing" and a "great American story."
Sharpton is not the only one at the network who has been swept up by Linsanity. Willie Geist sported Jeremy Lin fan gear on television this week. Chris Hayes tweeted about Lin excitedly throughout the epic showdown between the Knicks and the Lakers last Friday, and was still flying high from the victory on his show the next morning.