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 "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" have long advocated reasonableness.

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:

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