Thousands Attend "Rally To Restore Sanity"

Tens of thousands, or perhaps more, flocked to Washington today to witness the highly-anticipated “Rally To Restore Sanity.” Many brought signs, some wore costumes, and thanks to sunny weather and an atmosphere filled with energy, a good time was likely had by most.

Produced by Comedy Central, the rally featured the network’s two biggest stars, satirists Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, as well as a bevy of big-name musical acts. The Philadelphia-based Roots took the stage a little after Noon, warming the frenzied crowd up with a nearly 45-minute set. The impressive list of other performers included Ozzy Osbourne, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, Kid Rock, and Cat Stevens, who at one point combined on a simultaneously discordant blend with the hard-rocking Osbourne.

The three-hour long event produced loads of laughs, with Stewart, host of the popular nightly cable news-comedy program, “The Daily Show,” and Colbert, the pretend-right winger who hosts the “Colbert Report,” taking turns jesting with each other over which of their faux political views are correct.

During a mock debate between the two, the hyperbolic Colbert “killed” Stewart using a video montage composed of select ominous soundbites from various cable television hosts including Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and MSNBC’s Ed Schultz. Stewart, however, was revived when Daily Show reporter John Oliver, dressed as Peter Pan, led the crowd in a series of meaninglessly humorous chants.

Yes folks, that’s the kind of “rally” it was.

Until the end, at least, when Stewart returned onstage by himself, to explain to the audience (estimated at anywhere from 50,000 to 200,000) why they were all there.

“So uh, what exactly was this?,” he asked. “I can’t control what people think this was. I can only tell you my intentions: This was not a rally to ridicule people … or look down at them or to suggest times are not difficult and we have nothing to fear. They are and we do. We live now in hard times but these are not End Times. We can have animus and not be enemies.”