The Rally to Restore Sanity

[Crescent Pulsar R]

Right. So, Jon Stewart (along with Stephen Colbert) are having a rally. Or two. I was wondering if anyone was interested, or would want to go. Considering how much of a recluse I am, I actually wouldn't mind going if I had the means to do so.

[Knight of L-sama]

I wish I could go because even when he's not trying to be funny Jon Stewart can be pretty cutting with his social commentary.

However I'm about half way around the world and not exactly flushed with cash so it's not happening.

[Wyrd]

As much as I would love to go, i don't have the cash to fix my computer, much less travel that far.

[Shanami]

I'm sure it will be interesting, but there's absolutely no way I can get out of enough time from med school to make a trip to D.C. Too bad, I have to agree with Mort from Family Guy: "Protect Jon Stewart! He's our most important Jew!"

[Bliss]

I'd go if someone could cover the cost of gas....that's got to be less than taking a train there right?

[Spokavriel]

Actually no and the cost of Parking in DC for something like this is not something you would want to consider. Take the train if you can.

[Comartemis]

I'm clear across the country and stuck in the middle of school. Otherwise I'd definitely show up for something like this.

[CRBWildcat]

The Rally to Restore Sanity... why do I get the feeling this is the setup for a really bad joke?

[Wyrd]

The Rally to Restore Sanity... why do I get the feeling this is the setup for a really bad joke?

Well, the fact that it is a comedian specializing in satire should be a bit of a hint, but usually he is pretty serious when he talks about wanting people to calm down and actually talk to each other, even if it would mean less material for him to work with.

Colbert's Keeping Fear Alive rally is the one you should really be expecting to be a big joke.

[frice2000]

Calm down and talk to each other as long as people agree with their side of the issue only? Yeah no thanks to either of those guys. Daily Show was a lot better before it went so overtly overly political. I have no problem with political satire against either side as both deserve it. But both these guys only care about making fun of one side at the expense of the other. Balanced political satire is not on these guys menu and since I personally agree more often with their opposition...yeah would rather gargle acid.

[CRBWildcat]

Well, the fact that it is a comedian specializing in satire should be a bit of a hint, but usually he is pretty serious when he talks about wanting people to calm down and actually talk to each other, even if it would mean less material for him to work with.

Colbert's Keeping Fear Alive rally is the one you should really be expecting to be a big joke.

I don't pay much attention to comedy nowadays, except for whatever's in the newspaper comics; the way comedians nowadays say stuff, it doesn't strike me as being funny. If it weren't for my dad insisting on watching The O'Reilly Factor every night, I wouldn't know that people like Bill and Colbert even existed.

[Crescent Pulsar R]

Calm down and talk to each other as long as people agree with their side of the issue only?

Where'd you get that idea? The rally is about rational and reasonable discussion despite disagreement.

Daily Show was a lot better before it went so overtly overly political.

Um... Seeing as the news is full of politics, and a lot of serious issues have arisen while Stewart has been the host, that was a given from the very beginning.

I have no problem with political satire against either side as both deserve it. But both these guys only care about making fun of one side at the expense of the other.

Do you even watch their shows? They go after Democrats often enough. It can't be helped that people on one "side" offer more morsels of interest than the other. Stewart, for instance, doesn't point out how "interesting" South Carolina is because nothing happens there. If he did, it wouldn't make any sense.

[Wyrd]

They go after both sides pretty regularly, for things each has actually done(as opposed to making it up, as some programs do). They occasionally get things wrong, but they admit that they don't do heavy fact checking and are open about being a comedy program first and foremost.

One of the biggest things I like about John Stewart is his tendency to treat his guests with respect, even when they hold diametrically opposing views to his, and the fact that he puts the entire, unedited version of a lot of the interviews online so that you can see everything in context. Colbert does this far less than Stewart, mostly because it is in the nature of his character to act less civil(I realize that I am wording that sentence poorly, but can't think of a better way to say it).

Stewart professes that he is a great believer in the right of people to disagree, he just feels that if you stop yelling your point occasionally to listen to your opponent, you will often find that the two of you have a lot in common.

Quite a few of his biggest and most consistent jokes he tells are based on the tendency of certain programs to take things completely out of context, made funny simply by showing their interpretation and then what was actually said.

[frice2000]

Where'd you get that idea? The rally is about rational and reasonable discussion despite disagreement.

Actually judging from various news articles I saw while looking through Google news aggregate this morning and judging solely from headlines from a variety of them and then checking out some in response to your assertion I've gathered that it seems to be a parody of the Tea Party rallies (which no I'm not a active supporter of) and more specifically the Glenn Beck rally (which I do on occasion listen to he's pretty humorous in my opinion but by no means do I religiously follow or listen to him) so no not really. 'It's more our opposition are a bunch of wackos let's laugh at them' old tired line.

Um... Seeing as the news is full of politics, and a lot of serious issues have arisen while Stewart has been the host, that was a given from the very beginning.

Actually from the very very early beginnings when I did watch the show regularly they had some political news which was just fine but they balanced it with other humor. I remember a early program where they interviewed scientists trying to create a black hole and they had no idea what they would do if they succeeded or how much danger one could create. That was a very entertaining and well put together piece. I also remember when the stories used to go after other funny news elements and while some were political, they didn't throw in a political slant on all of the stories like they did when I finally gave up watching the show. I gave up when they became a mouthpiece when those with cash figured out their demographics and tossed them a sizable amount of money to reach the 'young'. Quite a nefarious way to go about that indoctrination too. And no, I didn't come to that opinion because someone told me to, I came to that opinion via what the program evolved into. I was a loyal watcher of the Daily Show for a bit.

Do you even watch their shows? They go after Democrats often enough.

Do I watch their shows? No. I've seen a couple Colbert pieces and hated them. From a non-political standpoint when Colbert isn't doing political comedy I don't think he's at all funny either so... On the other hand I used to watch the Daily Show and thought Jon Stewart was himself pretty funny but then the writing and he himself moved to a level of political vitriol I'm not comfortable with. Could this have changed in the years I've not watched either program (since the constant Bush lambasting)...yes. Do I think it has especially with the goal of this rally, and political candidates feeling comfortable enough to announce their candidacy on those programs, and Colbert's quite frankly absolutely disgusting un-professional and unprecedented vitriol at a White House correspondence dinner no. It's nice that you think they go after both sides equally. You're likely on the side that agrees with most of what they say and that's fine. I'm sure they do make the occasional joke at a Democratic position. But by no means are they 'balanced' (nor do I claim anyone else that says that about themselves is telling the truth).

Stewart professes that he is a great believer in the right of people to disagree, he just feels that if you stop yelling your point occasionally to listen to your opponent, you will often find that the two of you have a lot in common.

Right that's fine. If he really believed that though he'd offer or at least attempt to offer a neutral perspective. I've seen his interviews of political candidates on both sides. The show is weighted towards humor I'll give it that but when he asks softies to people he agrees with and then attempts biting humor with those he disagrees with...Yeah equal respect and listening to others views huh? The man has his mind made up and that's perfectly fine he has his belief system and I have mine.

[Comartemis]

Do I watch their shows? No.

Then you have business talking about them. At all.