The Rally...

Reflecting on 2010 and Looking to 2011:

Usually the last day of the year is a time for reflection. Everywhere I look there are articles, news clips, E! programming etc. all focused upon looking back and lists of the 2010 bests—which celebrities died last year, what the best music video of the year was, the biggest feuds of 2010 and the like. So I will add to the madness by doing the same and look back on one event in particular that I would not have experienced had I not lived in DC. The message of this event is also a great one to remember as we strive to start anew as the clock strikes 12.

Today I will share with all of you one of my favorite DC events that I attended this past year with over 250,000 of my closest friends—The Rally to Restore Sanity/Keep the Fear Alive. I know some out there were disappointed, as there were no direct insults or pokes thrown only at Fox News/Glen Beck or the like. There were a couple digs on media companies in general (Fox and even Comedy Central included) and especially those that banned their employees from attending. NPR was one of those—ridiculous! Even a couple days before Election Day there wasn’t even an outcry for the masses to “Go Vote.” But, that is why I loved it so much. I have always disliked discussing politics as it gets most people all heated on one side or the other. Many people won’t listen to the other side or have an open mind to actually discuss the topic at hand. He or she knows best because of what their parents taught them or saw some “unbiased” information on the news or the worst is when you know the person is simply spouting out quotes that they had heard from others and not truly understanding what they mean and "their" word is final. This rally was just a feel good time with a “why can’t we all just get all” message—Most Americans are good, rational people who can work together. What could be a better message going into a new year?

Overall, the back and forth between Colbert and Stewart was hilarious. If you are a true follower, recording both their shows every evening, (it is a rare night when I am up past 11pm) they definitely lived up to my expectations. And, I am sure many of you have already read numerous articles and seen clips, possibly even saw the most recent edited You Tube video creating a rally song from highlights that was emailed to me most recently. One my favorite sketches was this one where Jon Stewart had Yusuf from Cat Stevens come out on stage and he starts playing Peace Train. At this, the entire 250,000 plus attending start to sway and sing along. It was truly quite an incredible, feel-good moment. As everyone is getting into the song, Stephen Colbert abruptly interrupts stopping the music to bring Ozzy Osborne on stage. Ozzy starts to play Crazy Train. Now the crowd has shifted gears and is “rocking out.” Yusuf and Ozzy then go back and forth Peace Train vs. Crazy Train until they are both playing. Frustrated, both artists leave the stage in a huff. Stewart and Colbert then start arguing, blaming each other for them not having any train at all now because of the other’s antics. An offstage playing of Love Train interrupts the two comedians back and forth banter. Stewart turns to Colbert and says how do you feel about the love train? Colbert isn't convinced saying that the love train doesn’t really seem scary to him. Stewart responds love is the scariest thing out there—STDs, heartbreak etc.  That wins Colbert over and he agrees. Suddenly the OJays come on stage and start to sing Love Train. Awesome! I heart old school soul and R&B groups.

Mostly the rally was a lot of fun with Stewart asking for sanity and awarding the sane and rational with a “Medal of Reasonableness” such as pitcher Armando Galarraga who lost a perfect game due to a bad call and didn’t blow up. On the reverse Colbert was saying we, as Americans should just be afraid of everything—even Anderson Cooper’s tight black t-shirt and flip-flops. At the end though Stewart ended on a serious note but it wasn't political, like I said earlier there was no mention of the vote etc. He starts by pointing out that we shouldn’t judge others and make truly harsh statements without something to back them up. Terrorists and racists have to actually earn their titles and usually have quite the resume. If you don’t agree with someone it doesn’t make him or her a terrorist or racist. Then Stewart uses this analogy of Americans and traffic. Every car has bumper stickers Jesus, rainbows, Republican, Democrat etc and everyone in the different cars has different beliefs, nationalities, ideologies and so on but in traffic we find a way to work together merging one right after the other. You may notice that the person supports Glen Beck and Sarah Palin, is all for gays being out in the military, is of foreign decent, is a religious fanatic, loves Obama, lives in the suburbs, has green hair by choice and a tramp stamp (my examples, not Stewart’s) and you may disagree with everything this person is and stands for but you simply notice (if you even do that much) and continue to merge. Yes there is that jerk in traffic that drives up on the shoulder and budges his or her way in but mostly traffic moves in an I-go-you-go-I-go-you-go pattern. The message of us as a nation needing to come together and work together so that we can fix all that is wrong and then we can get to where we want to be is a great one. What wonderful message to remember as start out 2011. It is so much better than focusing on what are the best tools to lose weight in 2011 and what the stars and planets predict for the year…