Smallscreen News

Rally for Sanity draws SNL comedy legend Father Guido Sarducci

By April MacIntyre Oct 30, 2010, 18:12 GMT

Attendees to comedian Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert\'s joint rally, named "Restore Sanity And/Or Fear," pose next to a Fox News TV truck on the National Mall in Washington, DC on 30 October 2010. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO

Father Guido Sarducci led the "faithful" at today's anti-rally of comedy fans and those who are tired of lathering sign-wielding wingnuts on both sides of the political divide.

Sarducci is a fictional character which was a Saturday Night Live fixture, made famous by SNL-er Don Novello. Sarducci is a pragmatic, chain-smoking priest with tinted eyeglasses whose classic trademark explanation of the afterlife is embedded below.

Comedy Central titans Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are making light of the recent Glenn Beck efforts on the National Mall, and have called their faithful for a "sanity" rally combining laughter, political activism and a call to civility.

So far the O'Jays, Ozzy Osbourne and many other celebrities have been entertaining the boisterous crowd.  Interesting that the O'Jays performed "Love Train", which was on of GOP candidate John McCain's presidential campaign tour songs.

The crowds held signs that read "Every word on this sign is spelled correctly" and "I hate signs," said one sign. Slogans like "Righties, don't stomp on my head," were a reference to a Tea Party Rand Paul rally in Kentucky at which a liberal female activist was pulled to the ground and her head stomped on by a deranged man.

People in favor of decriminalizing and legalizing marijuana are out in full force too. CNN reports many seniors who depend on the herb for a long list of ailments including easing the effects of chemotherapy and acute illnesses are hopeful that the natural herbal medication will be easier to obtain.

Organizers insisted the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear wasn't about politics but a booster rally of sorts for fans of the shows to come together.

The AP reports Jon Stewart is popular with Democrats and independents, a Pew Research Center poll found. Colbert of "The Colbert Report" is a faux news pundit, unlike Stewart who actually has turned into a formidable journalist, grilling guests over their comments and asking tough questions that many reporters shy away from.

Comedy Central's park permit puts the crowd estimate at 60,000. There were plans for satellite rallies in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver and Honolulu.