‘Rally To Restore Sanity/Fear’ Attendees Expected ‘Silliness’ And ‘Unity’
October 30, 2010
'It's an anti-fear-based media rally,' explained one.
By James Kuo
Thousands gather at the "Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear" in Washington, D.C. Saturday
Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The media has spent the last few weeks trying to guess what Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had planned for their "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" — without much success. But on Saturday (October 30), the day of the event, the attendees had a clear idea of what they expected: to laugh and experience a moment of political and cultural catharsis.
"I expect to laugh and to see just plain silliness," Lilly Pinto, 26, from Arlington, Virginia, told MTV News.
Jen Stokes said she came because she believed the rally provided a healthy political counterpoint to extreme political dialogue. "There have been a lot of Tea Parties in D.C., so it is refreshing to have something a majority of people can relate to. Also, it seemed like a lot of fun."
Her friend Haley Smith, who wore a leprechaun hat in celebration of Halloween (and to symbolize her fears), agreed.
"It's an anti-fear-based media rally," Smith explained.
Wes Harden, Shane Waters and Austin Burry drove 11 hours straight from Detroit to make it to the rally. Each of them wore a mask and held mops in one hand and a Red Bull in the other signifying their desire to clean up Washington and their tiredness, respectively.
"D.C. has become such a circus, so I think this rally was necessary to show that we can be a united nation and accomplish something," Harden said.
The National Mall was filled with four blocks of people (organizers estimated the crowd at 250,000) carrying signs and wearing costumes for the three-hour event that combined "Daily Show" and "Colbert Report"-style humor with musical performances.
David, a college student from Berkeley, California, declared the event a success and was glad to see everyone "take it down a notch."
Meredith Canyon wore a bear suit (Colbert's ultimate fear), because she thought it was perfect bear suit weather. She wanted to make sure that she was there for an "epic moment in history. Twenty years from now, I can say that I was here," she said after the rally.
Related PhotosJon Stewart Rally Joined By Sheryl Crow, Ozzy Osbourne
October 30, 2010
The Roots, Sam Waterston, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more attend 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Steven Colbert and Jon Stewart at the "Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear" on Saturday
Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
In between performances from music titans such as Ozzy Osbourne and the O' Jays during Saturday's (October 30) "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear," "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart, conservative caricature Stephen Colbert and a cast of funnypeople quipped about everything from Chilean miners to the "Real Housewives of New Jersey." Despite the deluge of laughs, the event's overall message could possibly be summed up by the groovy mantra of the O' Jays feel-good classic "Love Train": People all over the world, join hands.
Philadelphia collective the Roots kicked off the three-hour live event with a 40-minute set packed with a bunch of the band's notable jams. Bundled up in a camel coat, Black Thought led the outfit through their jocular Phrenology joint "Thought at Work" and the How I Got Over album's eponymous cut, in the shadow of The Capitol Building. John Legend joined the Roots crew for "Dear God 2.0" and the musicians' covers of soul classics "Hard Times" and "Little Ghetto Boy" from the collaborative album Wake Up! Legend recounted the story behind Bill Withers' "I Can't Write Left Handed" before launching into a bluesy, soulful rendition powered by a fiery solo from guitarist Kirk Douglas, who also doubled up on vocal duties when the band played "The Seed 2.0." The stars closed the set with Curtis Mayfield's uplifting hit "Move On Up."
"MythBusters" hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman engaged the thousands of rally attendees in a few geeky pastimes, including a large-scale version of the Wave and an attempt to create a literal "groundswell" by commanding everyone to jump simultaneously.
But the crowd really went nuts when the event's figurehead, Jon Stewart, strolled onstage in khakis and a dark blazer, greeted by a sea of waving hands nearly an hour after the event began. Stewart introduced a patriotic rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung by four U.S. troops, before screaming to the audience, "Are you ready to restore sanity?" After bantering about the racial makeup of rallies — quipping that an event with too many white people is "racist" while an occasion marked by too many people of color means they're "asking for something" such as equal rights — Stewart, with the help of some "Daily Show" correspondents jokingly asked the crowd to count off to ensure the racial composition of the rally matched that of the country.
Stephen Colbert, pulled off a dramatic entrance that referenced the odyssey of the trapped Chilean miners, initially speaking to the crowd via camera from his "fear bunker" and ascending from below the stage in a capsule-like contraption.
Other highlights of the day included a speech from Father Guido Sarducci, who attempted to pin down the "right" religion, and a poem recited by actor Sam Waterston. Former Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater and "Real Housewives of New Jersey" starlet Teresa Giudice sent video apologies for their famed freak-outs. Comedian Tim Meadows appeared as PK Winsome during a taped skit, urging attendees to splurge on souvenirs, and basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made an appearance.
Ozzy Osbourne and Yusuf Islam — formerly known as Cat Stevens — surprised fans with performances of their respective hits "Crazy Train" and "Peace Train," with Colbert supporting the former and Stewart championing the latter. R&B legends the O' Jays followed-up with their well-worn jam "Love Train."
Soul great Mavis Staples teamed up with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy for a tender, acoustic version of their collaboration "You Are Not Alone" from the R&B legend's latest album. Rocker Sheryl Crow was accompanied by Kid Rock on the piano for a song that implores listeners to help out, crooning, "I can't stop the war, shelter homeless, feed the poor ... The least that I can do is care." The performance featured a video-taped verse from embattled MC T.I., who wasn't able to attend.
Stewart and Colbert also dished out awards, such as the Medal of Reasonableness to citizen Velma Hart for her levelheaded questioning of President Obama and a Medal of Fear to the news organizations who barred their employees for attending the rally.
However, when Stewart signed off at the close of the three-hour event, he maintained that the rally wasn't just about poking fun. Instead, he urged the thousands of attendees to remember that the hyperbolic images of political extremists and religious nut jobs that clutter the media are not true representations of the American people. The speech was followed by a brief performance from legendary crooner Tony Bennett, who dished out an a cappella version of "America the Beautiful." The crowd's chants of "USA" rang in the air before all of the show's performers hit the stage one final time to join Mavis for the Staples Singers' 1972 single "I'll Take You There.
Did you attend Jon Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Peace"? Let us know in the comments!
Related Photos Related ArtistsJon Stewart Speech Closes ‘Rally To Restore Sanity And/Or Fear’
October 30, 2010
Comedian tells fans rally was about working together, not 'ridicule.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Jon Stewart speaks at the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear"
Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Jon Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" Saturday (October 30) was a smorgasbord of the satire and send-ups of pundits, politicians and public issues Stewart's "The Daily Show" has specialized in for years. However, at the end of the three-hour event at the National Mall in Washington DC, Stewart used that same incisive humor to drive home the point that Americans aren't as crazy as the media would have us believe, and that the everyday triumphs that don't make the news are truly representative of the American people.
Stewart kicked off speech by addressing the question that was likely on many attendees and viewers minds: What exactly was the point of the rally? Stewart ventured to answer the question, suggesting, "Some of you may have seen today as a clarion call for action." He also considered the possibility of wayward tourists getting caught in fray, joking, "Clearly some of you just wanted to see the Air and Space Museum and just got royally screwed."
Then Stewart broke down the intentions of the rally, which he maintained was not simply about poking fun.
"This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith, or people of activism, or to look down our noses at the heartland or passionate argument, or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear. They are and we do. But we live now in hard times, not end times," Stewart declared, to the roar of thousands of attendees swarming the site.
He went on to examine the role of the press in exacerbating conflict among Americans.
"The country's 24-hour, political pundit, perpetual, panic conflict-inator did not cause our problems. But its existence makes solving them that much harder," he said. "If we amplify everything, we hear nothing."
Stewart cautioned listeners about buying into propaganda that may obscure the real issues citizens should be tackling.
"Not being able to distinguish between real racists and Tea Party-ers, or real bigots and Juan Williams or Rick Sanchez, is an insult, not only to those people, but to the racists themselves who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate," Stewart said, referencing former CNN anchor Sanchez, who was booted from the network for his unsavory comments about Stewart and other Jewish Americans. "Just as the inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe, not more."
Stewart maintained he feels "strangely, calmly good" because he doesn't take media portrayals at face value. Yet, he conceded he understands how certain representations can hinder honest, straightforward dialogue about significant issues.
"The image of Americans that is reflected back to us by our political and media process is false. It is us through a funhouse mirror ... the kind where you have a giant forehead and an ass shaped like a month-old pumpkin," he said. "Why would you reach across the aisle to a pumpkin-assed, forehead eyeball monster?"
Stewart said he knows that most people reach across the aisle when it matters, saying, "We work together to get things done every damn day! The only place we don't is here [points to Capitol Building] or on cable TV."
"Most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservatives. Americans live their lives more as people that are just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often something they do not want to do. But they do it. Impossible things [are accomplished] every day that are only made possible through the little reasonable compromises we all make," he said.
Referencing a screen playing footage of cars slowly inching through traffic, Stewart used the image of the highway as metaphor for how Americans make those compromises, ceding the road when necessary and recognizing that everyone is headed toward a similar goal. He also touched on the diversity of drivers on the road, noting that the cars could be steered by anyone from a mom with two kids to a "Mormon Jay-Z fan."
While Stewart opened his speech outlining the messages he wanted to relay through the rally, he closed by explaining what the event meant to him.
"Sanity has always been in the eye of the beholder," he said, "And to see you here today, and the kind of people that you are, has restored mine."
Did you attend Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear"? Let us know in the comments!
Related Photos‘Saw 3D’ Clenches Friday Box-Office Crown
October 30, 2010
Latest flick in torture franchise rakes in $9 million.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
A scene from "Saw 3D"
Photo: A Bigger Boat/Serendipity Productions/Twisted Pict
"Saw 3D," the latest installment in the mega-successful, horror series, snagged the top spot at the Friday box office. The legacy of Jigsaw's deadly traps lives on in the torture franchise's latest screen turn, picking up $9 million opening day.
Fright films held the top two spots as moviegoers prepared for the Halloween weekend. "Paranormal Activity 2," which burst into theaters last week with over $40 million, took the second-place slot Friday with $5.8 million. The creepfest went into the weekend with a total estimated tally of almost $55 million.
The action comedy "Red" remained a strong pick among moviegoers, coming in third place. The assassin-powered romp, which stars screen heavyweights Helen Mirren and Bruce Willis, made $3.4 million. The figure ups the movie's total estimated haul to just over $51 million.
The stunt-crammed, prankster behemoth "Jackass 3D" continued its run in the box-office top five. The "Jackass" guys' latest installment of freak-out tricks took fourth place, and raked in around $3.1 million on Friday. The film's total estimated gross now stands at about $96 million.
The supernatural drama "Hereafter" landed in the fifth-place slot. Boosted by a heartfelt performance from Hollywood vet Matt Damon as a psychic dealing with the consequences of his unique talent, the film follows the lives of three people grappling with their relative proximities to the afterlife. The flick snagged about $2 million Friday; a figure which bumps film's total haul to about $18 million.
Check out everything we've got on "Saw 3D," "Paranormal Activity 2," "Red."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Ozzy Osbourne, Yusuf Islam Duel At Jon Stewart Rally
October 30, 2010
The O'Jays also hit the stage at Stewart and Stephen Colbert's 'Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.'
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Ozzy Osbourne and Yusuf Islam at the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear"
Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Thousands of fans crowded the National Mall in Washington DC Saturday (October 30) for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear," and the two politician-skewering funnymen trotted out a slew of legends to entertain the crowd.
About midway through the show, which already featured a nearly 40-minute set from John Legend and The Roots, Stewart announced the next performer, Yusuf Islam. The folk icon formerly known as Cat Stevens, hit the stage with an acoustic rendition of "Peace Train." However, instead of letting Yusuf placidly strum along, Colbert stormed the stage, ranting about the song's message of harmony. The satirical pundit then proclaimed, "My train is arriving at the stage now and the conductor has an important announcement to make!"
Colbert did a fine job of busting up the performance, and cleared the way for a surprise appearance from one of rock and roll's greatest show-stoppers: Ozzy Osbourne. Decked out in a black ensemble with his signature colored glasses, the Prince of Darkness screamed as he took the stage and led the band through the metal classic "Crazy Train."
However, before Osbourne could finish, Stewart snatched the mic and reprised the whole interrupting-the-rock-legend-thing, spewing protests like, "I will not get on that train! I am not comfortable on that train!" Stewart commanded Yusuf to start up again with "Peace Train," until Colbert jumped in, saying, "I'm gonna pull the emergency brake on this rainbow, moonbeam choo-choo!" Osbourne and Yusuf went back and forth, volleying metal and folk classics about trains, until both gave up the fight, embraced each other and left the stage.
But the audience wasn't left without a stellar performance from some music legends. Colbert and Stewart paced about, lamenting the lack of singers to belt train-related hits, until a line from the smooth chorus of the O'Jays "Love Train" wafted through the air.
"Is that the sound of Philadelphia?" Stewart wondered.
Colbert queried, "Was that the sweet Philly soul?"
It sure was. The legendary soul group then took the stage in slick white suits, busting easy throwback moves to their 1973 single to the delight of the crowd.
What did you think of the "Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear"? Let us know in the comments!
Related Photos Related ArtistsKanye West Finishes My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
October 30, 2010
Star tweets picture of finalized fifth album that confirms tracks like 'Monster' and 'Lost in the World' will be included.
By Mawuse Ziegbe
Kanye West
Photo: Stefania D'Alessandro/ Getty Images
There has been much speculation about which songs will make the cut for Kanye West's upcoming release, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The superstar spitter recently ended much of that speculation by tweeting a picture of the final album, which revealed the LP's track list.
"We finally done! Toast!" West short film "Runaway," such as the all-star collabo "All Of The Lights" and the final song of the movie, "Lost in the World." Some of the MC's G.O.O.D. Friday joints appear on the album, including "Monster," "Devil in a New Dress" and Yeezy's favorite "So Appalled." The MC's two official singles, "Power" and "Runaway," seem to have landed on the record as the third and ninth joints, respectively.
Just last Saturday, when Yeezy sat down with MTV for a live Q&A session following the premiere of "Runaway," the MC revealed he wasn't sure which songs would make the album, but did hint at which tracks may be released as bonus cuts.
"And we got a few bonus tracks, like 'See Me Now,' 'Mama's Boy' and some bonus tracks after that. There's like 13 or 14 songs ... maybe 'Chain Heavy' will be on there. We have to make a decision by tomorrow," he said.
West, who ripped into hackers when "Lost in the World" was prematurely leaked in September, also maintained that the tracks slated to appear on Fantasy will be of superior quality to any of the tracks circulating on the Web.
"So there's maybe 13 or 14 tracks, but they're way produced. Far from any bootleg, far from any hacker," he insisted. "A hacker, man, can't give you what I can give you once it's the whole product."
Are you looking forward to hearing Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy? Let us know in the comments!
Related Videos Related ArtistsKanye West Tweets Details Of Jay-Z Collabo Watch The Throne
October 29, 2010
Yeezy writes from a U.K. recording studio, calling new Jay tracks 'so modern, so hood, so club, so hip-hop... all of the above!'
By James Montgomery
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/ WireImage
Kanye West is continuing his jet-setting ways (dude's frequent-flier status is downright Ryan Bingham-y at this point), as he's currently holed up in a studio outside London working on Watch the Throne, his full-length team-up with Jay-Z.
Early Friday morning (October 29), 'Ye took to Twitter to share his excitement about the project — and, really, life in general — and gave fans an update on how the album is shaping up.
"Sitting here in the studio two hours out of London," West wrote. "It's really setting in on me that I'm actually doing a rap album with Jay-Z.
"The [beats] and raps are stuuuupid already! One song down, on to the next!" he added in another tweet. "I was in the audience at [Jay's 1999] Hard Knock Life Tour!"
Last week, West told MTV News that the initial sessions for Throne — originally planned as just a five-song EP featuring both iconic rappers — had been so productive that he decided to scoop some of the best tracks for his upcoming My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album. But West added that he was so inspired by the work he'd done with Jay that the dynamic duo were going to turn Throne into a proper album, and said that he and Jay had already booked studio time in the South of France to finish work on it.
"We putting out a whole album now," West told MTV News' Sway. "We had done five [songs] so far, but then a few more of them were out there, and I put them on my album. Sorry, Jay. But we got some more, and we're going to the South of France at the end of the month to just record new ideas. But we'll probably be done with the album in a day."
In his Friday messages, West didn't mention the South of France (though we hear it's lovely this time of year), but did give a bit of information about those new songs he and Jay were working on ... which sound rather, uh, all-inclusive.
"I can never get use[d] to this!" he wrote. "This sh-- we doing is so modern, so hood, so club, so hip-hop ... all of the above!"
Are you excited to hear new music from Kanye and Jay? Tell us in the comments!
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsLady Gaga, ‘Jersey Shore,’ ‘Avatar’ Top Halloween Costumes
October 29, 2010
'I'm almost out of blue makeup,' New York costume purveyor says of popularity of Na'vi look.
By Jocelyn Vena
Lady Gaga fans in costume
Photo: Kristian Dowling/ Getty Images
If the "Today" show hosts are any indication of what's cool this Halloween, then we'll be seeing a lot of ladies dressed as Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. And that's partially true. When MTV News reached out to several costume purveyors, we learned that Gaga and the Biebs are only two of the pop culture-approved looks that will be donned by revelers and trick-or-treaters this weekend.
"Lady Gaga, of course, is very popular. Also very popular is vampires, I assume because of 'True Blood,' " Damien Valadez, the assistant manager of New York costume shop Masquerade, explained.
So which Gaga looks are flying off the shelves? "I'm not a huge expert on what these are, but the blue one," Valadez said. "I think it's 'Poker Face.' It's all Lady Gaga licensed products, makeup, glasses, hair bows. People were asking about the soda-can wig. They were looking for plastic meat. We didn't have that, but people wanted it." He added that lots of women, and some men, are buying Bieber-like wigs and "Jersey Shore" wigs.
It's not just Gaga that people are going gaga for this season. "I would say the biggest sellers in order have been that 'Avatar' stuff. [To be Na'vi] is definitely #1: the costumes, wigs, face paint," Pierce Skinner of Halloween Adventure explained. "After that it would be 'Jersey Shore,' which is also most popular with costumes, and then I would say Lady Gaga, more in terms of accessories."
Gaga's little monsters are also sinking their teeth into accessories. "Definitely the glasses, the wigs," he said. "As far as I know, we have contacts for something that she did [for 'Bad Romance']. What I see most with Lady Gaga's little license on it are the glasses and the wigs."
Cody Hadrick of the Abracadabra Superstore found that many revelers this year are going DIY. "I've had a lot of Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber. I think it's my last wig that we were styling for Bieber," she explained. "People are coming in and trying their own Gaga-inspired look. 'Avatar' is popular, but still people are trying to come in and do it differently. [Also] vampires [across] the board, kids to adults."
Wigs are still key to the homemade Gaga costumes. "They're still doing the hair. The hair is pretty much the same: the white, platinum-blond wig and then getting some makeup or masks and glitter, and they're trying to find something to cut up," she explained, adding that people are going particularly bold for "Avatar."
"We do makeup in the store. We've booked so many appointments to get 'Avatar' makeup and to get body paint, some completely nude. We had a model come in last Saturday. She was completely nude. People are totally going for it. I'm almost out of blue makeup."
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsNicki Minaj Calls Kanye West ‘A Genius’
October 29, 2010
'Kanye West is everything that I didn't think he was,' Queens lyricist says on 'RapFix Live.'
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Nicki Minaj
Photo: Rachel Goldner/MTV News
Nicki Minaj might have read Kanye West wrong at first.
Years ago, the Lil Wayne protégé thought the megastar would "hate" her because of his cushy relationships with conscious-leaning rappers Common and Talib Kweli.
In 2010, though, 'Ye would praise her, saying she had the potential to be the world's second-biggest rapper — with only Eminem ahead of her.
"I had this conversation, 'Kanye West is gonna hate me,' " Minaj told MTV News. "[But] I met him and it was, 'Oh, come here, I want you to look at these naked girls.' Kanye West is everything that I didn't think he was, and a genius."
Minaj and West collaborated on two tracks for West's forthcoming My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and the Queens lyricist supplies the opening narration for 'Ye's short film "Runaway."
After having worked with West, the Queens lyricist said she learned to appreciate his passion for music.
"He doesn't limit himself," she explained. "I heard him say the other day, not in these words, 'I'm not doing this for the masses, I'm not doing this for mainstream, you have to come to me, come get this art if you want it.' I think that's important for all artists to feel that way — we make so many changes because we want to please everybody. But at the end of the day, you can't please everybody."
Are you excited to hear Nicki Minaj collaborate with Kanye West? Let us know in the comments!
Related Videos Related Photos Related ArtistsJohn Mayer Invokes Justin Bieber, Jonas Brothers In Malaria PSA
October 29, 2010
Singer uses comedy to call attention to serious issue.
By Jocelyn Vena
John Mayer
Photo: Brian Ach/ WireImage
There's no better way to bring attention to a serious cause than to use some humor. That's the basic idea behind the Malaria No More campaign, which features PSAs with stars including Aziz Ansari, Ed Helms, Orlando Bloom and even John Mayer, who pokes fun at his superstar status and invokes fellow celebs like Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers and the "Twilight" cast in two humorous clips.
In one PSA, Mayer jokes about his wealth. "I'm such an overprivileged prick," the singer/songwriter says in the video, "that I get two mosquitoes in my apartment because I left the window open, and these mosquitoes are driving me crazy. Do you ever have mosquitoes that you can't find in your house? That's one f---ing mosquito, and then you spend the rest of your day complaining to your friends over $6 coffee that a mosquito bit you. I couldn't find the mosquito. That's one mosquito in your $2 million apartment, John Mayer."
The campaign seeks to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. "Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease and recent progress shows that malaria's days are numbered — but we need your help," the website says. "Together, we can make malaria no more." It adds that "a child in Africa dies from malaria every 45 seconds — but you can help change that."
In another PSA, Mayer talks about helping children, who make up a majority of the victims of malaria deaths, and he uses some big-name celebs to bring attention to the cause.
He says, "Almost a million people every year die from malaria, and of that number 85 percent die under the age of Justin Bieber. With your help, by buying a malaria net for just $1, we can help, by the end of the year, to get these kids to Bieber. Next year we'll go Jonas Brothers; after that 'Twilight' kids, but baby steps, baby steps. Let's get them to Bieber."
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