Video: Sanity Rally Already Autotuned by Gregory Bros

The estimated crowd size for Saturday's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on the National Mall in Washington varies depending on who you ask. The company AirPhotosLive.com estimates, with a margin of error of plus or minus 10%, that 215,000 people were in attendance. And according to a Times reporter, the Park Service privately told Viacom there were "well over 200,000" sane ralliers. But another estimate pegs the crowd at 6 billion, according to a post on Stephen Colbert's Twitter.

The most important thing is that the rally drew more people than Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally, unless of course you go with Glen Beck's numbers. AirPhotosLive.com estimated Beck's crowd to be between 78,000 and 96,000. But Beck claims his rally attracted at least 500,000 people, telling his Fox viewers, "The media can diminish the crowd side all they want, but the images speak for themselves." Obviously, images taken from the sky by AirPhotosLive.com don't count.

Speaking of the media, the Times's David Carr is getting hate mail for his report on the rally, which criticized the rally's cable TV news-bashing. "Most Americans don’t watch or pay attention to cable television," Carr opined. "In even a good news night, about five million people take a seat on the cable wars, which is less than 2 percent of all Americans." Apparently his critique didn't go over too well with those whom Carr describes as Stewart/Colbert "cult members" and today Carr tweeted, "Dear rally people in inbox Sorry am so (stupid, lazy, ignorant, arrogant, moronic) and glad that your march agst name-calling worked out."

Below, The Gregory Brothers have already autotuned Jon Stewart's final speech. And for more photos from the rally, check out DCist, which says, "We could prattle on about the long lines, Metro delays and most people's inability to see or hear anything when they got to the Mall. But there are plenty of people who get paid a lot more money than us to make such sweeping statements about such things (not to mention, there are plenty of people who would do it for free)—so we'll just show you all the visuals from Saturday's rally and let you make your own conclusions."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on November 1, 2010 11:34 AM

Comments [rss]

Cannibal

Im short, so I dont go to these things. its just a sea of butts and backs

exnyer

It`s no matter who drew the largest crowd, what does matter is that in America, Stewart, Colbert, Beck, Sharpton, King, Jackson and any one else who cares about our freedom of speech can gather in public and speak as they wish. A cause worth fighting and dying for.

robingee

Well. Maybe not DYING. Let's not get nuts. America's cool and all, but. You know.

roger_sterling

i have a feeling you wrote stewart's speech, robingee. nicely done

Bottomless Chips

Where was the sanity rally when Bush was being compared to Hitler?

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=bush+is+hitler&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=CATPTMWpFIG8lQfpkaH0CA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=911

BeastMode

An interesting and valid point. There were certainly many credible arguments against Bush, but there was also a rather loud and ignorant group unfairly blasting him. Comparing Bush to Hitler is just as bad as what the Tea Party is doing w/ calling Obama Hitler. We could have used a sanity rally back then too.

Having said that, I think Snickerdoodle and Bottomlesschips (whom I agree with on many points) are getting a little too riled up, causing others to get more riled up...

And I think this was what Stewart was getting at. We are letting our ideologies get ahead of our better judgement and objectivity. I'm not really a big fan of Stewart, but I have to hand it to him there.

Bottomless Chips

I thought Stewart's speech was fantastic.

My only qualm is that he has to realize (I'm sure he does) that by being the face of young, hip liberals (as much as he says he isn't, he is) that his message is hard to swallow for conservatives.

chuzzlewit

rally back then? as if. i was way too busy working to organize a mass revolutionary party capable of leading a workers' revolution against the corporate capitalist autocracy. now we just kick back and partay!

snickerdoodle

Good point. Progs were all too happy to paint Bush as Hitler a few short years ago but now that it's being directed at their Lord God Saviour Obama, suddenly they're above all that nonsense.

robingee

I thought painting Bush as Hitler is wrong, too. It's just dumb and over-the-top. Enough.

dept54321

Yeah, Bush invented a war out of thin air. Obama wants to give health care to poor people. I think it's pretty clear which side has the edge on sanity.

robingee

But, but, but, poor people don't deserve health care because they didn't study hard enough in school and get good jobs! They can clean up after me, but if they get sick, frack 'em! Who cares? I got mine!

Bottomless Chips

Quick question for you: What is the Iraq Liberation Act?

hotstepper

you're right, we probably could of used a sanity rally then too. but apparently conservatives were either not sane or creative enough to organize one. or perhaps its because the idea of fun seems to elude the angry.

maybe next time! Jeb in 2012 anyone?

fishfryin

JDS- did you listen to stewart's speech at all? barely a moment's gone by and you're already dragging us all through the mud clawing and scratching at glenn beck as if it's of any consequence at all.

chuzzlewit

clap clap

hotstepper

good point. unfortunately the media's posture will never change, positivity just doesn't sell.

Spirit of 76

Who's Colbert supposed to be in that first picture? Stevel Knievel?

snickerdoodle

The lack of diversity at this liberal rally was astounding: Nothing but a sea of young, spoiled, dough-faced, white hipsters. Safe to say this was just another secret Klan meeting; certainly a rally full of racists whose opinions aren't worth listening to or taking seriously. Right?

Amanda Harletsch

spoken like a true facist!

Belittleling your opponent by ignoring the real impact of the liberal and progressive in the culture of the USA?!

The conservative thought is regressive by nature, does not accept change and does not promote adaptation. HOW IS THAT remotely conducive with this time's challenges?!

I bet that having a stronger CONSERVATIVE presence in the government you can decide the age and the party people should vote according to the conservative interest!

The GOP put this country in a huge hole, that is their legacy, and more of the same FAILED policies are the best they have to OFFER? While ignoring the excellent policies this government has pushed to bring us back from the hell republicans left us in?!

No Thank you rightwinger!!

I want SANITY back, the same that was replaced by Palin's cardboard "common sense" for idiots. I want an America that has no fundamentalist "patriots" fueling empty pro-corporatist slogans against progress!