Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
A poster at Reddit named mrsammercer has a brilliant idea: Stephen Colbert should hold a rally at the Lincoln Memorial to restore truthiness to America. It came to her in a vision:
I was woken in the middle of the night by this(along with the sound of my cat getting ready to pee on the rug).Think about it. It'll be just like Colbert's mockery of GW Bush at the 2006 White House Correspondent's Dinner, but 500,000 people will be able to participate with him. We'll all stay totally in character as teabaggers. The kid with the microphone that interviews all the idiots at these things can come by and we'll ramble into his microphone.
This would be the high water mark of American satire. Half a million people pretending to suspend all rational thought in unison. Perfect harmony. It'll feel like San Francisco in the late 60s, only we won't be able to get any acid.
Oh man, I would so be there. A website has now gone up promoting the concept.
America, we are at a crossroad. Truthiness in this nation is at an all-time low since the inception of the concept was founded by the great American, Stephen Colbert. In its rich history over the past five years, Truthiness has become synonymous with American values such as freedom, honor, and Taco Bell. Recently our nation has suffered a truthiness drain. In fact, untruthiness is as common as measles vaccinations that cause cancer. We as a nation have stopped relying on our emotions and gut. We need to get back to what makes this nation great. Act on impulse not fact. Stop wasting time analyzing and just take what people say on face value. Why think when someone else can think for you. It's superficial. It's quick. It's American. Restore Truthiness now!
Who can argue with that?
Politics
Comments
Wouldn't work. Colbert could pull it off, of course, cause that man can apparently do anything, but, because something like half of Colbert's audience are hipster douche bags (for proof of this, kindly consult his choices of musical guests), the crowd stuff would be too mired in layers and layers of irony to be funny.
Posted by: Darth Conans | September 6, 2010 9:39 AM
I, for one, would fly in from Europe for this.
Posted by: David Durant | September 6, 2010 9:50 AM
My biggest worry is that the rest of the world might see this, take it seriously, and launch a preemptive sterilization strike on the US, for fear that this disease (brain eating virus? fungus? alien parasite) might spread.
Posted by: stewart | September 6, 2010 9:57 AM
What does a cat about to pee sound like?
Posted by: JuliaL | September 6, 2010 10:09 AM
I'm not sure Sam Mercer is a woman.
Posted by: Matt | September 6, 2010 10:10 AM
My biggest worry is that the rest of the world might see this, take it seriously, and launch a preemptive sterilization strike on the US
If they didn't do it after Beck's rally, they aren't going to.
I'm not sure Sam Mercer is a woman.
Could be Samantha Mercer...who likes being called "Mr." for some reason.
Posted by: schism | September 6, 2010 10:15 AM
@schism #6: the thought of gender bending crossed my mind, but it's so very rare. If mrsammercer had mentioned wearing men's shirts with the smell of brut, i would totally agree with you.
Posted by: Matt | September 6, 2010 10:17 AM
JuliaL @4
Meow!
Meow! MEOW!!
Posted by: DavidK | September 6, 2010 10:39 AM
Mrs. Ammercer?
Posted by: xebecs | September 6, 2010 10:59 AM
JuliaL @4
Meow!
Meow! MEOW!!
Kitty-to-English translation: "Look, I've been after you to change the litter in my box for a week. Here's what happens when you ignore me and blow off basic pet-care duties. Maybe next time you'll pay attention, but I doubt it."
Posted by: Neon Sequitur | September 6, 2010 11:03 AM
No acid? Aw... I would totally go if this happened, though!
Posted by: Paul from NH | September 6, 2010 11:58 AM
Well, maybe if you time it with a Greatful Dead reunion tour or a Phish concert... problem solved.
Posted by: Jeremy Shaffer | September 6, 2010 12:20 PM
Stephen has had some good musical talent before. I recall Paul Simon being on his show once, as well as Cat Stevens, and I believe Rush. There are probably many others.
Posted by: Marshall Schreiber | September 6, 2010 12:42 PM
I'd love to play Colbert's historical revisionist sidekick! I even have the costume from one of my videos where I dressed up like Barton to be more entertaining.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm2OVuByYFc
Posted by: Chris Rodda | September 6, 2010 1:14 PM
Christ Rodda @14
I'd like to see that! I just watched the video and I'd never suggest you not call them liars when that's what they are. Keep on going!
Posted by: Ellie | September 6, 2010 2:55 PM
Marshall Schreiber @ 13
I love when Colbert sings with his musical guests. He really can sing!
Posted by: Chris Rodda | September 6, 2010 3:02 PM
As I said elsewhere, I very rarely leave my home city, but I'd make a trip to see a Colbert "Truthiness" rally.
My only request is that Stewart kindly lead the crowd in a roaring rendition of "Go **** Yourself" dedicated to whichever Republican said the stupidest thing that week.
Posted by: Tony | September 6, 2010 3:17 PM
Lewis Black would definitely be another must have guest.
Posted by: Chris Rodda | September 6, 2010 3:36 PM
Irony isn't funny?
Posted by: Deborah | September 6, 2010 4:03 PM
The rest of the world take America seriously?
Posted by: Brewd0 | September 6, 2010 4:44 PM
Thanks for the vote of confidence, stewart... :-P
Posted by: Kirsi | September 6, 2010 5:30 PM
He should do it on November 19. If Beck can coopt 'I Have a Dream,' Colbert should go straight for Gettysburg.
Posted by: kumasama | September 6, 2010 6:03 PM
As a responsible job-having, tax-paying American, I would burn precious vacation days to be there, appalling-or-nonsensical-yet-grammatically-correct sign in hand as middle finger to the entitled ignorant of this nation. As a Great American once barely pronounced, "Bring it on!"
Posted by: Bob | September 6, 2010 9:12 PM
As a responsible job-having, tax-paying American, I would burn precious vacation days to be there, appalling-or-nonsensical-yet-grammatically-correct sign in hand as middle finger to the entitled ignorant of this nation. As a Great American once barely pronounced, "Bring it on!"
Posted by: Bob | September 6, 2010 9:14 PM
Argh. Please remove this and my duplicate comment above. I blame my new phone and all that Guinness. Sweet, sweet Guinness...
Posted by: Bob | September 6, 2010 9:18 PM
I, too, would fly in from europe for this.
Posted by: andrew | September 7, 2010 4:21 PM
I would fly in from Germany for this event!
TBH, something like this would not only prove the satirical powers of Mr. Colbert and the humor, this great nation has to offer...
It also would show the world, that America consists of more than book-burning, Beck-addicted and border-wall building conservatives.
I hate to see, that America is being conceived more and more in the world as exactly that, but i know it is so much more - time to set a sign and reclaim moral highground!
Posted by: Stefan Hempel | September 8, 2010 8:20 PM
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Posted by: truth strong | September 9, 2010 1:16 AM
I three would fly in from Europe for this. Though I would hope that it would be used not only to entertain but to really fight back against the current of idiotic xenophobia that has been so prevalent in America over the last year.
Posted by: Ben Brown | September 16, 2010 6:11 PM