Those of you who read this column with any regularity know I am a fan of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” In fact, you may have only caught it once or twice and can sense that I am secretly in love with Jon Stewart. Two important points of fact need to be noted here: Number one – Jon Stewart is always addressed at my house as ‘Jon Stewart.’ It is a sign of respect and admiration, like Queen Elizabeth or Dr Pepper. Both names, every time, no exceptions. Number two – I clearly don’t comprehend the notion of ‘secretly,’ so don’t tell me anything of value. I’ll spill everything I know for a Klondike bar.

“The Daily Show” should be laughed at. You can snicker, chortle, and giggle because they are laughing with you and sometimes at you. The Emmy and Peabody award winning show doesn’t take itself too seriously, or at least they are trying to convince us that they are just comedians. You can almost believe that it’s all for laughs too when they continue to be the fertile ground of so much comedic talent including Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms, John Oliver and recently, Olivia Munn.

Jon Stewart’s announcement on Sept. 16 made it hard to keep playing dumb toward his influence on public opinion. The Rally to Restore Sanity is a march on the Mall in Washington D.C. on Oct. 30. Stewart says his call-to-reasonableness “is a rally for the people who’ve been too busy to go to rallies, who actually have lives and families and jobs (or are looking for jobs) — not so much the Silent Majority as the Busy Majority.”

The idea is that American politics and the 24-hour news media have been commandeered by a slightly crazed 15 percent who garner too much screen time by being the loudest voice in the crowd. This rally is not for the people who scream, rant or rave. This meeting of the mild is for the majority of us who are too busy and tired to get attention. Jon Stewart has decided to bring the spotlight to us and over 185,000 people on Facebook have replied affirmatively.

Stephen Colbert is also hosting a counter-rally on Oct. 30 at the Mall. The March to Keep Fear Alive is necessary according to Colbert because “they want to replace our Fear with reason. But never forget — “Reason” is just one letter away from “Treason.” Coincidence? Reasonable people would say it is, but America can’t afford to take that chance.” Colbert and Jon Stewart are the good cop/bad cop of current event satire. Jon Stewart points out the ridiculous while Colbert embraces it with a wink and nod.

Comedy Central will be airing the rally live.

Albert Lea resident Angie Zoller Barker’s column appears every Monday in the Albert Lea Tribune. Email questions, recommendations, or comments to entertainmecolumn@gmail.com.