{"id":13798,"date":"2010-09-17T13:18:36","date_gmt":"2010-09-17T19:18:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/?p=13798"},"modified":"2010-09-18T16:06:15","modified_gmt":"2010-09-18T22:06:15","slug":"overload-awesome-reddit-is-awesome-gets-a-thank-you-from-stephen-colbert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/2010\/09\/overload-awesome-reddit-is-awesome-gets-a-thank-you-from-stephen-colbert\/","title":{"rendered":"Overload: Awesome Reddit is Awesome. Gets a Thank You from Stephen Colbert."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Reddit has been in our heart for just a few months. That&#8217;s a short time by meatspace standards. But it&#8217;s ancient by virtual reckoning. Reddit has remained &#8220;sticky&#8221; for us where Digg failed a long time ago. Also, we&#8217;re hard pressed to recall a time when Digg users did something this awesome.<\/p>\n<p>The idea of the Colbert Rally came about when, on August 28th, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theonion.com\/articles\/nation-once-again-comes-under-sway-of-pinkfaced-ha,18076\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">Pink-Faced Half-Wit<\/a> decided to rally his <del datetime=\"2010-09-17T07:18:35+00:00\">troops <\/del><del datetime=\"2010-09-17T07:18:35+00:00\">congregation <\/del>followers in Washington, DC. Just what they&#8217;re riled-up about remains <a href=\"http:\/\/www.teafarty.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">unclear <\/a>to our logic. But that&#8217;s not important.<\/p>\n<p>What is important is that some <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/politics\/comments\/d7ntl\/ive_had_a_vision_and_i_cant_shake_it_colbert\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">grand Redditor posited the idea<\/a> that &#8220;Colbert needs to hold a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/politics\/comments\/d7ntl\/ive_had_a_vision_and_i_cant_shake_it_colbert\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">satirical rally in DC<\/a>.&#8221; This idea snowballed on the Internets into <a href=\"http:\/\/www.colbertrally.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">ColbertRally.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This ball continued to roll downhill until The Daily Show and Colbert Report returned from their week break. Internet continued to push, as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.colbertnation.com\/the-colbert-report-videos\/358980\/september-13-2010\/stop-sending-live-animals\" class=\"external external_icon\">only the Internet can<\/a>, to make the <a href=\"http:\/\/25.media.tumblr.com\/tumblr_l84tvq1EtI1qz9bu3o1_500.jpg\" class=\"external external_icon\">Restore Truthiness<\/a> to become a reality.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.donorschoose.org\/donors\/viewChallenge.html?id=39361\" class=\"external external_icon\"> Reddit formed a charity<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.donorschoose.org\/donors\/viewChallenge.html?id=39361\" class=\"external external_icon\">Restore Truthiness to the Classroom<\/a>. It&#8217;s goal: raise $500,00 USD by October 1, 2010. As of this posting it&#8217;s raised $237, 873 USD.  Not bad. Not bad at all. (If you wish to donate just go to: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.colbertrally.com\/donate\" class=\"external external_icon\">http:\/\/www.colbertrally.com\/donate<\/a> )<\/p>\n<p>Mr Colbert was so moved by the amount of money raised for USA schools that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/blog\/comments\/ddwiv\/a_personal_message_from_stephen_colbert_to_the\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">he thanked Reddit <\/a> with this verified and sweet note.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Dear Redditors,<\/p>\n<p>Ever since the visit of one of your Dear Leaders, Alexis &#8220;kn0thing&#8221; Ohanian, my inbox has been orangered with pleas to &#8220;Restore Truthiness.&#8221; The track record of your hivemind speaks for itself. Mr. Splashypants got a name. You rescued Soapier. You frightened the sweet-and-sour Jesus out of a 90-year-old man on his birthday. Despite how silly and nonsexual reddit can be, your true colors show when someone is in need.<\/p>\n<p>I almost had a pregnant when I saw what you had done at DonorsChoose.org for classrooms around the country. I am humbled and honored (a rare combination for me), and find myself wishing there was a Look of Approval.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/blog\/comments\/ddwiv\/a_personal_message_from_stephen_colbert_to_the\/\" class=\"external external_icon\"><br \/>\nYou have inspired me by helping untold thousands of students; with the momentum you&#8217;ve created, we could stage a hundred rallies. I might just call on you, Redditors &#8211; for nothing is more terrifying than tens of thousands of Heroes taking to the streets with the faint odor of bacon wafting behind them<\/a>. Except for bears, obviously.<\/p>\n<p>One huge upvote for you.<\/p>\n<p>Sir Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, DFA<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And he sent, <a href=\"http:\/\/alexisohanian.com\/stephen-colbert-sent-me-a-very-special-messag\" class=\"external external_icon\">Alexis Ohanian<\/a>, Reddit co-founder, an photo of thanks.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"> <a href=\"http:\/\/alexisohanian.com\/stephen-colbert-sent-me-a-very-special-messag\" class=\"external\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/media_httpstaticreddi_bbxdG.jpg.scaled500.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Stephen Colbert + reddit = Forever\" width=\"500\" height=\"701\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/media_httpstaticreddi_bbxdG.jpg.scaled500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/media_httpstaticreddi_bbxdG.jpg.scaled500-213x300.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Now, as of September 16, 2010, all the papers have been signed and the announcements have been made. On <strong>October 30, 2010<\/strong>, the &#8220;Jon Stewart \u00e2\u20ac\u201c <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rallytorestoresanity.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">Rally to Restore Sanity<\/a>&#8221; and the &#8220;Stephen Colbert \u00e2\u20ac\u201c <a href=\"http:\/\/www.keepfearalive.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">March to Keep Fear Alive!<\/a>&#8221; will come to Washington, DC.<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rallytorestoresanity.com\/\" class=\"external\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/jon_image-e1284710855465.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Be seeing you.\" width=\"275\" height=\"469\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13806\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.keepfearalive.com\/\" class=\"external\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/stephen_image-e1284710925210.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Be seeing you, too.\" width=\"275\" height=\"486\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-13807\" \/><\/a> <\/div>\n<p>Raising money for schools. Being the voice of reason in the night. Raising awareness of other reasonable voices.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\" class=\"external external_icon\">Reddit<\/a>. Helping people.<\/p>\n<p>Links to all the official sites we could muster and a <a href=\"http:\/\/bigthink.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">Big Think<\/a> interview with Alexis Ohanian on how Reddit has used its powers for awesome(before the recent happenings) lay below the cut.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"> <script src=\"http:\/\/video.bigthink.com\/player.js?height=290&#038;deepLinkEmbedCode=1pc29wMToaqW3cuEoLG72fcqwwhhnWhL&#038;width=516&#038;embedCode=1pc29wMToaqW3cuEoLG72fcqwwhhnWhL&#038;autoplay=0\"><\/script><\/div>\n<p><strong>Official sites:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.colbertrally.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">http:\/\/www.colbertrally.com\/<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/colbertrally\" class=\"external external_icon\">http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/colbertrally<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.donorschoose.org\/donors\/viewChallenge.html?id=39361\" class=\"external external_icon\">Restore Truthiness to the Classroom<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/colbertrally\" class=\"external external_icon\">http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/colbertrally<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rallytorestoresanity.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">http:\/\/www.rallytorestoresanity.com\/<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.keepfearalive.com\/\" class=\"external external_icon\">http:\/\/www.keepfearalive.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>via <a href=\"http:\/\/alexisohanian.com\/how-reddit-uses-its-powers-for-awesome-my-int\" class=\"external external_icon\">Reddit&#8217;s powers of awesome<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/alexisohanian.com\/stephen-colbert-sent-me-a-very-special-messag\" class=\"external external_icon\">Colbert thank you<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reddit has been in our heart for just a few months. That&#8217;s a short time by meatspace standards. But it&#8217;s ancient by virtual reckoning. Reddit has remained &#8220;sticky&#8221; for us where Digg failed a long time ago. Also, we&#8217;re hard pressed to recall a time when Digg users did something this awesome. The idea of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,75,47,52,14],"tags":[3279,103,3326,3330,3324,2043,941,682,3328,1486,3329,1863,147,553,3325],"class_list":["post-13798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-digital-share","category-intertube-madness","category-interviews","category-just-freaking-neat","category-usa","tag-alexis-ohanian","tag-awesome","tag-awesome-overload","tag-charity","tag-colbert-rally","tag-epic","tag-jon-stewart","tag-lets-save-the-world-now","tag-march-to-keep-fear-alive","tag-overload","tag-rally-to-restore-sanity","tag-reddit","tag-save-the-humans","tag-stephen-colbert","tag-upvote"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13798"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13824,"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13798\/revisions\/13824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.groonk.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}