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Countdown: Mick Foley's weekly online blog column

Posted: Nov 1st 2010 By: mikeiles

Before I get into The Rally to Restore Sanity, (and the medal bestowed upon me by Jon Stewart), I would like to make a few reasonable requests.

1) Buy a copy of "Countdown to Lockdown" for someone you love - even if that someone is you.

2) Watch "Family Feud" all this week, November 1-5. Check your local listings for times and channels.

3) Listen to O&A from 9:30 to 10 am and DVR the Joy Behar Show (you'll be watching "Impact") at 9 pm on November 4th.

4) Fans in Canada will want to tune into "Off the Record" with Michael Landsberg and/or show up at Chapters Missisauga at 7 pm for my only Canadian book-signing - both November 5th.

5) Watch "Turning Point" on PPV on November 7th.

6) Watch the Daily Show at 11:00 pm. YES, I will be the guest that night!

7) London fans will get a chance to show their love when I sign copies of "Countdown" at Waterstone's Piccadilly at 5:00 pm November 11th.

8) Manchester's turn to show the love at Waterstone's Trafford Center at 4:30 pm., November 12th.

9) Dublin's turn. For more information, go to www.wrestlezoneIreland.com This is not a book-signing, but a convention with many top wrestling stars.

10) My triumphant, reasonable return to Washington DC, on November 18th. Help out a great cause by attending the RAINN fundraiser/celebration. Tickets start at $50. Please go to www.rainn.org for more information.

11) Somewhere in all this, please look out for my comic book, RPM, on sale wherever comic books are sold.

OK, maybe 11 is more than a few. I will be breathing a deep sigh of relief when all of this is over, as I am three days into a trip that will see me on the road 41 out of 42 days - with one bag, three t-shirts, three pairs of socks, three undies, and the button down leopard to keep me company. So I'll either be doing frequent washes, or making life unpleasant for anyone traveling close to me. Expect to see plenty of the Springsteen vest I sported at the Rally. Which brings me to:

THE RALLY TO RESTORE SANITY

Actually, before I actually get to the Rally, I have to thank TNA and the promoter of the October 30th show in Tucson, for freeing up my schedule and allowing me to attend the event in DC. Through difficult circumstances, I found myself double booked, and am glad that something was able to be worked out. I really hope that I can do something to help out in Tucson, in recognition for their help.

What an amazing experience the Rally was. If I had one complaint, it would be that there was no video team doing a "Making of the Rally" behind the scenes documentary. Because if the sixties had Woodstock as their great testament to peace, love and understanding, I believe that, years from now, a generation will look back on the Rally as a seminal moment in the art of just trying to get along. Besides, I would really have liked some video evidence of me hanging out, watching the show, taking in the atmosphere, with an eclectic group of superstars fro all across the entertainment spectrum - from Sheryl Crow, to Yusaf, to Tony Bennett, to Kid Rock to Kareem Abdul Jabaar. OK, maybe "hanging out" is a little inaccurate, especially in the case of Kareem, who was a little ...detached from his fellow invitees, but I swear, I was in the same general vicinity as the reast of the gang.

Actually, a high point of the event for me was getting the chance to talk to Sheryl Crow, one of my very favorite performers, and someone I deeply admire for speaking the truth as she sees it, even at times when that truth is largely unspoken, and not all that popular. I had promised myself years ago that I was going to tell a specific story to Sheryl if I ever got the chance. Well, at the Rally, I did get that chance...and I did tell that story..and even got a little teary eyed in the process. I just wish I'd had the intestinal fortitude to ask for the big photo op. But that fortitude came rushing back when I got the chance to style and profile with the lovely Sam Bee, one of the Daily Show''s top notch fake news team, who took me in almost as one of their own during the course of the event. Honestly, all of those guys - John Oliver, Jason Jones, Wyatt Zanack, Asef Mandvi, Larry Willmore - and that one great girl, were such a big part of making the day a great one for me.

I'd never met Steven Colbert before the Rally rehearsal on Saturday evening. But despite all of the pressure and the magnitude of the situation, both Steven and Jon went out of their way to make me feel welcome both Saturday and Sunday.

It was so calm, it was almost surreal; such high expectations, so many people, so little time to prepare for such a historic event - yet their was no attitude, no pretense, no aggression or anger from either of the show's stars - or anyone involved with the show. One more reason I wish the cameras had been rolling backstage.

I know I'll look back on the Rally with great fondness for years to come. From Colbert's courageous entrance from his underground bunker, to the sheer majesty of the Yusef/Ozzy Peace Train/Crazy Train duet, to Jon's poignant closing speech, the show onstage was full of fun, music, pinpoint media criticism and intelligent buffoonery. Backstage, there was a feeling of community, and some really good mini-hamburgers in catering.

Oh, yeah, I even received an award - which I'm sure I'll tell you more about in the days, weeks and months to come. Kurt Angle - there's a new medal in TNA.