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Washington (CNN) -- Assisted by a colorful cast of characters, Comedy Central funnymen Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert held a raucous rally on the National Mall Saturday in typical fashion before a cheering throng of supporters.

Amidst all the hilarity, however, the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" carried a message about Americans turning their backs on hate and working together to make the world a better place.

Stewart and Colbert staged a mock battle, with Stewart supporting peace and sanity and Colbert promoting fear before a crowd that stretched nearly the length of the mall, most of the distance between the Capitol and the Washington Monument.

During the rally's opening, Colbert appeared on a video screen, saying he was trapped in his "fear bunker" and worried no one had shown up. Drawn by cheers, however, Colbert ascended to the stage in a device like that used to bring up the trapped Chilean miners earlier this month, wearing a superhero costume.

Former "Saturday Night Live" character Father Guido Sarducci -- played by comedian Don Novello -- provided a benediction, thanking God for "making it so easy to find parking spaces." And actor Sam Waterston of "Law and Order" fame read a poem entitled "Are You Sure?" about fears including "funnel clouds and hail/Anthrax in the mail ... someone's robbing your house/I can see through your blouse/Your mother was right, you chose the wrong spouse."

Cat Stevens, who now goes by Yusuf Islam, sang his song "Peace Train" as part of a duel with Ozzy Osbourne singing "Crazy Train." Stewart stopped Osbourne, rooting for Islam, as Colbert urged Osbourne on. The two compromised on the O'Jays, who showed up to sing their hit "Love Train."

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and "Star Wars" robot R2-D2 provided a lesson in tolerance and against stereotyping. "We're all on the same team," said Abdul-Jabbar, referencing Colbert and Stewart's discussion about Muslims.

There were some serious notes struck during the event, however. Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow performed a musical number about changing the world, including the lyrics, "The least that I can do is care."

"This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith, or people of activism, or to look down our noses at the heartland, or passionate argument, or to suggest that times are not difficult and we have nothing to fear," Stewart told the crowd as the rally drew to a close. "They are, and we do. But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus and not be enemies, but unfortunately one of our main tools in delineating the two broke."

He was speaking of what he called "the country's 24-hour politico pundit perpetual panic conflictinator." It did not cause the nation's problems, Stewart said, "but its existence makes solving them that much harder ... If we amplify everything, we hear nothing."

"There are terrorists and racists and Stalinists and theocrats, but those are titles that must be earned," Stewart said. "You must have the resume. Not being able to distinguish between real racists and tea partiers, or real bigots and Juan Williams or Rick Sanchez is an insult, not only to those people, but to the racists themselves, who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate -- just as the inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe, not more."

Most Americans, he said, don't live their lives solely as Republicans or Democrats, but as "people who are just a little bit late for something they have to do, often something they do not want to do. But they do it."

Some may paint the nation as fragile and torn by hate, he said, "but the truth is ... we work together to get things done every damn day."

"There will always be darkness, and sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn't the promised land," Stewart said. "Sometimes it's just New Jersey. But we do it anyway, together."

After the rally, Stewart and Colbert deflected questions from reporters about whether they would attempt to parlay the rally into a sustained movement.

"We're not running for anything," Stewart said at the National Press Club.

"We don't have a constituency," he said. "We do television shows for people that like them and we hope that they continue to like them so that Comedy Central can continue to sell beer to young people."

"We wanted to do a really good show for people that wanted it," he said of the rally.

Asked what his next steps would be, Colbert said, "We have a show on Monday and we have to go write that and we have a live show Tuesday."

At the rally, Stewart awarded his "Medals of Reasonableness" to recipients including Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, who lost a perfect game in June when an umpire mistakenly called what would have been the last batter safe at first base despite the fact replays showed he was clearly out. Galarraga, who lives in Venezuela, accepted via videotape, telling the audience the umpire is "a good man."

Another recipient was Velma Hart, chief financial officer for AMVETS, who challenged President Barack Obama at a town hall meeting in September; and comedian and wrestler Mick Foley; and Jacob Isom. A video of Isom telling how he swiped a kerosene-soaked Quran from would-be burners, telling them, "Dude, you have no Quran," went viral, and was set to a dance mix.

Colbert's "Medals of Fear" went to recipients including a 7-year-old girl who he said had more courage than the media organizations who did not send representatives to cover the rally out of fear they would appear biased, as well as to "Anderson Cooper's tight black T-shirt." Colbert said that when CNN's Cooper "shows up on your front yard, you know something terrible has happened in your community." A small black T-shirt was brought on stage on a hanger, and the medal hung on it.

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Ethan Williamson traveled from Wilmington, North Carolina, to the nation's capital Saturday with a clear message in mind: To support sanity in politics.

Williamson, 45, was just one of the thousands who ventured to the National Mall in Washington to see the "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" -- the brainchild of Comedy Central hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

The crowds spilled throughout the streets near the capital building and onto the grassy Mall. Many found it difficult to hear what was coming from on stage, though word-of-mouth clued them in. People were especially thrilled when Cat Stevens, who now goes by Yusuf Islam, and Ozzy Osbourne treated the audience to a couple of songs.

Williamson waved a sign defending the use of taxes -- something the Tea Party movement has used as a rallying cry to change government. His sign read: "Stop Socialism -- Boycott Public roads, bridges, air traffic control, public sewers, fire fighters, police."

"It [the rally] almost feels like the only answer to the ridiculous extremes that we're seeing -- to laugh about it," he said. "It's the only way to release the inherent conflict and tension that is created by that."

Stewart and Colbert's skewering of the media, Democrats and Republicans has been lauded as a great way to appeal to a large segment of the population, especially young voters, frustrated by politicians and the murky political process that takes place in Congress.

Alex, who didn't want his last name used, displayed his sign, which showed the iconic American eagle with an American flag heart with the words "The heart of America is the Center" over the picture.

"I think it's important that we have some sensibility in our politics these days," he said. "There's a lot of emotions running high. People are using a lot more of their emotions than their sensibilities."

The 32-year-old, who lives blocks away from the event, said the crowd and the atmosphere is similar to what he found when he attended Barack Obama's presidential inauguration.

"This is one of the biggest things I've seen here. Anytime you can't move on to a part of the Mall, you know that's it's really massive."

After watching the show, Alex said that he only had one complaint. He would have preferred that Colbert's fear rally and Stewart's sanity rally would have marched toward each other, face off and then shake hands in a symbolic gesture.

The moment that stuck out for him?

"Definitely when Stephen Colbert's underneath the stage in the fear box and then when he came up in the Evel Knievel suit. That was classic. That was outstanding."

Beth Peter traveled from Las Vegas, Nevada, to rally for sanity -- though she had another reason. She said she was also showing her opposition to Nevada Republican senatorial candidate and Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle.

"She scares the bejesus out of me," Peter said. "I am a Harry Reid voter -- he is the lesser of two evils, which is kind of bad that our elections have turned out to be who's not the worst. It's depressing."

Peter, 29, said attending the rally was about having the chance to go and be politically active without having to stand on a soap box and scream.

Like Peter, one Dallas, Texas, native said the rally was a great way to show there's resistance to the growing influence of the Tea Party movement, which is often taken to task by Stewart and Colbert.

"I'm glad people are coming out here and doing this and showing there is resistance towards the Tea Party -- especially during this essential time," said Megha, 19, who is a student at Georgetown University.

"It's a pressing problem right now. If we keep this fear alive, the Tea Party will start gaining some serious seats and that's frightening."

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OK, there's no way to write this article without name dropping. To cut to the chase, I know Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and you don't.

I used to work for "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" as the audience warm-up act. Not a bad day job.

But knowing the hosts didn't mean I got to parade on stage at Saturday's "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear."

I was in the audience with the thousands of fans, reporting on the events for CNN. But the audience was where the real spectacle unfolded this weekend.

In a lot of ways, the people congregating on the National Mall looked just like the people I used to perform for back at "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report."

Black, white, Hispanic, old, young -- every race, every ethnicity and every age group was represented in the sea of fans. The unifying characteristic, however, was that they were overwhelmingly thoughtful and hilarious Americans.

They appreciate good comedy and political satire. And they know how to create it themselves. That was made was obvious in the signs they carried.

"God Hates Nags," "Hitler was a total Nazi" and the mundane but humorous "this is not a protest sign."

And like all good comedy shows, everyone sported a smile. Humor brought everyone together.

In the days to come, there will be some commentators questioning whether Stewart and Colbert crossed the line from comedians to political commentators.

In all honesty, I'd say, yeah, I think they did make a political stance at the rally. The fact is comedy is an art form. And comedians are artists.

You can't be passionate about something and not have some part of yourself and your beliefs shine through.

The message Stewart and Colbert were peddling came through loud and clear. As Jon said: "We live now in hard times. Not 'end times.' "

Whatever your politics, I think everyone can agree that taking a step back and approaching our nation's problems rationally and sanely is the only way solve them. And we have to do it together.

As difficult as that might sound, we have to learn more about the issues we all care so passionately about.

And then we have to have a civil conversation. Without fear, and without insanity.

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I (heart) Critical Thinking

If Obama's a Muslim, Can We Have Friday's Off?

I Support the "Sign" I'm Holding

God Hates Snuggies

I Was Told There'd Be Cookies.

We Have Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself, And Spiders.

Government Doesn't Suck

Real Patriots Drink Whiskey

Don't Tread On Anyone

Hyperbole Or Instant Death

Slogans Are Crap

I Stand 4 Good Posture

I'm A Veteran. I'm An American. I Am Muslim.

I Support The Right To Arm Bears

Calm The F*** Down America

Fear Is Illogical

Just Stop Bickering And Clean This Mess Up

THIS FONT IS BIG

Going Out Of Business Everything 70-80 Percent Off

I Am Moderately Excited For This

Stand On The Right, Walk On The Left

You Don't Have To Be Nice, Just Don't Be Mean

Libraries Are Socialist

Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet

I thought Neil Young was going to be playing

1 Percent Sane, 98 Percent American, You Do The Math!

Fear Gives Me A Boehner

My Wife Is A Muslim And Not A Terrorist, But I'm Scared Of Her Anyway

Abide

CAPSLOCK IS NOT PERSUASIVE

Festivas For The Rest Of Us

Yelling Rarely Works ... I Know, I'm A Mom!

Don't Stomp On My Head, Bro

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A crowd of more than 700 people turned out today for Portland’s Rally to Restore Sanity. The dark clouds and drizzle didn’t dampen the spirits of attendees, many of whom brought signs that included everything from “I Can See Russia” to “Teabags are Testicles Too.”

The noon rally, which included music and live speakers, began hours after thousands swarmed Washington, DC for the rally staged by Jon Stewart and friends, who gave satirical motivational speeches at the National Mall. The Portland rally, just north of the Hawthorne Bridge, invited speakers such as Willamette University law professor Richard Birke; documentary filmmaker Vanessa Hughes of Media Think; and community architect Mark Lakeman, co-founder of City Repair.

“We need some actual conversations and some recognition that we don’t know everything. And I’ve seen a lot of that here today, ” said one of the Portland rally attendees, PSU grad student Tania Porter.

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SALT LAKE CITY — The high spirited "Sanity and/or Fear" rally, which drew thousands to Washington D.C.'s National Mall, drew a couple hundred Utahns to the City Library in downtown Salt Lake Saturday to watch a live feed.

"Humor is an excellent way to talk about something and not alienate people," said Sam Ponder, who carried a sign that said, "Bipartisan Curious." "We live in a republic. People should feel comfortable without being demonized. That isn't how it is now and it's a shame."

Bogart McAvoy of Salt Lake City, whose sister was attending the rally in D.C., enjoyed the idea of making fun of the political system.

Many children and adults alike arrived in costumes to sing, clap, wave signs and laugh to the music and humor of the two comedians.

Some came just to see the signs.

"I really wanted to watch the rally, see who showed up and read the signs," said Aimee Maxwell of Salt Lake City.

Signs saying, "Fighting doesn't belong in politics, only marriage." Or "I like tea, but not enough to party about" and "Fear is a four letter word," were scattered around the rally, as people snapped pictures with signs they liked the best.

Mike Burgess of Salt Lake City said that he showed up because he is normal. "I think everybody is fed up with the extremists getting all the attention and the middle ground getting no attention. We are trying to get some attention."

"I think we need to make a stand on extremism here in the political movement. It's good to have more sanity in our political system," said Tim Bolz of Cottonwood Heights.

Through the laughs and the jokes, it was still evident that many in attendance were there to show some patriotism, as they waved American flags at an event that many claimed would go down in history.

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