It's the en vogue thing to do - to make fun of Glenn Beck now that his star has risen after switching from CNN Headline News to the Fox News Channel.
After Beck was featured in a front-page March 30 New York Times article, the gang at MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on March 31 got in on the act - then no other than Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert chimed in on his nightly program, "The Colbert Report."
"Nation, I've been so inspired by Glenn Beck's call to action that I'm launching my own democratic experiment - the 1031 project," Colbert said. "It's organized around 10 principles, 31 flavors, four seasons, ten lords a leapin' and 525,600 minutes."
Colbert continued his charade by imitating the Fox News host's sometimes emotional crying outburst he does on his shows.
"I'm sorry I just love my country, and I love the musical ‘Rent,'" Colbert continued. "I'm so glad I have this diaper on right now. I call it the ‘1031 Project' because on October 31, I want everyone in this country who is sick of people ordering them around and false leaders telling them what to do to do exactly what I tell you to do."
The shtick included Colbert telling people to participate in Halloween festivities on October 31 - hence the name "1031."
"Go from house to house on your block," Colbert said. "Ring doorbells and demand that your neighbors make a tangible commitment to America, preferably in the form of a sugary treat. We're going to need a lot of quick energy to change this country, folks. Now, I have no doubt that ‘them' will be watching. So disguise yourself say as Wolverine as a spritely hobo or as a sexy nurse."
Normally Colbert's antics are just that - antics. However, many of the left-wing storefronts on the Internet are hyping Colbert's ‘1031 Project' as some sort of counter-cultural movement to Beck's ‘912 Project' - a seemingly harmless effort that Beck told listeners on his March 30 radio show he was paying for it out of his own pocket.
Beck's 912 Project has become a phenomenon, a direct result of his highly rated two-and-a-half month old Fox News show. According to the 912 Project's Web site, it is an effort to recreate the sentiment of the American people that followed the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
"'The 9-12 Project' is designed to bring us all back to the place we were on September 12, 2001," the Web site said. "The day after America was attacked we were not obsessed with Red States, Blue States or political parties. We were united as Americans, standing together to protect the greatest nation ever created."
