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Rick Mercer - Inside The Life of Canada's Best Known Satirist

11/18/2013

9 Comments

 
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Ever since he emerged in the national consciousness in the early 1990s with a series of one-man stage shows and his role on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Rick Mercer has been delighting Canadians and keeping us laughing with his quick wit, playful demeanour and his bitingly satirical take on the Canadian political system.

In fact, it’s almost hard to fathom given his primary comedic fuel is politics (not exactly the sexiest of topics) but Rick Mercer might just be the closest thing we have in Canada to a truly home grown celebrity: someone who is known and beloved by millions of Canadians from coast to coast to coast, but who has never sought-out fame elsewhere and who – asides from a spate of coverage in the U.S. press following the run away success of his Talking To Americans special in 2001 - is relatively unknown outside of the country.

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His program, the Rick Mercer Report on CBC Television, in which he gets into improbable adventures, meets remarkable and eccentric characters from all across our country, pokes fun at the politics of the day, and delivers his trademark rant, is now in its 11th season and regularly draws in more than a million viewers an episode. In fact, The Rick Mercer Report is consistently the most watched Canadian comedic series on television.

And although he uses politics as his primary source for humour, it is also something (as comes through in his rants) that he cares deeply about. With a level of earnestness that almost comes as a surprise, Rick wants Canadians to be more actively engaged with the politics of our land. But as one might expect his life also contains no shortage of  outlandish but seemingly fitting anecdotes - including the fact that while he was the student council president of his high school outside of St. John's Newfoundland, he never ended up graduating with his diploma.  

In our interview Rick sheds light on his formative years  growing up in Newfoundland, how his keen and early interest in politics developed, his thoughts on the role of satire in a democracy, and why he considers the current crackdown on science by the Conservative government so pernicious.

Listen to the interview here, or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes!

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9 Comments
Bella Johnson
2/18/2014 06:25:21 am

Rick Mercer is a great fella! I've met him only once bartending one night while putting myself through University for Nursing. He was great to all the staff; polite, generous and hilarious :) I am a huge fan. So what, he may not have graduated high school but he's smart, dedicated, and has actively made Canadians more aware of itself. From politics to the environment he's done stunts, meetings, rants and more all while adding a comedic, sardonic, honest and clever twist. I'd love to pick his brain and learn from him. Einstein even saw the flaws in our school systems, Mercer is a compliment to Canada and we are lucky to have him!

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Donalda MacKay
3/28/2014 06:08:28 am

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Rick Mercer

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Connie Embury
3/28/2014 06:18:07 am

Rick Mercer for Prime Minister!

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noreen galvin
6/12/2014 05:44:23 am

You are a true NATIONAL TREASURE, Rick Mercer.Thank you for the laughs and the passion you demonstrate for our country. BRAVO!

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Sheila Barrett
9/27/2014 09:58:18 am

He truly has a finger on the pulse of what's happening in our
country. Why can't we vote him in? Why, I ask ya.......

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leah
5/6/2016 02:08:34 pm

Could some small note regarding the fires in AB be expressed giving credit to the Newfoundlanders/maritimers that no panic in the line of evacuation occurred due to the high % of Newfoundlanders who are reknown to be prepared for anything and everything. Come hell or high water.. Not enough recognition in the media is given in my view to those hard working population. Thanks to them Alberta is doing well.. till fires took over. 2nd topic maritimers do come home because they know how to save for the unexpected and have enough to pay the plane home.. Albertans, splurge foolishly and are sitting in shelters. 3rd those who appreciate everything and aren't affected emotionally is propably a maritimer..
You Rick mercer, might take interest in this blurb for your nxt story.
I grew up Manitoba, in remote isolated and known the land can create you hard times based on environment to be prepared for the unpredictable..

Reply
leah
5/6/2016 02:08:40 pm

Could some small note regarding the fires in AB be expressed giving credit to the Newfoundlanders/maritimers that no panic in the line of evacuation occurred due to the high % of Newfoundlanders who are reknown to be prepared for anything and everything. Come hell or high water.. Not enough recognition in the media is given in my view to those hard working population. Thanks to them Alberta is doing well.. till fires took over. 2nd topic maritimers do come home because they know how to save for the unexpected and have enough to pay the plane home.. Albertans, splurge foolishly and are sitting in shelters. 3rd those who appreciate everything and aren't affected emotionally is propably a maritimer..
You Rick mercer, might take interest in this blurb for your nxt story.
I grew up Manitoba, in remote isolated and known the land can create you hard times based on environment to be prepared for the unpredictable..

Reply
leah link
5/6/2016 02:08:56 pm

Could some small note regarding the fires in AB be expressed giving credit to the Newfoundlanders/maritimers that no panic in the line of evacuation occurred due to the high % of Newfoundlanders who are reknown to be prepared for anything and everything. Come hell or high water.. Not enough recognition in the media is given in my view to those hard working population. Thanks to them Alberta is doing well.. till fires took over. 2nd topic maritimers do come home because they know how to save for the unexpected and have enough to pay the plane home.. Albertans, splurge foolishly and are sitting in shelters. 3rd those who appreciate everything and aren't affected emotionally is propably a maritimer..
You Rick mercer, might take interest in this blurb for your nxt story.
I grew up Manitoba, in remote isolated and known the land can create you hard times based on environment to be prepared for the unpredictable..

Reply
leah link
5/6/2016 02:09:38 pm

Could some small note regarding the fires in AB be expressed giving credit to the Newfoundlanders/maritimers that no panic in the line of evacuation occurred due to the high % of Newfoundlanders who are reknown to be prepared for anything and everything. Come hell or high water..

Reply



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