Rick Mercer Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Rick Mercer (born October 17, 1969 in Middle Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador), is a Canadian comedian.Mercer first came to national attention in 1990, when he premiered his one-man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. A pointed, satirical political commentary on Canadian life after Meech Lake, Show Me the Button made Mercer a national star as he toured the show across Canada.
In 1992, he created and performed his second show, I've Killed Before, I'll Kill Again, which was also a popular touring show. Also in that year, he began to work with former CODCO members Cathy Jones, Mary Walsh and Greg Thomey to create a new television series, which became This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
Mercer's one-minute "rants", in which he would speak directly to the camera about a current political issue, quickly became the show's signature segment. In 1998 he published a book, Streeters, which compiled many of his most famous 22 Minutes rants. It quickly became a national bestseller.
Also in 1998, Mercer created, wrote and performed on his own sitcom, Made In Canada, which ended its run in 2003. A satire of the Canadian film and television industry, the show aired outside of Canada as The Industry.
In 2001, he created and co-produced a CBC special, Talking to Americans, which attracted 2.7 million Canadian viewers - the highest-rated comedy special in the history of CBC. This was, however, his last major project related to 22 Minutes -- at the end of the 2000-2001 season, he announced his departure from that show.
In 2003, Made in Canada ended its run as well, and Mercer began to work on a new CBC series, Rick Mercer's Monday Report, which debutted in January, 2004. Also in 2003, Mercer went to Afghanistan to visit the Canadian troops stationed there, resulting in the television special Christmas in Kabul
During his press tour to promote the series, Mercer came out as gay.
Mercer has received more than 20 Gemini Awards for his television work. He has also been a winner of the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov Award, presented to him at the 2003 Banff Television Festival. In 1993 Newfoundland premier Clyde Wells honoured Mercer with the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council's Artist of the Year award.
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