Mercer - Rick Mercer report: the paperback book

No one on TV has done more to teach Canadians about their own country than Mercer.

Toronto Star

Canada's hottest TV comic.

Maclean's

Week after week, Mercer continues to delight with his alternately giddy and cutting political humour.

Canadian Press

Canada's leading political satirist.

The New York Times

It is 2:30 a.m. and I am sitting up in bed reading Rick Mercer I chortle, I chuckle and I laugh so loudly, I'm sure I've annoyed the couple in the next apartment.

Lyn Cockburn, Edmonton Sun

This book took a lot of work and I would be lying if I said it was all on my part. I hit the print button and the excellent people at Doubleday Canada did the rest. Every word I had written over the past four years came out of the hard drive and my editor, Tim Rostron, valiantly sorted and cajoled them into an actual-to-goodness book. I couldn't have asked for a better editor if I'd called central casting and told them to send over a funny but brilliant bookish fellow with a penchant for words and a British accent. I thank Tim for making this such an enjoyable experience. The Doubleday teamdesigner Terri Nimmo, publicist Cathy Paine, and everyone involved in this projectexceeded my high expectations and I thank them for making it happen.

Rick Mercer Report: The Show is not a one-man show, it just looks that way on television.

The writers' room is small and dangerous. Paul Mather, Greg Eckler, Chris Finn, and Tim Steeves do the heavy lifting and make it seem easy week in and week out. If there are funnier men in the country, I haven't met them. If the walls in that room could talk, they would blush and then probably file some sort of harassment suit.

The show itself would never get done if it wasn't for the crackerjack production team of Alan MacGillivray and Marilyn Richardson.

Tom Stanley is RMR's associate producer and researcher. He spends a lot of time on the phone telling people my helmet size. If anyone else on the show gets hit by lightning, Tom has to fill in, because it turns out he can do anything. His secret weapon is Nik Sexton, his right-hand man in a two-man department.

The actual rants are a three-man operation. I write them, John Marshall produces them and cameraman Don Spence shoots them. John has produced everyone in the country at some point and Don can make a parking lot look interesting. The three of us have spent far too much time together in alleys and on the road, but I have enjoyed every minute.

The show itself is directed by Henry Sarwer-Foner. That's why it's the best-looking show on TV.

Mike Burroughs and the talented crew in the CBC graphics department have always gone above and beyond for RMR, and usually when we need something we need it yesterday. If Mike designed everything, it would make for a sexier world.

RMR is edited by Alan Maclean. Nobody looks over his shoulder, nobody bothers him, and in fact most people are not allowed in his little windowless room. He makes me look better than I deserve to, so whatever he wants is fine by me.

And then there is George. Seventeen years ago George Anthony travelled to Ottawa and went to a small gas station-turned-theatre in Ottawa to see me perform in a one-man show. It was a pretty rough show and basically featured me on stage ranting about, of all things, the Meech Lake Accord. Despite the fact that I know George had no interest in the Meech Lake Accord, he told me then that I belonged on the CBC. I've been there ever since. Depending on how you look at things, George Anthony gets the credit or the blame.

Gerald Lunz runs the operation at RMR, not only as my partner in crime, executive producer and show-runner, but more importantly, as the funniest guy in the room. It is his baby. Gerald produced that first play in Ottawa 17 years ago, and I have been taking his notes ever since. It's the perfect storm.