National Citizens Coalition Blows Whistle on CBC’s Rick Mercer for Ties to Government
June 24, 2005 · By Max West
Gerry Nicholls, VP of the National Citizens Coalition, today pointed the finger at CBC comic, Rick Mercer, for partisanship in favor of the Liberal party.
Mercer is the CBC entertainer best known for “Talking to Americans,” in which he targets unsuspecting pedestrians with questions designed to highlight their ignorance. Funny stuff – even funnier when you know it’s a straight rip-off of Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking.” Maybe they should have called it “Trying to be like Americans.”
Apart from that, Mercer is known for using his CBC platform for political activism against Conservatives in a series of stunts, such as belittling Stockwell Day with a mocking petition during the 2000 election campaign. Apparently, partisan campaigning during elections is OK with the CBC, as long as it’s done under the cover of entertainment – and as long as the target is a Western Conservative leader.
Today in the Toronto Globe and Mail, Nicholls pointed to Mercer’s ties to the government as a motivation for his partisanship.
Here’s Nicholls’ letter:
There’s no question Rick Mercer is a funny guy, but he’s no political satirist. A true political satirist uses humour to ridicule all politicians equally, regardless of their party affiliation.
Mr. Mercer seems to reserve his special brand of mockery for those on the right of the political spectrum, whether it’s skewering Stockwell Day with an on-line petition to change his name or linking MP Jason Kenney’s namesake website to the Communist Party website.
Oddly, such comedic wit seems to desert him when it comes to going after the governing Liberal establishment.
But then, Mr. Mercer is part of that establishment. His TV show airs on the government-run network and he is also the government’s paid pitchman for the Kyoto-inspired “one-tonne challenge.”
In fact, Mr. Mercer is so cozy with government, maybe it’s time he just officially declared himself to be what he really is: the court jester of the Liberal Party.
Actually, Richard Mercer is not funny. It’s all an extension of the baby boomer deconstructionist, hipster Jerry Seinfeld–which many people find tiresome and immature–except the content of his work is Canada. And since the identity of Canada is: we’re not America, I have to ask, what the Hell is original about this man?
Answer: nothing.
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Doug: I guess it helps he has a funny foreign accent?
Well, he certainly has more brains, thoughtfullness and a much more complex sense of humor than anyone on this website :)
I think you are a sorry little bugger if you can post such a black and white comment. If Rick Mercer saw this he`d have field day.
I agree with Sean, this article is small minded, and undermines the writer’s credibility
Rick Mercer is a parasite , living off public (tax)money . The only 1 tonne challenge I’d like to see is a large weight dropped on this unfunny moron , now that would provide at least a chuckle or two……..