Rick Mercer Report: Difference between revisions

*Rick Mercer Report*
Rick Mercer Report
	Rick Mercer Report main title
Also known as	Rick Mercer's Monday Report (2004–2006)
Created by	Rick Mercer; Gerald Lunz
Presented by	Rick Mercer
Country of origin	Canada
No. of seasons	15
No. of episodes	255
Production
Production locations	Canadian Broadcasting Centre; Toronto, Ontario
Running time	22–23 minutes
Original release
Network	CBC Television
Release	January 12, 2004 –; April 10, 2018

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Rick Mercer Report (also called the Mercer Report or RMR) is a Canadian television comedy series which aired on CBC Television from 2004 to 2018. Launched as Rick Mercer's Monday Report, or simply Monday Report, by comedian Rick Mercer, the weekly half-hour show combined news parody, sketch comedy, visits to interesting places across Canada, and satirical editorials, often involving Canadian politics. The show's format was similar in some respects to satirical news shows like Mercer's prior series, This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

The first two seasons aired on Monday nights, and aired its remaining seasons Tuesday nights at 8:00 p.m. on CBC. The program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto, Ontario, except for the on-location and rant segments. These segments were shown to the studio audience during taping, with their reactions recorded for broadcast.

In September 2017, Mercer announced that the show would conclude on April 10, 2018, after a total of 15 seasons.^[1]

Segments[edit]

Monologue – At the beginning of each show, Mercer delivers a brief monologue. In the earliest episodes this was similar to a late-night talk show monologue, with Mercer joking about Canadian politics. In more recent seasons, the opening monologue has been rarely more than an outline of the on-location segments to come, punctuated with a related joke or two.
On-location – On each programme Mercer travels to one or more different parts of Canada, often to communities that are currently in the news or celebrating some event, and collects opinions, reactions, and quotes from people on the street. Often Mercer will participate in some demonstration related to the location (e.g. driving a TTC bus while visiting the agency's bus compound), with comic results. Two on-location segments (sometimes different locations in the same area, sometimes two distant locations; occasionally one may be a direct continuation of the other) appear in a typical episode.
Ad spoofs – Mercer does a parody ad, often spoofing a real one. Usually appears at least once per episode, right before a commercial break.
The Front Page – Mercer makes comical comments on certain photos of famous people in the world. Normally seen at the start of segment 2.
Rant – Mercer does a 'streeter'-style tongue-in-cheek monologue about current issues, using the same format that he popularized on 22 Minutes with a long take and camera tilting; the main variation is that his old 22 Minutes rants were filmed in black and white, while his RMR rants are filmed in colour. These are almost always taped while Mercer walks up and down Rush Lane,^[2]^[3] a graffiti-strewn Toronto alleyway. Usually used to begin segment 3.
Newsdesk – Additional topical jokes, similar to the newsdesk segments on 22 Minutes, are sometimes seen in the latter part of the programme to pad time.
Conclusion – During the brief final segment, Mercer invites the audience to visit his website with his blog, video clips and photo challenge. He then mentioned a local event happening in a (usually) small town somewhere in Canada. In early seasons, this is also where Mercer would give updates on the monthly contest.

Recurring[edit]

Celebrity Tip — A Canadian celebrity gives how-to advice to the audience, such as Geddy Lee showing viewers how to properly ride a toboggan, Shirley Douglas demonstrating how to boost a car's battery, Pierre Berton demonstrating how to roll a joint or Conrad Black demonstrating how to wax a maple leaf. The humour in this segment often comes from the juxtaposition between the celebrity and their ability to demonstrate something the viewing public might not have expected them to know how to do.
Monitor Piece — Occasionally Mercer will perform a "lecture"-type monologue in-studio, usually standing next to a TV screen and waving a metal pointer, attempting to explain a complicated issue or point out the absurdity of a particular policy. Typically the piece will end with an instrumental version of "O Canada" playing in the background. This is a continuation of a sketch style Mercer also used from time to time on 22 Minutes, most famously for the Stockwell Day/Doris Day petition sketch.

Discontinued[edit]

Daryn Jones — Correspondent Daryn Jones goes out and checks out cool things. This segment was discontinued in Season 3, with Jones leaving the show for MTV Canada.
Contest — Early seasons featured a monthly contest in which viewers were encouraged to send in pictures. Mercer would show these pictures at the conclusion of the show throughout the month, and declare the winner on the final show of the month. Some examples include "Canada's Biggest Pothole" or "Canada's Best Shed." The prize was usually a free trip to Toronto to attend a taping of the show.

Production details[edit]

Rick Mercer Report was produced by Island Edge Inc and the CBC. The show was produced in HD beginning in its third season. Reruns of the program air on The Comedy Network and CBC Television.

Set interior[edit]

Set of the Rick Mercer Report before filming of an episode in 2011
Mercer in March 2011 during a taping of the Mercer Report

References[edit]

^ "Rick Mercer will say goodbye to 'best job in the world' after 15th season". CBC News. 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
^ Graffiti in Toronto#Legalization
^ "Graffiti Alley". Graffiti Alley. Retrieved 2020-09-22.

External links[edit]

[1] "Rick Mercer will say goodbye to 'best job in the world' after 15th season". CBC News. 2017-09-25. Retrieved 2017-09-25.

[2] Graffiti in Toronto#Legalization

[3] "Graffiti Alley". Graffiti Alley. Retrieved 2020-09-22.

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Television series}}
-{{italic title}}
-{{refimprove|date=February 2011}}
+{{more citations needed|date=February 2011}}
 {{Infobox television
-  | show_name = Rick Mercer Report
+| alt_name     = Rick Mercer's Monday Report (2004–2006)
-  | show_name_2 = ''Rick Mercer's Monday Report'' (2004-2006)
+| image        = Rick Mercer Report Title.jpg
-  | image = Rick Mercer Report Title.jpg
+| caption      = ''Rick Mercer Report'' main title
+| runtime      = 22–23 minutes
-  | caption = ''Rick Mercer Report'' main title
+| creator      = [[Rick Mercer]]<br />[[Gerald Lunz]]
-  | runtime = 22–23 minutes
-  | creator = [[Rick Mercer]]<br> [[Gerald Lunz]]
+| presenter    = [[Rick Mercer]]
-  | presenter = [[Rick Mercer]]
+| country      = [[Canada]]
+| location     = [[Canadian Broadcasting Centre]]<br />[[Toronto]], Ontario
-  | country = [[Canada]]
+| network      = [[CBC Television]]
-  | location = [[Canadian Broadcasting Centre]]<br />[[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]
+| first_aired  = {{start date|2004|1|12}}
-  | network = [[CBC Television]]
+| last_aired   = {{end date|2018|4|10}}
-  | first_aired = January 12, 2004
+| num_seasons  = 15
-  | last_aired = April 10, 2018 (planned)
-  | num_seasons = 15
+| num_episodes = 255
-  | num_episodes = 255
-  | picture_format = [[1080i]] [[High-definition television|HDTV]]
-  | website = http://www.rickmercer.com/
 }}
-'''''Rick Mercer Report''''' (or the '''''Mercer Report''''', or '''''RMR'''''; formerly known as '''''Rick Mercer's Monday Report''''' or simply '''''Monday Report''''') is a [[Canada|Canadian]] [[television]] comedy series which airs on [[CBC Television]]. Launched in 2004 and hosted by comedian [[Rick Mercer]], the weekly half-hour show combines news [[parody]], [[sketch comedy]], visits to interesting places across Canada, and [[satire|satirical]] editorials, often involving [[Canadian politics]]. The show's format is similar in some respects to [[news satire|satirical news]] shows like Mercer's prior series, ''[[22 Minutes|This Hour Has 22 Minutes]]'', and to [[Jon Stewart]]'s ''[[The Daily Show]]'' – however, the ''Mercer Report'''s on-location segments are usually played relatively straight in comparison to those on the other shows, since participants are usually aware of Mercer's identity and purpose, showing similarity to [[Stephen Colbert]]'s ''[[The Colbert Report]]''.
+'''''Rick Mercer Report''''' (also called the '''''Mercer Report''''' or '''''RMR''''') is a [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] [[television]] comedy series which aired on [[CBC Television]] from 2004 to 2018. Launched as '''''Rick Mercer's Monday Report''''', or simply '''''Monday Report''''', by comedian [[Rick Mercer]], the weekly half-hour show combined news [[parody]], [[sketch comedy]], visits to interesting places across Canada, and [[satire|satirical]] editorials, often involving [[Canadian politics]]. The show's format was similar in some respects to [[news satire|satirical news]] shows like Mercer's prior series, ''[[22 Minutes|This Hour Has 22 Minutes]]''.
-The first two seasons aired on Monday nights – hence the original name, which was likely also a pun on the then-current name of CBC's main Sunday news broadcast, ''[[CBC News: Sunday Night|Sunday Report]]'' (now the Sunday edition of ''[[CBC News: The National|The National]]''). The ''Mercer Report'' now airs Tuesday nights at 8:00&nbsp;p.m. on CBC.
-The program is recorded in front of a live audience at the [[Canadian Broadcasting Centre]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], except for the on-location and rant segments. These segments are shown to the studio audience during taping, with their reactions recorded for broadcast.
+The first two seasons aired on Monday nights, and aired its remaining seasons Tuesday nights at 8:00&nbsp;p.m. on CBC. The program was recorded in front of a live audience at the [[Canadian Broadcasting Centre]] in [[Toronto]], Ontario, except for the on-location and rant segments. These segments were shown to the studio audience during taping, with their reactions recorded for broadcast.
-Mercer announced that the show will conclude on April 10, 2018, after a total of 15 seasons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/rick-mercer-report-1.4305331 |title=Rick Mercer will say goodbye to 'best job in the world' after 15th season |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=2017-09-25 |accessdate=2017-09-25}}</ref>
+In September 2017, Mercer announced that the show would conclude on April 10, 2018, after a total of 15 seasons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/rick-mercer-report-1.4305331 |title=Rick Mercer will say goodbye to 'best job in the world' after 15th season |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=2017-09-25 |access-date=2017-09-25}}</ref>
 ==Segments==
-*'''Monologue''' — At the beginning of each show, Mercer delivers a brief monologue. In the earliest episodes this was similar to a late-night talk show monologue, with Mercer joking about Canadian politics. In more recent seasons, the opening monologue has been rarely more than an outline of the on-location segments to come, punctuated with a related joke or two.
+*'''Monologue''' – At the beginning of each show, Mercer delivers a brief monologue. In the earliest episodes this was similar to a late-night talk show monologue, with Mercer joking about Canadian politics. In more recent seasons, the opening monologue has been rarely more than an outline of the on-location segments to come, punctuated with a related joke or two.
-*'''On-location''' — On each programme Mercer travels to one or more different parts of Canada, often to communities that are currently in the news or celebrating some event, and collects opinions, reactions, and quotes from people on the street. Often Mercer will participate in some demonstration related to the location (e.g. driving a [[Toronto Transit Commission|TTC]] bus while visiting the agency's bus compound), with comic results. Two on-location segments (sometimes different locations in the same area, sometimes two distant locations; occasionally one may be a direct continuation of the other) appear in a typical episode.
+*'''On-location''' – On each programme Mercer travels to one or more different parts of Canada, often to communities that are currently in the news or celebrating some event, and collects opinions, reactions, and quotes from people on the street. Often Mercer will participate in some demonstration related to the location (e.g. driving a [[Toronto Transit Commission|TTC]] bus while visiting the agency's bus compound), with comic results. Two on-location segments (sometimes different locations in the same area, sometimes two distant locations; occasionally one may be a direct continuation of the other) appear in a typical episode.
-* '''Ad spoofs''' — Mercer does a parody ad, often spoofing a real one. Usually appears at least once per episode, right before a commercial break.
+* '''Ad spoofs''' – Mercer does a parody ad, often spoofing a real one. Usually appears at least once per episode, right before a commercial break.
-*'''The Front Page''' — Mercer makes comical comments on certain photos of famous people in the world. Normally seen at the start of segment 2.
+*'''The Front Page''' – Mercer makes comical comments on certain photos of famous people in the world. Normally seen at the start of segment 2.
-*'''Rant''' — Mercer does a 'streeter'-style tongue-in-cheek monologue about current issues, using the same format that he popularized on ''22 Minutes'' with a [[long take]] and camera tilting. These are almost always taped while Mercer walks up and down a graffiti-strewn Toronto alleyway. Usually used to begin segment 3.
+*'''Rant''' – Mercer does a 'streeter'-style tongue-in-cheek monologue about current issues, using the same format that he popularized on ''22 Minutes'' with a [[long take]] and camera tilting; the main variation is that his old ''22 Minutes'' rants were filmed in black and white, while his ''RMR'' rants are filmed in colour. These are almost always taped while Mercer walks up and down [[Graffiti in Toronto|Rush Lane]],<ref>[[Graffiti in Toronto#Legalization]]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Graffiti Alley|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Graffiti+Alley/@43.6473887,-79.4017632,17z/|access-date=2020-09-22|website=Graffiti Alley|language=en}}</ref> a graffiti-strewn Toronto alleyway. Usually used to begin segment 3.
-*'''Newsdesk''' — Additional topical jokes, similar to the newsdesk segments on ''22 Minutes'', are sometimes seen in the latter part of the programme to pad time.
+*'''Newsdesk''' – Additional [[topical joke]]s, similar to the newsdesk segments on ''22 Minutes'', are sometimes seen in the latter part of the programme to pad time.
-* '''Conclusion''' — During the brief final segment, Mercer  invites the audience to visit his website with his blog, video clips and photo challenge. He then mentioned a local event happening in a (usually) small town somewhere in Canada.  In early seasons, this is also where Mercer would give updates on the monthly contest.
+* '''Conclusion''' – During the brief final segment, Mercer  invites the audience to visit his website with his blog, video clips and photo challenge. He then mentioned a local event happening in a (usually) small town somewhere in Canada.  In early seasons, this is also where Mercer would give updates on the monthly contest.
-===Recurring or discontinued===
+===Recurring===
+*'''Celebrity Tip''' — A Canadian [[celebrity]] gives how-to advice to the audience, such as [[Geddy Lee]] showing viewers how to properly ride a toboggan,  [[Shirley Douglas]] demonstrating how to boost a car's battery, [[Pierre Berton]] demonstrating how to roll a [[joint (cannabis)|joint]] or [[Conrad Black]] demonstrating how to wax a [[maple leaf]]. The humour in this segment often comes from the juxtaposition between the celebrity and their ability to demonstrate something the viewing public might not have expected them to know how to do.
+* '''Monitor Piece''' — Occasionally Mercer will perform a "lecture"-type monologue in-studio, usually standing next to a TV screen and waving a metal pointer, attempting to explain a complicated issue or point out the absurdity of a particular policy. Typically the piece will end with an instrumental version of "[[O Canada]]" playing in the background. This is a continuation of a sketch style Mercer also used from time to time on ''22 Minutes'', most famously for the [[This Hour Has 22 Minutes#Stockwell.2FDoris petition|Stockwell Day/Doris Day petition sketch]].
+===Discontinued===
 *'''Daryn Jones''' — Correspondent [[Daryn Jones]] goes out and checks out cool things. This segment was discontinued in Season 3, with Jones leaving the show for [[MTV (Canada)|MTV Canada]].
-*'''Celebrity Tip''' — A Canadian [[celebrity]] gives how-to advice to the audience, such as [[Geddy Lee]] showing viewers how to properly ride a toboggan,  [[Shirley Douglas]] demonstrating how to boost a car's battery, [[Pierre Berton]] demonstrating how to roll a [[joint (cannabis)|joint]] or [[Conrad Black]] demonstrating how to wax a [[maple leaf]]. The humour in this segment often comes from the juxtaposition between the celebrity and their ability to demonstrate something the viewing public might not have expected them to know how to do. Currently airs sporadically.
-* '''Monitor Piece'''<ref>As indicated on titles of videos on the show's [https://www.youtube.com/user/MercerReport YouTube channel] (accessed 2010-10-02)</ref> — Occasionally Mercer will perform a "lecture"-type monologue in-studio, usually standing next to a TV screen and waving a metal pointer, attempting to explain a complicated issue or point out the absurdity of a particular policy. Typically the piece will end with an instrumental version of "[[O Canada]]" playing in the background. This is a continuation of a sketch style Mercer also used from time to time on ''22 Minutes'', most famously for the [[This Hour Has 22 Minutes#Stockwell.2FDoris petition|Stockwell Day/Doris Day petition sketch]].
 *'''Contest''' — Early seasons featured a monthly contest in which viewers were encouraged to send in pictures.  Mercer would show these pictures at the conclusion of the show throughout the month, and declare the winner on the final show of the month.  Some examples include "Canada's Biggest [[Pothole]]" or "Canada's Best [[Shed]]."  The prize was usually a free trip to Toronto to attend a taping of the show.
 ==Production details==
-''Rick Mercer Report'' is produced by [[Island Edge Inc]] and the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]. The show has been produced in HD since its third season.
+''Rick Mercer Report'' was produced by [[Island Edge Inc]] and the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]. The show was produced in HD beginning in its third season. Reruns of the program air on [[The Comedy Network]] and [[CBC Television]].
-Reruns of the program have aired on the Comedy Network since October 2006.
 ==Set interior==
@@ Line 56: / Line 54: @@
 ==Further reading==
-* {{citation |last =Mercer|first = Rick |coauthor= |year =2008 |title = Rick Mercer Report: The Paperback Book|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Ayhl-wbRqRIC&lpg=PA1&dq=Rick%20Mercer%20Report%3A&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=true |publisher=Anchor Canada |isbn=	9780385665193 |accessdate = }}
+* {{citation |last =Mercer|first = Rick|year =2007 |title =Rick Mercer Report: The Book |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=ltoAqCAEnCMC&q=Rick%20Mercer%20Report%3A&pg=PP1 |publisher= Doubleday Canada|isbn=978-0-385-66518-6  }}
-* {{citation |last =Mercer|first = Rick|coauthor= |year =2007 |title =Rick Mercer Report: The Book |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=ltoAqCAEnCMC&lpg=PP1&dq=Rick%20Mercer%20Report%3A&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true |publisher= Doubleday Canada|isbn=978-0-385-66518-6  |accessdate = }}
+* {{citation |last =Mercer|first = Rick |year =2008 |title = Rick Mercer Report: The Paperback Book|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Ayhl-wbRqRIC&q=Rick%20Mercer%20Report%3A&pg=PA1 |publisher=Anchor Canada |isbn=	9780385665193 }}
 ==External links==
-{{portal|Television in Canada}}
 {{wikiquote}}
+{{Portal|Television|Canada}}
 *[http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport Official website at CBC]
 *[http://www.rickmercer.com/ Rick Mercer's official website]
@@ Line 67: / Line 65: @@
 *{{IMDb title|0396347}}
+{{ACCT Best Comedy Series}}
-{{CBC Television Shows (current and upcoming)}}
-{{ACCT Best Comedy Series|state=collapsed}}
 [[Category:2004 Canadian television series debuts]]
-[[Category:CBC Television shows]]
+[[Category:CBC Television original programming]]
-[[Category:Canadian sketch comedy shows]]
 [[Category:Gemini and Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series winners]]
-[[Category:News parodies]]
+[[Category:Canadian news parodies]]
-[[Category:Canadian satirical television series]]
+[[Category:2000s Canadian satirical television series]]
-[[Category:Television series produced in Toronto]]
+[[Category:2010s Canadian satirical television series]]
-[[Category:2000s Canadian comedy television series]]
+[[Category:Television shows filmed in Toronto]]
-[[Category:2010s Canadian comedy television series]]
+[[Category:2000s Canadian sketch comedy television series]]
+[[Category:2010s Canadian sketch comedy television series]]
+[[Category:2018 Canadian television series endings]]
+[[Category:Canadian political comedy television series]]