Mercer's tightly scripted and performed two-minute "rants," in which he would speak directly to the camera about a current political issue, shot in a style similar to those Denis Leary used in MTV commercials, quickly became the show's signature segment.
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In the first eight seasons of 22 Minutes, Mercer provided some of the show's signature moments, including an Internet petition (on the 22 Minutes website) to force Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day to change his first name to Doris.
Rick Ross | Rick Perry | Rick Dees | Johnny Mercer | Rick Santorum | Rick Rubin | Rick Moody | Rick Wakeman | Rick James | Rick Danko | Mercer University | Rick Astley | Rick Wagoner | Rick Springfield | Rick Snyder | Rick Scott | Rick Ross (rapper) | Mercer County | Rick Trevino | Rick Derringer | Rick Warren | Rick Reilly | Rick Prelinger | Rick Nowels | Rick Mercer | Rick Buckler | Ray Mercer | Mercer County, New Jersey | Trenton-Mercer Airport | Rick Sternbach |
He has been referred to as "...the funniest man in Canada. Everybody knows that," by Rick Mercer and as an emulation of "...Kramer from Seinfeld...an odd, hysterically funny, brilliant artist," by Mitch Fatel.
He has also been a writer for Rick Mercer's Monday Report, was the head writer for Canada's Walk of Fame in 2006, and has been a writer at Montreal's Just for Laughs comedy festival, where he has written for the likes of John Cleese, Tina Fey, Kelly Ripa, William Shatner, Howie Mandel, Jason Alexander, Dame Edna, Joan Rivers, George Lopez, Tom Arnold and James Belushi, amongst others.
Ron James and Rick Mercer participated in the 2011 jump, filming a segment for the Rick Mercer Report.
In a Talking to Americans segment on the Canadian mock television news show This Hour Has 22 Minutes during the 2000 American election, comedian Rick Mercer posed as a reporter and asked several people (including then-Texas governor George W. Bush) what they thought of "Prime Minister Jean Poutine" and his endorsement of Bush for president.
It was co-founded by Rick Mercer, a Canadian satirist, and Belinda Stronach, a former Canadian Member of Parliament and philanthropist.
The compilation features Rick Mercer "Talking to Americans", and eating burgers and fries with then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien; Marg Delahunty (Mary Walsh) as she "smites" Mike Harris, Lucien Bouchard and Sheila Copps as "Marg, Princess Warrior"; Cathy Jones' blooper about a "Massitusits" case; Jerry Boyle (Greg Thomey) at Parliament Hill; classic ad parodies, sketch comedy, and more.
In 2008 he appeared as a guest star on The Rick Mercer Report portraying a young Jack Layton, a Canadian NDP leader, on the episode Election Kids.