Rick Mercer Talking to Americans (BRITISH REACTION)

[@tonypolito6320]

Unless you are Canadian, you will not understand many of the references. "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" with Rick as host was one of the best satirical news shows ever.

[@loriburnip]

Yeah if you want to compare him to an American show probably the closest is Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. But I find Rick much funnier.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

His rants were epic! I bought a compilation book of them and still pick it up once in a while. Love him.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

@@loriburnip I'd say those two are the best in their respective ways. Strangely, I found his memoir yesterday in our village book exchange. "Talking To Canadians." I was rather delighted, to say the least.

[@Boags]

I miss it very much

[@Umbrellaoflove]

As a Canadian I couldn’t agree with you more. “This hour has 22 minutes”😂❣️🇨🇦

[@deborahhutchinson134]

Most Americans know very little about Canada. Rick Mercer is a national treasure and Canadians love him.

[@nomchompsky2883]

most americans know little about little to be honest.

[@Pattio47]

Yes Rick is a national treasure and when you live in Canada and know all the people and places he refers to it makes him even funnier. 😂

[@catherinemacaskill1421]

As a fellow Nflder., I love Rick Mercer's humor. And I really like his talking to America segments.

[@kosys5338]

Most Americans know very little about America never mind anywhere else, they didn't even know Mulroney wasn't an American president.

[@daerdevvyl4314]

Nom Chompsky You probably want to reword that. You've inadvertently said that they know a lot about most things.

[@gerryhatrick6678]

What was funniest about the Mount Rushmore question is how many did not even realize Mulroney was not a US President but a Canadian Prime Minister.

[@Silkytoaster]

Yeah I noticed that too.

[@dogsrgodsspelledbackwards3340]

That was so funny. No one even noticed …. Lol.

[@dogsrgodsspelledbackwards3340]

Rick is hilarious. MulroneyYuck. Hahaha.

[@LHotdog-ni6hf]

the irony is he really kind of belongs there because of the nafta shit. fuck mulroney.

[@KryssLaBryn]

The worst part is that he wasn't just some random prime minister, he was our prime minister *at the time.* (And deeply unpopular, especially outside of Ontario. There was a joke at the time: What's eighteen inches long and hangs between George Bush's legs? Brian Mulroney's tie.) (Hence Rick's "Mulroney's feet sticking out of the backside" joke) (He was the one that negotiated the original NAFTA deal)

[@r.1599]

For those people who might be confused about some of the questions... 3:14 Brian Mulroney: Canadian Prime Minister 1984-1993. 6:11 Lucien Bouchard: Canadian politician 1993-2001. 6:30 Insulin: Invented in Canada. 8:05 Gilles Duceppe: Canadian politician from 1996-2015. 8:15 Saskatchewan: Province in Canada. 15:30 Caribou is another name for reindeer. They do not lay eggs. 15:44 Firmez la bouche is French for "Shut your mouth". Mangez poutine means "Eat poutine" (Canadian invention of fries, gravy, and cheese curds). 17:55 Edmonton: a city on the Canadian province of Alberta. 18:18 Grade 9: Educational year 9; the average age of students in grade 9 is 14-15. With the removal of Ontario's grade 13 in 2003, grades now only go up to grade 12. 18:40 July and August: the height of Summer in Canada and the US. 19:08 Beavers in Canada are protected under Federal and Provincial law. 20:03 Saskatchewan is landlocked. The only place you'll find seals in Saskatchewan are in the zoo. 20:19 Calgary is a city in the Canadian province of Alberta, which is also landlocked. The Americas are sometimes collectively called "America", although more commonly it is the North American continent that is referred to as "The American continent" (The United States of, Mexico, Canada, and the largest island in the world, Greenland. The Caribbean is also considered to be part of North America). The Americas are a large landmass consisting of: North America (The United States of, Mexico, Canada, Greenland, The Caribbean), Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.), South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, French Guinea, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela). Over a billion people live on The Americas. That's a lot of Americans. 🙂 Edited to add "in Saskatchewan" to 20:03

[@carlathelibra4228]

This comment should be pinned to the top! Thanks for clarifying all these points for our non-Canadian friends!

[@BrillPappin]

Pin this at the top!

[@Heatx79]

Pin it

[@Heatx79]

100% accurate, pin it 📌

[@Martin.Wilson]

More context for Mert: When Mulroney was PM and Regan was President, Mulroney kissed his ass so hard his head disappeared....hence Mulroney's feet sticking out the back of Regan's head. That's when Canada got duped into the Free Trade Agreement.

[@BeeOnASunflower853]

Yes, Rick is a national treasure! "Talking to Americans" began as a segment on the Canadian comedy show "This Hour Has 22 Minutes", and became so popular (and he compiled so much material!) that they did a number of full-show specials of it - one of which is the one you just showed. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@darleneburgess4988]

Rick Mercer is so funny. As Canadians, we are very proud of Rick. He is a Canadian icon!!

[@bakerfx4968]

His walking rants are unmatched

[@damienscanlon6965]

Fuckin eh!!!! OH CANADA 🇨🇦

[@carmenbrown3437]

He has a sense of humor and is personable to everyone.

[@Kimmy6519]

He’s a Newfoundlander.

[@andycooper5128]

As a young Canadian teenager I went to Georgia and managed to convince someone I had a pet penguin.

[@evieshore3270]

I'll bet it wasn't that hard 🤣

[@BibiSol]

Hilarious!😂

[@luanneives2510]

Bahahahaha!

[@michynature]

Last time I was in Georgia I went to the store and asked for a dozen eggs and they asked ,”what’s a dozen?” 🫢

[@lynnekerr3890]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jamy9722]

My favorite " talking to Americans" out take was when he was convincing people canada was getting a new state. A kid next to his mom chimed in " wait doesn't canada have provinces? " I roared in laughter. I was about that kids age... stuck with me ever since

[@YukonWilleh]

also sticks out to me

[@TheCrayonMaster]

That's always a good one. 😂 One of my favorites is the one about legalizing staplers 🤣

[@danielleboon1543]

If it’s the one I remember, I believe the mom shushed the kid for interrupting too 🤣

[@Chuck-PK]

I remember telling my parents about that one when I was a kid and getting a huge laugh.

[@SchemeTintFocus]

That's what got me on this in social studies class. Yeah, we watched 22 minutes in school

[@caseymacmacl7463]

Rick Mercer is a National Treasure!! He actually answers his own email! I've gotten a couple of emails from him. When my dad (who was also from the Maritimes) passed away Rick sent me an email with his condolences and told me he'd be raising a glass to Dad. He is incredible!

[@mariekean1473]

❤ that is sweet

[@Dain75]

That's really awesome. What a great guy.

[@denysequinn2607]

For some reason it doesn’t surprise me. He comes across as a very kind person. Wouldn’t you know he really is! I miss his show.

[@sonjab6127]

only Canadians understand all the inside jokes. I miss Rick Mercer’s Talking to Americans segments. brilliant

[@jeffreyquinn3820]

Some of the funniest parts are when the American being interviewed kind of gets the joke but doesn't quite grasp that CBC gave press credentials to a comedian. I'm thinking of the Global Warming Melts the Polar Ice Cap Making Canada Bipolar episode.

[@weistired]

@@jeffreyquinn3820 We all have 'press credentials' as Canadians. We got them by right at birth. News companies might give 'Press ID' to their employees indicating that they are employed by whatever company just as any employee of ANY company might require employees to wear badges etc. ..they are not required by laws.

[@jeffreyquinn3820]

@@weistired You'll never get access to any major media announcement unless you have ID from a major media organization or membership in a freelance guild.

[@jennifermarlow.]

@@weistired That all changed in 2022 with the new Ministry of Truth. News organizations must be approved by the federal government to be considered "press". Independent press that does not have the feds' stamp of approval is not permitted to go to press conferences, and their questions will be ignored.

[@ahlimahs]

As a 52 year old Canadian, you'd be surprised what Americans don't know about Canada

[@jaynethomas7380]

As a 69 year old, trust me, I KNOW. 🤷‍♀️😱😂

[@jaynethomas7380]

@@vladimirvladimirovichputin6797 that too. Lol

[@jackh.4544]

I'm a 45 American and I sadly don't know poo about my brother to the north just that the beer is stronger but im in texas 3 miles from Mexico

[@theeteecee]

​@@jackh.4544actually, the beer isn't stronger. The strength (& amount) is just calculated differently.

[@johnp5990]

@@theeteecee It is slightly stronger, because it's fermented longer. Both countries now use the same units (The US used to calculate the amount of alcohol as a percentage of weight, but now they do it as a percentage of volume like Canada and many other countries).

[@canadianmike626]

Insulin was discovered in and by Canadians, I believe Bouchard was the head of the Bloc Québécois. Mulroney was the Canadian Prime Minister. Rick did this to George W. Bush during his president run. I loved "This hour has 22 minutes." Great show. I never missed an episode.

[@margaretjames6494]

Yes, if I recall correctly, Mercer told GW Bush that Canadian Prime Minister "Jacques Poutine" had endorsed his run for US president - and Bush went on camera to thank PM Poutine for the endorsement. LOL.

[@SomeGuy-hd4cn]

Yes. What he said.

[@abrahamdozer6273]

Canadians Banting and Best won the Nobel prize for their discovery of Insulin and they gave their invention to the World for free to alleviate suffering. No American would do that, ever. Even today, Insulin costs a fortune in the US. "How much is your life worth, sucker?"

[@danielledussault1023]

Rick Mercer would be hard to follow if you don't know the ins and outs of Canadian politics.

[@bluebear1985]

Lucien Bouchard was the premier of Quebec for a number of years. He was also a federal member of parliament in Ottawa for a little while before that.

[@amandagraham4254]

I'm Canadian 🇨🇦 and Rick Mercer is hilarious!! I'm actually glad that Canada flies under the radar! Sometimes being ignored is a good thing! LOL ❤peace from Canada 🇨🇦

[@jaynethomas7380]

Exactly! When I heard $ucker Carlson say that the Americans needed to send troops to Canada to liberate us from Trudeau's tyranny, I got very nervous!!!!

[@trudycolborne2371]

​@@jaynethomas7380 How long ago did he say that? Obviously before he was fired from Fox. Sometimes the propensity for people to believe anything they hear can be unsettling.

[@kf9346]

I agree! One thig I think Canadians overlook is the good side of being the tiny, nicer brother is we get to see--what NOT to do.

[@dhotnessmcawesome9747]

@@kf9346 We're.... not tiny.

[@jaynethomas7380]

@@trudycolborne2371 are you insinuating I believe everything I hear. Two words for you sweetheart! Obviously a republican American. 🤮🤮🤮

[@sherylneville4545]

Rick Mercer is a Canadian Icon. He was on the show "This Hour has 22 minutes" that's where he developed Talking to Americans. There are many skits like this one. He also had his own show which only ended recently it was mainly political humour. He is truly a talented man and we love him.

[@beverlynorris557]

One of my favourite segments from one of these episodes was a 10 or 11 year child, with his mother. Rick asked a question about Canadian “states” and the child replied: “ Canada has provinces not states!”. The mother scolded him! Lol

[@mariekean1473]

That was one of mine too..the kid looked at his Mom like she had 10 heads 😂

[@GillianMcGeorge-Cruikshank]

Love it.

[@kf9346]

Rick Mercer is one of our most beloved comedians. He's from our strong politcial satire tradition, originally part of a troupe out of Newfoundland--where the best smart, self-mockery comedy comes from. This group had several top comedy shows--all super funny AND super smart. I believe "Talking to Americans" began as a segment on the hilarious "This Hour Has 22 Minutes." They, and especially "22 Minutes" were also very popular in the US states that border Canada.

[@ArtbyL763]

I think Canadians know more about the US than most of the US

[@ceebsanimal]

​@Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as a gay newfie you can go fuck yourself! ✌️

[@kf9346]

@@ArtbyL763 Absolutely. I'm always was surprised when I get into political arguments with Americans, about American politics, how often they don't even understand how their own political system works. So, not much expectation they'll grasp the basics of ours.

[@lorenzwinterhoff8049]

From the uninformed, "This Hour has 22 Minutes" is similar to SNL, just better because it's Canadian ;)

[@daerdevvyl4314]

Lorenz Winterhoff You just called yourself "the uninformed."

[@vidaspence4117]

Rick Mercer has kept us Canadians laughing and well-informed on current political affairs, worldwide, for decades. He has a treasure trove of material from the states. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@tyson31415]

His "walking down the back-alley and dropping truth-bombs" was amazing.

[@carriejames9018]

The sad thing is, these were a very accurate representation of how much the average American knew about Canada at the time, and it hasn’t improved much since. I remember going to Las Vegas in the early 2000’s and striking up a conversation with a local in which I mentioned I also worked the night shift back home in Calgary, Alberta. After having to further elaborate that Alberta is in CANADA (I didn’t realize I had to include my country of origin since I had literally just driven there in my car the day before), the person I was talking with asked how I got to work for the night shift if I lived in Canada. It was my turn to be confused, until I realized that she honestly though we did not have paved roads and street lights. She appeared to believe that nobody went anywhere at night because it was too cold and dark. I had no idea what to say. I just paid for my purchases and silently reminded myself why I don’t mind paying higher taxes to live in a country that isn’t afraid to educate our children beyond our own borders.

[@jennifermarlow.]

That's wild. OTOH, I went to Los Angeles in 1979, and was surprised to see "Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon Sale $12.99" at the deli. We are famous. :)

[@paulinalang8930]

I always loved, and now miss Rick Mercer since he retired, so much! Never failed to make me laugh! 😄 Thank You Mr. Mercer!♥️

[@GillianMcGeorge-Cruikshank]

Bring Rick Mercer back.

[@tomwolf7564]

I had the privilege of attending a taping of the Rick Mercer show towards the end of his run, he is a very warm and talented man! He insisted on standing at the exit to shake everybody’s hand as they were leaving, he is very genuine and extremely down to earth! He thanked us all very genuinely for coming to his show. Another great Canadian show to check out is the red green show, very funny and iconic,!

[@jimgardner5129]

"Keep your stick on the ice!"

[@ladygray6081]

Yes he did a segment on a local business in my town on pei not long before he retired and he was so nice and normal and funny, just a great person

[@donnavangemerenburns5080]

Lucien Bouchard was a Quebec politician,not a place.He was a separatist leader to pull Quebec away from Canada.

[@Mystic_Light]

"Always carry duct tape, if women don't find you handsome, they'll at least find you handy." ~ Red Green

[@testtn]

I also had the pleasure of attending a taping. Rick is an extremely nice and welcoming host. I remember we all got to meet him and shake his hand. Much shorter than I expected. Lol

[@margaretjames6494]

As Rick mentions, it's not just about 'not knowing' about Canada - it's about the willingness/right to offer an opinion on something they don't know anything about!

[@Basileus84]

The eagerness many of them willing to bomb Saskatchewan, despite not knowing where or what it is, that's telling.

[@sharcon3891]

American gullibility has brought the country to where it is in 2024 November. The concept of critical thinking does not exist in the U.S.

[@Zlata1313]

Rick is another of our national treasures.❤🇨🇦

[@barryrodomar8820]

This was amazing to go down memory lane. Rick was ahead of his time and truly pushed the limit of how people will say anything if they hear a trigger word like “bombing” or “slaughter” without consideration for any other word in the sentence. Mulroney was a Canadian Prime Minister. Bouchard was the Premiere of Quebec.

[@valeriehills71]

We love Rick. A classic Canadian with an incredible sense of humour 👍🤣💗🇨🇦

[@KarenBrauweiler-fk8yl]

I'm a Canadian 👍 and I love, love Rick Mercer! He had for several years his own show called The Rick Mercer Report where he travelled across Canada promoting local festivals and events that he himself would participate in. Very funny, handsome and a comedian. Miss him on TV so this video was great to watch. And him ❤️

[@loriburnip]

I wish he would come back. His kind of intelligent humour is so educational and that's needed nowadays. Maybe he could teach people how to take a freaking joke again & not be so offended all the time. Both Rick Mercer in Canada and Jon Stewart in America are needed back on TV to help educate the ignorant. We learn much more from Comedy news shows like that than we do from the actual news, it's been proven that people retain more when it's funny like this. Rick's rants about political issues were brilliant!

[@TheCrayonMaster]

​@@loriburnipI miss his rants, they were so good

[@joelmacdonald6994]

@@TheCrayonMasterhis “Rants” were the best. He published a book of them.

[@TheCrayonMaster]

@@joelmacdonald6994 oh, I know!

[@tylersdog]

Oh my god, I am so glad you've discovered Rick Mercers' 'Talking to Americans'. When you're Canadian, it's difficult to escape the American presence down south. They're wonderful people but frightfully ignorant of us, so Mercer uses that very, very well. And trust me, for a Canadian, there's a LOT of jokes in there, politicians names and French phrases...for a truly satisfying laugh, you should see if you can find the episode where Mercer goes to Washington, D.C. where lots of politicians betray their ignorance in a spectacular manner!

[@mayberelevant3237]

And when he went to Yale telling them Canada was closing their only university Easton’s U !! And he got a professor on who had no clue and urged us not to close our ONLY University !!

[@cattymajiv]

Mark Critch took over doing them. As far as I know he still does them now and then. They are a very old tradition on the CBC, from well before Rick or 60 Minutes.

[@ktkat1949]

@@mayberelevant3237 My favourite was getting Bush to congratulate Canada on finally having dial phones!!

[@joelmacdonald6994]

Good way of wording it. I truly love Americans, I think they’re great people, but ignorant as all heck. It’s not malicious, but they are. There’s a few rotten apples, but let’s not pretend that Canada doesn’t have that too. And they’re also generally pretty hospitable; granted, I’m Caucasian and haven’t spent much time in the south, so I don’t want to trivialize some of experiences I’ve heard. I haven’t had a bad time in the US ever.

[@dlpowers3898]

If you are a Canadian you will know of Rick Mercer immediately. You can tell he's from Newfoundland with the hard "R"s and Irish tones in his accent. He is most known from CBC Television comedy shows This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Rick Mercer Report. He is so funny in this video especially his funny impressions of Americans and how he interviews average people in the street. Thanks for sharing Mert

[@minkorrh]

Of course we would know who he is. We literally paid to see him as taxpayers. The only saving grace is that he was actually funny, unlike anything that has been brought to the fore in the past decade. If anyone opens their mouth to say 'Hannah Gadsby' I'll shove my fucking metaphorical foot in it.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

He liked a bit of fun with folk from all walks of life in these segments, Canadians included. For me, it was his political rants that truly set him apart in the Canadian comedy scene. This Hour Has 22 Minutes gave us many great comedians, mainly poking fun at us as a nation.

[@Mystic_Light]

Oh gosh. I once knew a fellow who lived in Oregon, he thought that at the border the land turned into ice and snow and we Canadians drove husky driven sleds! Boy was he shocked by the photos I sent him. Rick is great, his sense of humour is bar none and it's freaking fantastic!

[@lindaberg1695]

Oh yeah!! In my travels in the US, they thought we lived in Igloos and used dog sleds....

[@nodsib]

I was living in Victoria BC, got a wrong number phone call from a guy in Texas I believe it was right around Christmas time, and Texas at the time was having some bad winter weather. When he found out he accidentally called the wrong person, and got someone in Canada rather than whoever it was in the US they were trying to call, he said he can only imagine how bad the winter must be for us right now if it was blizzard in Texas it must be even worse here. He was pretty shocked to learn it was extremely mild, well above freezing and I had been working outside in a t shirt that day lol.

[@MrTroySinister]

😂

[@janicetaylor2025]

Oh my goodness, Rick Mercer is an absolute Canadian Legend! His show "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" was brilliant. He had the best humorous take on Canadian politics and politics in general. He could get politicians to play along and say the funniest things. As mentioned below in another comment, his rants at the end of his shows were spot on. SO funny! I really miss good comedy shows like this now. You will find the East Coast of Canada has some of the best comedians. We have a very sarcastic sense of humor, I think similar to Scottish people. Maybe that's why you get the connection so well. So much talent on the East Coast. We really liked Ron James from Nova Scotia also. Saw him in person and sat in front row and my sides hurt from laughing. I am really enjoying your videos Mert and look forward to you discovering more of Canada. Big shoutout from here on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Here's wishing lots of success for your channel.

[@Sp33gan]

From a west coast Taylor to you on the east coast, Janice, I have to agree with you. Seeing Ron James made my sides hurt for days from laughing so much. Most of the cast of 22 Minutes were east coasters and I loved the fun sense of humour. Subtle, yet pointing right at their target. All I have to do is hear how someone pronounces the word "hard" and I know where they're from. ♥ For many years I played in a Celtic Rock band and a lot of our audiences were transplanted east coasters. No matter the show, they were always the most fun, knowing how to have fun without causing trouble. Generally, the Canadian sense of humour leans more towards the subtle sarcasm of the UK, as opposed to the wild physical comedy that most Americans love. I never 'got' the in your face humour of Seinfeld, yet I love the more cerebral George Carlin.

[@janicetaylor2025]

@@Sp33gan I agree 100%

[@cattymajiv]

@@Sp33gan I totally agree with every word! I had a lot of Newfie friends, and they were THE BEST. I still miss them so badly! So different from everyone else, so funny, generous and out going! There's saying that goes "There are no price tags on the doors in Newfoundland."

[@jillackerman6047]

Ron James is actually from New Brunswick. And Lorne Elliot from Montreal is one of the funniest Canadian comedians ever! I loved "Madly Off in All Directions" on CBC radio every Sunday - and Lorne could do a 2.5-hour live show that was pee your pants funny and never utter a curse word.

[@jameslatimer3600]

That wasn't "his show", by the way. He only got on the show because the two hilarious ladies already part of it insisted that he be allowed on. I loved when those two women dressed up, as oldies shuffling along chit chatting.

[@valnauffts9965]

As a Canadian I thought this was hilarious ! Americans know very little about Canada, that is absolutely true ,but this is on another level .Rick Mercer is a Canadian treasure ,so damm funny ! Loved this thank you for the belly laughs !

[@CayleeG]

Americans know very little about anything outside their borders. Their public education is abysmal. Also, the US is an insular country and culture, who has no interest in knowing anything beyond their white picket fences.

[@globalwarmhugs7741]

Agreed. His rants, tho!! Those were worth putting into a book. I pick it up when I need a chuckle.

[@christhornycroft3686]

The whole 1 hour special is hilarious. It's epic. His interviews with Americans are amazing.

[@AnitaKoorn-qp8hu]

This was aired in the early nineties. It was part of a TV show called ' This Hour has 22 minutes

[@MrGG1959]

These were specials that Rick did while working for the CBC show This Hour has 22 Minutes. He then began doing his own show The Rick Mercer Report. These were done in late 1999, and the early 2000's.

[@zenobyte6067]

Canada's favorite pastime.. Making fun of Americans....

[@wolfebeardsnarl5691]

Because it is just so damn easy😁 #merica 🤡

[@ReasonablyLate]

Rick Mercer is a real Canadian treasure. He's a political type Comedian who had a show on CBC for quite a while

[@patricialittle2406]

Being Canadian I can confirm Americans do travel north for medications. With regards Sasketchewan, unless the tourists get their meds there, Americans might only know Toronto and Niagara Falls. Rick Mercer is an idol.

[@johnp5990]

Yes Americans get most medications from Canada, but NOT insulin. The US government made insulin contraband to allow US pharmaceutical companies to charge an exorbitant amount of money ($98.70 vs $12 per unit). If you are a non-American diabetic, you are allowed to bring up to 90 days worth of insulin for yourself but it's subject to being confiscated without reason. EDIT: deleted part that may or may not be accurate.

[@pvdogs2]

@@johnp5990 I know someone who comes to Canada for insulin and they never ever have any issues taking it back into the US.

[@johnp5990]

@@pvdogs2 Thanks for letting me know. I know someone who needs insulin and when I researched if they were allowed to bring it with them on vacation, that's the information I got. The information may have been outdated or just wrong. Either way I'm glad people can get it when needed.

[@pvdogs2]

@@johnp5990 I think the max amount they allow is 3 months worth of the medication, Best to check with customs.

[@matthewpackard1184]

I read this post 22 hours after it went up.

[@annamarieholtom6182]

I think you have to be Canadian (like me) to really appreciate the humour. Mercer uses the term TETE DU MERDE ...check out the French translation! Most of the people he refers to were well known Canadian politicians. Mulroney was our Prime Minister. (That was quite a while ago so you can be excused for not knowing!😊😊). I love your reactions. Very entertaining.

[@sharongaskell]

SH** Head--- still laughing. Rick truly was a pioneer ..

[@russellsketchley8830]

I met Rick Mercer on the set of a show he starred in called "Made in Canada". I was an extra on three occasions. The first time, I was sitting in a restaurant when the main characters walked in and everybody watched them. Rick happened to make eye contact with me on the first take and made sure to do the exact same thing on every take after that. The next time I was on, some months later, he recognized me as someone who'd been on set before and introduced himself, shook my hand, and chatted with me for about 10 minutes during a break. It was a hot day, and he sent someone over to a nearby Tim Horton's to get an iced cappucino for everyone on set. He's a really nice guy. His book, Talking to Canadians, is sort of a memoir about his childhood, his starting in show business, and his career, including how the whole "Talking to Americans" thing came about. Definitely worth the read!

[@Rockmobile1]

Rick Mercer is a true Canadian icon!!! He couldn’t be more Canadian if you covered him in maple syrup and poutine gravy while he was being attacked by a Canada Goose who had to stop eating his ketchup chips because he was being chased by an angry beaver who had his tail accidentally stepped on by a moose that was trying to escape a polar bear. 🇨🇦 (FYI That’s why beaver’s tails are so flat)

[@pengster2592]

😂

[@susansimons5577]

👍

[@TheFionaS]

😂😂😂

[@sherryquast7463]

😂😂

[@ladyofwildrose]

Hilarious and all true of course!! 😉😜

[@daylightmarch9966]

I love Rick Mercer! A Canadian treasure. He is a comedian from Newfoundland and one of the stars of This Hour Has 22 Minutes. This video of him talking to Americans is one of my all time favourites. I watch it every year!

[@Orange_Fever]

The Rick Mercer Report was one of my most favourite shows growing up. I think it was every Thursday night that it would air and I was always excited after school to see where he went next. Some great Canadian television. I only see Rick Mercer on the telly during New Years now, as the show no longer runs. I'll add to this. The show consisted of 2 segments where he would visit 2 different places in Canada and partake in an activity (Practically reporting about it). He would also have a rant that lasted 5 mins and just before every commercial break he would have his own skit commercials that were usually poking fun at other commercials. When doing the outro, he would also nod to a photo contest where on his website you'll find a photo and people would photoshop it into something funny, which I often enjoyed. This particular video I believe was a segment on another Canadian show "This Hour has 22 Minutes" but I may be incorrect.

[@mayberelevant3237]

No you are right 😊❤

[@cattymajiv]

This is an ancient tradition on the CBC that predates both shows. They've been done since I was a kid in the 70s, but only sporadically, otherwise they would lose their humor. That's an aspect of humor that the Brits know, but Americans don't. This Hour Has 60 Minutes is a very old show too. When Rick got his start on tv it was on that show. The Mercer Report was 1 of his regular skits on 60 Minutes, and Talking to Americans was an even older CNC tradition that then began being done periodically on 60 Minutes. Rick was so funny and popular that The Mercer Report was expanded to become his own show. This is a CBC tradition. I saw this type of thing long ago, even as a kid in the 70s, but I forget the name of the show or shows back then, because it was so long ago, and they have only ever been done sporadically. So there might have been more than 1 CBC show that did it before 60 Minutes. Mark Critch still does them now on 60 Minutes, every so often, or he did the last time I checked. (I stopped watching regular tv years ago, because I can only get it by paying for cable.)

[@karendaley3184]

Yes, this was a recurring sketch on Thus Hour Has 22 Minutes, a "news" based comedy. The title is a parody of an old Canadian TV show, which was a weekly news digest called This Week Has Seven Days. The 22 minutes is because a half -hour program has 22 minutes of content and 8 minutes of advertisements.

[@heretoserve5023]

WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESENTING THIS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE! Rick Mercer is a national treasure and I wish I wish I wish I could have the privilege of explaining some of the subtleties of these segments that he made and the psychology behind the humour. I am going to get back to you on this but I just wanted to thank you for presenting this, watching this from your perspective just made my day! Thanks for sharing!😂

[@annzwarych3577]

He’s a national treasure!! So talented!! ❤️🇨🇦❤️

[@Zane1962]

Rick Mercer is a comedy GOD! LOVE HIM!! His 'rants' are the best! He is SO smart.

[@reneedevry4361]

Rick Mercier is a classic. Granted, many of these Americains are lured in by Rick's smoothness and fast talking but 95% know absolutely nothing about Canada. He had a whole series of these "Talking to Americains" We all laughed for years. 🥰🇨🇦

[@jameslatimer3600]

Many Americans don't even know their own history. Some of them in San Antonio said I didn't know American history when I said it was too bad they lost to the Mexican army at the Alamo. It was like those 180 odd men fought off the whole Mexican army, period.

[@wendymacdonald9249]

Rick Mercer had his own show and it as most,y satire and poking fun. We love him in Canada. He is a comedian. We love him

[@Mystic_Light]

Calgary is in Alberta, a prairie province. It's a very long way from any ocean or seals...lol. Rick Mercer is definitely a Canadian treasure. I roared in laughter watching this and speaking for Canadians, we're so glad you enjoy him!

[@laurabolton1838]

It’s more funny when you recognize the names of all the Canadian politicians 😂

[@_Twink]

I love the joke about the inuit PM.

[@allytrudie864]

Mulroney should be on Mt Rushmore 😂 it has always been a shame a Canadian never made the lineup 😂

[@M_SC]

He didn’t get tete de merde either

[@SkiRedMtn]

I don’t think there’s enough room on Mt Rushmore for Mulroney’s chin! Ha!

[@averym7922]

Mulroney was a much-disliked Conservative PM. Bouchard was a politician who was also a Quebec separationist.

[@lindamcknight4790]

Rick Mercer is a terrific entertainer, writer, presenter. Canadian icon and treasure! ❤️

[@moniquehuchet3646]

As a Canadian who enjoyed Rick talking to American I was happy to revisite these episodes.

[@KelliReimer]

I have no words. Rick Mercer you are one of a kind. I am Canadian and yes loved "This Hour Has 22 Minutes".

[@cindyredmond572]

Lol. I was going to suggest Rick Mercer. So funny

[@lesliemccormick6527]

This NEVER gets old.

[@RBB52]

Rick Mercer is a Canadian treasure and his talents go far beyond the "Talking to Americans" pieces. His east coast background has served him well throughout his career. It has given him a mix of British and Canadian qualities that makes his humour so effective.

[@kf9346]

So much so that at least 2 political parties have trie dto lure him into running for them... never gonna happen!

[@justindman00]

The Rick Mercer Report was an amazing show the NEEDS to come back.

[@jcmore7971]

My favourite was when he convinced people that us Canadians place seniors on ice flows with timbits (I think) when they no longer became productive members of society. 😂😂😂

[@mariekean1473]

😂😂..omg, love Rick as a fellow Cdn and Newfie.

[@jcmore7971]

@@mariekean1473 🤣I think I am mistaking the seniors and timbits with pelting baby seals on ice flows with timbits 😁 Hello my fellow Canadian, it is on my bucket list to travel to Newfoundland! Met a great Newfie mum on my son's hockey team and I was hooked on her humour and openness ✌️👍🇨🇦

[@judycroteau482]

* ice floes - means a sheet of floating ice Ice flows - maybe like a Slushy??? because it is icy and you can pour it? idk 🤷‍♀️

[@TomHuston43]

@@judycroteau482 "floe" and "flow" are interchangeable.

[@judycroteau482]

@@TomHuston43 No, they are not but whatever you need to tell yourself. Maybe google it.

[@ssmele]

He’s one of our absolute favourites in Canada 🇨🇦

[@janiceshea9498]

Rick Mercer is a national Canadian treasure. His segments on “This hour has 22 Minutes” were always priceless. After 9/11, however, he discontinued these routines out of respect for what the U.S. had undergone. He also had his own show, The Rick Mercer Report, with stunts and guest stars galore. The one with Jann Arden is particularly wonderful! At present (2023) he is 53 years old and has written several very good books. He has honorary degrees from 9 universities and is an officer of The Order of Canada. Way to go Rick!

[@marilyn1228]

The one with Jan Arden and him on the Calgary Tower? Priceless! He even proposed to her because she was such a good sport, which made it even funnier.

[@Silkytoaster]

Yeah I remember that - after 9/11 he made an announcement that out of respect for America he would no longer do the “ talking to America “ segment . This just speaks to the character and compassion of Rick Mercer .

[@traceye.6428]

Have you seen the episode where Rick goes to Algonquin Park to tag a hibernating bear with her wee bear cubs. Hilarious, and also sweet when he was holding a baby bear in his jacket and wanted to take it home.

[@amcab1625]

Rick Mercer is such a national treasure. Microphone on clip says '22'...which stands for This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He was on this ensemble show from 1993-2001. And then went on to headline the Rick Mercer Report (RMR) from 2004-2018. Have seen his stand up show also. Miss his comedy style. ❤ And btw Brian Mulroney was a Prime Minister of Canada (1984-1993). 😂

[@colettephilcox231]

As a fellow Canadian, I can attest the Rick Mercer is da bomb. It truly shows how much Americans truly know or care what they know about our great country.

[@Silkytoaster]

True Dat

[@Dustandfuzz]

They are like that with every country.

[@Rags2Itches]

Sitting here laughing so hard, I'm crying. I haven't seen this for years. Rick Mercer is pure genius. This Hour Has 22 Minutes, the best show ever.

[@troystevens1976]

This started as a segment on a mock Canadian news cast, “This Hour has 22 Minutes” …still hilarious.

[@LoriTalbot-du2qt]

I had forgotten how much I loved this show! Thanks for reacting to it!

[@shoknifeman2mikado135]

Hi Lori, my Mother is Noella Talbot; we are from the Talbot clan based in St Gervais Quebec, where my Grampa was born. Salut, cousine! 22 Mins was my fave show until Mercer and the rest of the original cast left the show.

[@bellissimom]

Ice floes That's my plan!

[@Macmannn]

Rick is a Canadian Legend! He could prank and bullshit his way into and out of anything.. still loving watching his show when I can find an episode !

[@BeverleyBleackley]

We love Rick Mercer here in Canada, a real national treasure. He has hosted many comedy shows, many of which spoof actual news items,

[@mxcafx]

Rick Mercer is a Canadian treasure. My Favourite comedy show. I'm so sad he's not doing it anymore. Love the channel!

[@Sammy_019]

Rick is a genius! The response from Americans is fun because we Canadians know so much more about the US than they would know about Canada. We get all their shows movies tv and news! I think that show ended 15 + years ago. Rick was in several satirical 1/2 hour comedy shows then was given his own shows. “Talking to Americans” was a segment of that show but because of its popularity he had a couple specials.

[@christinereed5036]

The lack of knowledge that Americans have about Canada has always given us great comic value!! Rick Mercer was on a Canadian show called "This Hour has 22 Minutes" and he's a national treasure. He's from Newfoundland.

[@PoliticalJunky101]

He’s a Canadian gem and icon. Basically, he’s a genius. That’s all AND he’s absolutely hilarious 😂

[@carolmurphy7572]

So glad you took the recommendation to react to "Talking To Americans!" Rick Mercer is a comic genius who hails from Newfoundland and starred in Canadian tv shows "This Hour Has 22 Minutes", followed by his own show, "The Mercer Report". You'll notice on the microphone in the video you reviewed, the name "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" appears on the microphone, which leads the public to believe they are being interviewed by a legitimate Canadian news program. It is the name of a weekly satirical news program on CBC television in Canada. Rick was a part of the cast, as well as a writer on the show. They reported on current events, and presented funny questions during political press conferences and had private interviews with provincial and national politicians. Occasionally, Rick would take a crew south and question U.S. politicians during their campaigns, fitting in among the scrum of political reporters. These clips were hilarious and a huge hit with the Canadian audience, so he expanded to asking the general public silly questions about Canada and Canadian politicians, subjects about which they knew little, if anything at all (obviously). As the clips were presented as part of the weekly program were such a huge hit, he took the show on the road and made 2 hit tv specials "Talking to Americans". It was perhaps a more innocent time, but so many Americans gave strong opinions on subject matter they knew nothing about. They had never heard of our Prime Ministers Chretien or Mulroney, or of Gilles Duceppe (former leader of the Official Opposition Party in Canada, proponent of the Quebec Sovereignty movement and head of the Bloc Québécois); of course, they were current Canadian politicians at the time of filming. Most Americans, even those who were educated in the fields about which they were questioned, had never heard of the politicians, suspected nothing when questioned about fictitious military actions supposedly being taken by their own country, or something as silly as Canada moving from a 20-hour a day clock to a 24-hour one!Even the name of the Province of Saskatchewan was unfamiliar, and they obviously had no idea that it or its neighboring province of Alberta are landlocked and would have had nothing to do with a seal hunt or a cod fishery! Mercer has written several books since retiring from his successful tv career and has moved back home to Newfoundland. You also asked about the references to Bouchard. Lucienne Bouchard was the Premier of the Province of Quebec at the time, and Mercer had them refer to him as "tête du merde", which translates to "shit head". And as much fun as it was to poke a little fun (taking the piss out of them, a the British might say), I agree with you that the majority of people interviewed and asked to recite a phrase, sing a song, or even answer a question were just generally nice people trying to be friendly and accommodating to who they thought was a Canadian news reporter. The phrase you didn't quite catch was "Congratulations Canada on getting "Grade 9" (junior high school level/ 9th year). Cheers!

[@darkjedi447]

Hey, I'm from Toronto, Canada and I love your channel!! It's so fun. The Rick Mercer reactions were hilarious. If you haven't already, would you consider doing a reaction to Canada's beloved rock band RUSH? The Canadian trio have been making music since the 70s and only recently stopped performing a few years back, due to the death of their legendary drummer, Neil Peart. One great clip to watch of theirs, to show how popular they were, would be to watch their induction into the rock and roll hall of fame. When the show's host started naming the groups to be inducted, at the beginning of the show, he was about to name RUSH, but before he even got to saying their name, they got a standing ovation...I don't believe that has ever happened for any other group/solo artist ever. It was a special moment. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer for you. Thanks for reading my comment. Keep smiling!🇨🇦🎸👍🙂

[@commanderdeckard3003]

I met him once at the Royal Ontario Museum with my family when I was a kid. We saw him as we were walking in and they were actually filming for some medieval exhibit thing that was going on. It surprised me just how short he was in person but still commanded everyone's attention with ease. We watched the Rick Mercer report every week so it was a really special day out for all of us.

[@Nikki7B]

Oh man, I loved Rick Mercer report. Never missed an episode. We love him. Lol

[@noadlor]

Thanks for playing this. The Rick Mercer show was great. Laughing at Americans is just one thing he did. He had us laughing at our own country as well. It's all in good fun.

[@greendruid33]

Rick Mercer was gaining fame as a regular on a show that was called "This Hour Has 22 Minutes". When he left the show, he did this special as a breakout thing on his own before landing his own show, "The Rick Mercer Report". Like the UK, we fund our comedians on TV shows with public money through the CBC. Some love it, some hate it. But it has been the source of many great Canadian talents over the years.

[@pjj5824]

Classic Mercer! So many Canadian jokes! These segments are just hilarious from a Canadian perspective.

[@pennieottawa5151]

I’m pretty sure this started on “The Mercer Report”, and there are two specials. Rick Mercer is a national treasure for we Canadians.

[@SchlichteToven]

The seal hunting question was brilliant because it was an actual news item at the time, but he used landlocked provinces as the places where the seal hunting was being carried out.

[@mariekean1473]

Lol..Saskatchewan..omg too funny.

[@lauralane4808]

I had a cousin from Edinburgh who did a summer semester at Harvard. When they found out that Scotland was a country, students there told her that her English was really good and asked her if she had trouble translating.

[@wolfebeardsnarl5691]

Thick as stumps #merica 🤡

[@timkeenan7419]

It started as a skit in this hour has 22 minutes, a satirical show about Canadian life. It was so hugely popular that it became its own hour long special. I watch it every year.

[@chutomagh9946]

Mulroney was the Canadian prime minister who sought to bring Canada and the US closer, ironically, by emphasizing that both he and Reagan were Irish.

[@TianaMaher]

So hilarious! Canadian here, glad to have found you:D

[@katfinn9352]

Hi! Thank you for this great reaction. I laughed so hard. Sorry to poke fun at Americans...but it's hard to resist some times. You can see that they meant well and were good sports.

[@luckyskittles8976]

Love Rick Mercer! Should check out his Rick Mercer Report, such as when he went Bungee Jumping with Rick Hansen. Have you done Rick Hansen, "The Man in Motion" tour, he's wheelchair bound?, another Canadian hero.

[@thomasdempsey721]

Rick Mercer is a Canadian gem. Our John Stewart. Too bad he's seemingly retired!!

[@johnbrowne2170]

Much smarter than Stewart.

[@leslies.5541]

I was born in Regina (the former Queen's middle name) Saskatchewan. I love how Rick Mercer gets people to say it should be bombed! It's a lot of farm land! Also "tete du merd" is Sh*t Head😂😂❤

[@sharcon3891]

merde

[@donnarutherford3591]

Love Rick Mercer. I really miss his weekly show. Citizens of the USA know very little about Canada. That's why he so easily got them to believe the craziest things. I've watched "An American Reacts to". He reviews videos of Canada and is slowly learning what Canada and Canadians are all about.

[@wilfbentley6738]

Mercer is a famous icon of Canadian TV and media. He has done quite a few segments of "Talking To Americans". Its always amazing how ignorant some Americans are. Some of them are ignorant about the USA, certainly about the rest of the world too. He is always full of satire and sarcasm.

[@chrisjoyal7176]

this just scratches the surface of the comedic genius that is Rick Mercer. My favourite joke of his was the bit about Canada thinking of changing the $5 bill into a coin, and that it would join the Loonie ($1) and Toonie ($2) as a named coin. It would have a wood grain finish on it and be called the Woody. He had Americans say "congratulations Canada, on getting your very first woody"

[@SharonFromNB]

Yes, I remember that one too! He said the $5 coin would be as large as the palm of our hand. 😂 Comedic genius indeed!

[@ivannano]

My favorite Rick Mercer line was how he came out to his mother. She knew he had a 'roommate' and just before he escorted her into his new apartment, he said 'By the way, there's only 1 bedroom'. Classic Newfoundland humour.

[@mikewoods8565]

That is hilarious, thank you

[@joelmacdonald6994]

Never heard this story. But I could see him saying it like that. Glad we’re largely past the point that even matters. Yeah, Rick occasionally gives off “the vibe”, but I’ve never cared, and I’m glad it hasn’t seemed to matter to most.

[@thesweetone]

Rick has done dozens of these videos. He is funny, I miss him doing videos like this as I grew up watching 22 minutes

[@janiceeglover2830]

It is from a cbc show this hour has 22 minutes. Rick mercer is brilliant😂😂😂😂😂

[@rose-annascea7865]

Rick Mercer is a legend in Canada. We loved him in 22 minutes and looked forward to these segments. To clarify, Mulroney was a past Prime Minister , Bouchard and Gill Decep were politicians from the Province of Quebec. Grade 9 is our 1st year of secondary school the level before College or University. In Canada in our curriculum we learn about the USA both history and geography. It really is amazing that while growing up in Northern Ontario in August where the temperature was 25 degrees Celsius we would have Americans asking us where they could go skiing.

[@michaelj3414]

A main personality on the CBC national broadcast stage, Rick is a national treasure. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they don't like him. The places he's naming are actually politicians names.

[@housetube-bc4lb]

This took me back and I loved watching your reactions, especially when he got Gov Huckabee. I watched This Hour has 22 MInutes every week with my mom and loved Talking to Americans; the crew of 22 Minutes had some great moments throughout the 90s and early 00s. It was very popular when it was originally aired and still holds up.

[@melissastory1993]

That was how I learned about a lot of Canadian politics when I was young 😂 I had to know who they were to get the jokes haha

[@VortekXtiik]

Rick Mercer is excellent, he used to go around and interview people and show the rest of Canada jobs or interesting things like the Canadian Mint, or helicopter logging in BC, he was funny as hell how he casually goes on about something so straight faced.

[@Stargazer-28]

😂😂😂. Thank you for the great laughs. Rick marcher was great. I loved watching him.

[@Cookie7294]

I love Rick Mercer, so funny. I anticipated his show each week and thoroughly enjoyed it.