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  • Talking to Canadians

  • A Memoir
  • Written by: Rick Mercer
  • Narrated by: Rick Mercer
  • Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (757 ratings)

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Talking to Canadians

Written by: Rick Mercer
Narrated by: Rick Mercer
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Publisher's Summary

Instant number one national best seller

Canada's beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time.

What is Rick Mercer going to do now? That was the question on everyone's lips when the beloved comedian retired his hugely successful TV show after 15 seasons - and at the peak of its popularity. The answer came not long after, when he roared back in a new role as stand-up-comedian, playing to sold-out houses wherever he appeared.

And then COVID-19 struck. And his legions of fans began asking again: What is Rick Mercer going to do now? Well, for one thing, he's been writing a comic masterpiece. For the first time, this most private of public figures has turned the spotlight on himself, in a memoir that's as revealing as it is hilarious. In riveting anecdotal style, Rick charts his rise from highly unpromising schoolboy (in his reports "the word 'disappointment' appeared a fair bit") to the heights of TV fame. Along the way came an amazing break when, not long out of his teens, his one-man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It. Or, Charles Lynch Must Die, became an overnight sensation - thanks in part to a bizarre ambush by its target, Charles Lynch himself. That's one story you won’t soon forget, and this book is full of them.

There's a tale of how little Rick helped himself to a tree from the neighbors' garden that's set to become a new Christmas classic. There's Rick the aspiring actor, braving "the scariest thing I have ever done in my life" by performing with the Newfoundland Shakespeare Company; unforgettable scenes with politicians of every variety, from Jean Chretien to George W. Bush to Stockwell Day; and a wealth of behind-the-scenes revelations about the origins and making of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada, and Talking to Americans. All leading of course to the greenlighting of that mega-hit, Rick Mercer Report....

It's a life so packed with incident (did we mention Bosnia and Kabul?) and laughter we can only hope that a future answer to "What is Rick Mercer going to do now?" is: "Write volume two."

©2021 Rick Mercer (P)2021 Doubleday Canada

What the critics say

"Talking to Canadians: [a] funny, pitfall-strewn, no-holds-barred memoir from the ranting TV uproarist, edge-walker, envelope-pusher and pot-stirrer who once talked me into impersonating a goalie!" (Margaret Atwood, via Twitter)

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What listeners say about Talking to Canadians

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Don't pay for someone to scream at you for 10 hrs.

Rick Mercer's reading of his own book gave me a headache. I have watched most of all of his 22 minutes performances, and rarely missed a Mercer Report. I loved his rants and have all of his books. But my eyesight is deteriorating due to type 2 diabetes, (which he pronounces incorrectly as he does numerous other words) so I decided to buy his latest book on audible.
From the first chapter his rushed, loud, aggressive reading of his book sounded more like ten hours of his rants than a memoir. I expected a memoir to sound more like a person sitting across the table from you telling a story. Had he been in a public establishment when reading this book, he would have, been asked to please quiet down, or worse, to leave.
The story was disappointing. It essentially skipped over the people and place that made him, and went to a short description of his time spent at St. John's theatre scene, followed by his time with This Hour Has 22 Minutes. That is the story. We didn't even get to " Talking to Canadians", the title of the book, essentially the story of the Mercer Report. In fact, Mercer's partner suggested he call "The Mercer Report", talking to Canadians. Instead the whole story is about his time with 22 Minutes. I loved 22 Minutes and rarely missed a Mercer Report, his rants were eagerly awaited every week. But listening to a rant for 10 hours is a bit much. Greg Malone, the director of the reading, and former member of Codco, did Mr. Mercer a disservice, in that he did not quiet him down, nor slow him down. Not to mention, the grammatical errors. Our heart, our mind. A grade
six kid knows that two people cannot share a heart or a mind. Try our hearts, our minds. And the words he mispronounces
are numerous. For a brilliant man, there is no excuse. I found nothing in the book that didn't appear on 22 Minutes and was disappointed in the lack of personal anecdotes and information. After all, wasn't this a memoir? Final thoughts: buy the book, but not on audible. No one needs someone reading at a heavy metal decibel. Even when you turn it down, the book sounds like a rant. A rant that the author has to get through in a hurry. So he emphasizes every word, rushes the reading, and makes listening very uncomfortable. I am from NL, so I know it has nothing to do with where he is from. Also he hasn't lived there for any length of time for more than 30 years. Sorry Rick, have someone else read the next one, or have a coach teach you to tone it down.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Rick Mercer Amazing!!!

A smart, funny, brilliant man. He says he was just lucky. Well I for one am very glad he was lucky because we all benefit from his outspoken view and his kindness.
Thank you Rick Mercer for giving us a little joy in what can be a crappy place at times.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful as always

Loved remembering some of the political events in Canadian history (recent)
Loved Ricks Natural story telling way!
Great book

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must listen for all Canadians!!

Are you Canadian?? Than you need to listen to this book! You can tell Rick loves Canada and is a proud Newfoundlander!!

Can’t wait for your sequel!!!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best listen Ina while

If you could only listen to one book this year, make it this one. Fantastic

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Fun!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Laughed out loud and appreciated the subtle Canadian humour. A book for our times.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent!

Very entertaining, and extremely interesting to hear the "actual stories behind the stories. Rick does an excellent job narrating....and you can still "hear" when he is talking too fast or too loud LOL (you will have to listen to/read the book to appreciate that). The book is very good by itself but it is a real treat being read by Rick; it's what he does really well...talking to Canadians. It's a laugh-out-loud book that will have you cheering for the brilliant successes Rick and his team had on CBC. It warmed my patriotic heart! I actually listened to it twice and enjoyed it the second time just as much. Thanks Rick! Please do another!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Best I’ve Read in Awhile

I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time over a book .. loved it so much, bought the next book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Worth every minute

I enjoyed everything in this book.
The only disappointing part was when it ended.
I will now proceed to enjoy any other Rick Mercer offering I can find.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

Rick is a Canadian Icon .. loved and laughed my way through this fantastic audible book.

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