When the 香蕉视频直播淩ick Mercer Report香蕉视频直播� returns to CBC Tuesday night, the opening headline will be 香蕉视频直播淔inal Season.香蕉视频直播�
The Canadian comedian has decided to end the show in March after 15 seasons and 277 episodes.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Mercer said there was no 香蕉视频直播渟eismic event or epiphany that this should be the end. It香蕉视频直播檚 still the best job in the world.香蕉视频直播�
It was simply the right time, he said.
Mercer, who turns 48 next month, posted his announcement Monday in a specially taped rant to his 1.3 million Twitter followers.
It will be one of 264 rants he will have performed since the series premiered on Jan. 12, 2004 香蕉视频直播� all captured in various graffiti-strewn Toronto alleyways by director of photography Don Spence.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 incredibly proud of the show and everything we香蕉视频直播檝e done,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer.
To get ready for one last season, he flew thousands of kilometres this summer, taping segments 香蕉视频直播渇rom sea to sea to sea.香蕉视频直播� One 12-day trip saw him snorkelling in the Arctic Ocean off Cambridge Bay where Canadian underwater archeologists are based.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e way up there,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer. 香蕉视频直播淚t was fantastic.香蕉视频直播�
In P.E.I., he hung off the side of the Confederation Bridge with a maintenance crew.
香蕉视频直播淚 had nightmares for days afterwards,香蕉视频直播� he said.
A message from the alley...
香蕉视频直播� Rick Mercer (@rickmercer)
A stop on the B.C. coast saw him helping to release eagles into the wild. In rural Manitoba, he helped seniors paint a grain elevator.
香蕉视频直播淭hree coasts and a grain elevator,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer. 香蕉视频直播淵ou can香蕉视频直播檛 get more Canadian than that.香蕉视频直播�
All that travel left him with 香蕉视频直播渓uggage in my house in various stages of packed and unpacked for 15 years.香蕉视频直播�
He praised members of his road crew, including field producer John Marshall, who have been with him from the beginning.
He香蕉视频直播檚 proud of all the money raised for causes such as the malaria-prevention 香蕉视频直播淪pread the Net香蕉视频直播� campaign.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 engaged a whole bunch of young people in ways that just keeps on paying dividends,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer.
Just how lucky he香蕉视频直播檚 been hit him a few years ago when he struck up a conversation with a passenger on a plane.
香蕉视频直播淗e revealed to me, sadly, that he didn香蕉视频直播檛 have long to live,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer. 香蕉视频直播淭his man had compiled a bucket list of, like, a hundred things that he was going to do.
香蕉视频直播淪o he started explaining his bucket list to me, and I had to stop myself because everything he said, I was like, 香蕉视频直播極h, you香蕉视频直播檝e got to do that! It香蕉视频直播檚 great!香蕉视频直播�
Mercer realized that he香蕉视频直播檚 been living a bucket list life.
香蕉视频直播淵ou don香蕉视频直播檛 know how many people you might meet whose fondest dream is to fly in the back of a fighter jet,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播漌ell, I香蕉视频直播檝e done that three times.香蕉视频直播�
Related:
So why walk away from the best job in television?
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e done this before,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer, who was one of the founders of 香蕉视频直播淭his Hour Has 22 Minutes.香蕉视频直播� That series returns Tuesday night for its 25th season right after the 香蕉视频直播淢ercer Report.香蕉视频直播�
Mercer was 23 when 香蕉视频直播�22 Minutes香蕉视频直播� launched and left after eight seasons.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of people said, 香蕉视频直播榊ou香蕉视频直播檙e mad, why would you walk away from this?香蕉视频直播� said Mercer, 香蕉视频直播淪ometimes you have to take a chance.香蕉视频直播�
What followed was a five-season run on the sitcom 香蕉视频直播淢ade in Canada.香蕉视频直播� He also scored huge ratings with his 香蕉视频直播淭alking to Americans香蕉视频直播� comedy special. Factor in 香蕉视频直播淢ercer Report香蕉视频直播� and he will have been a key part of the CBC schedule for 25 consecutive seasons.
Now that the series is ending, will politicians be clamouring for one last appearance? Mercer shot segments with everyone from former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chretien to NDP leadership hopeful Jagmeet Singh. He香蕉视频直播檚 shied away from that lately, 香蕉视频直播渂ut if Bob Rae wants to get naked again for one last skinny dip, he香蕉视频直播檚 welcome.香蕉视频直播�
He swears he香蕉视频直播檚 not leaving to write a book or accept a Senate appointment. He香蕉视频直播檚 not angling for a raise or 香蕉视频直播渓ooking to spend more time with my family.香蕉视频直播� And he promises he won香蕉视频直播檛 grow a giant beard like David Letterman.
He doubts he香蕉视频直播檒l change his mind, either.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of people who香蕉视频直播檝e worked on this show for a long time,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e like family in many ways. They deserve the heads-up.香蕉视频直播�
Mercer talked it over with his partner at home and work, executive producer Gerald Lunz. It was their call to go out on top.
香蕉视频直播淵ou leave to protect the legacy of the show,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what you have to do.香蕉视频直播�
What will he do next?
香蕉视频直播淚 honestly don香蕉视频直播檛 know the answer,香蕉视频直播� said Mercer. 香蕉视频直播淩ight now, I just want this to be the best season ever.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播� Bill Brioux is a freelance TV columnist based in Brampton, Ont.
Bill Brioux, The Canadian Press
