Rick Mercer Deserves An Olympic Gold Medal

Rick Mercer should be named an honorary Canadian Olympian.

For one thing, the bits he does with Canadian Olympic athletes are hilarious, but at the same time show a great appreciation for the athletes and their sports.

Check out Rick trying out bobsleigh or biathlon or synchronized swimming and water polo.

Maybe Mercer keeps going back to the Olympians to do his shtick because he finds them so accommodating and easy to work with, but you also gets the sense that he understands what they're about and the contribution they make to the country.

His March 2 blog in which he takes up their cause with future funding on the line really shows that. He writes:

“And see this is the thing about governments; governments can take any amount of money and they can make it seem like a lot or a little. And we've been told over and over again that this government – this wonderful government – has spent over 55 million dollars over five years supporting amateur athletes. What a huge amount of money. Who's ever heard of such a sum? 55 million over five years. In fact it's the same amount of money this same government has spent in one year, in one Conservative riding, preparing for one G8 meeting. A meeting by the way that will last one day. Starts at nine, ends at five. And at the end of the day the only Canadian on a podium will be the prime minister. Never mind owning the podium this is more pass the Imodium.

“And my guess is when the meeting's done, no six year old is gonna be inspired to be the best in the world at anything. That is the job of our Olympians. Team Canada did their job now it's time we do ours and make sure the bucks don't stop here.”

Maybe Rick Mercer should be in that parade in Montreal later this month.

Comments

[Rob Snoek]

Well said Randy as always!

In addition for his support of Olympic sport, Rick Mercer is also a very strong advocate for Paralympic sport and does a remarkable job highlighting Canada's best athletes with a disability in a non patronizing way.

Keep up the good work.

Rob Snoek

[chris]

Why didn't Rick Mercer publicly challenge Stephen Colbert to a friendly cross border TV host Olympic competition of some sort when Colbert was putting his support behind the US speed skating team? It would have made for great publicity. Mercer is a cop out, IMO.