To the best of my knowledge, Rick Mercer has never said the words "I'm gay" on CBC. He's out in the queer press but never where his little old lady fans in Halifax might see it. Like John Baird, Anderson Cooper and other "don't ask, don't tell" types, the silence leads to a continued persecution.
I agree Dan, and believe bullying that leads to suicide should be charged a hate crime. Short of that, bullies must be ajudicated and their parents held accountable.
What a brutally hypocritical rant. I respected Rick Mercer until now. How disappointing. "If you're gay and in public life...you can't be invisible. Not anymore." Sure, Rick, sure. Get off that high fucking horse and show your own colors, hmm?
I had this EXACT conversation with a teacher who came to one of our occupy group's assemblies. I've always wanted to go back to the middle school where I was bullied and talk to them.
rick mercer is not out???!!!! where the fuck have you been!!!! How dare you!!!! you snide, uninformed, catty bitches. just because you weren't aware does give you the right to undercut his contribution and voice because you lack the mental capacity to use Google.
@15
You're right. Until someone gets killed - or kills themselves. That's when the police should come in. It's not ok to place the blame on the victim, to insinuate that the poor kid couldn't stand normal playground fist-fights. Police should come in so those bullies know it's not just fun and games. If my kid bullied someone to suicide, I'd both think I'd failed as a parent, and if I was so dumb, I think a visit from the police might make me think what we'd been doing wrong.
@14
Woah. "If you're gay and in public life...you can't be invisible. Not anymore." That is exactly what Mercer was doing. He, as someone in the public was using their media presence to raise awareness of the issue. Yes, Mercer is gay, but just because he doesn't shout it from the rooftops doesn't make him a hypocrite. His sexuality is his own business. Period. If he would rather base his career around his talent, intellect and political observations and not on his sexuality than he has every right to do so. He is in no way obligated to be Rick Mercer, gay political satirist, as opposed to Rick Mercer, political satirist.
Is there anything stopping bully names from being made public? Put up a web site where bully names , phone numbers and addresses can be put up. I was watching Rachel Maddow's show on the bullying of abortion providers (http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2011/09/…) and how the guy finally got sick of it and started his own web site called Voice of Choice (http://www.vochoice.org/) to contact the anti-choice protesters to stop harassing him.
Time we start doing the same thing with the bullies. Post up their addresses - we can go Occupy the sidewalk in front of their houses with stop-the-bullying signs.
@5: Rick Mercer has been out for nearly a decade. He's very private about his personal life, but he's hardly a "don't ask, don't tell" type, and he's public about his activism.
You don't have to gush on Oprah or its Canadian equivalent in order to be out.
A news article and photo of Mercer demonstrating against Catholic schools refusing to allow gay-straight alliances (note: this is a fully funded Catholic school system in the province of Ontario): http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Rick_M…
This is Canada. TV performers don't get asked about their personal lives in interviews - does anyone know who any of his former colleagues from 22 Minutes are dating/married to/living with?
He came out in an interview in the Globe and Mail - a national newspaper. He also spoke about it in Maclean's - a national newsmagazine - but this is still Canada. Do you really think eTalk or ET Canada were going to breathlessly report that Rick Mercer has been partnered with Gerald Lunz for the last 20 years? No one cares if our celebrities are gay because they aren't really celebrities in the first place.
As Mercer said in the article accompanying the video in the Toronto Star when he came out: “There was a big collective shrug. No one cared.”
As a public high school teacher, things like this will get better when the teachers get better. It's sad how not all teachers, behind closed doors, really care about this issue. Then again, not all administrators care *enough*.
@22--I never suggested Rick Mercer base his career on anything. But now that you mention it, yes, his talent etc will do just fine. And I couldn't give a rat's what his sexuality is. But he chose to go on a rant about gay public figures needing to be more open about being gay, so that they can be good role models for depressed and bullied kids--at least, that's how I interpret his comment "you can't be invisible. Not anymore." And fair enough.
But ask your average Canadian, they haven't read some article published in the Globe in 2004, and they probably don't sit around randomly thinking, "I wonder if Rick Mercer is gay? I better look that up on Google." Most people don't know he's gay. Does it matter? According to him in this rant, it does. And the fact that he's haranguing others for being invisible while not mentioning his own sexuality, that's a bit much.
@14: I just don't see the basis for your criticism. There's a difference between never having publicly admitted to being gay at all, and simply never mentioning it on his show.
If you want to find Mercer on the record saying he's gay, you need look no further than his It Gets Better video. Even in the Mercer Report clip from 2007 where he first discusses the subject of teen bullying it's clear from the way he jokes about the perks of being gay that is speaking from personal experience. I've thought it was understood he was gay for a long time now, is it really necessary to declare it outright now?
Rick Mercer has been openly gay for as long as I can remember. I've stood in the streets of Toronto during the pride parade and watched him ride by on a float in his underwear shooting off his water gun proudly. I don't know what more you expect from the guy. Should he grant the CBC permission to televise the sex he has with his husband? Here's the rant @31 mentions where he clearly describes some experiences he's had as a gay public figure. The man's out. Get over it.
@28- Does Elton John announce his queerness at every public event? Does Ellen start every show with Hi- I'm a lesbian? Does Neil Patrick Harris share his 'secret' during every broadcast of his sitcom? Even Dan Savage doesn't start every conversation announcing he's a GAY advice columnist.
The same is true for Rick Mercer. Do your homework.
Thursday Oct 27th: The Current on CBC radio one: Rick Mercer on Bullying.
Comedian Rick Mercer explains why he believes much of the bullying of young gay people could be prevented if more prominent gay Canadians publicly came out.
@27 You're absolutely right. We don't have the celebrity culture in Canada that the US and UK do. We pretty much leave them alone, especially if they're not doing anything gossip worthy. A guy in a 20+ year relationship is not going to catch the attention of Etalk etc. as a source of news. That may be a bit twisted, these days we probably should be giving celebs (gay or otherwise) with the commitment to stay in a relationship MORE attention, but that's not as exciting as gossip, so it doesn't make the 'news'. Basically if you want to know anything about a Canadian celebrity's personal life, you need to make the effort to find out.
I'm sorry LateBloomer you opinions don't really matter when you are trying to argue facts...the fact is you are wrong and to cling to you opinions given the evidence to the contrary is really kinda sad and not helping at all, you are part of the problem.
Hey Dan,
Here's Rick Mercer this morning on CBC's The Current Talking about bulling, his sexuality and the suicide of Jamie Hubley. http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/coming-up/2…
How many times does Rick Mercer have to come out. Here is is on National TV in Canada over a year ago telling a funny story about coming out of the closet. I don't think he appears as someone who is not open about his sexuality.
How many times does Rick Mercer have to come out? This is a clip of him from a year ago on National TV in Canada. He doesn't seem like he is hiding very much, but really? People think this is hiding his sexuality.
I've heard him tell this joke before on radio and TV
Huh. Thanks for the link SHPM. I stand corrected, and retract my disappointment. Sorry, Rick. Way too harsh.
But for the record, I met him and his partner one day at work. And whenever I mention this to someone, rather than being awestruck by my famous friends they invariably say: "Really? I never knew he was...." Maybe we all live under the same rock.
As a parent I find the supposition that parents would ALLOW bullying just crushing. It sure as he'll isn't that way here (because we know better by experience that given an opportunity, everyone can get along?). In this time of economic insecurity I think it is important to note: taking interest and supporting public education quality is a great way to keep your housing investment value high. Or, to put it another way, "stupid is as stupid does". Everyone loses when this kind of bullshit is ignored.
It makes me wonder what kind of hell the perpetrator is passing along from home.
Latebloomer, earlier this year I saw The Smurfs with my aunt and afterwards mentioned that NPH was expecting while filming this movie dealing with impending fatherhood. And my aunt asked who his wife was.
If there are people unaware that Neil Patrick Harris is gay, then surely there can be people unaware of Rick Mercer's sexuality. There's a huge segment of the population that isn't remotely interested in the sexual orientation of celebrities.
Canada has a unique attitude towards celebrity. I'll share a story from a few years back. I was at the local butcher, and one of the other customers was Scott Thompson, from The Kids in the Hall. All the customers and staff put on a fine show of ignoring him. Once he'd been served and left, we all started talking about him. One of the employees hadn't recognized him and asked her colleague why she hadn't pointed him out.
Her response: "I was afraid you might say something to him."
My aunt, incidentally, had the same response when I asked her why she hadn't pointed out Malcolm MacDowell to me in a hotel lobby.
This is not a country where it's easy to come out and have anyone notice.
"Each day, there are approximately 12 youth suicides." -American Association of Suicidology
I predict it'll be post #25
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla…
You're right. Until someone gets killed - or kills themselves. That's when the police should come in. It's not ok to place the blame on the victim, to insinuate that the poor kid couldn't stand normal playground fist-fights. Police should come in so those bullies know it's not just fun and games. If my kid bullied someone to suicide, I'd both think I'd failed as a parent, and if I was so dumb, I think a visit from the police might make me think what we'd been doing wrong.
Woah. "If you're gay and in public life...you can't be invisible. Not anymore." That is exactly what Mercer was doing. He, as someone in the public was using their media presence to raise awareness of the issue. Yes, Mercer is gay, but just because he doesn't shout it from the rooftops doesn't make him a hypocrite. His sexuality is his own business. Period. If he would rather base his career around his talent, intellect and political observations and not on his sexuality than he has every right to do so. He is in no way obligated to be Rick Mercer, gay political satirist, as opposed to Rick Mercer, political satirist.
Time we start doing the same thing with the bullies. Post up their addresses - we can go Occupy the sidewalk in front of their houses with stop-the-bullying signs.
He hit that shit out of the park.
You don't have to gush on Oprah or its Canadian equivalent in order to be out.
References:
An interview from 2004 where he discusses being outed in the Globe & Mail, a national newspaper:
http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertain…
A news article and photo of Mercer demonstrating against Catholic schools refusing to allow gay-straight alliances (note: this is a fully funded Catholic school system in the province of Ontario):
http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Rick_M…
This is Canada. TV performers don't get asked about their personal lives in interviews - does anyone know who any of his former colleagues from 22 Minutes are dating/married to/living with?
He came out in an interview in the Globe and Mail - a national newspaper. He also spoke about it in Maclean's - a national newsmagazine - but this is still Canada. Do you really think eTalk or ET Canada were going to breathlessly report that Rick Mercer has been partnered with Gerald Lunz for the last 20 years? No one cares if our celebrities are gay because they aren't really celebrities in the first place.
As Mercer said in the article accompanying the video in the Toronto Star when he came out: “There was a big collective shrug. No one cared.”
But ask your average Canadian, they haven't read some article published in the Globe in 2004, and they probably don't sit around randomly thinking, "I wonder if Rick Mercer is gay? I better look that up on Google." Most people don't know he's gay. Does it matter? According to him in this rant, it does. And the fact that he's haranguing others for being invisible while not mentioning his own sexuality, that's a bit much.
Bullies should be arrested and prosecuted.
And what should be done to people who infect others with AIDS?
If you want to find Mercer on the record saying he's gay, you need look no further than his It Gets Better video. Even in the Mercer Report clip from 2007 where he first discusses the subject of teen bullying it's clear from the way he jokes about the perks of being gay that is speaking from personal experience. I've thought it was understood he was gay for a long time now, is it really necessary to declare it outright now?
Rick Mercer has been openly gay for as long as I can remember. I've stood in the streets of Toronto during the pride parade and watched him ride by on a float in his underwear shooting off his water gun proudly. I don't know what more you expect from the guy. Should he grant the CBC permission to televise the sex he has with his husband? Here's the rant @31 mentions where he clearly describes some experiences he's had as a gay public figure. The man's out. Get over it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USgEmz5WH…
The same is true for Rick Mercer. Do your homework.
Comedian Rick Mercer explains why he believes much of the bullying of young gay people could be prevented if more prominent gay Canadians publicly came out.
Here's Rick Mercer this morning on CBC's The Current Talking about bulling, his sexuality and the suicide of Jamie Hubley.
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/coming-up/2…
How many times does Rick Mercer have to come out. Here is is on National TV in Canada over a year ago telling a funny story about coming out of the closet. I don't think he appears as someone who is not open about his sexuality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6smJlCUj4…
How many times does Rick Mercer have to come out? This is a clip of him from a year ago on National TV in Canada. He doesn't seem like he is hiding very much, but really? People think this is hiding his sexuality.
I've heard him tell this joke before on radio and TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6smJlCUj4…
But for the record, I met him and his partner one day at work. And whenever I mention this to someone, rather than being awestruck by my famous friends they invariably say: "Really? I never knew he was...." Maybe we all live under the same rock.
As a parent I find the supposition that parents would ALLOW bullying just crushing. It sure as he'll isn't that way here (because we know better by experience that given an opportunity, everyone can get along?). In this time of economic insecurity I think it is important to note: taking interest and supporting public education quality is a great way to keep your housing investment value high. Or, to put it another way, "stupid is as stupid does". Everyone loses when this kind of bullshit is ignored.
It makes me wonder what kind of hell the perpetrator is passing along from home.
Peace.
If there are people unaware that Neil Patrick Harris is gay, then surely there can be people unaware of Rick Mercer's sexuality. There's a huge segment of the population that isn't remotely interested in the sexual orientation of celebrities.
Canada has a unique attitude towards celebrity. I'll share a story from a few years back. I was at the local butcher, and one of the other customers was Scott Thompson, from The Kids in the Hall. All the customers and staff put on a fine show of ignoring him. Once he'd been served and left, we all started talking about him. One of the employees hadn't recognized him and asked her colleague why she hadn't pointed him out.
Her response: "I was afraid you might say something to him."
My aunt, incidentally, had the same response when I asked her why she hadn't pointed out Malcolm MacDowell to me in a hotel lobby.
This is not a country where it's easy to come out and have anyone notice.
(Joke, people. Stand down.)
@46: He is? OMFG! Next thing you know, Elton John will come out!