A politician, a journalist and Rick Mercer walk into a bar…

Posted by jsallot under Election 2008, Election 2008 Media commentary

JEFF SALLOT

Politicians have been providing the raw ingredients for comedy for ages, and we are the richer for it. What would the Mercer Report and This Hour Has 22 Minutes be without the biting political humour?

Many pols learn  to play along. Remember Bob Rae skinny dipping with Mercer? Or Stephen Harper reading houseguest Rick a bedtime story before tucking him in for the night for a sleep over at the official res?
Comics playing politicians can also be hilarious. Did you catch Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin the other night on SNL?

But what are we to make of comics playing political journalists? Mercer has a weekly gig on the CBC’s National newscast throughout the current election campaign, commenting on what he thinks is the political play of the week. And the talented Geri Hall of 22 Minutes showed up at a Harper news conference recently, posing as a journalist, and then professing her love for the PM. That’s  funny.

But don’t you feel a little squeamish  when the lines between journalism and comic entertainment start to blur?

It was  jolting to see Mercer sitting at the anchor desk with Mansbridge last week on the news room set of The National. Straight man Mansbridge seemed a little too anxious to crack a joke or two of his own. And Mercer was looking far too serious.

Last night Mercer was on The National again, this time from the Paralympics in Beijing. I haven’t a clue what insights he brings to the news events unfolding during the Canadian election campaign from his listening post in China. But never mind. Mercer is a CBC star, a big name, and the public broadcaster is promoting his guest appearances on The National like all get-out.

Mercer did one of his signature roving rants last night, the camera following him around a Chinese sports stadium, tilting the camera shot right and left each time he stopped to catch a breath.  It wasn’t that funny.

Is Mercer trying out for Mansbridge’s job? (Note to CBC resident commentator Rex Murphy, you better add roving while talking to your skills set. Sophisticated poilitical insight and erudition may no longer be enough.)

Jeff Sallot teaches journalism at Carleton. A former Ottawa bureau chief for The Globe and Mail, he is a life member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery and has covered nine federal election campaigns.