Rick Mercer is reflecting on a career full of laughs and risks as he celebrated his induction into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Mercer was inducted into the Walk of Fame last year, and on Friday the milestone was celebrated in his home community of Outer Cove.

Among the attendees was Mercer’s high school drama teacher at Prince of Wales collegiate, Lois Brown.

The comedian says the teacher had a “profound impact” on his career. He says Brown is the one who convinced him to write and that he could be on stage. “When she convinced me that I should write a play, I mean I’ve written every day since then.” Mercer says it is impossible to sum up the impact she has had.

One of Mercer’s most famous trademarks were his rants on the Rick Mercer Report.

He describes the rants as the most difficult part of his week, but also the highlight of it. He would write them on Thursday nights, and then condense his writings from several pages to something that he could say in a minute and a half.

Then, Mercer says he would have to learn it and record it in one take – which was challenging. He says the camera used was 45 pounds, and the operator would have to walk backwards to shoot the segment, so he was “loathed” for making a mistake. He says other things that could go wrong – the operator could fall down, trucks could back up, but he made it his mission to make sure it wasn’t his fault.