BERTON'S MONDAY REPORT APPEARANCE A JOINT EFFORT

TORONTO - Is he a joker or a celebrity toker?

One of the highlights of Rick Mercer's Monday Report last season was the
Celebrity Tip, in which a famous Canadian demonstrates how to perform a
helpful household function, from Shirley Douglas showing the best way to
jump-start a car in wintertime to Geddy Lee's toboggan lesson.

When the weekly satire show returns to CBC on Monday night, it'll be author
and television personality Pierre Berton's turn. The subject matter: how to
roll a joint.

"First of all, you need a good rolling surface," Berton deadpans, suggesting
a big textbook like, say, The National Dream.

"Avoiding novelty or coloured papers, I prefer white," he says, adding that
it's also preferable to opt for hydroponic marijuana, especially in Ontario.

"Start in the middle, roll outwards and let your thumbs do most of the
work," he says, guiding a young assistant. "Wrap the excess paper around the
joint, wet the paper and seal the joint."

He pronounces the results excellent, just the way he likes them. "Firm but
not too firm," he says because after all, loose joints tend to fall apart,
leaving unsightly toke burns on one's chair or bow tie.

Mercer, meanwhile, is seen visiting Antigonish, N.S., where he attends a
toga party and a hockey game.