Comedian Russell Peters doesn't pull punches in climate of 'cancel culture,' 'political correctness'
CTV W5's interview with Russell Peters was one of several we did with members of the comedy industry, for a wide-ranging and nuanced story on how political correctness has changed the world of stand-up comedy. For the full documentary watch "Laugh Attack" in our video player above. To watch Sandie Rinaldo's extended interview with Russell Peters, an online exclusive, read to the bottom of the story.
Russell Peters went from a challenging childhood where he was the target of bullying to become one of the biggest names in comedy, known for his sharp observational humour about ethnicity, race and cultural stereotypes.
Rolling Stone magazine lists the 52-year-old Indo-Canadian who was raised in Brampton, Ont. as one of the 50 best comics of all time. He was also one of the highest paid in the world, according to Forbes Magazine; and in 2007, the first comedian to sell out the Air Canada Centre.
Pretty impressive.
It’s why when CTV W5 decided to look into how political correctness, "cancel" and "woke culture" were affecting the comedy scene -- given the backlash meted out to high profile comics like Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais over their transgender jokes and the notorious slap after actor Will Smith took offence to a comment about his wife, from Chris Rock at the Oscars -- Peters, the man with a reputation for not pulling any punches, became our first choice to interview.
We wanted to know if he was reining in his biting, no-holds-barred humour.
W5 went back and forth with Peters’ people. There were scheduling conflicts on both sides. It took weeks of negotiations and finally we were given a day and time for an interview at Peters’ California home; although it was almost cancelled at the last minute because the comic was juggling touring and down time.
The W5 team arrived at Peters’ sprawling contemporary 8,000 square foot home in L.A.'s San Bernardino Valley. We set up on the main floor in a room jam-packed with Peters' memorabilia next to an open-tread steel and wooden double staircase that ascends to the upper floor against a wall of glass.
Several of his comedy buddies sat outside on the covered patio next to an azure coloured pool.
Peters’ wife Ali, whom he married in February 2022, greeted us warmly. While waiting for her husband to show up, she casually sat on the staircase and chatted about the home’s architecture.
We also talked about the community, where in June of 1994 residents had a front row seat to the infamous OJ Simpson high speed police chase that was followed live on TV and ended with his arrest.
A roar of a sports car pulling into the driveway signalled the arrival of the man-of-the-hour who entered the house and breezed past us to chat with friends and family.
It was only when he recognized us that Peters’ laser focused humour and charm shifted into high gear. He was excited to chat with a group of Canadians about all things Canada; excited to make me laugh.
The interview was quintessential Peters, engaging, energetic and unapologetic. "We are free thinkers. The minute you try to put reins on our brains, you ruin the game."
He went on to emphasize this one important point: if people don’t like his humour, don’t come to his shows. 'I’ve got to service the people that want to hear what I have to say."
Russell Peters speaks with CTV W5's Sandie Rinaldo
Does he have any regrets? Not really. But he tells us, "We made gay jokes freely and we wouldn’t just say gay, we would say 'f—--t.' And that was perfectly normal back then and perfectly acceptable."
"But your job is to push the envelope," Peters added, "and then you understand that the envelope keeps moving away. So I was constantly chasing the envelope."
Peters had lots more to say about political correctness that some will find entertaining, others, offensive, and you can watch "Laugh Attack" in our video player above or on our YouTube channel.
With files from W5 Producer Chad Derrick
—---------------------
Want to see more? Click here to see the parts of our interview with Russell Peters that weren't included in our main story.
You can also watch Russell Peters @ JFL on CTV.ca and the CTV app
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.
Local Spotlight
Here's how one of Sask.'s largest power plants was knocked out for 73 days, and what it took to fix it
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
Quebec police officer anonymously donates kidney, changes schoolteacher's life
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Road closed in Oak Bay, B.C., so elephant seal can cross
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
B.C. breweries take home awards at World Beer Cup
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Haida Elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fergus, Ont. man feels nickel-and-dimed for $0.05 property tax bill
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.