Russell Peters has been one of the pioneers in the space of standup comedy. For a lot of Indian standup comics, he’s an inspiration. Peters began at the age of 19 and took up whatever odd jobs he could—big and small shows—to sustain himself as a standup comedian. There were times when he was completely broke, but he says, “It was my job. And I wasn’t ready to give up.”
Inspired by comedian George Carlin, Peters has been vocal about his views and has no qualms about being politically incorrect. “I know what my intention is… if what I say is being misconstrued, that’s more your issue than mine,” he says. The only topic he steers clear from is religion. When Peters was in Mumbai for his Deported World Tour earlier this year, he spoke with Forbes India about his journey and standup comedy hitting a saturation point. Edited excerpts:
Q How did you get into standup comedy?
After I graduated from high school in 1988, I thought I would study to become a chef. After I was offered a job at the Hilton Hotel, I realised this is not what I want to do. So I took up a bunch of odd jobs because I wasn’t skilled enough. I was always the funny guy in my crew. Once, my cousin told me, ‘You’re funny, you should try standup comedy’.
Bu hikaye Forbes India dergisinin January 3, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Forbes India dergisinin January 3, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet