Published 21:13 IST, October 4th 2019
Comedians are the last truth tellers: Russell Peters
Russell Peters describes comedians across the world in today's times as the "truth-tellers", the last unbiased lot who call a spade a spade through their craft.
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Russell Peters describes comedians across the world in today's times as the "truth-tellers", the last unbiased lot who call a spade a spade through their craft. Someone once described the truth as a poetry to Russell, he recalls, before adding, "And everyone hates poetry." "We are the last of the truth-tellers. We live in a time where you're not sure which version of the news you're getting. It's all skewed towards someone's favour. Comedians are the unbiased ones who are able to tell you what's really going on. We tell it to you in no uncertain terms," Russell told PTI.
Russell Peters on jokes
Speaking the truth through jokes can often offend people but the Indo-Canadian comedian believes there is nothing that can't be sorted out if people have a dialogue. "People take offence online but have you ever physically met one of these offended people? I'm almost convinced they don't really exist. Until I physically meet any of these people I'm not going to believe they're real. My goal is to make you laugh so if you take offence chances are you're the problem and not me." Russell is currently in the country as part of his 'Deported World Tour' where is performing at Zee Live's Supermoon. Russell started his career nearly 30 years ago and says he just can't "physically sit down" to write his material and hasn't done that ever.
"Like right now with the Deported World Tour, it's already set. I know the beginning middle and the end. From November, I'll have nothing, I'll walk on stage with a blank slate and I've six shows that weekend with zero material. "Basically it'll be me talking to the audience and trying to figure it out. Once I get a direction that I like or something new hits me, that's where it gets exciting: 'Oh I can't believe I thought of that, let's go down that road.' It's a fun but scary process at the same time."
Russell on stand-up comedy
The comedian says the last thing he would want from the audience is to walk out of his show and wonder, "What the hell was that?" "It's something we definitely don't want happening. Some comics don't give a damn if you walk away but they have a certain level of privilege that I don't have. A lot of comedians understand or feel their position in the business is precarious. That's what keeps me alive." Though the 49-year-old has been in the comedy scene for most of his life, Russell says it is vital for stand up comics to keep themselves updated.
"The way to be relevant is to just keep doing it. You could stagnate yourself, I could've done it to myself many years ago by doing the same kind of comedy over and over but eventually, it would've tired people. I would get bored doing it. I don't want to hear me doing the same joke. "Comedy is like a fights sport. If you're weak, you're going to get taken out. You have to have a fighting spirit," he adds.
13:36 IST, October 4th 2019