Home / Authors / Russell Peters

Russell Peters

Russell Peters Quotes

Comedian

Russell Peters is a Canadian-American comedian known for his sharp wit and unique comedic style. Born on September 29, 1970, Peters grew up in Canada and later immigrated to the United States to develop his career. He is celebrated for his satirical comments on race, gender, and culture, and his comedic works have gained a high viewership on various platforms.

Filter quotes by topic

All People Culture Knows Ifs Thinking Guy Shows Race Want Age

Famous Russell Peters Quotes

“Do it [stand-up comedy] because it feels like the right thing to do. Do it because you don't want to do anything else. There is something in you that does not want you to do anything else other than comedy.”

Want Feels Doe Comedy Things To Do Right Thing Stand Up Comedy

Author:Russell Peters

“I don't think Indian actors are good. A couple of them are, like Anupam Kher, but not many are there like him in the industry. There are thousand of actors and actresses in the industry, but you can count on hand how many of them are really good; the rest of them are just pretty faces.”

Thinking Hands Faces Actors Industry Couple Thousand Actresses Indian Pretty Face Actors And Actresses

Author:Russell Peters

“Im a hip-hop guy, and the first time I heard Eminem was in 96. He was on a record with Shabban Siddiq. I was like, Who is this guy? Hes dope! First album came out: awesome. Second album came out: awesome. Third album, I was like, Eh. He started to get really successful. He wasnt mine anymore.”

Firsts Guy Successful Records Heard Mines First Time Thirds Hip Hop Albums Hips Hops This Guy Get Real Dope

Author:Russell Peters

“I would get bullied a lot. You know, it was the '70s and '80s, so it was a lot of racism back then towards Indian people. And it wasn't actual hatred, it was just that blind, 'Let's pick on that guy.' You know, and you've got to figure that I was a very small kid. And I had a big mouth, so I'm sure that didn't help.”

People Knows Helping Bigs Kids Guy Figures Racism Mouths Picks Hatred Blind Indian 80s That Guy Bullied

Author:Russell Peters

“Azhar Usman is very funny, deeply spiritual, and extremely hairy. He's like Zach Galifianakis meets Deepak Chopra-and funnier than you'd expect that combination to be.”

Spiritual Combination

Author:Russell Peters

“If you look good, you can act in a Bollywood movie, you don't have to be able to act; and Aishwarya Rai is a great example of this. She is a beautiful woman... You look at her, I want to look at her. Damn, she is fine; but stop acting or stop trying to act.”

Ifs Want Trying Looks Able Beautiful Acting Example Fine Damn Beautiful Women Stop Trying Bollywood

Author:Russell Peters

“There's a big difference between race and culture. Because racially, I'm an Indian man. Culturally, not at all.”

Men Bigs Culture Differences Race Indian

Author:Russell Peters

“I think a lot of people mistake my confidence on stage for cockiness in real life, and that's actually farthest from the truth. When I'm on stage I'm that confident and that cocky, because I have a microphone in my hand, and there's a few thousand people staring at me. And I know they're there to laugh.”

People Thinking Knows Real Hands Mistake Laughing Stage Thousand Real Life Staring Microphones Cocky Cockiness

Author:Russell Peters

“I have a phenomenal memory. I remember every single thing that anybody said to me, ever did to me, who was nice to me and who was not nice to me.”

Said Remember Memories Nice Phenomenal

Author:Russell Peters

“I'm not a media darling. I'm forever the outsider, for whatever the reason is.”

Reason Forever Media Outsiders Darling

Author:Russell Peters

“If you're politically correct, chances are you're not coming to one of my shows. I get to go onstage and say things that everybody thinks all the time, but can't say out loud.”

Ifs Thinking Shows Chance Loud Chances Are Politically Correct

Author:Russell Peters

“Comedians are - at the end of the day, we're just a bunch of people that lack a little bit of - we're very insecure, and we want to be loved and liked by everybody. And you know, I could check my Twitter and there could be 150 people that say wonderful things. There'll be one person who says something negative. And all we focus on is that negative.”

People Knows Want Littles Persons Ends Bits Focus Wonderful Little Bit Negative Checks Bunch Comedian The End Of The Day Insecure Wonderful Things

Author:Russell Peters

“No matter where you are, the root of you is designed from a young age. So if my confidence was taken as a child, you can gain back a lot of the confidence, but that root of the cavity will still be there.”

Ifs Children Stills Matter Age Young Taken Gains Roots Where You Are Young Age

Author:Russell Peters

“Until you have a child, you won't really understand that you would actually throw yourself in front of a bus for your child. Like, you don't really get it. Like, it's like, 'Hell no.' You know, 'She's only two. I can make another one.' You know? But, you know, you have a baby, and then you actually care about this person.”

Knows Children Persons I Can Two Care Hell Fronts Like You Baby Our Children Your Children Bus

Author:Russell Peters

“There's always someone who's going to interpret my material as racist, but it's not. Racism comes from intent and power. A racist will tell a joke about a group of people only when they're not in the room. I'll talk about a group of people only when they're in the room.”

People Rooms Groups Materials Racism Jokes Racist

Author:Russell Peters

“My dad was the funniest guy I ever knew.”

Author:Russell Peters

“On my best day, I cannot do Scottish people. I don't even believe that's a real accent, to be honest with you. I think they probably sound like us when they're in the house. It's how they keep people away from them.”

People Thinking Believe Real House Sound Honest Being Honest Accents Scottish

Author:Russell Peters

“I DJ and I'm a harsh critic of DJs.”

Critics Harsh Djs

Author:Russell Peters

“I will never stop doing stand-up; that's my career, but I will do movies in Hollywood.”

Careers Hollywood

Author:Russell Peters

“Indians are the second largest population in the world, but we're invisible on TV - everything is either black or white.”

World Black White Tvs Population Invisible Black Or White

Author:Russell Peters

“My humour comes from acknowledging different communities. That's what my fans are responding to - they know that I 'get it.' I understand them. I take the time to understand them. I get more complaints from people when I don't talk about them. I've had guys come up to me after a show and go, 'You didn't talk about Latvians!'”

People Knows Different Shows Guy Community Fans Humour Come Up Complaints Responding

Author:Russell Peters

“I've seen racism in my audiences. For example, I've seen people laugh at every other group, but then clam up when it comes to their community. You can't laugh at everyone else and then not laugh at yourself. You shouldn't be at my show if you can't laugh at yourself.”

People Ifs Shows Community Audience Laughing Groups Example Racism Laugh At Yourself Clams

Author:Russell Peters

“The fans in Canada have been there since day one. They're the originals. When people say that's your roots, that's literally my roots. I've just cut this tree off and replanted it somewhere else and it started growing, but the roots are still here.”

People Has Beens Cutting Growing Tree Fans Roots Originals Canada Somewhere Else

Author:Russell Peters

“I do a lot of cultural material that's based on my traveling around the world. I basically just report what I've seen and where I've been.”

World Materials Around The World Reports

Author:Russell Peters

“I don't need Hollywood. With or without them, I'll be fine. But I'll admit it would be nice to have them on board.”

Needs Would Be Nice Fine Hollywood Boards Being Nice

Author:Russell Peters

“I love being a dad, and I'm a great dad.”

Love Is Dad Being A Dad Great Dad

Author:Russell Peters

“I think for comedians, acting is their natural progression. It's all about progression.”

Thinking Natural Acting Comedian Progression

Author:Russell Peters

“I'm not just saying this, but I love everything about India.”

India Just Saying

Author:Russell Peters

“Who I am on stage is just an amped up version of who I am in real life.”

Real Stage Real Life Who I Am Versions

Author:Russell Peters

“I talk about race and culture, and that's what my fans respond to. If you grew up in an environment where race and culture were never an issue for you, or where you don't see the humor in our so-called differences, then you might not respond to what I'm doing.”

Ifs Might Culture Differences Race Issues Environment Fans Grew Grew Up

Author:Russell Peters

“I'm always amazed at how much people 'get' when I'm performing overseas. I've never had to change my act on my international shows; I just make sure that I've taken some time to get to know the people in those countries before I perform. That's been really useful.”

People Knows Country Shows Taken International Performing Amazed

Author:Russell Peters

“Ideally I'd like to be working steadily as an actor: movies, a TV series, that sort of thing. I've been through a few different TV development cycles, and they didn't work out. When the time and project are right, it'll come together. Like I tell a lot of guys, it's not a race; there's no finish line.”

Different Together Guy Actors Lines Race Tvs Development Projects Series Work Out Cycles Finish Line Tv Series

Author:Russell Peters

“My guiltiest pleasure in life is 'America's Funniest Home Videos.' I watch them all - old, new - I don't care. Despite how bad the writing is on the show. The people getting hit and hurt, that's hilarious.”

People Writing Shows Home Care America Life Is Hurt Pleasure Watches Don't Care Video Despite I Don't Care Home Videos

Author:Russell Peters

“People always say 'You do racial comedy.' And I don't, exactly. I do cultural comedy. Because race and culture are two different things. There's black people from America and then there's black people from Africa. Racially, they're the same; culturally, they're extremely different.”

People Two Different America Culture Black Race Comedy Different Things Black People Two Different Things

Author:Russell Peters

“When you're DJing, there are songs I love to play, but I know people are going to walk off. It doesn't matter what I like. You have to be able to play the popular song and slip in one of yours, in such a way that they don't notice it. You've got them in such a roll that you get them back into what they think they like.”

People Thinking Knows Way Matter Play Able Song Walks Like You Slips Popular Song I Like You

Author:Russell Peters

“You do stand-up because you have to do it. If you're doing it to become 'famous,' you're wrong. If you're doing it to become a millionaire, you're doing it for the wrong reasons. In 2003, I was flat broke. I'd been doing stand-up for 14 years at that point. I loved it and just kept at it.”

Ifs Years Reason Broke Flats Millionaire Wrong Reasons

Author:Russell Peters

“Do you know what it is sir? Do you know what the Dance Dance Revolution is? It's not an actual revolution, so you don't have to worry about that. It's not like a bunch of Asians are going to knock on your door 'Hey! Start dancing!'”

Knows Worry Doors Revolution Dancing Bunch Hey Do You Know

Author:Russell Peters

“Terrorists hate Americans. Indians hate each other. A terrorist will blow up an airport. Indians like to work at the airport. That would be counter-productive.”

Would Be Hate Blow Terrorist Productive Airports

Author:Russell Peters

“I don't make the stereotypes, I just see them.”

Author:Russell Peters

“Stand-up and boxing are very similar. You're the only one out there, you're going into a fight, and you're going in with a game plan.”

Fighting Games Plans Boxing Game Plan

Author:Russell Peters

“I don't want to be a part of any Bollywood movie.”

Author:Russell Peters

“I hate Bollywood. The movies are all garbage, just terrible. It's my opinion; obviously, there are billions who like and love them. I don't like all the singing, dancing and all the dramatic crying. I have never seen a Bollywood film in my life.”

Love Age Film Hate Opinion Cry Terrible Singing And Love I Hate Dancing Billions Dramatic Love Life Garbage Bollywood Singing Dancing

Author:Russell Peters

“From the moment we are born our culture encourages us to believe that outer well-being is the source of inner fulfillment ... Wherever we turn the principle is confirmed, encouraging us to become 'human havings' and 'human doings' rather than human beings.”

Believe Humans Wells Moments Turns Culture Born Human Beings Principles Source Well Being Fulfillment Doings

Author:Russell Peters

“The self-talk of the ego-mind is so busy describing what is happening, judging whether it is good or bad for us, and telling us what we should think and do, that there is little opportunity for our inner knowing to be heard. Instead we remain attached to our assumptions, dreaming of the fulfillment we believe they will bring.”

Thinking Should Mind Believe Littles Self Dream Culture Opportunity Knowing Heard Judging Ego Happenings Busy Fulfillment Assumption Describing Self Talk

Author:Russell Peters

“Looking to the material world for the satisfaction of our inner needs is the source of much fear. All fear is, in essence, fear of the future. We are afraid of things that have not yet happened, but which if they did might bring us pain, suffering, or some other discomfort - or stand in the way of some future contentment. And we are afraid that circumstances that are already causing us displeasure may continue in the future.”

“We tell ourselves that the more time we have at our disposal, the more opportunity we will have of finding greater happiness. But again we are looking to the future, to the times we will create. Again we miss the enjoyment of the present moment.”

Moments Culture Opportunity Greater Missing Findings Enjoyment Present Moment More Time Looking To The Future

Author:Russell Peters

“Self-worth and financial worth become indistinguishable.”

Self Culture Financial Self Worth

Author:Russell Peters

“This is our most dangerous addiction - our addiction to things. For it is this addiction that underlies the materialism of our age. And nowhere is this addiction more apparent than in our addiction to money.”

Age Culture Dangerous Addiction Materialism

Author:Russell Peters

About the Author

Born: September 29, 1970
Known for: Comedian
Quotes: 48

Related Topics

People Culture Knows Ifs Thinking Guy Shows Race Want Age

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Similar Authors

Louis C. K.Browse related quotes
Kristen StewartBrowse related quotes
Chris RockBrowse related quotes
Dane CookBrowse related quotes
Kevin HartBrowse related quotes
Jerry SeinfeldBrowse related quotes
Zach BraffBrowse related quotes
Billy Bob ThorntonBrowse related quotes
Judd ApatowBrowse related quotes
Ricky GervaisBrowse related quotes