Stand-up comedy has played a huge role in our understanding of race issues. When it comes to how Canadians feel about skin colour, ethnicity and stereotypes, no comedian has had more impact than Russell Peters.
His own story mirrors our national demographic: Russell was born in 1970 and grew up in Brampton, Ontario, the first member of his family to be born in Canada. When he started doing stand-up, he talked about his Indian heritage, and how South Asian and Asian culture fit in North American society. Like the best stand-ups, Russell sometimes made people uncomfortable, but the response was huge, all over the world.
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