Russell Dominic Peters was born on 29 September 1970, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is a Canadian comedian, television producer, disc jockey, as well as an actor. To the public, Russell Peters is perhaps best known for his stand-up comedy performances, and stand-up comedy albums, which have brought him a lot of public exposure, since he launched his career in the late 1980s.
A well-known comedian as well as an actor, how rich is Russell Peters? According to sources, Russell Peters’ net worth is estimated to be $40 million, the majority of which he has accumulated through his stand-up comedy performances, as well as appearances on television screens.
Russell Peters Net Worth $40 Million
Russell Peters studied at the Chinguacousy Secondary School, and later enrolled at North Peel Secondary School. Influenced by such famous comedians as Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy and George Carlin, Peters started to perform stand-up comedy at various local clubs in 1989. In 1992, Peters had an opportunity to meet one of his heroes – George Carlin – who gave him invaluable advice on stand-up comedy.
Since his first performance in Toronto in 1989, Russell Peters has performed in Malaysia, the United States, Ireland, Vietnam, Thailand, and the United Kingdom among other countries. His stand-up comedy topics usually range from race relations and stereotypes, to multiculturalism and Indian culture in particular.
His first comedy album entitled “Outsourced” didn’t come out until 2006 to generally positive reviews; in fact the album proved so popular with audiences that it received an 11-time Platinum certification for selling over 110,000 copies. Up to date, Peters has released four comedy albums, the most recent of which entitled “Notorious” came out in 2013. In addition to that, Russell Peters is notable for his appearances in various films and television series. Peters made his acting debut in the 1994 film called “Boozecan”. He then starred in Cheryl Dunye’s “My Baby’s Daddy” with Eddie Griffin, Method Man and Anthony Anderson, “Senior Skip Day” and “National Lampoon’s 301: The Legend of Awesomest Maximus” starring Will Sasso and Kristanna Loken. More recently, in 2014 he appeared alongside Aubrey Plaza and Daniel Roebuck in Tim Hill’s “Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas”, as well as Jon Favreau’s comedy-drama film entitled “Chef”.
During his career as a comedian, Peters sold out Air Canada Centre in 2007, was a host on Canada Day Comedy Festival, and has hosted the Juno Awards ceremony. In addition, in 2010 he published his first book entitled “Call Me Russell”. As his popularity grew, Peters started to be featured in various television shows, including “Def Comedy Jam”, “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”, “Lopez Tonight with George Lopez” and, more recently, the reality talent show called “Last Comic Standing”. In 2013, he was the first comedian to perform a stand-up special for Netflix, and then in the same year, for his contributions to comedy, Russell Peters received a Trailblazer Award.
In regards to his personal life, Russell Peters dated Sunny Leone, but they split-up in 2008. In 2010, he became engaged to Monica Diaz, who he married later that same year. Diaz gave birth to their daughter in 2010, yet by the end of 2012 Peters and Diaz had divorced. Russell is now engaged to Ruzanna Khetchian.
Trailblazer Award (2013), Gemini Award for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series (2008), Canadian Comedy Award for Live / Best Stand-Up - Large Venue/Juried Categories / Dave Broadfoot Award (2008/2007)
Albums
Outsourced (Comedy album), Red, White and Brown (2008), he Green Card Tour: Live from the O2 Arena (2011), Notorious (2013, Netflix) Almost Famous (2016)
Nominations
Gemini Awards for Best Individual Performance in a Comedy Program or Series, Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Comedy Award for Live / Best Male Stand-Up (2004)
Movies
Source Code (2011), New Year's Eve (2011), Chef (2014), The Indian Detective (TV Mini-Series, 2017), BoJack Horseman (2016), The Con Artist (2010), Hip-Hop Evolution (2016)
TV Shows
Comedy at Club 54 (1990), Comedy Now! (2004), Angelo Tsarouchas: Bigger Is Better (2009), Comics Without Borders (2008), The Joe Rogan Experience (2010-2016)
#
Trademark
1
Imitating accents
2
Humorous observations of cultures
#
Quote
1
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 there.
2
[on Bollywood films]It's not that I'm not a fan. It's just that if you gave me the option between cutting my testicles off or making me watch one of those films, I'd be like 'Get those knives sharpened up, would you?'
3
[on his parents' view of his becoming a comedian] Their reaction was kind of like if your child tells you they want to be an astronaut, you pat them on the head say 'Yes, honey, you go and be an astronaut.'..They had no clue what it was or what that meant. They weren't like 'Oh no, not a comedian! You mean gigs, long months on the road, late nights and skanky chicks?' They had no point of reference for it all. I might as well have said, 'Dad, I'm going to make houses on the moon'.
4
I'm a hip-hop junkie. I've been listening to the music for over 20 years. That's very much shaped who I am and the way I think, how I look at things and how I dress, how I carry myself.
5
I found one guy was Trinidadian, posing as an Indian, One guy was Iranian, posing as an Indian. I'm the real deal, baby! So it's really cool that I'm first. It doesn't matter who comes after me, or who's better than me. The fact of the matter is that I was the first.
6
[on using other people's comedy ideas] It's like wearing another man's underwear. Why would you do that?
7
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. In the business at least. And I see how these guys react to me. It's all smiles and 'I'm so glad to see ya! You're doing really well!' I'm like,'Wait, I remember you being a dick to me back in the day'.
8
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.
9
"Indians are the second largest population in the world, but we're invisible on TV - everything is either black or white." (Western Gazette, November 24th 2000)
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Fact
1
Peters proposed to girlfriend Monica Diaz on July 10, 2010 at the Los Angeles International Airport. He announced the engagement via Twitter. The couple married on August 20, 2010 at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. The wedding was attended by about 20 guests, including an Elvis impersonator. Peters and Diaz are expecting their first child, a girl, due February 23, 2011. When announcing the pregnancy, Peters told The Canadian Press, "Did I get married because she was knocked up? I would say that expedited it".
2
His heritage is Anglo-Indian.
3
Hosted the Canada Day Comedy Festival in 2006.
4
He began performing in Toronto in 1989.
5
His parents' names are Eric and Maureen Peters.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Supercon
2017
post-production
Keith Mahar
The Clapper
2017
post-production
Stillerman
The Indian Detective
2017
TV Mini-Series announced
Doug D'Mello
Public Schooled
filming
Mr. Germaine
Ripped
filming
Harris
TCB Baby
announced
Michael (rumored)
Life in Pieces
2016
TV Series
Dr. Tak Oh
BoJack Horseman
2016
TV Series
Driver
Family Guy
2016
TV Series
The Jungle Book
2016
Rocky the Rhino (voice)
Fifty Shades of Black
2016
Dean Jordan
Royal Canadian Air Farce
2015
TV Series
Doctor Malcolm Sidwell
Codename: The Dragon
2015
TV Movie
Hacker Ted
Spun Out
2015
TV Series
Ray
Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever
2014
TV Movie
Santa
Wings: Sky Force Heroes
2014
Jumbo Boss Man (voice)
Ribbit
2014
Deepak (English version, voice)
Chef
2014
Miami Cop
Tom Green Live
2013
TV Series
Off Season: Lex Morrison Story
2013
TV Movie
Romulus
Mr. D
2013
TV Series
Jody Green
Are We There Yet?
2012
TV Series
Toby Palmer
Yak
2012
Zork (English version, voice)
Girl in Progress
2012
Emile
Bob's Burgers
2012
TV Series
Tran
Bobby Khan's Ticket to Hollywood
2011
Jack the Store Manager
New Year's Eve
2011
Chef Sunil (segment "Jensen & Laura's Story")
Le Noël de Walter et Tandoori
2011
Tandoori
Breakaway
2011
Sonu Singh
The Legend of Awesomest Maximus
2011
Pervius
Source Code
2011
Max Denoff
The Con Artist
2010
Randall Pogue
Senior Skip Day
2008
Video
Uncle Todd
The Take
2007
Dr. Sharma
Quarter Life Crisis
2006
Dilip Kumar
My Baby's Daddy
2004
Obstetrician
Tiger Claws III
2000
Det. Elliot
The Big Stage
1999
TV Series
Boozecan
1994
Snake's Friend
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Russell Peters: Almost Famous
2016
TV Special executive producer
Hip-Hop Evolution
2016
TV Mini-Series documentary executive producer - 4 episodes
Hip-Hop Evolution
2016
Documentary executive producer
Codename: The Dragon
2015
TV Movie co-producer
Russell Peters: Notorious
2013
TV Special executive producer
A Russell Peters Christmas Special
2011
TV Special executive producer / producer
Russell Peters: The Green Card Tour - Live from The O2 Arena
2011
TV Special executive producer
Russell Peters Presents
2009
TV Special documentary executive producer
Angelo Tsarouchas: Bigger Is Better
2009
TV Special executive producer
Russell Peters: Red, White and Brown
2008
TV Special executive producer
Comics Without Borders
2008
TV Series executive producer - 9 episodes
Russell Peters: Outsourced
2006
TV Special executive producer
Russell Peters: Two Concerts, One Ticket
2006
Video documentary executive producer
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Russell Peters: Almost Famous
2016
TV Special
Russell Peters: Notorious
2013
TV Special
Russell Peters Versus the World
2013
TV Series documentary
A Russell Peters Christmas Special
2011
TV Special writer
Russell Peters: The Green Card Tour - Live from The O2 Arena
2011
TV Special
Russell Peters: Red, White and Brown
2008
TV Special
Def Comedy Jam
2008
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Russell Peters: Outsourced
2006
TV Special
Russell Peters: Two Concerts, One Ticket
2006
Video documentary
Comedy Now!
1997
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Back to Sparta
2015
Documentary very special thanks
That's So Awesome
2011
TV Series grateful acknowledgment - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Do You Think I'm a Joke?
Documentary filming
Himself
Howie Mandel All-Star Comedy Gala
2017
TV Special
Himself
@midnight
2016
TV Series
Himself
Russell Peters: Almost Famous
2016
TV Special
Himself
Chelsea
2016
TV Series
Himself
Last Call with Carson Daly
2016
TV Series
Himself
Join or Die with Craig Ferguson
2016
TV Series
Himself - Special Guest
Dying Laughing
2016
Documentary
Himself
Lip Sync Battle
2016
TV Series
Himself - Competitor
Pop Culture Underground
2015
TV Series
Himself
Being Canadian
2015
Documentary
Himself
World's Funniest
2015
TV Series
Himself - Panelist
Just for Laughs: 15 Years of Gags
2015
TV Movie
Himself
Lennon or McCartney
2014
Documentary short
Himself
The Queen Latifah Show
2013-2014
TV Series
Himself
Russell Peters & Friends
2014
TV Movie
Himself - Host
Delivery
2014/I
Documentary
Himself - Comedian
Last Comic Standing
2014
TV Series
Himself - Judge / Himself - Judge & Comedian
Larry King Now
2012-2014
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Wings: Sky Force Heroes - Bringing the Characters to Life
2014
Video short
Himself
Meet the Patels
2014
Documentary
Himself
2013 Soul Train Awards
2013
TV Special
Himself
In Bed with Joan
2013
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Bethenny
2013
TV Series
Himself
Good Day L.A.
2013
TV Series
Himself
Russell Peters: Notorious
2013
TV Special
Himself
Russell Peters Versus the World
2013
TV Series documentary
Himself
My Date with Hugh
2013
Documentary
The Hour
2008-2013
TV Series
Himself
Absolutely Jason Stuart
2013
TV Series
Himself
Who Gets the Last Laugh?
2013
TV Series
Himself
Speakeasy: With Paul F. Tompkins
2013
TV Series
Himself
Love You, Mean It with Whitney Cummings
2013
TV Series
Himself
The Wendy Williams Show
2013
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
2012
TV Series
Himself
The Burn with Jeff Ross
2012
TV Series
Himself
Red Light Comedy: Live from Amsterdam
2012
TV Series
Himself - Host
Breakaway: Making Breakaway
2012
Video short
Himself
MSN Exclusives
2012
TV Series
Himself
A Russell Peters Christmas Special
2011
TV Special
Himself - Host
The 12th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards
2011
TV Special
Himself
8 Out of 10 Cats
2011
TV Series
Himself
The Marilyn Denis Show
2011
TV Series
Himself
26th Annual Gemini Awards
2011
TV Special
Himself - Host
The Green Room with Paul Provenza
2011
TV Series
Himself
A Day in the Life
2011
TV Series documentary
Himself
Lopez Tonight
2011
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest
Russell Peters: The Green Card Tour - Live from The O2 Arena
2011
TV Special
Himself
42nd NAACP Image Awards
2011
TV Special
Himself
The Dating Guy
2010
TV Series
Himself
Cedric the Entertainer's Urban Circus
2010
TV Special documentary
Himself
The 10th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards
2009
TV Special
Himself
Comics Unleashed
2006-2009
TV Series
Himself
Russell Peters Presents
2009
TV Special documentary
Himself - Host
Juno Awards 2009
2009
TV Special
Himself - Host
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2009
TV Series
Himself
Russell Peters: Red, White and Brown
2008
TV Special
Himself
The 9th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards
2008
TV Special
Himself (Winner - Best Large Venue Stand-up)
Comics Without Borders
2008
TV Series
Himself - Host
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
2008
TV Series
Himself
Def Comedy Jam
2008
TV Series
Himself - Comedian
Just for Laughs
2005-2008
TV Series
Himself
Pulse: The Desi Beat
2007
TV Series
Himself
Heckler
2007
Documentary
Himself
Video on Trial
2007
TV Series
Himself
Let's All Hate Toronto
2007
Documentary
Himself
Russell Peters: Outsourced
2006
TV Special
Himself
CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival
2006
TV Series
Himself - Host
Russell Peters: Two Concerts, One Ticket
2006
Video documentary
Himself
The 5th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards
2004
TV Special
Himself - Nominee (Male Stand-up)
The 4th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards
2003
TV Special
Himself
The Jack Docherty Show
1999
TV Series
Herself
Comedy Now!
1997
TV Series
Himself
Live at Jongleurs
1997
TV Series
Himself - Comedian
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Video on Trial
2008
TV Series
Himself
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2013
Canadian Screen Award
Canadian Screen Awards, CA
Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
A Russell Peters Christmas Special (2011)
2004
Gemini
Gemini Awards
Best Individual Performance in a Comedy Program or Series