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Trevor Noah is a ‘thief’: Comedian Russell Peters

SINGAPORE — He is known for skewering people mercilessly with his stand-up act, and Russell Peters did not mince his words yesterday (Apr 5) when asked for his take on The Daily Show’s newly appointed host, Trevor Noah.

Comedian Russell Peters on the set of Channel NewsAsia's Conversation With. Photo: Goh Chiew Tong/Channel NewsAsia

Comedian Russell Peters on the set of Channel NewsAsia's Conversation With. Photo: Goh Chiew Tong/Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE — He is known for skewering people mercilessly with his stand-up act, and Russell Peters did not mince his words yesterday (Apr 5) when asked for his take on The Daily Show’s newly appointed host, Trevor Noah.

“He (Noah) is also a thief above it all,” Peters said during a taping of Channel NewsAsia’s Conversation With, hosted by Lin Xueling. “He has stolen material from David Kau, he’s stolen material from myself, you know, whatever — that’s his gig now. Congratulations.”

Asked whether the material could have simply been “borrowed”, Peters retorted: “You don’t borrow in this business. If you’re a comedian, it’s just stealing somebody’s underwear and putting it on, it just doesn’t make sense.”

That said, the Canadian denied any jealousy over Noah’s high-profile gig of replacing Jon Stewart. “No, I wasn’t even up for the gig - do you know how much work that is? No, I didn’t want it at all,” he said.

“It’s a political job and I’m not a political-minded guy. I would be the wrong guy for that job, 100 per cent.”

The same humility could perhaps be observed in Russell’s latest world tour, called Almost Famous — named as such because he is “pretty well-known”, but “pretty well-known is not the same as famous”.

“I don’t know if I make a difference as a comedian,” he admitted. “I am just an entertainer — I am a talented entertainer.”

He also has his bad days. “I bombed many times, you’re never above bombing.” he said. “In 1993, I had been doing stand-up for four years. I was on a real high from doing really well in the amateur circuit. I was like, ‘Oh my god, I am so good!’ You think you are invincible until someone catches you on the chin, and your knees buckle and the room is spinning — that’s what happened that day.”

“I got booed off stage. I remember the feeling clearly. My mouth went dry ... It was like a dream sequence, where you cover your ears and hear things.”

Despite the traumatic experience, Russell said bombs are “necessary”. “If you don’t understand how bad it can get, you won’t appreciate how good it can get.”

Peters, who performs in Singapore from today (April 6) to April 8 for his Almost Famous World Tour, said his act right now is “being a 45-year-old father struggling with technology” and that is as real as it gets.

“I don’t get an idea — I just live life and I talk about it,” the divorcee said. “In ten years’ time, I will be who I am and talking about who I am at that time.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll be married, I don’t know!” CHANNEL NEWSASIA

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