Sharing roots with Russell Peters

"Somebody Gonna Get A Hurt Real Bad"

Everyone's favourite comedian is Canadian. You got it; I'm referring to Russell Peters, the first comedian to ever perform in front of a sold-out crowd at the Air Canada Centre. What makes this week's column even more special to me is the simple reason that I share similar roots with Peters: the only significant differences that come to mind is that he was born in Canada, I was born in India and he's a lot more famous than I am right now.

I'm going to take the similar roots aspect a little more in depth: How about I say the same city? That's right, for I grew up in Calcutta, the same city where Peters' mom was born. This YouTube sensation was in Calcutta as recently as 2008, but unfortunately for me, I couldn't be at his performance, although I do not remember the reason why. I do, however, know some people who did attend this show, and when the 5'10" brown skinned man eventually came out on stage a half an hour late (which, by the way, is normal for Calcutta standards), he said something I remember to this day. His reason for the delay? "I have always identified myself as an Indian. I am Indian. In fact, that has been my answer to every question I've ever been asked, whether it makes sense or not. 'What's your name?' I'm Indian. 'What do you do?' I'm Indian. 'Why are you late?' I'm Indian."

Funny story here, by the way: the reason I watched Breakaway was indeed Peters, where he plays bridegroom-to-be Sonu Gill in his own characteristic way. I also just recently came across videos from the 2008 and 2009 Juno Awards, hosted by Peters, and while I know he isn't everyone's favourite award show host, he certainly made it look easy, again in his own characteristic way. But the biggest reason why I look up to this comic is because he dissed 'Bollywood.' Bollywood, for those unaware, is India's version of Hollywood, and while I admit they do make some great movies from time to time, the film industry of late makes Indians "look dumb" (as quoted by Peters in an article on expressindia.com dated October 21, 2008).

I've also seen a fair share of critics for Peters, who mostly look down upon him as being racially insensitive, which for me is the prime reason why he has been so successful all these years. Coming from a minority background in Canada does help one see life in a completely different light. I should know, I'm seeing a whole new side to life that was unheard of back in India. "I don't make stereotypes, I see them," he said in one show in San Francisco. One of the first Anglo-Indian comics who made fun of South Asian culture, Peters is, in my opinion, just your average guy trying to raise awareness about stereotypes through wit and humour. I end, otherwise "somebody gonna get a hurt real bad."

Orignally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=8750&sectionID=2&issueID=210
Image Credit:http://www.leaderpost.com/7323457.bin
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuYM-KZIczs

Barbecuemania in Canada

Barbecues and Beer: A Match Made in Heaven

Correct me if I'm wrong, but barbecues are all the rage here in Canada, right? Everywhere I look, I see patios with barbecues and folding chairs and I often wonder why it caught on. Logically speaking, I assume barbecuing in Canada came with a ton of influence from the United States. I grew up well aware of the Texas, Kansas City and Memphis styles of barbecuing through those numerous hours I spent watching TLC India (which is somewhat similar to the Food Network.)

Being the inquisitive type (and a budding journalist at that), I did my research and found out that the barbecue was introduced to Canada in the 1940s and '50s by advertisers, cookbook and writes pop culture journalists. But that still left me unsatisfied. Why is it that women do a lot of cooking in the kitchen, but when it comes to barbecuing, it's largely male dominated? The answer I came across often both on the Internet as well as asking around was pretty unanimous: "There's meat, sharp tools, flammable liquids, fire, smoke and, most importantly, ice cold beer." That answer left me satisfied; barbecues are men's way of having a blast, so to speak, their way of cooking food. A common cliché dictates that women are better cooks, and I've often been victim to ridicule for taking an interest in cooking, but that's another story.

Mark Feldman, a professor of biological sciences at Stanford University, has an interesting answer to why women don't hang around barbecues often: "Looking after offspring was a key factor in the diversification of the roles, because if there were no offspring to look after, then there would be no reason in principle why females couldn't hunt as well."

Professor Colin Groves at the Australian National University added that control of the food and the fire was all about power: "… the possessor of the meat, the source of the prestige food, is the one who's going to impress females."

Anyway, I've just concluded my first summer in Canada and every time I went grocery shopping it wasn't hard to not notice rows and rows of barbecue supplies neatly laid out waiting to go home with eager chefs. That's a lot of outdoor cooking supplies for a country that's supposed to be covered in snow for a large part of the year. (Yes, another cliché, I know). Even Russell Peters' comedy routines talk about barbecues. One that comes to mind very often is his dad's desire to "become a Canadian" by hosting a barbecue for his neighbours, and when I watched the video on YouTube a couple of years ago, I was convinced that the barbecue is synonymous with Canada and Canadian households and now I can see that I wasn't wrong.

Not surprisingly, I came across the fact that each province in Canada has its own style of barbecuing. From what I've read and heard, barbecuing is a lot different in British Columbia than it is in Ontario and Quebec. Variation is usually a good thing, and hopefully someday I'll be able to travel coast to coast and feast on numerous barbecued delicacies that this country has to offer. The biggest though why I'm convinced that 'barbecuemania' is big in Canada is simple: there sits one on my balcony as I write. And I'm not Canadian.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=8620&sectionID=2&issueID=207
Image Credit: http://www.alwaysfoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/beer_and_barbecues_the_secret_to_a_fun_living_813yg.jpg