Russell Peters
Peters in 2014, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Russell Dominic Peters
Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date of Birth: September 29, 1970
Ethnicity: Anglo-Indian [Indian, English]
Russell Peters is a Canadian comedian and actors.
Russell is the son of Maureen Christina and Eric Reginald Peters, both Anglo-Indian, mixed Indian and English descent. His father, who was born in Bombay, was Anglican, and his mother, who was born in Calcutta, was Catholic, and Russell was raised in his mother’s Catholic faith. Russell grew up in Brampton, Ontario. He has a daughter with his former wife Monica Diaz.
In his book, Call Me Russell, 2010, Russell wrote:
Both of my parents are Anglo-Indian. Both of their parents were Anglo-Indian, and before that one of their great-grandfathers or great-great-grandfathers was British, Welsh, Scottish or Irish – one of those ishes. That’s what it is to be an Anglo-Indian. Somewhere in your genes is a British father and an Indian mother. Anglo-Indians, or AI’s, mixed with the British when they occupied India. That’s why my name is Russell Peters instead of something you’d be more likely to expect for a guy who looks like me, both of whose parents were born in India. Anglo-Indians come in all shades – from blond-haired and blue-eyed to dark-skinned with very traditional “Indian” features. Anglo-Indians are a very small, unique community as well as a dying one, a remnant from the Raj.
Russell’s paternal grandfather was named James Peters. James was from Madras.
Russell’s maternal grandfather was named Christopher Anthony Waike. Christopher was killed in a robbery in Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia.
Russell’s maternal grandmother was named Sheila (the daughter of Jessie).
cool mixed look like a cute bear when was a little boy
https://books.google.com/books?id=Man0-BpnFjkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=call+me+russell&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOqJmgi4_TAhUG5iYKHVSRBZkQ6AEIGjAA#v=snippet&q=grandmother&f=false
His autobiography
CORRECTION: Russell’s father was Eric Reginald Peters (1925-2004), who was born in Bombay. Eric’s father, James Peters, was from Madras. Here’s (http://wisdom154.tripod.com/ericpeters/) a website about Eric
Russell’s mother is Maureen Christina (Waike) Peters, born 1941 in Calcutta. Her father, Christopher Anthony Waike, was killed in during a robbery in Australia on October 13, 1976 in Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia. Maureen’s mother is/was named Sheila, and was born in 1924. I’m not sure if she is still living or not. Sheila’s mother was named Jessie.
he does not look british at all, especially compared with people who are actually mixed like Charli XCX
In my opinion, the Anglo-terms shouldn’t be used (like Anglo-Irish, for example). Anglo-Indian can be confused with people from India of British descent. “Indian, English” is enough.
I know, but Peters is always referred to as coming specifically from the Anglo-Indian group.
The fact that it refers to him being of mixed descent is noted, so it’s clear what it means in this case.
Yes, and he does, but I disagree that the term should be used as an ethnicity. When people are descended from two ethnic groups they don’t instantly become members of a new one. The exception for me is the Americas, where large groups of mostly the same or similar ancestral mixes have their own countries, where they’ve lived for a long time.
I think Peters treats “Anglo-Indian” as an ethnic group in his book in the way he describes his parents. In fact, if I hadn’t read that paragraph about six years ago, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
It’s a useful quote to include.
I don’t see the Americas as an exception necessarily.
https://books.google.ca/books?id=Man0-BpnFjkC&pg=PA9&dq=%22Both+of+my+parents+are+Anglo-Indian.%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzxqm8lIPTAhVrxoMKHVovBdQQ6AEIFDAA