Saturday, May 30, 2009

Gwen Stefani and No Doubt catch Russell Peters’ Friday set at the Addison Improv

By Erin Rice

A big enough name on his own, there were some star-studded additions to the audience at Russell Peters' late show on Friday night at the Addison Improv. As the lights went down for the first set of the night, members of No Doubt, including Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal and Tom Dumont, as well as touring band members, friends and family shuffled into their seats. The band, who hooked back up recently to record new material and tour, are in Dallas for their Saturday show at the Superpages.com Center.

Reena Eapen

Russell Peters, Paul Varghese, and Tony Kanal cheesing for the camera at Pete's Piano Bar following Friday night's show.

When you're a typical Dallas audience, this kind of thing doesn't just happen all the time. When you're as prolific a comedian as Russell Peters, big names like No Doubt are just friends showing up to support your set.

Despite the big ticket price ($45), it was not difficult for Peters to sell out the Addison Improv (he performs several shows there over the weekend) considering the quasi-intimacy the comedy club. Of Anglo-Indian descent and Canadian nationality, Peters has been doing comedy for 20 years, but his fame found its stride towards the mid-2000's. Since then he's sold out the Apollo Theater and Madison Square Garden, plays various improvs, theaters, and arenas the world over, and his Showtime special, "Russell Peters Presents," will air later this summer. Forty-five bucks, schmorty-five bucks.

With such a high degree of success, Peters' larger sets are often tacked up on YouTube within minutes of airing. To keep his set fresh, in an improv setting (as explained to me by another comedian performing that night) Peters uses quite a bit of audience interaction. Upon taking the stage he went straight to the crowd, which we found out through the night and through his set, consisted of a broad range of nationalities, all of whom found their way to the butt of a joke in Peters' classically racially-charged humor.

In addition to playing the audience, Peters told a number of humorous stories, including an incident in which he took a call from the King of Jordan, observations on women, and performing in various locales, including India, Ireland, and Spain. Though his longer pieces are obviously bits written before, and one can imagine his audience interactions pull from a bag of jokes he has stashed away in his brain, I was struck by the ease in which he makes it seem like everything is extemporaneous. And random stolen glances towards the VIP section confirmed that yes, indeed, No Doubt enjoyed Russell and everyone's sets from the night.

Exiting the stage to the roar of an appreciative crowd, Peters, with Kanal and Dumont, headed across the hall to Pete's Dueling Piano Bar. Sporting not one, but two security guards, the trio hung out first near the bar and later stage right, taking pictures throughout the night with well-wishers and general on-lookers. Towards last call, Dumont was coaxed onstage where he manned the guitar and played "Like A Girl" with the Pete's Piano regular staff. As the rest of the bar patrons realized who was in attendance and rushed over, the members of No Doubt and their acquaintances eventually made their way to the back exit and headed off.

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Comments

nina_chawla Anonymous

I saw Russell Peters last time he was at the Improv. The only thing stopping me this time around was the ticket price. But he always delivers the laughs. I vow to go next time! can't believe I missed No Doubt though....

5 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Peter Stawicki Verified

Oh man! I knew I should have gone out to the improv this weekend!!

5 months, 1 week ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )