Right-wing American pundit Ann Coulter brought her show to a mostly warm welcome in Calgary on Thursday night, laughing off some of her more controversial remarks and deflecting criticisms from the crowd with barbs about Zambonis.

Several dozen protesters held signs and heckled as spectators entered the venue, but although they banged on doors and broke a window, the scene was much more serene than a rowdy protest in Ottawa earlier this week that caused Coulter's appearance to be cancelled altogether.

Coulter played off the controversy of the week, calling herself a "best-selling author and hate-crimes victim" as she took the stage.

"So far in Canada everything I've said has been bleeped," she said to laughter and applause. "There's a tradition of free speech in Canada going back to this morning."

Coulter first sparked anger on Monday when she told a Muslim student at the University of Western Ontario that she should "take a camel" for international travel. She was responding to a challenge by the student of a previous Coulter statement that Muslims shouldn't be allowed on airplanes following the terror attacks of 9-11 and should take flying carpets instead.

Coulter said Thursday that her answer about the student had been taken out of context and was simply one of her trademark punch lines aimed at hecklers rather than a serious reply.

"That was a joke. I know there aren't flying carpets," she said.

At times the protesters outside could be heard banging on the doors as she spoke. They heckled spectators as they went in and out of the venue, holding up signs and chanting.

One small child held up a sign reading: "I don't have a camel or a flying carpet, can you lend me your broomstick?"

"I think Ottawa had the guts to throw her out of town and I think Calgary should, too," said Shauna Jimenez. "We don't need to this kind of stuff. It's not what Canadians want."

But inside, the crowd of more than 900 listened politely as Coulter kept up a caustic commentary about diversity, gays, and bias in the media.

The audience gave a huge cheer when Coulter proposed making Calgary and west her country's 51st state.

She also argued repeatedly that she's no more racist than a large number of people but gets targeted for her comments because she's a self-identified conservative.

"Scientists have recently reported that the only cure for being a racist is to call yourself a liberal," she said.

She cited late night talk show host David Letterman, who admitted on TV that he had an affair with one of his employees. Anyone else would have been fired for sleeping with an employee, and if that person happened to be a Republican, he would have been deported, Coulter added.

She capped off her speech by saying: "In conclusion, if anything I've said tonight offended you, my work is done."

Many people the crowd expressed their appreciation for Coulter's views during the question and answer period, with one man asking for her hand in marriage.

Rick Dees, 53, drove six hours to hear her speak.

"I love this woman because, though she says it maybe a little too strongly, a little too caustically, she has the right to say what she thinks," he said. "She just wants to make a point - let freedom reign!"

But others were frustrated by Coulter's lack of responsibility for the hurt her comments can cause.

"All it was was a bunch of jokes put together, it wasn't serious at all," said Hana Kadri, a first-year University of Calgary student.

She added she was shocked at how many people cheered as Coulter made her points against Canada's health-care system and humans rights.

"And honestly I'm a little horrified at the fact that we have people that believe in some of the extremes that she believes in ... I felt like I wasn't even in Canada anymore."

Coulter also drew cheers when she referred to her intention to file a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission over the way she was treated by the University of Ottawa.

Provost Francois Houle sent Coulter a note before her speech on Tuesday, urging her to educate herself about Canada's hate laws, saying that promoting hatred against an identifiable group could lead to criminal charges.

In a column posted on the American conservative website Townhall.com, Coulter said she hopes the "august" human rights commission will find out whether the university has warned any other speakers to watch their words or if it's a caution reserved for female conservatives.

"If a university official's letter accusing a speaker of having a proclivity to commit speech crimes before she's given the speech - which then leads to Facebook postings demanding that Ann Coulter be hurt, a massive riot and a police-ordered cancellation of the speech - is not hate speech, then there is no such thing as hate speech," she wrote.

The school's president, former Liberal cabinet minister Allan Rock, issued a statement underlining that the institution would remain "a safe and democratic environment for the expression of views."

Calgary has been a popular stop on speaking tours for right-wing American figures. Former U.S. president George W. Bush gave his first speech after leaving office in the city, despite a small crowd of protesters. Former U.S. vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin recently received a warm reception after a talk in which she compared Alberta to her home state of Alaska.

Coulter has made a name for herself in the U.S. through appearances on Fox News and she has written a number of books. She is famous for saying "not all Muslims may be terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims" and accusing the widows of those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks of being self-obsessed and enjoying their husbands' deaths.

Reaction to Coulter's bumpy reception in Ottawa has been mixed. Protesters claimed victory, saying she is hateful towards religious minorities, homosexuals and women, but free speech advocates said stifling freedom of speech at universities sets a dangerous trend.