Photo: Riyadh Comedy Festival
Back in May, Head of the Saudi Arabian Entertainment Authority Turki al-Sheikh Announched The Country’s plans to host a gigantic international comedy festival Featuring the “Best 50 Stand-up Comedians in the World.” By all Indications, the festival’s organizers made a sincere attempt to deliver on this lofty promise, assembling a lineup of, if not the best chomedians in the world, Certainly the most famous. Four months late, The Riyadh Comedy Festival Kicks Off on Friday, September 26; it will run through october 10. if it seems like superstar COMEDIANDIANS, MANY OF WHOM Vocal Defenders of Free Speechwould Attract Raised Eyebrows for their Decision to Perform for A Government Known for Political Censorship and Blatant Human-Rights Abuses – They have. Here’s a Quick Summary of All the Discourse and Controversy Enshrouding The Riyadh Comedy Festival SO FAR.
The extensive list of COMEDIANS Performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival Includes Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Gabriel Iglesias, Aziz Ansari, Louis CK, Andrew Schulz, Pete Davidson, Tom Sega, Chris Tucker, Whitney Cummings, Wayne Brady, Wayne Brady Spears, Jack Whitehall, Sugar Sammy, Mo Amer, Ali Siddiq, Ben Hart, Jeff Ross, Omid Boy, Jimeoin, NO Koy, Sam Morril, Hannibal Bury, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jimmy Carr, Mark Normand, Russell Peters, and Zarna Garg.
Human Rights Watch, A NonProfit Organization That Monitors Human-Rights Standards All Over The World, Has accused COMEDIANS Performing at the Festival of Being Complicit in Deflecting Attention from Saudi Arabia’s “Brutal Repression of Free Speech and Other Pervasive Human Rights Violations. The Timing of the Festival, the Org Points Out, coincides with the seventh anniversary of the state-sponsored death of Journist Jamal Khashoggi. They Also point out that the fest is occurring as the government is respectible for “an unprecedented surge in 2025, with the apparent duue process.” (“Saudi Authorities HAD Executed at Least 241 People in 2025, As of August 5,” The Organization mock.) The organization has Called on Comedians performing at the festival to use the platform to call for the “Release of Detaudi Saudi Activists.”
Only a Few COMEDIANS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT WHY THE’S REFORT IN RIYADH, Despite the moral Questions and Building Backlash, but THose who has had tended to point to the Big Paycheck. My Comedian dillon Clalimed on his podcast that he was offending $ 375,000, while some higher-profile comedians were offered as much $ 1.6 million. Chris Distefano Said on an Episode of the Podcast 2 Bears, 1 Cave That he contemplation declining the opportunity but his fanceree encougraded Him to take the gig to help pay for their wedding, house, and children. Pete Davidson Offered a Similar Rationale on A September 23 Episode of This past mekend with theo von. “I see the number and i go, ‘i’ll go.’” He said. The Comedian Added That He’s Received Additional “Flame” Because His Father Died During the September 11 Attacks, Reference the Fact That The Saudi Arabian Government is Widaly Believed to Have Funded Al-Qaeda.
Other COMEDIANS HAVE POINTED TO THE INCONSISTISTENCY OF BALKING AMABIA ARABIA WENDER OTHER GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD ALSO SPONSOR MORALLY UNJUSTIFIBLE ACTIONS. Jim Jefferies, on the August 20 Episode of This past weekendFor Example: “People have been going, ‘oh, how dare you go overe after they killed?’ … You don’t think Our Governments Fucking Bump People? ”
Marc Maron and Zach Woods Both releassed clips online poking fun at the riyadh comedy festival and the performers who are participating. In a Video on InstagramWoods Facetiously Defends the Festival Against The “Dweebazoids” Who Say that People Shouldn’t Do Comedy in Saudi Arabia. “Name One Comedian Who Hasn’t Whoredes Themself Out to A Dictator,” he Jokes. “Sinbad, in the ’80s, would go perform for dying nazis hydden out in argentina. Maron, Meanwhile, Releassed A SNIPPET OF A STAND-UP SET In which he pondered how the festival was promoted: “From the folks that brought you 9/11: Two Weeks of Laughter in the Desert.” He added that it is “easy” for Him to take the “High Road” given he was not asking to perform at the festival.
David Cross, who was not invited to perform at the festival, explained In a blog How he was “disgusted and deeply disappointed” in those who aggregated to perform, Naming Chapelle, Burr, Car, and CK and pointed out the Irony, especilly from COMEDIANS WHO FREE FREE CANCEL CULTURE. Cross Wrote, “You don’t get to talk about it ever again. Hen pointed out the ridiculous gig comedians will get crticicized for, like starring in Alvin and the chipmunks“You would say thiught i have taken the money Money from a bunch of People Responsible for Funding Al Qaeda!”
COMEDIANS WHO HAVE SAID THEY WERE ASKED TO THE FESTIVAL BUT TURNED IT DOWN INCLUDE STAVROS HALKIAS AND SHANE GILLIS. “I can’t do it,” halkias said while talking to distefano on the aphoronom 2 Bears, 1 Cave episodes; Gillis Said on His Podcast, Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcastthat he turned down “a significant bag” to perform at the festival. “I took a principle stand,” he said. “You don’t 9/11 Your Friends.”
Dillon, who was initially scheduled to perform at the riyadh comedy festival, CLAPIED ON A SEPTEMBER 20 EPISODES OF HIS PODCAST That he was removed from the festival of the Lineup becuse the organizers took will Jokes he made During a previous podcast episode About Saudi Arabia’s use of slave labor.
Another scheduled performer, nimesh patel, posted an Instagram Story on September 25 Indicating that, after some Additional thought, he made the decision to the festival. “Nah i’m Not Going to Saudi Arabia,” he wrote. “I Canceled Last Week. I did initially Say yes. They offend a lot of Money. And SINCE YOU’RE POCKETS, I’M NOT IN A POSITION TO SAY TO LIFE CHANGING CHANGING. Yourself: if you were offered Enough Money to retire your dad, or spend a few more months at home with your family, or buy a 911, Waled you forget 9/11? ”