The Riyadh Comedy Festival is making headlines, and it's not necessarily good news. The comedy festival in the capital of Saudi Arabia began on Friday, September 26, and features comedians like Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Pete Davidson, Andrew Schulz, Jo Koy, Bill Burr, and Louis C.K.. While some fans of the comedians are excited to see them performing in this part of the world, many more are disappointed in the decision. Fellow comedians and human rights advocates have been quick to share their thoughts on these stars performing in a country not known for its freedom of speech.
What is the Riyadh Comedy Festival?
The two-week comedy festival is located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and features several high profile comedians. Attendees can expect traditional stand-up comedy as well as satire, sketch, and improv. The Saudi Arabian government invested in the comedy festival as a way to bolster the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman' Vision 2030 – "a plan to overhaul the country's economy and attract foreign investors and tourists" per Human Rights Watch.
A key element of Vision 2030 is to boost the leisure and recreational opportunities in the country and to "enhance the image of the Kingdom internationally." But the Riyadh Comedy Festival is facing major backlash online and in the industry due to Saudi Arabia's very poor human rights record.
© Getty ImagesIn June, the Saudi government executed writer and journalist Turki al-Jasser for "terrorist crimes." In February 2024, they executed Abdullah al-Shamri, a political analyst for "threatening the stability" of Saudi Arabia. And in 2018, the Saudi-American journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote for The Washington Post, was brutally executed inside a foreign embassy.
The Riyadh Comedy Festival is a smart tactic in building of MBS' Vision 2030. Joey Shea at Human Rights Watch told HELLO!: "Comedy needs free speech to function, to make jokes about people in power, about issues that make people uncomfortable." She continued: "If these comedians agreed explicitly to not touch certain topics, that sets a terrible precedent that there is a price they are willing to be paid to not criticize a political leader."
Why is the Riyadh Comedy Festival all over social media?
© Getty ImagesThe comedians performing at the comedy festival have remained relatively quiet about their decision. But their peers who are not heading to Saudi Arabia have a lot of opinions. Marc Maron, comedian and host of the WTF podcast said: "I mean, how do you even promote [the festival]. Like, 'From the folks that brought you 9/11, two weeks of laughter in the desert. Don't miss it.'"
© Getty ImagesHe continued: "I mean, the same guy that's gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a *expletive* suitcase." Marc was joined in his distaste for the festival by actor and comedian David Cross. The Arrested Development star wrote an open letter denouncing the festival.
"I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing," David wrote to his website. "That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for … what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers? We can never again take seriously anything these comedians complain about."
© Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty ImagePete Davidson joked about his participation in the comedy festival: "I've been getting a little bit of flak just because my dad died [in] 9/11. So they're like, ‘How could you possibly go there?' … I get the [flight] routing, and then I see the number, and I go, 'I'll go.'" On this reaction to the pushback Pete was receiving, Joey Shea at HRW told HELLO!: "It could have been very easy for Pete to say he is doing this gig and that he doesn't agree with Saudi Arabia's [human rights records] and the detainment of Saudi activists, like Manahel al-Otaibi, a female fitness instructor and women’s rights activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for promoting women’s rights online."
While many big names are performing in Riyadh, one of the comedy's biggest stars turned it down. During an appearance on Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast, Shane Gillis revealed he was offered a "significant bag" to perform at the comedy festival. He explained: "I took a principled stand. You don't 9/11 your friends."
