Saudi Comedy Festival Draws Criticism From Fellow Comedians And Human Rights Groups

Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival, running through October 9th, has sparked controversy among performers and activists. Major comedians including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, and Aziz Ansari are participating in the event. However, other fellow comics like Marc Maron, Shane Gillis, and Stavros Halkias have criticized their colleagues’ involvement. Human Rights Watch stated “The Saudi government is using the Riyadh Comedy Festival … to deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations.” Maron referenced Saudi Arabia’s connections to 9/11 and journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, saying “The same guy that’s gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi.” Comedian Tim Dillon revealed he was offered $375,000 for one performance, with others reportedly offered up to $1.6 million. (Story URL)