A string of comedians are under fire for performing at a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia that’s been accused of ‘deflecting attention’ from human rights violations.
Over the past two weeks, performers including Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Aziz Ansari and Bill Burr have taken to the stage at the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
Part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to position the country as a destination for international cultural and artistic events, the inaugural festival has drawn intense criticism worldwide due to the country’s poor human rights records.
Although several comedians who were invited to perform have spoken out about their decision to reject offers to appear – those who accepted have largely doubled down despite the backlash.
With reports that some were paid as much as $1.6million (£1.2million) to appear, American comedian Tim Dillon declared he was ‘being paid to look the other way’.
Meanwhile Human Rights Watch has claimed the Saudi government is using the festival to ‘deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations’.
Which comedians performed at the festival?
The first event of its kind to be hosted in Saudi Arabia, the comedy festival invited well-known comedians from around the world to perform.
Hosted from September 26 and wrapping up yesterday, the comedians who took part included Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, Jimmy Carr, Pete Davidson, Kevin Hart and Jack Whitehall.
Although Dillon had been due to appear – and expressed his enthusiasm to do so – he went on to be cut from the line-up after making jokes on his podcast about slavery in Saudi Arabia.
Initially explaining his decision to accept the offer, he explained: ‘Do I have issues with the policies towards freedom of speech? Of course I do, but I believe in my own financial wellbeing. They’re paying me enough money to look the other way.’
Meanwhile Australian comedian Jim Jefferies was also cut after he referenced the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi regime who was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents in 2018.
‘One reporter was killed by the government – unfortunate, but not a f***ing hill that I’m gonna die on,’ he said on a podcast in August.
He then said taking part was being a ‘freedom-of-speech’ machine. He’s not yet commented on being removed from the line-up.
Why is there backlash and what has been said?
In its statement, Human Rights Watch said the festival was an attempt by the Saudi regime to try ‘whitewash’ its human rights abuses.
In recent years, the government has come under the spotlight for its restrictions on the freedom of speech, its use of the death penalty, and its limited rights for women and girls.
‘This whitewashing comes amid significant increase in repression, including a crackdown on free speech, which many of these comedians defend but people in Saudi Arabia are completely denied,’ HRW wrote.
However, the Saudi regime has insisted in recent years its investments are aimed at changing the country’s social and economic landscape, rather than distracting from its controversial policies.
How have comedians responded?
Many comedians have taken aim at those who chose to take part.
David Cross – who also starred in Arrested Development – said he was ‘disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing’.
In a statement shared on Instagram, he added: ‘There is not enough money for me to help these depraved, awful people put a “funny face” on their crimes against humanity.’
‘All of your b***hing about “cancel culture” and “freedom of speech”… done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again.’
Meanwhile former Saturday Night Live star Shane Gillis said he rejected a ‘significant bag’ to appear to take a ‘principled stand’.
Marc Macron dubbed the participating comedians as ‘sell outs’.
Gianmarco Soresi also said that those who went were ‘allowing their images and their reputations and, frankly, the brand of American stand-up comedy, to be exploited for propaganda’.
‘It’s embarrassing to go on stage and tell jokes that if some of the audience members tweeted from their own personal accounts, could lead to them being executed,’ he told CNN.
Despite coming under fire, several comedians have spoken out.
Burr defended his appearance, calling it a ‘mind-blowing experience’, but noted he was banned from telling jokes about the Saudi royals and religion.
American comedian Jessica Kirson released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter following her show, in which she said she had ‘sincere regret for having performed under a government that continues to violate fundamental human rights’.
She went on to pledge to donate her fee for appearing to a human rights organisation.
Her sentiments were echoed by Ansari after he was grilled on The Jimmy Kimmel Show this week.
The comedian said he had ‘put a lot of thought’ into his decision to attend. ‘To ascribe the worst behaviour of the government onto those people is unfair. Just like people in America who don’t agree with what the government is doing here,’ he said.
‘For me, looking the way I do and being from a Muslim background, I hope it pushes things in a positive direction. I share the concerns that people brought up and it’s all valid,’ he added.
He went on to share he’d been considering donating parts of his fees to Human Rights Watch. However, the charity has said it ‘cannot accept’ any offer from the comedians.
Aside from Carr and Whitehall, the other English acts who took part were Omid Djalili and Ben Hart. The former issued a statement overnight.
In a piece written for The Guardian, which he then shared on Instagram, Djalili wrote: ‘It’s worth remembering that governments are not their people.
‘Allowing international performances in Saudi, especially comedy, subtly broadens what’s thinkable and sayable in a society. Every laugh at a taboo subject shifts norms, albeit slightly.’
The other three British comedians are all yet to comment publicly.
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