Saudi Arabia comedy festival no laughing matter

[garrow]

maybe jamal khashoggi refused to say retard

Burr says instead Riyadh and many would say Ree-yard.

 

[micropolitan guy]

maybe jamal khashoggi refused to say retard

Sarah McLachlan opened the evening with an emotional, heart-rendering edition of "I Will Dismember You." Not a dry eye in the royal family.

 

[Pilot]

Burr talks about arriving in Riyadh with apprehension due to the years of negative portrayals in Western media. “You think everybody’s going to be screaming ‘Death to America’ and they’re going to have like ****ing machetes and want to chop my head off,” Burr said.Burr talks about arriving in Riyadh with apprehension due to the years of negative portrayals in Western media. “You think everybody’s going to be screaming ‘Death to America’ and they’re going to have like ****ing machetes and want to chop my head off,” Burr said.

I don’t think Burr understands the issue. Those aren’t things I’ve thought about Saudi Arabia.

 

[Tom Paine’s Bones]

I don’t think Burr understands the issue. Those aren’t things I’ve thought about Saudi Arabia.

Did he say it twice?

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Someone on Twitter said he/she is hoping Pete Davidson is in on the joke and goes over there and is just purposely terrible.

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

in saudi arabia new yorker bombs you!

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Someone on Twitter said he/she is hoping Pete Davidson is in on the joke and goes over there and is just purposely terrible.

How would anyone know?

 

[Here me roar]

Pete must really need the money because it's kind of hard to imagine that a kid whose dad died in the 9/11 attacks would perform for the country that bankrolled it.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

How would anyone know?

If he didn't laugh at his own jokes?

 

[Slacker]

If he didn't laugh at his own jokes?

That sounds like Seth Rogen Disease. Still no cure?

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Pete must really need the money because it's kind of hard to imagine that a kid whose dad died in the 9/11 attacks would perform for the country that bankrolled it.

Pete dated a Kardashian. I'm sure some of the money whorishness wore off.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Hey y'all, Chappelle went to Saudi Arabia and criticized attempts to stifle free speech ... in the USA.

“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled,” the comedian Dave Chappelle quipped on Saturday at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, the first event of its kind in Saudi Arabia. “I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out.”

A headline act, Mr. Chappelle was met with whoops, cheers and applause as he told an audience of 6,000, “It’s easier to talk here than it is in America.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/world/middleeast/saudi-comedy-festival-riyadh-free-speech.html

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Chappelle hates gays and trans people as much as the Saudis so this is a natural fit for this guy.

 

[Alma]

Goodness knows we've seen artists and athletes across the board suddenly "lose their voice" when money is on the table - whether we are talking about Saudis, China or working with Harvey Weinstein - but comedians especially seem to need that "fearlessness" to say anything to remain "credible."

Many, many sportspeople have made lots and lots of money off of China.

There hasn't been any fainting over it.

Let's be clear: To the extent that anyone would be fainting over Saudi Arabia - be it this comedy festival or LIV - it's because of Trump. That's it. That's all. He shrugged off a horrific murder - which he should not have done - and the Saudis like him. And that's not a bad reason! But that's the reason. It's absolutely not about 9/11.

We have college kids cosplaying as Islamic freedom fighters on campuses, and your garden variety celebrities loves them some that. China has committed every kind of espionage imaginable against this country, and it's a shrug emoji.

 

[Here me roar]

Many, many sportspeople have made lots and lots of money off of China.

There hasn't been any fainting over it.

Let's be clear: To the extent that anyone would be fainting over Saudi Arabia - be it this comedy festival or LIV - it's because of Trump. That's it. That's all. He shrugged off a horrific murder - which he should not have done - and the Saudis like him. And that's not a bad reason! But that's the reason. It's absolutely not about 9/11.

We have college kids cosplaying as Islamic freedom fighters on campuses, and your garden variety celebrities loves them some that. China has committed every kind of espionage imaginable against this country, and it's a shrug emoji.

JFC. You don't think a guy that lost his father in 9/11 might have a beef with Saudi Arabia independently of Donald Trump? I'd ask you what the f*** is wrong with you, but that seems to be a pointless question.

 

[Alma]

JFC. You don't think a guy that lost his father in 9/11 might have a beef with Saudi Arabia independently of Donald Trump? I'd ask you what the f*** is wrong with you, but that seems to be a pointless question.

He might…but he performed in the comedy festival, right?

 

[Tom Paine’s Bones]

I think this is an interesting situation.

Saudi Arabia is a dictatorship, that doesn't allow free speech, and it does not allow women equal rights.

It's problematic.

But also... the current leader is the most progressive leader they have ever had. (Even with the killing of the Washington Post journalist.) They are moving in the right direction.

So, I understand why people would not want to perform there, and can see why some people -- like Burr -- might be seen as hypocrites for appearing. And, when "free speech" is such a hot button topic for comedians, appearing in a country that doesn't allow it, is a disconnect.

But... also, when someone like Chappelle criticizes our policies, there is something subversive about that. No, he didn't criticize the Saudi government, but demonstrating to Saudis that you can criticize your own government, and it's ok, draws a a significant contrast between America and Saudi Arabia, that I doubt was missed by the Saudis.

 

[Here me roar]

He might…but he performed in the comedy festival, right?

You said the only reason people would have a issue with Saudi Arabia is because they're anti-trump. "That's it. That's all." No. There are valid reasons for anyone to have an issue with Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are not our friends. They were not our friends before Trump. And they will not be our friends after Trump. But you go on being you and ignore the very things you write, because your points are never right.

 

[swingline]

The saudis call us their *****. And we are.

 

[dixiehack]

Wonder if comedians in Saudi get to use profanity before we do?