The Riyadh comedy festival fires on the conviction of Human Rights Watch, Pete Davidson and Bill Burr take place to play
The next Riyadic comedy festival in Saudi Arabia stirred up, with several American actors criticizing the high -level event and the human rights watch condemning the festival while urging artists like Pete Davidson and Bill Burr to “publicly urge the Saudi authorities to unjust the Saudi dissidents, journalists and activists humans “.
“The seventh anniversary of the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi is not a question of laughing, and the actors receiving important sums from the Saudi authorities should not remain silent on prohibited questions such as human rights or freedom of expression,” said Joey Shea, researcher in Saudi Arabia at Human Rights Watch, in a statement. “Everyone performing in Riyadh should use this platform to demand the release of detained activists.”
The programming of the next Saudi festival includes, among others: Aziz Ansari, Hannibal Buress, Bill Burr, Jimmy Carr, Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson, Maz Jobrani, Sam Morril, Mark Normand, Nimesh Patel and Tom Segure.
Many American actors have spoken against the controversial festival. Marc Maron used his podcast “WTF” to explode his other actors who signed on September 26-October. 9 festival, citing the alleged ties of Saudi officials with September 11 and the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“I mean, how do you even promote this?” People who brought you on September 11. Two weeks of laughing in the desert, don’t miss it! “” He said. “I mean, the same guy who will pay them is the same guy who paid this guy to the bone ball Jamal Khashoggi and put him in an AF – King suitcase. But don’t let it stop the Yucks, it’s going to be a good time!”
The actor Atsuko Okatsuka also exploded the festival sharing a letter of tender sent to him, in particular the rules of censorship. Content restrictions included any material that “defame” or “degrades” the Saudi royal family, the legal system or the government in any way.
“The money comes directly from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists,” said Okatsuka in a social media position condemning the offer.
The money comes directly from the Crown Prince, who actively performs journalists, drug offenses, bloggers, etc. with regular procedure. Lots of “You can no longer say anything!” The actors make the festival 😂 They had to respect the rules of censorship to do so pic.twitter.com/qp34xoi3qg
– Atsuko Okatsuka (@atsukocomedy) September 26, 2025
Shane Gillis also shared that he had been approached to occur but refused the offer because he said he did not agree with the presumed links of the Saudi Arganie to finance terrorist attacks on September 11. According to the actor, after saying no, the festival has “doubled” its original offer.
“It was an important bag,” Gillis told Matt McCusker on their “secret podcast by Matt and Shane”. “But I had already said no, I took a position in principle.”
According to Human Rights Watch, on September 19, the organization “wrote to the representatives and the management of a group of participating actors announced to request a meeting on the human rights crisis in Saudi Arabia”. They received no response.
On September 20, Tim Dillon, who was to assist, said his performance had been canceled because the Saudi authorities were “unhappy” about the comic remarks he had made about the treatment of migrant workers.
Human Rights Watch has cited that many actors performing at the festival have made public statements on the importance of freedom of expression which “contrasts strongly with the brutal repression of the Saudi authorities against any criticism of the government”.
“The actors playing in Riyadh should denounce the serious violations of the rights of Saudi Arabia where they risk strengthening the well -funded efforts of the Saudi government to whiten its image.” Shea said. “This laundering comes in the midst of a significant increase in repression, including a repression against freedom of expression, which many of these actors defend, but the inhabitants of Saudi Arabia are completely refused.”
