Why are comedy fans so angry with the Riyad Comedy Festival – and the actors involved
The Stand-Up Comedy Community and its Legion of Fans are currently upheaval on some of its most popular and most respected talents to perform at Riyad Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. Although the country is in the midst of alleged and socially progressive work via its Vision 2030 project (which also aims to make the kingdom less depends on oil production by strengthening its technologies of technology, sport and entertainment), the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman al Saad launched a transition in works seven years ago by the command of the brutal of Washington Post Jamist Jamist Khashogi Criticized the crown prince on paper. Since then, more dissidents have been imprisoned and, on occasion, executed, while the country continues to engage in slavery within the framework of the Kafala system.
According to Human Rights Watch, the treatment with Saudi Arabia of its citizens is “appalling”. This did not prevent some of the best golfers in the world from joining the Kingdom golf tour or in World Wrestling Entertainment, now a Streammed Netflix organization, allowing the country to welcome Wrestlemania 43 in 2027. The wealth is undeniable. Their ambition must be taken seriously. But can artists and athletes become their money in good conscience? It depends on who you are talking about and, perhaps, how paid they were.
The Riyad Comedy Festival, which takes place from September 26 to October 8, has brought together an extremely impressive list of world renowned comic talents. If you have launched an event like this in the United States, the combined tastes of Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Aziz Ansari, Jim Jefferies, Hannibal Burss, Whitney Cummings, etc. could easily wrap the Bowl pink. Saudi Arabia understood this and, according to Time, offered comics between $ 300,000 and 1.6 million dollars to do what was probably an hour set. Was it worth it?
Bill Burr considered his trip to Saudi Arabia as an enlightening experience
Bill Burr, a right shooting comic strip which often resists the right -wing paranoid opinions adopted by his peers (he took Joe Rogan to his skepticism styled for the vaccine), can be the most surprising participant of the festival. He is a humanist of common sense and common sense who likes to dance around third rail problems. Burr’s policy is everywhere, but, a decade ago, it was ready to occur in the Middle East. “I will not go there and I kidnapped myself and I went to the head on YouTube,” he said. It is therefore not surprising that, by defending his performance at the festival, he gently gave up his previous hostility towards the region.
Burr recognized that, as initially reported by Deadline, the Saudis imposed certain restrictions on the material of the comics (jokes on the Royals and religion were Verboten). But he was struck by how much he had in common with the people of this very different culture. “I am like, these guys, they are like us,” he said (via variety). “I don’t speak language, but I understand.” Burr added: “You think everyone will shout” Death to America “and they will have machetes and want to like to sleep the head, right? Because that’s what I was nourished about this part of the world.” But when he realized that Saudi Arabia was full of American food chains like Pizza Hut, Chili’s and Burger King, he struck him that he had more in common with the Saudi people than he thought before.
If there is an actor on the Riyadh bill who, in your opinion, would have hesitated to participate in this festival, it is Pete Davidson. His father, Scott Davidson, was a New York firefighter who gave his life by trying to save people during the September 11 attacks – attacks that alleged ties with Saudi Arabia. How did Davidson Square took Saudi money in exchange for his comic adequacy? While appearing on the podcast of Theo von, Davidson dodged the family’s problem and said this: “I just know that I receive the routing, then I see the number, and I will:” I go. “”
Some comics were not stimulated in their festival criticism and their peers’ decision to occur. There is a remarkable anger there.
“How can one of us take one of you seriously?”
Marc Maron, veteran actor and host of the very popular Podcast “WTF”, went to Instagram to say: “The same guy who will pay them is the same guy who paid this guy with the bone saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in an AF *** suitcase. But don’t let the Yucks stop, it’s going to be a good time!” Maron was not offered from a niche to the festival, but Shane Gillis revealed that he refused a “significant bag” (the one who was doubled after refusing them the first time) because he could not in all conscience for the Saudi Royals. “I took a position in principle,” he said. “You are not 9/11 your friends” (a reference to 15 of the 19 pirates of pirates 9/11 being Saudi citizens).
And then there is David Cross. The star and co-creator of “Arrested Development” of the classic series of the HBO sketch comedy “Mr. Show with Bob and David”, brought his blog to excil his colleagues (some of whom are friends). By cross, “that the people I admire, with an inevitable talent, to tolerate this totalitarian fief for … What, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?” He then lowered the boom:
“Obviously, you do not give as *** on what others think, but how can one of us go back seriously?
It is impossible to obtain a consensus on the reactions of comedy fans because social media has now been divided into clicks on X, Facebook, Bluesky, etc. There is a whirlwind of support and fury. We will have to wait until October 8 to see if permanent damage has been caused to the reputation of these actors, but it seems likely that certain professional relationships are finished.
