Top comics including Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Pete Davidson, Andrew Schulz, Jo Koy, Bill Burr, Jimmy Carr and Louis are facing a barrage of criticism for playing the Riyadh Comedy Festival because of host country Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
David Cross, co-creator of the influential Mr. Show and a top standup for decades, became one of the most high-profile critics of his colleagues Monday when he shared a statement about their decision to take Saudi money to perform at the festival, which is now underway.
“I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing,” Cross wrote. “That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for…what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?”
He elaborated: “We can never again take seriously anything these comedians complain about (unless it’s complaining that we don’t support enough torture and mass executions of journalists and LGBQT peace activists here in the states, or that we don’t terrorize enough Americans by flying planes into our buildings).”
A message to the festival seeking comment was not immediately returned on Tuesday. The festival, which bills itself as “your passport to a joy-filled weekend, cultural discovery, and unforgettable entertainment,” runs through October 8.
Cross was not invited to perform, but added that there’s “not enough money for me to help these depraved, awful people put a ‘fun face’ on their crimes against humanity.”
Cross also mocked comedians who call out “cancel culture” at home but take money from a regime accused of brutal censorship abroad. As The Independent noted, In June, the Saudi regime executed journalist al-Jasser for “high treason” based on his writing on a blog and newspaper. And in 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S.-based journalist and critic of Saudi Arabia’s government, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and was murdered, the BBC notes.
Cross specifically called out Chappelle, Burr, Louis CK and Jimmy Carr, saying he expected better.
“These are some of my HEROES! Now look, some of you folks don’t stand for anything so you don’t have any credibility to lose, but my god, Dave and Louie and Bill, and Jim? Clearly you guys don’t give a s— about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your b—-ing about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech and all that s—? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again. By now we’ve all seen the contract you had to sign.
“You’re performing for literally, the most oppressive regime on earth. They have SLAVES for f—‘s sake!!!”
Cross also wryly noted that he was branded a sellout in some circles when he agreed to appear in a children’s movie in 2007.
“Holy s— I remember the backlash I got for appearing in Alvin and the Chipmunks! You would’ve thought that I had taken money from a bunch of people responsible for funding Al Qaeda!”
Lawyers for the Saudi royal family have, in the past, denied any connection to the financing of Al Qaeda. But Saudi Arabia has long been accused of playing a part, including in a staff monograph on terrorist financing released by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission established by President George W. Bush in 2002.
The monograph reported that “fund-raisers and facilitators throughout Saudi Arabia and the Gulf raised money for al Qaeda from witting and unwitting donors and divert funds from Islamic charities and mosques.”
It added, “the Commission staff found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or as individual senior officials knowingly support or supported al Qaeda; however, a lack of awareness of the problem and a failure to conduct oversight over institutions created an environment in which such activity has flourished.”
Pete Davidson Explains Decision to Perform at Riyadh Comedy Festival
Among the comedians who agreed to appear at the Riyadh Comedy Festival is Pete Davidson, whose father was a Staten Island firefighter killed while trying to save lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
“I get the routing and then I see the number and I go, ‘I’ll go,” Davidson said recently on Theo Vonn’s podcast. “I’ve been getting a little bit of flack just ’cause like my dad died on 9/11, so they’re like, ‘How could you possibly go there?'”
Fans online also pulled up old clips to accuse comedians of hypocrisy, highlighting, for example, a clip in which Louis CK chided Shane Gillis, a comedian not performing at the festival, for charging fans via Patreon to watch part of Gillis’ podcast.
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka Lists Restrictions on Riyadh Comedy Festival Performers
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka wrote on Threads, meanwhile, that she turned down the Riyadh Comedy Festival because “the money is coming straight from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists, ppl with nonlethal drug offenses, bloggers, etc without due process.” She also shared a document listing what she said would have been restrictions on her Riyadh Comedy Festival performance.
The document stipulated that she would “not prepare or perform any material that may be considered to degrade, defame or bring into bring into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, embarrassment, or ridicule” the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi royal family, or any religious leader, among others.
Comedian Mike Birbiglia wrote in response that he had also passed on the festival.
“I also passed. Respect to Atsuko and Shane and others for passing,” he wrote.
Main image: Pete Davidson on Theo Vonn’s This Past Weekend podcast.