US EditionAmerican comedians at Saudi festival draw backlash from human rights groups
Over 50 comedians performed under strict rules banning criticism of Saudi royals and religion at the festival, with payouts reportedly between $375,000 and $1.6 million each.
- American comedians, including Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle and Chris Tucker, performed at a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia, drawing backlash from human rights groups over the country's record on civil liberties.
- Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka turned down the festival over censorship rules, with Bill Burr saying organizers were told 'If you want some good comedians, this isn't going to work.'
- Human Rights Watch accused the festival of trying to 'whitewash' Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses, noting it occurred around the anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi's killing.
92 Articles
92 Articles
Stand-up stars like Dave Chappelle and Pete Davidson are performing for millions in Saudi Arabia. Critics call it cultural whitewashing.
In Saudi Arabia, Dave Chappelle jokes that ‘I stand with Israel’ would be his code for censorship
(JTA) — During his controversial set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, comedian Dave Chappelle joked that he would use the phrase “I stand with Israel” as a code to alert fans he was facing censorship. The state-sponsored show, which took place on Saturday and featured a host of top international comedians, was criticized by Human Rights Watch and several other comedians who believed the event was aimed at deflecting from the Gulf n…
Several of the world's biggest comedians are currently performing in Saudi Arabia, praising the country. At the same time, they are being met with harsh criticism – and a list of topics they are not allowed to joke about is being spread on social media.
In Saudi Arabia, Dave Chappelle jokes that ‘I stand with Israel’ would be his code for censorship - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
During his controversial set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, comedian Dave Chappelle joked that he would use the phrase “I stand with Israel” as a code to alert fans he was facing censorship. The state-sponsored show, which took place on Saturday and featured a host of top international comedians, was criticized by Human Rights Watch and several other comedians who believed the event was aimed at deflecting from the Gulf nation’s …
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