"Last week, comedian Atsuko Okatsuka said she rejected an offer to perform at the festival, straightforwardly observing that "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 screenshot from her offer, which set restrictions on comedians' material: no making fun of any aspect of Saudi Arabia, or any religion."
"Bill Burr, whose whole shtick is that he stands athwart the reactionary turn of his aging and crankish peers, still performed at the festival, which gives you a sense of where the bar is, morally, for standup comedians. He's also offered the most thorough account of what the festival was like. After his visit to the kingdom, he raved on his podcast about what a good time he'd had."
"But how are the comedians who have already performed enjoying the experience? Judging by the images of Kevin Hart shared on the festival's official social media accounts, he's having a great time: Meanwhile, Dave Chappelle, who is tired of cancel culture, is enjoying the expressive freedom that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has afforded him. "It's easier to talk here than it is in America," Chappelle reportedly told a crowd of 6,000 people."
Riyadh Comedy Festival takes place in Boulevard City, a 220-acre retail and entertainment zone with replicas and many electronic games. International comedians have been added to the lineup, including Wayne Brady, and performers like Kevin Hart share upbeat social media images. Dave Chappelle told a 6,000-person crowd that it is easier to talk in Saudi Arabia than in America. Atsuko Okatsuka declined an offer, citing that payments come from the Crown Prince and naming executions and rights abuses, and she shared contract restrictions forbidding jokes about Saudi Arabia or religion. Bill Burr performed and praised his positive experience despite prior fears.
Read at Defector
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]