Riyadh Comedy Festival Draws Human Rights Backlash

The Riyadh Comedy Festival, running Sept. 26–Oct. 9 and backed by Saudi Vision 2030 cultural investments, features an A-list lineup that includes Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari and Pete Davidson. Human Rights Watch and other critics say the festival risks whitewashing Saudi rights abuses and have urged participating artists to meet with rights experts and publicly call for the release of detained activists such as Waleed Abu al-Khair and Manahel al-Otaibi. The festival coincides with the seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, intensifying scrutiny and sparking debate among performers, with some (Marc Maron, Shane Gillis, Zach Woods) refusing offers or criticizing participation while others (Jim Jefferies) weighed the ethics of attending. Reporting says some comics were offered large fees — Tim Dillon said $375,000 for one show and HRW cited offers up to $1.6 million — and Dillon’s scheduled appearance was later canceled after disputes over his material. Organizers and many performers’ representatives have largely not publicly engaged with the rights criticism, leaving unresolved whether the festival legitimizes the Saudi regime.