Pete Davidson Performs at Riyadh, Faces Backlash

Pete Davidson performed at the Riyadh Comedy Festival as part of his international tour, joining a high-profile lineup that included Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari and Bill Burr. His appearance drew strong criticism because his father, FDNY firefighter Scott Davidson, was killed on Sept. 11, and critics — including fellow comedians David Cross, Shane Gillis and Marc Maron, as well as Human Rights Watch — accused performers of ignoring Saudi human rights abuses and 'sportswashing' the kingdom. Davidson told Theo Von’s podcast that routing and pay informed his decision and said he had received “flak,” but he has not otherwise publicly engaged extensively with the backlash. Some participating comics, including Dave Chappelle and Bill Burr, defended performing on free-speech grounds. The dispute has highlighted broader tensions between entertainers’ financial incentives and ethical concerns about performing in countries with documented rights abuses.