Dave Chappelle ironically used a Saudi comedy event to talk about freedom of speech. According to The New York Times, Chappelle — who has been under fired for his transphobic jokes in the past — used his comedy set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to speak about the lack of freedom of speech in the United States, especially in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing.
“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled,” the comedian said. “I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out.”
He later told the audience, according to The Times, “It’s easier to talk here than it is in America.”
The outlet reported that Chappelle spoke about the United States’ targeting of Jimmy Kimmel after his comments about Kirk on his show, and that Chappelle expressed his appreciation for being able to make any joke in Saudi Arabia. However, it comes after a crackdown on free speech on Saudis themselves, some of whom have been arrested for their comments about their own government. (Just last year, a retired teacher was sentenced to death over his criticism of the Saudi government, according to Amnesty International.)
The Riyadh Comedy Festival has been under fire recently, with many comedians being criticized for participating in the event. Bill Burr performed at the show’s opening night on Friday and later defended his appearance on his podcast, suggesting that the cultural exchange could have some benefit.
“I had to stop a couple times during the show and say, ‘I’ll be honest with you guys, I cannot fucking believe any of you have any idea who I am,’” Burr said. “It was just this great exchange of energy. They know their reputation. So they were extra friendly.” He added, “The royals loved the show. Everyone was happy. The people that were doing the festival were thrilled.”
He continued, “It was a mind-blowing experience. Definitely top three experiences I’ve ever had. It was great to experience that part of the world and to be a part of the first comedy festival over there in Saudi Arabia. I think it’s going to lead to a lot of positive things.”
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Burr and Chappelle were among the robust lineup of performers at the festival and was joined by the likes of Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K., Pete Davidson, Jo Koy, and Jimmy Carr.
Atsuko Okatsuka said that she turned down an offer to perform at the festival. “The money is coming straight from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists, ppl with nonlethal drug offenses, bloggers, etc without due process,” she wrote in a post. “A lot of the ‘you can’t say anything anymore!’ Comedians are doing the festival … they had to adhere to censorship rules about the types of jokes they can make.”
A few days after Okatsuka’s post, David Cross published a statement denouncing some of his “HEROES” for participating in the festival. Cross called out “Dave and Louie and Bill, and Jim,” adding, “Clearly you guys don’t give a shit about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your bitching about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ and all that shit? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again. By now we’ve all seen the contract you had to sign.”
From Rolling Stone US
