Louis C.K. Expresses Internal Conflictโ Before โฃPerforming at Controversial โRiyadh Comedyโข Festival
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA โ- Comedian Louisโข C.K. admitted toโค experiencing “mixed feelings” before โฃagreeing to perform โขat the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival inโข Saudi Arabia,โ acknowledging the ethical concerns raised by fellow comedians โฃand human โrights advocates. His โparticipation, alongside aโ growing list โคof prominent American comics, has ignited debate over whetherโฃ performing in the kingdom amounts to legitimizing a regime with a troubling human rights record.
C.K. stated, “I love stand-up comedy, and I love comedians.So,the fact that that’s starting to open โคup andโ starting to bud,I wanna โคsee it,I wanna beโค part of it. I think that’s โขa positive thing.” He further elaborated, “I think the wholeโ discussion is worthy. I’m glad these guys brought this stuff up, I’m gladโข that peopleโ are challenging this thing, as you shouldn’t just pretend it’s something it’s not.” Despite hisโ initial hesitation,โค C.K. ultimately decided to proceed, explaining, “I struggled about โขgoing once Iโฃ heard โwhatโค everybody was sayingโฆ But for me, I think itโค cuts toward going. That’s my decision, andโ I know where it’s coming from, because I can seeโค right insideโฃ myself.”
the Riyadh comedy festival, backed by Saudi Minister of Entertainment Turki โฃAl-Sheikh,โ has drawnโค criticism due to saudi Arabia’s involvement in โคthe 9/11 attacksโ andโ the 2018 assassination ofโค journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and alsoโค ongoing โhuman rights โฃabuses. Several comedians, including Marc Maron, โShane Gillis, and Zach โคWoods, have publicly criticized their peers for participating.
Human โRights Watch researcher Joey Shea told CBS News that events like the festival areโค “a โpurposeful effort to whitewash the country’s human rights record and deflect from โฃthe egregious abuses that continue โto happen inside โคof the country.” Shea added that the festival isโ part of a broader strategy to shift focus “from the soaringโข number of executions that are happening inside โof the country.”
Announcedโ in July,the festival lineup has expanded to โคinclude Kevin โHart,Aziz Ansari,Dave Chappelle,Bill Burr,Whitney Cummings,Pete Davidson,Hannibal Buress,Jackโฃ Whitehall,Zarna Garg,Gabriel Iglesias,Jim Jefferies,Jo Koy,Bobby โคLee,Jeff โฃRoss,Andrew Santino,Tomโ Segura,and Chris Tucker,among others.
