Louis CK defended his decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia after the other actors criticized the big names participating in the lime of a regime guilty of human rights violations.
Speaking in real time with Bill Maher, CK, who co-tire the festival with British actor Jimmy Carr on Monday evening, said other actors had been “really surprised” by Riyadh’s response so far.
Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Whitney Cummings, Aziz Ansari, Hannibal Burress, Jim Jefferies, Jo Koy, Tom Segura and Jeff Ross are part of the programming at the Riyad Comedy Festival, which ends on October 9.
“There is a woman who is a lesbian and Jewish, who made a show there, and she had a standing ovation,” said CK, referring to Jessica Kirson, who expressed “a sincere regret” for playing at the festival.
“So, things happen that happens unexpected in this thing happens,” continued CK. “People have been playing Saudi Arabia for years. Comedians will play Arab countries. There has been a film festival recently, it is somehow open. But I have always said no to the Arab countries.”
CK said he was told that there would only be two restrictions on what he could talk about on stage: “their religion and their government.”
“I have no jokes on these two things,” he added. “Previously, when I had offers of places like that, there would be a long list, and I would simply say:” No, I don’t need it. But when I heard that it is opening, I thought it is terribly interesting.
Several actors have questioned the ethics of comedy in a festival directly paid by the Saudi government, which is known for violations and censorship of human rights, and its oppression of journalists, women and LGBTQ rights.
The producers of the festival include Sela, a live event company belonging to the Sovereign Heritage Fund for Saudi Arabia; And the general entertainment authority of the kingdom, chaired by Turki Al-Sheikh, a royal advisor obstinate by allegations of human rights violations, including the detention of people who criticize him on social networks.
Human Rights Watch argued that the festival was an effort of the Saudi government to whiten its actions “in the midst of a significant increase in repression, in particular a repression of freedom of expression, which many of these actors defend, but the inhabitants of Saudi Arabia are completely refused”.
Comedians including Marc Maron, Atsuko Okatsuka and David Cross have been scathing from artists who complained to cancel culture and censorship in the past for having agreed to participate in Riyadh, with Cross publishing a fellowship on his website which called CK by name.
“Obviously, you don’t care what we thought about others, but how can one of us go back seriously?” Cross wrote. “All your sluts on” Cancel culture “and” freedom of expression “and all this shit?
CK recognized the criticism of Maher’s show.
“I also had mixed feelings about it,” he said. “I had a hard time going there once I heard what everyone said. There is good in it, maybe a bad inside. But for me, I think it cuts off. This is my decision, and I know where it comes from, because I can see everything in me. ”
He added: “I love Standup comedy, and I like the actors. So, the fact that it opens and starts to bud, I want to see it, I want to be part of it. I think it’s a positive thing.”
Kirson, who played at the Riyadh festival on September 29, said on Friday at the Hollywood Reporter that she had asked for a guarantee that she could talk about the lesbian on stage, saying that she “hoped that it could help LGBTQ + people in Saudi Arabia on sight and value … to my knowledge”.
But she added: “At the same time, I deeply regret to participate under the auspices of the Saudi government.” She apologized to fans disappointed by “a bad decision that had repercussions that I did not fully consider” and said that she would give her costs to an organization of human rights.
Burr, who played Riyadh on September 26, defended his choice to participate, calling him “a breathtaking experience”.
“It was great to live this part of the world and to be part of the first comedy festival there in Saudi Arabia,” said Burr in an episode of his podcast on Monday morning.
“The Royals loved the show. Everyone was happy. The people who made the festival were delighted. The actors I spoke to say:” Dude, you can feel (the public) wanted it. They want to see a real Standup comedy “… I think it will lead to many positive things.”
