Aziz Ansari is the latest comedian to defend his controversial decision to perform at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival.
The Golden Globe winner said his decision to perform at the festival was “something I thought about a lot,” noting his Muslim background and recounting a conversation he had with his aunt who lived in Saudi Arabia.
“There are people out there who don’t agree with what the government is doing, and to blame the worst behavior of the government on those people is not fair,” Ansari said. “Just like there are people in America who disagree with the things the government does.
Ansari said he has never dealt directly with Saudi leaders. “I was just there to put on a show for the people,” he explained, recalling a discussion he had with his wife about the decision.
“Whenever there are repressive societies like this, they try to keep things out, whether it’s rock and roll music or blue jeans, because it makes people curious about outside ideas and values,” he continued. “And it’s a very young country, with half the country being under 25, and things can really change. And for me, a comedy festival felt like something that pushes things to be more open and push for dialogue.”
THE Parks and Recreation One former student added: “You kind of have to choose whether you’re going to isolate yourself or engage. For me, especially being myself and with the way I look, and being of Muslim background, it felt like something I should be a part of. And I hope it pushes things in a positive direction.”
Ansari said he had discussed with his team the possibility of donating part of his fees to organizations such as Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch.
“I share the concerns that people have raised, and it’s all valid,” Ansari said, adding, “It’s a complicated issue, but I felt like it’s something that pushes things in the right direction, I hope.”
Other comedians have recently denounced their peers who agreed to perform, highlighting the role of Saudi officials in the September 11 attacks and the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as human rights abuses committed by Saudi Entertainment Minister Turki Al-Sheikh, who initiated the festival.
Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea explained to CBS News: “The Saudi government has invested billions in high-profile entertainment events like these in a deliberate effort to whitewash the country’s human rights record and distract from the egregious abuses that continue to occur inside the country.
“These investments are part of a broader strategy to… get people to think about a comical event, for example, rather than the growing number of executions taking place inside the country,” Shea added.
Since Deadline exclusively announced the initial lineup in July, the Riyadh Comedy Festival has expanded to include Kevin Hart, Louis CK, Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Pete Davidson, Hannibal Buress, Jack Whitehall, Zarna Garg, Gabriel Iglesias, Jim Jefferies, Jo Koy, Bobby Lee, Jeff Ross, Andrew Santino, Tom Segura, Chris Tucker and more.
