Comedians performing at Saudi Arabia comedy festival called out for 'whitewashing' country's regime

Some of the world's biggest comedians have convened in Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh Comedy Festival — but not everyone is laughing.

Participation by big names in the comedy world, including Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Pete Davidson, Kevin Hart and Russell Peters, has drawn scrutiny from other comics and human rights groups, given the host nation's record of human rights abuses.

The Riyadh Comedy Festival, put on by the country's General Entertainment Authority, bills itself as the "world's largest comedy festival," playing host to over 50 standup "legends" from Sept. 26 to Oct. 9.

"From the folks that brought you 9/11, two weeks of laughter in the desert — don't miss it!" comedian Marc Maron joked about the festival in a standup bit posted to Instagram, noting that he wasn't asked to participate.

In a satirical social media video, comedian and actor Zach Woods called those who took a stand against the festival "drips, killjoys and dweebazoids."

"Name one comedian who hasn't whored themselves out to a dictator," Woods joked.

Comics Shane Gillis, Mike Birbiglia and Stavros Halkias also said they declined offers to perform in Riyadh.

Human Rights Watch called on the participating comedians to use the appearances as a forum to demand the government free activists and journalists who've been detained for criticizing the regime. Otherwise, the organization said the comics would be aiding in "laundering the Saudi government's reputation."

"The seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder is no laughing matter, and comedians receiving hefty sums from Saudi authorities shouldn't be silent on prohibited topics in Saudi like human rights or free speech," said Joey Shea, the Saudi Arabia researcher for Human Rights Watch, in a statement.

Khashoggi, a journalist who had been critical of the country's government, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Turkey in 2018. According to information declassified in 2021, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that his death had been approved by the country's crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman.

While Shea says some social norms have been loosened in recent years under the crown prince, she noted that bin Salman's rule has led to "one of the worst periods for human rights in the country's modern history."

Dissent is routinely punished with prison time or death, she told CBC News in an interview, and citizens are not allowed to protest.

Human Rights Watch has documented a surge in executions this year — at least 241 as of Aug. 5 — including that of another journalist, Turki al-Jasser, who formerly ran a Twitter account where he made jokes about corruption in the Saudi royal family. Al-Jasser was put to death by the regime in June for "high treason."

At least one comedian said he agreed to perform at the festival for the cold, hard cash.

"They're paying me enough to look the other way," comedian Tim Dillon said during the Aug. 30 episode of his podcast in which he discussed the backlash to his participation.

"Do I have issues with some of the policies towards women, towards the gays … towards the freedom of speech? Well of course I do," Dillon said. "But I believe in my own financial well-being."

Dillon claimed he was going to be paid $375,000 US for his performance, and that other performers would make as much as $1.6 million.

But that was before Dillon revealed he was turfed from the festival lineup for his comments about Saudi Arabia's use of forced labour.

"I addressed it in a funny way and they fired me," he said during the Sept. 20 episode of his podcast.

Dillon said he would have respected the country's rules at the festival, but didn't appreciate the attempts to control his speech outside of the gig on his own podcast.

According to comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, there are specific rules around what material performers in Riyadh are allowed to joke about.

Okatsuka said on social media that she turned down an offer to perform, and shared a screenshot of a written offer that she said detailed "censorship rules."

It included a section labelled "content restrictions" that bars performers from making jokes that "degrade, defame or bring into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, embarrassment, or ridicule" the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi royal family, or any religious figures and practices.

"A lot of the 'you can't say anything anymore!' Comedians are doing the festival 😂," Okatsuka said, referring to some of the comedians participating who have publicly insisted that they should be able to say whatever they want within the context of a joke.

It's unclear if any of the comics performing in Riyadh had similar requirements in their contracts. CBC News reached out to representatives for a number of the comedians regarding their reasons for performing at the festival and whether or not they agreed not to touch on certain themes as a condition of performing, but none replied in time for publication.

Representatives for the Saudi entertainment authority also did not reply to a request for comment.

The country's General Entertainment Authority said in a statement that the festival is meant to "amplify Riyadh's status as a leading destination for major cultural and artistic events."

Bolstering the entertainment industry within the country has been a big part of bin Salman's Vision 2030 project — an economic plan to diversify the country away from its deep roots in the oil industry.

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Entertainment options within the country have transformed dramatically in recent years under the plan.

While music events used to be banned, concerts have begun to pop up — including raves, and performances by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Justin Bieber. Movie theatres, film festivals and sporting events have found a place in Saudi Arabia, a country where just a decade ago, there wasn't much of an entertainment industry at all.

But Shea from Human Rights Watch says these high-profile events are less about economic change and more about distracting international observers. Rather than seeing the country as one that murders dissidents, Shea says, people will see it as a country open to progress and opportunity, or a partner in world events like the 2034 World Cup, which Saudi Arabia is set to host.

She says the government's distraction attempts have proven effective so far. When Khashoggi was killed in 2018, Saudi Arabia became an "international pariah," isolated on the world stage, she said, noting that Al-Jasser's June execution barely earned the attention of the international community.

"It's just one small example of how, over a longer period of time with enough of these events, with enough of these high profile investments, this whitewashing strategy is incredibly effective."