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Louis CK has defended his decision to perform at the Riyadh comedy festival after fellow comedians criticised major stars taking part as whitewashing a regime guilty of rights violations.

Varied Responses from Performers

During an appearance on a talk show, the comedian, who is co-headlining the event with British comedian Jimmy Carr, stated fellow performers had been “really surprised” by the response from crowds in Riyadh.

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 roster at the Saudi event, which finishes on October 9th.

“There’s a woman who’s openly gay and of Jewish faith, who did a show there, and she got a standing ovation,” he said, referring to another comic, who has expressed “sincere regret” for performing at the festival.

Surprising Outcomes

“So, there’s stuff going on that’s surprising in this thing,” the comedian continued. “People have been playing Saudi Arabia for a long time. Comedians have been going and playing the region. There was a film festival there lately, it’s kind of opened up. But I’ve always said no to those nations.”

CK said he was told there would be just a couple of limits on what he could talk about: “Their religion and their government.”

“My routine doesn’t include material about those topics,” he added. “It used to be, when I got offers from such locations, there would be a long list, and I’d just say, ‘I'll pass.’ But when I heard it’s opening, I felt, it's intriguing. It seems like a positive step. And I just feel comedy is an effective means to engage and initiate dialogue.”

Moral Concerns Raised

Several comedians have raised doubts about the ethics of doing stand-up at a gathering directly paid for by the kingdom's authorities, which is notorious for rights issues and censorship, and its suppression of journalists, women and the LGBTQ community.

The festival’s producers include a live events company owned by the state investment fund; and the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, which is led by a royal adviser dogged by claims of human rights violations.

A rights organization argued the event was an attempt by the Saudi government to whitewash its actions “amid significant increase in repression including a clampdown on expression, which several performers defend but locals are completely denied”.

Scathing Criticism

Comedians including well-known names have been scathing of performers who have complained about public backlash and restrictions in the previous for participating in the festival, with Cross posting a blistering statement that called out CK by name.

“Clearly you guys show no concern about others' opinions, but how can we respect you ever again?” he stated. “All of your bitching about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘free expression’ and all that shit? Over. No more discussing about it anymore. By now we’ve all seen the contract you had to agree to.”

CK acknowledged the criticism on Maher’s show.

“I had mixed feelings about it as well,” he admitted. “I deliberated about participating after learning the feedback. There’s some good in it, maybe some bad. But for me, I think it leans towards going. My choice, and I understand my motives, because I can see right inside myself.”

He continued: “I love standup comedy, and I love comedians. So, the fact that that’s opening up and starting to bud, I wanna see it, I wanna be part of it. I feel it's beneficial.”

Apologies and Justifications

Kirson, who performed at the event on 29 September, explained to media that she had asked for a guarantee that she could talk about her sexuality on during her set, stating she “believed that this could help LGBTQ+ people in Saudi Arabia feel seen and valued … as far as I know, I am the first openly gay comic to talk about it on in Saudi Arabia”.

But she added: “However, I deeply regret taking part supported by the Saudi government.” She apologised to fans who were let down by “a poor decision that had consequences I didn’t fully consider” and announced she would give her fee to a human rights organisation.

Another headliner, who appeared in the capital on 26 September, supported his choice to take part, describing it as “an incredible opportunity”.

“It was great to experience the region and to participate in the inaugural humor event in Saudi Arabia,” Burr commented on his podcast. “Officials loved the show. Everyone was happy. Organizers running the festival were thrilled. The comedians I've spoken with are remarking, ‘Man, you can sense [the audience] wanted it. They desire real standup comedy.’ … I think it’s going to lead to a lot of positive things.”