Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Riyadh Comedy Festival is stirring backlash, with several U.S. comedians criticizing the high-profile event and Human Rights Watch condemning the festival while urging performers like Pete Davidson and Bill Burr to “publicly urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists and human rights activists.”
“The seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s brutal murder is no laughing matter, and comedians receiving hefty sums from Saudi authorities shouldn’t stay silent on prohibited issues like human rights or free speech,” Joey Shea, a Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. “Everyone performing in Riyadh should use this platform to demand the release of detained activists.”
The lineup for the upcoming Saudi Arabian festival includes, among others: Aziz Ansari, Hannibal Buress, Bill Burr, Jimmy Carr, Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson, Maz Jobrani, Sam Morril, Mark Normand, Nimesh Patel and Tom Segura.
Many U.S. comedian have spoken out against the controversial festival. Marc Maron used his “WTF” podcast to blast fellow comedians who signed on to the Sept. 26–Oct. 9 festival, citing Saudi officials’ alleged ties to 9/11 and the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“I mean, how do you even promote that? ‘From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don’t miss it!’” he said. “I mean, the same guy that’s gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a f–king suitcase. But don’t let that stop the yucks, it’s gonna be a good time!”
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka also blasted the festival sharing an offer letter that was sent to her which included censorship rules. The content restrictions included any material that would “defame” the Saudi royal family, legal system or government in any way.
The money is coming straight from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists, ppl wnonlethal drug offenses, bloggers, etc w/out due process. A lot of the “you can’t say anything anymore!” Comedians are doing the festival 😂 they had to adhere to censorship rules to do it pic.twitter.com/QP34xoi3QG
— Atsuko Okatsuka (@AtsukoComedy) September 26, 2025
According to Human Rights Watch, on Sept. 19 the organization “wrote to the representatives and management of a group of announced participating comedians to request a meeting about Saudi Arabia’s human rights crisis.” The representatives and management did not reply.
On Sept. 20, Tim Dillon, who was set to attend, said his performance was canceled because the Saudi authorities were allegedly “unhappy” about comedic remarks he had made on the treatment of migrant workers.
“Comedians performing in Riyadh should speak out against Saudi Arabia’s serious rights abuses or they risk bolstering the Saudi government’s well-funded efforts to launder its image.” Shea said. “This whitewashing comes amid significant increase in repression, including a crackdown on free speech, which many of these comedians defend but people in Saudi Arabia are completely denied.”
