637
US comedians defend decision to play in Saudi Arabia: ‘They’re paying me enough to look the other way’
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2025
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The rest is even more cringy
"arguing it is for the greater good that “freedom-of-speech machines” such as himself bestow their “edgy” material on the kingdom and its subjects."
It is one thing to sell your soul for money (or try anyways lol) but it is an entirely another level of loser quality to pretend like you are fighting for freedom while doing it.
chapelles reason was pretty obvious, hes a transphobe, that was mad when he cant say transphobic jokes, and SA allows him to be transphobic as much as he wants.
What I find most weird about him choosing to die on that hill is it wasn't even a good transphobic joke.
Literally just hurr durr she has a dick.
My thought about the whole thing was that if someone went there and, in spite of the agreement they signed, teed off on the Saudis and whatever else they were forbidden from discussing, I'd have had respect. Was honestly hoping that's what Burr was intending to do. I'd have donated to the GoFundMe for them to fight the inevitable lawsuit from the Saudis.
Obviously didn't happen. We live in a difficult world, and when presented with the choice between fighting (hard) and rolling over (easy), people take the obvious choice. I don't know if I'm doing it differently.
Are these sets even recorded and able to be viewed somewhere, or were they essentially private? If they're private, I dunno, I get it.
I don't think the consequences of that would be a lawsuit. I think they'd go missing and would only be "found" as a mutilated corpse to send a message to anyone else who might have similar ideas. Or, if they are feeling bold enough, they might even do it officially.
Yeah, as brazen as they are, I don't think they're murdering American citizens for breach of contract. Regardless of what they said, it would be an incredibly hostile act towards the US and would lead to sanctions at best.
Wasn't that journalist an American citizen?
And I question whether it would even lead to real problems with the current admin or if he'd just call it a good idea on social media and applaud them for dealing with someone for saying such nasty things about them. And unleash riot forces on protestors (or just use it as an excuse to try to ramp things up more).
I wouldn't get so annoyed if they just took the easy path and went along with it. My only reaction would be to perhaps not watch their shows. But taking the easy path while pretending like it is actually virtuous... It just feels very slimy... Now I feel like making fun of this person every time I hear his name.
Comedians understanding that they're less significant of a form of free speech to society than a free and independent press is basically impossible for some reason.