this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2025
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“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled,” the comedian Dave Chappelle quipped on Saturday at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, the first event of its kind in Saudi Arabia. “I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out.”

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[–] sadfitzy@ttrpg.network 21 points 22 hours ago

What?

Isn't this the country whose government got away with dismembering a journalist?

[–] MrTomS@lemmy.world 93 points 1 day ago (3 children)

David Cross gave his opinion on the comedians doing the show. He did not pull punches

What do you think I think? I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing. That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for…what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers? 

Worth a read

[–] KnitWit@lemmy.world 5 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

Michael Ian Black had a pretty good one as well I thought; figure I should give a heads up that he uses substack for anyone that wants to avoid. It was written yesterday, so he specifically calls out some of the comments from the chapelle slot, as well as taking down Burr’s post show comments. Also thought his comment for louis ck was good:

As for Louis, at this point I don’t expect him to have a moral compass so whatever

[–] shawn1122@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Let's build a society that worships at the altar of capitalism and then be suprised when people prioritize capital over moral integrity.

Saudi just increased the offer until people accepted. Gillis said they immediately doubled the offer when he declined.

Many people like to pretend they don't have a number but even those that are living comfortably often do.

If someone dangled a million in front of you to do work that's essentially a repitition of or derivative of work you'd previously done, how many people do you know would say no to that?

Now these are comedians who are living very comfortably which makes it feel more wrong. But let's not act like we can't understand or relate to why they're doing it. Every single one of us has people in our social circles would take an offer like this.

We all have our hard lines morally, no doubt. But I'd argue the majority of people would accept an offer of x million dollars to do a show in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, if they didn't think their own safety was at risk.

Perhaps we need to think about how this reflects on society as a whole, and the values we hold, rather than getting angry at any particular devotee to our extractive capitalist systems which uphold greed over moral good.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 8 hours ago

Saudis must really desperate to whitewash, sportwash themselves as of late. they know Oil wont last so they are trying invest by buying up sports and entertainment teams all over the world. EA being the latest.

[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You're not wrong. These comedians have made their choices. For money, against integrity.

You're not wrong about capitalism, either, but is that a valid reason to just do anything for money?

Here's the line-up btw (not complete I guess):

The Riyadh Comedy Festival features an exciting lineup of comedians including Jimmy Carr, Louis C.K., Tom Segura, Mo Amer, Mark Normand, Russell Peters, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jo Koy, Jeff Ross, Jack Whitehall, Aries Spears, Pete Davidson, Sugar Sammy, Zarna Garg, Andrew Schulz, Sam Morril, Hannibal Buress, Chris Tucker, Ben Hart, and Wayne Brady.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 8 hours ago

im not surprised about CK, he needed to get more relevancy after getting partially cancelled for bieng a pervert.

[–] 0li0li@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

And now I like him more than ever <3

[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 2 points 18 hours ago

There are dozens of us!

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 127 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

They irony of that statement while doing a comedy show where they literally have a list of things you're not allowed to talk about and also hacked up a journalist for speaking.

[–] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 45 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Jesus fucking Christ. Fuck Dave Chappelle. Fuck Bill Burr. Fuck Jessica Kirson. Fuck Pete Davidson. Fuck them all. Putting money over their own souls. I guess that I'm not all that surprised. Most of them made their money shitting on minorities. And, I know this sounds stupid, but a few weeks/ months ago, I did kind of call it for Bill Burr. He just never seemed like a guy that really cared imo.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

He just never seemed like a guy that really cared

I've been saying this for a long time, but it made people on the left in particular angry to hear it, because everyone loved it so much when he directed his caustic apathy towards the people who deserved it the most, but he's never been an "ally" of any kind. Just a cathartic voice at times.

Celebrities are people. We should never put people on pedestals. Put ideas on pedestals.

Ironically, the right is better about this because they're so dumb they shovel everything onto a pedestal, and accidentally create unity and community as a result.

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[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 day ago

Well, I suppose they're not going to be joking about bonesaws.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 43 points 1 day ago (11 children)

Pete Davidson is disappointing as well.

His father died on 9/11 and he's up dancing for those responsible.

[–] rozodru@piefed.social 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The thing about Burr is the vast majority of people just didn't bother to "hear the rest of the joke"

Like the joke he had about Beyonce performing for some dudes bday party in the middle east and the guy was like right up there with Saudi Princes and Burr denounces Beyonce for doing it....the punchline being he'd do the same shit as her.

His whole schtick with the billionaires was a bit. all the time he says this stuff and people decide to stop hitting record JUST before he says he'd do the same thing.

And all these comedians have the same song and dance with very few exceptions. They're ONLY pro freespeech when their jobs are on the line, when there's potential to lose money. Just like they came out and support kimmel and colbert yeah man all about Free Speech, against cancel culture, all that. BUT when there's an easy million dollars to be made? fuck free speech.

If the FCC or Trump came out and said "I'll give any comedian a couple million if they help me denounce Kimmel and Colbert" there'd be a line of them around the block waiting to take a swing.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 1 day ago

If you've listened to his podcast at all lately, you'd know that the billionaire stuff is not a schtick. He has come very far left, though still has some both sides tendencies (probably trying not to alienate a chunk of his audience).

That said, I stopped listening when they announced this, and I emailed the podcast to let him know exactly why.

[–] MisterOwl@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 2 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

He took him self way down on my respect factor index. He’ll say some ballsy stuff online as soon as he’s out of Saudi air space. Trust me ya’ll. I called Thursday night Football moments before OT & was spot on the rest of the game. Although, Stevie Wonder could have probably called it too. Ok, bad example. But ya’ll, Nam sayin’?

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[–] Hayduke@lemmy.world 47 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (6 children)

For the lazy, here is a full list of performers to ignore in the future: (Some real disappointments in here)

Mo Amer

Aziz Ansari

Wayne Brady

Hannibal Buress

Bill Burr

Jimmy Carr

Dave Chappelle

Louis C.K.

Whitney Cummings

Pete Davidson

Chris Distefano

Omid Djalili

Zarna Garg

Ben Hart

Kevin Hart

Gabriel Iglesias

Jim Jefferies

Jimeoin

Maz Jobrani

Jessica Kirson

Jo Koy

Bobby Lee

Sebastian Maniscalco

Sam Morril

Mark Normand

Russell Peters

Jeff Ross

Sugar Sammy

Andrew Santino

Andrew Schulz

Tom Segura

Ali Siddiq

Aries Spears

Chris Tucker

Jack Whitehall

[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 1 points 11 hours ago

Every single one of those individuals could afford to take me out to a great dinner at this Bistro in my town. Drinks & everything. Footing the bill would be insignificant. Unless they have crippling gambling debts and are on a serious allowance I have no problem being treated. And yes I am trying to spin this weirdness and get back to what I feel is critical at this point. And that payback could be take a fan out dinner and get asked a bunch of questions you don’t feel like answering. A little gratitude, would be a bit much to ask? Perhaps give back a small amount of your time to those that have 👍’d your videos on YouTube? F me. I’ll see myself out.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Jim Jefferies is not in the program. I think he was invited, accepted but was later dropped. Still, for me that's the only disappointment. I don't know or care for all the rest but I liked Jefferies and I thought he had some good takes and interesting things to say. I think in the end all of them just get old and lose focus. Expect Carlin. He was sharp till the very end.

[–] whiwake@lemmy.cafe 33 points 1 day ago (8 children)
[–] imsufferableninja@sh.itjust.works 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

John mulaney didn't go at least

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[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago (7 children)

There's a few who were invited and turned them down. Mike Birbiglia was the most notable to me, but I'm also familiar with Shane Gillis, Michelle Wolf, and Stavros Halkias. Atsuko Okatsuka, Toni Nagy, Leslie Liao, Nimesh Patel, and Tim Dillon have also announced they turned down the offer, but I don't think I've ever seen their shows.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 1 day ago

Stavy turned it down? Nice

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 2 points 1 day ago

Thanks, knowing who turned it down is as important as knowing who accepted. I'm a big fan of Birbiglia and Michelle Wolf, so I'm glad they had the integrity to pass.

[–] tryitout 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Tim Dillon did accept it, they canceled his spot when he accidentally/mistakenly advertised he would be in Abu Dhabi and they got offended.

[–] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 10 points 1 day ago

Jesus Christ, he just pulled the most heinous shit out of his ass. His quotes were legitimately monstrous, truly inexcusable. To sum it up, he can get over EVERYTHING, as long as he's being paid enough. No morals, no real beliefs. Is he even a person? Are people like that even really people? I would argue that they're not. There is no point to Tim Dillon.

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[–] BremboTheFourth@piefed.ca 13 points 1 day ago (2 children)

What the fuck Hannibal, you quit the Eric Andre Show and are now pulling this shit?

[–] Throbbing_banjo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Dude, Hannibal is a fucking landlord and has actively spoken out against Rent Control. He is objectively a piece of shit.

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[–] A_norny_mousse@feddit.org 40 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Everything about this festival disgusts me.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 4 points 1 day ago

Saudi Arabia did 9/11, wrecked the golfing world, and now they're going to wreck comedy, too.

I can't wait for them to go after music, too.

[–] WanderWisley@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

Comedy is officially dead and it was beheaded in Saudi Arabia.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 8 hours ago

expect them to act like fozzie bear, in that family guy parody, where they would not offend SA.

[–] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Unless you open your sets with, “This is dedicated to all of the widows and widowers and kids orphaned by this bloodthirsty oppressive regime especially from the zany shenanigans on 9/11. Never Forget Motherfuckers! Alright, so it’s great to be here. I’m gonna be killing it tonight! But in the good way! Straight up. No MbS.” then your hypocrisy will never not be noted.

[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world -1 points 18 hours ago

Also badmouth Mohammed

[–] vegeta@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Wait, the Saudi's actually had a comedy fest? I thought it was a viral joke or something.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 8 hours ago

MSB probably needs to paint themselves ina positive light, of not being always "kalshogging" every dissident.

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[–] Arcane2077@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Just because performing in Saudi Arabia under cuts the joke horrifically, doesn’t mean there’s no kernel of truth there. I feel like a lot of these articles gloss over that fact because it hurts

[–] axexrx@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

It reminds me of the old reagan Soviet joke.

A Soviet and an american are having a conversation. The American is bragging about free speech, and says:

"our country is so free, I could go to the white house and yell 'go to hell Ronald Reagan!'

And nothing would happen to me.

The Russian replies,

"Our speech is pretty free too, I guess, I also could go to the Kremlin, shout 'Go to hell, Ronald Reagan!' And nothing would happen to me, either."

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