26 h. ago Louis CK defends decision to perform at Riyadh comedy festival as ‘a good opportunity’

Comedian admits to mixed feelings but says event is a ‘positive thing’ despite human rights abuses in Saudi ArabiaLouis CK has defended his decision to perform at the Riyadh comedy festival in Saudi Arabia after fellow comedians criticised the big names taking part as whitewashing a regime guilty of human rights abuses.Speaking on Real Time With Bill Maher, CK, who is co-headlining the festival with the British comedian Jimmy Carr on Monday night local time, said other comedians had been “really surprised” by the response from audiences in Riyadh so far. Continue reading...

Culture

4 d. ago EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Paul Merton scorns Carr over Saudi comedy cash

Billed as the biggest event of its kind, Saudi Arabia's inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival boasts Jimmy Carr and Jack Whitehall in its line-up, as well as US funnymen Dave Chappelle and Bill Burr.

Transport

5 d. ago Pete Davidson and Kevin Hart among comedians criticised for controversial comedy festival

Bill Burr and Jimmy Carr are among the many comedians receiving backlash from comedy colleagues and the public after signing on to the Riyadh Comedy festival despite Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses

Culture

6 d. ago US comedians defend decision to play in Saudi Arabia: ‘They’re paying me enough to look the other way’

Usual supporters of free speech are under fire for signing on to Riyadh festival despite the government’s human rights abusesBilled as “the biggest comedy festival in the world”, the inaugural Riyadh Comedy festival, which is running 26 September to 9 October, features some of the biggest names in US comedy. The lineup features Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, Whitney Cummings, Pete Davidson, Aziz Ansari and Jo Koy, among many others who are all taking their fees directly from the Saudi government.The event’s producers include Sela (a live events company owned by Saudia Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund) and the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, chaired by Turki Alalshikh, a royal adviser dogged by allegations of human rights violations, including the detention of people who criticize him on social media. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago ‘Don’t 9/11 your friends’: Marc Maron, Shane Gillis slam Pete Davidson, Kevin Hart and other stars over Saudi comedy festival

‘One reporter was killed by the government but not a f***ing hill I’m going to die on,’ comedian Tim Jefferies told podcaster Theo Von

Culture

1 week ago Tim Dillon says he was fired from Riyadh Comedy Festival over slavery jokes

Comedian claims he was paid $375,000 to appear at the festival

Events

1 week ago Jimmy Carr and Omid Djalili face backlash from campaigners over Saudi Arabia festival

The comics are set to appear at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which human rights campaigners say is being held to deflect attention from its 'brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations'.

Transport