Renowned comedian David Cross made headlines this week with a pointed statement on his website, expressing his outrage towards fellow comedians who have chosen to perform at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.
“I am appalled and deeply let down by this entire grotesque affair,” Cross stated. “That individuals I respect, with undeniable talent, would endorse a totalitarian regime for what—extravagances like a vacation home or a luxury yacht? What happened to your morals?”
He further criticized, “We can no longer take seriously any grievances these comedians might voice (unless it’s a lament about not doing enough to support torture and mass killings of journalists and LGBTQ+ activists right here in the U.S., or that we aren’t instilling enough fear in Americans by flying planes into our skyscrapers).”
Cross specifically pointed fingers at several high-profile participants from the festival lineup, including comedy heavyweights Dave Chappelle, Louie CK, and Bill Burr.
“It’s clear you don’t care what the rest of us think, but how can anyone take you all seriously from this point forward?” Cross pressed. “All your complaints about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ are now moot. You’ve forfeited the right to discuss such matters after signing that contract.”
The star of “Mr. Show” is not alone in his disapproval. Fellow comedian Marc Maron recently aired his criticisms on his podcast, “WTF,” regarding the festival participants.
“How do you even market this? ‘Come see your favorite comedians take the stage in the land that gave you 9/11. Two weeks packed with jokes in the desert, you won’t want to miss it!'” Maron lamented. “The person compensating them is the same one who funded the horrific murder of Jamal Khashoggi and had him stuffed in a suitcase. But hey, let’s not stop the laughs—it’s bound to be a good time!”
Shane Gillis also made headlines for rejecting the festival’s invitation. On his podcast, “Secret Podcast,” he shared that he turned down a “substantial payment” to perform.
“I took a stand based on principle. You don’t betray your friends for that kind of money,” Gillis asserted.
Notably, other American comedians scheduled to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival include Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Russell Peters, Gabriel Iglesias, Wayne Brady, Jeff Ross, Tom Segura, and Hannibal Buress.
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