While on stage in Saudi Arabia, Dave Chappelle said that he found it easier to talk there than it is in the States.
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The controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia has divided the comedy scene. Dozens of top comics were invited. And many went, such as Bill Burr, Jessica Kirson, Jimmy Carr, and, of course, Dave Chappelle.
Many comedians have spoken out against going to the festival. Saudi Arabia has what Westerners would consider an oppressive and harsh regime. With homosexuality being punishable by death, reported human rights violations, and media silencing and control, it’s no wonder the participating comedians have come under fire.
While doing a set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, Chappelle made a rather ironic joke. According to The New York Times, Dave Chappelle alluded to the nationwide reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination to make a joke about free speech.
“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out.”
“It’s easier to talk here than it is in America,” he said to the 6,000-strong audience. One that included the Royal Family.
Considering that the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi in 2018 after his critical comments, I’m unsure many would agree with Chappelle’s joke here
Dave Chappelle’s Comments Were “Surprising” To Hear
Abdulrahman Mohammad, a 23-year-old attendee of the festival, said to the outlet that it was “so interesting to hear political jokes targeting Trump and Charlie Kirk.”
He found it “surprising to hear him talk about it in Riyadh.”
“When just recently America canceled Jimmy Kimmel doing the same.”
Realistically, the Saudi Arabian royalty and people won’t care too much about the death of Charlie Kirk or criticism targeted toward Trump or American politics. In the same way, Americans won’t care much about criticism targeted toward the Saudi Arabian monarchy.
However, make those jokes in those nations, you’re going to receive backlash. The threat of being ‘cancelled’ is a lot less harsh than being executed, however.
At least you can make those jokes in America. Organizers made it strictly forbidden to criticize the royal family, religion, or the nation at the festival.
So was it easier to talk, or was he simply that he found it easier to make American criticism when out of America?