Louis C.K. is explaining why he decided to take part in Saudi Arabia‘s Riyadh Comedy Festival.
During his Friday appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher, he defended his choice to perform at the comedy festival that has stirred up controversy since it kicked off last Friday. The topic of comics being prohibited to not make jokes about certain themes came up in his conversation with Bill Maher, to which C.K. said the fellow comedians he know who have been at the fest have “been really surprised by what’s going on.”
“When I’m talking to the other comedians who have been there, they’ve been really surprised by what’s going on. There’s a woman who’s a lesbian and Jewish, who did a show there, and she got a standing ovation. So, there’s stuff going on that’s unexpected in this thing,” he said. “People have been playing Saudi Arabia for years. Comedians have been going and playing Arab countries. There was a film festival there recently, it’s kind of opened up. But I’ve always said no to Arab countries.”
C.K. continued, “And when this came up, they said there’s only two restrictions — their religion and their government, I don’t have jokes about those two things. It used to be when I got offers from places like that, there would be a long list, and I’d just say, ‘No, I don’t need that.’ But when I heard it’s opening, I thought, that’s awfully interesting. That just feels like a good opportunity. And I just feel like comedy is a great way to get in and start talking.”
Riyadh Fest began Sept. 26 and will end Oct. 9. Alongside C.K., Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Jimmy Carr, Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Whitney Cummings, Russell Peters, Gabriel Iglesias and Andrew Schulz, among others, are featured on the lineup.
Last week, Atsuko Okatsuka shared details from her offer to appear at Riyadh, which outlined “censorship rules” against performing jokes on outlined topics. David Cross, too, slammed those who chose to perform, writing on his website, “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?”
Before that, Marc Maron spoke out against those participating in the comedy festival.
“I mean, how do you even promote that? You know, like, ‘From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don’t miss it!’” Maron said. “I mean, the same guy that’s gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone saw [journalist] Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a fucking suitcase. But don’t let that stop the yucks, it’s gonna be a good time!”
The Emmy winner acknowledged the wider conversation about the festival. “I had mixed feelings about it too. I struggled about going once I heard what everybody was saying,” C.K. said. “There’s some good in it, maybe some bad in it. But for me, I think it cuts toward going. That’s my decision, and I know where it’s coming from, because I can see right inside myself.”
C.K. added, “I love stand-up comedy, and I love comedians. So, the fact that that’s opening up and starting to bud, I wanna see it, I wanna be part of it. I think that’s a positive thing.”
The six-time Emmy winner is slated to perform at Riyadh Fest on Monday alongside Carr.
