US comedians defend decision to play in Saudi Arabia: ‘They’re paying me enough to look the other way’
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/sep/30/riyadh-comedy-festival-saudi-arabiaOpen linkView original on lemmy.world659
Comments259https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/sep/30/riyadh-comedy-festival-saudi-arabiaOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
It's actually pretty easy to explain why rich people are whores.
The reason they're rich is that they care so much about money. If they didn't care about money, then at some point, they'd have enough money, and after that, they won't be so interested in getting more money. Those people wouldn't become rich.
Yes, there are exceptions. Some comedians just want to become famous, or want to go down in history as the best comedian. But most of them probably want to become rich and famous.
But what does "rich" mean? It's not a specific amount of money. It's that you're comparing yourself to other people, and saying that you have more money than them. Donald Trump was so obsessed with this that he committed fraud to lie about his wealth. And basically all rich people have the same mindset to some degree.
If your goal is to be rich, then no amount of money is enough, and you'll do anything if people pay you enough.
The buddha says that the more you have the more you want
Sometimes I forget what a cheatcode for satisfaction being raised Buddhist was
Always loved this guy.
David has bee speaking the truth since Mr. Show. What a legend.
"...He did not address the criticism directly, but he did suggest he was happy to forget 9/11 for the right price: “I just know I get the routing, and then I see the number, and I go, ‘I’ll go.’” "
Apparently $375,000 is enough for Pete Davidson to piss on his fathers memory
I guess for most people it would be. Certainly I’d be like “sorry dad but I can buy a house an have my future be much more secure” if my kid did the same I’d like to think I’d understand as well…but this is for normal people. To these very well known and well off comedians is 375k that much? It’s like the equivalent of me getting like 5k which I’m not sure I would betray my morals for. Having said that nobody’s offering me 5k to!
Yeah, that makes sense, except that Pete Davidson is a millionaire who owns a house on Staten Island. He lives in a loft in Brooklyn that costs 30k/month
You gotta support that lifestyle that you're used to.
Yeah, but that's like 10 months of rent!
There's no way I'd go to Saudi Arabia for $5k.
He's now working for his parent's murderer.
It pays well...well it pays.
Burr being on that list surprises me, but it said he’s also been to UAE. Davidson is pissing on his father’s grave.
Exactly.
Greedy fucks, all of them.
Dave Chappelle, Louie CK, and Aziz Ansari were all on the list of comedians.
Cancelling isn't really a thing.
Well, it is a thing but it's also an integral part of being human rather than a "culture" that's somehow new. The difference is that it's a power wielded by the people now rather than tastemakers putting people on a blacklist.
Another thing that's happening with people that are "cancelled" is that they immediately get offered to join a group of "cancelled" public figures who bond over being disgusting pariahs and rebuild their careers by grifting to the right. Andrew Callaghan of channel 5 news (also All Gas No Brakes) talks about getting a job offer from InfoWars just a week after the sexual assault allegations against him went public. They anticipated he would respond by rebranding as "anti cancel culture" like so many others rather than admit fault and make a genuine effort to improve.
For those unaware of what happened with Andrew Callaghan, he had a habit of getting drunk and then pressuring/coercing women into having sex. His response was not perfect IMO, but he did confess that he had a problem and sobered up, which is more than can be said of most "victims of cancel culture."
It never was. It was always a juvenile response to criticism.
Out of all of the comedians asked only TWO had enough integrity to turn the offer down.
Who?
Shane Gillis and Stavros Halkias were the only two that turned it down as far as I know.
Mike Birbiglia apparently turned it down, but didn't make a big deal out of it.
There's no way that Nate Bargatze and John Mulaney didn't get offers. I have to assume they turned it down based on the fact they didn't go.
Do you know if they turned it down for moral or ethical reasons or if they only turned it down because they already had a schedule conflict?
I can't find it now but FWIW I just saw a video earlier today where Shane Gillis was dicsussing this. His reaction (at least in retrospect) was "You mean the 9/11 guys? No thank you".
Well I guess I don’t know for sure but based on their general reactions to other people doing the show it sure seems like they turned it down for moral or ethical reasons.
I dunno if he turned it down or just blasted people about it but Zach Woods had a great video denouncing this.
I'm guessing he was just one of many other comedians that were blasting the others about it. I saw one list, I don't know how comprehensive it is, but that's what I'm going off of. It listed all the comedians on the bill and mentioned the two that turned it down.
I used to love standup comedy. These days I feel as though so much of the mainstream comedy scene is made up of immature losers who peaked in highschool. Joe Rogan, Bert Kreisher, Bobby Lee, Chris Distefano... I cannot stand these guys. The list goes on.
I thought Bill Burr was different. I'm really disappointed.
burr at least spoke out against the billionaire class....
but then he took the fucking bonesaw money. fuck.
Should we start calling him Bonesaw Bill or Bonesaw Burr.
mr funnybonesaw
Yeah, I never really cared for his vibe as a comedian until that part happened and then he decided to do this like a month or two later so I'll go back to not caring about his shit again. I do hope people keep giving him shit for it until he stops showing his face though.
That freckled fuck is dead to me. He has gone against all he has said om his podcast and then doubled down. What a fucking tool.
I unsubscribed and sent him an email saying exactly why. No "dear billy blah blah" or "go fuck yourself" silliness either.
Others should too.
Just shows he was only speaking out because he thought he would make money from it, not because of any ethical principles.
Wait, what's the bonesaw money?
MBS had Khashoggi (a journalist living in the US) murdered in the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul, then cut up with bone saws and packed into a suitcase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Jamal_Khashoggi
you can see the obvious comedic angles there.
Ah, okay. I was aware of that, just thought maybe there was more of a connection to bill burr than just taking the money, like he had previously commented on it.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Jamal_Khashoggi
Taylor Tomlinson popped up on my feeds and it's a fresh breath. Gianmarco Soresi did as well, but I doubt I'll watch his special
Taylor's, though, I'd go see that live, and I'm not somebody to go to comedy clubs
I've seen her live. She's great, and worth it. She's funny with both her rehearsed material and her crowdwork.
I think I could prepare a damned funny show, but no way could I ad lib like Tomlinson. Sometimes, when the mood hits, I can run with it, but she's consistently on the ball.
I really like both. Gianmarco has exploded into my recommendations recently and I love every second.
She is pure brilliant.
I don't think I've seen any clips that I haven't laughed at. maybe a few that didn't hit hard, but whoever is doing her media, they're picking great stuff. and lots of it really gets me good, she's just a great act
I'm a big fan. Seen all her specials and saw her live this year. She is a big talent. I'm happy for her. In other words, I don't think it's that good bits are being promoted, they're all good bits.
don't forget caleb hearon
I really hope he grows and shows some real contrition about it. It would take time to convince me, but I really hope he just didn’t think it through. Such a bummer.
Sadly, my prediction is that he'll use his classic "I'm dumb, I don't read the news" line as an excuse, and then go back to trashing billionaires as early as next week.
I don't give a shit if he grows or not, I'm done with him. I saw what he did.
Choke on your blood money, bill burka.
In my fantasy world, these comedians are currently in conference calls working on material to fry the Saudis together.
Obviously they'd execute the first one that did it, but I like to dream
In my fantasy world countries aren't run by murderous lying regimes
Bill Burr is different in many ways but the clip of him screaming "fagot" at the crowd was a clue that he's no ethical paragon
Bobby Lee is a pedophile and I block every YouTube channel that suggests his videos.
This I did not know.
He came out later claiming it was a joke, but I don’t see how anyone can turn that into a comedy bit. This made me look at him deeper and he has a history of being creepy with women, many times on camera. I rather just avoid his stuff
I used to think I could sorta relate with him as he has that underachieving Asian persona.
The reason I got tired of him was how I felt like he kept giving free passes for his costars to do low-hanging racist jokes. Sometimes, a joke based on ethnicity can be bang on, like it makes me feel, "holy shit, that's so true" because it's based on a very keen observation. But when it's a bunch of trashy "comedians" making jokes about small eyes, small cock, ching-chong-chang names, eating dog, etc. based on stereotypes, it's just insulting.
And now he turns out to be a creep toward women and children, so fuck him even more, I guess. Too bad :(
Standup was a thing in the 80s. I feel like even by the 90s it was already dying. There were a few unique acts like Mitch Hedberg for example, but the format itself is kind of no longer relevant.
Excuse me say what? This news had me thinking yesterday about how many solid comedians there are now vs. back in the day. In the 80s, we could name most popular comedians. "Ever heard of this Eddie Murphy guy?"
Now? The list is enormous, and filled with hard hitters. I can spend all night on YouTube only watching the most popular, barely scratching the surface.
Honestly think a big part of it was cable tv and premium channels becoming big and needing unique content, which led to comedy specials and shows.
The lack of comedy venues in most places except big cities around the US.
The ability to play uncensored shows and filmed comedy performances made for great late night TV for HBO and Showtime.
I think by the late 90’s- 2000’s the internet had stolen some of the spotlight and there were more comedy coming from improv groups and standup that landed TV deals. So that’s how we ended up with Reno 911, and shows like Chepelle, and Key and Peele. This was during the time that Mind Of Mencia was on. Comedy Central did a lot by just giving standup their own sketch type 30-60 min shows on prime time.
I think a lot of the people in comedy these days have piloted from touring to doing things like live podcasts and whatnot. The straight standup routine isn’t seen nearly as much anymore. Plus a lot of content is just directed directly to YouTube and patreon channels because it’s easier and more profitable.
I appreciate this take. It's interesting to think about - I have often felt alienated because I often don't enjoy standup - neither from the classics nor the modern comedians.
Odd! With so much talent out there it's surprising someone hasn't hit your joy button.
Don’t make celebrity performers your idols, folks. They’re mostly psychologically damaged, amoral, backstabbing, money grubbing narcissists.
People: Billionaires are the problem
Also people: OMG Taylor Swift's new album just dropped! Let's go buy 3 different versions of it
You don't get it, she's a good billionaire because she's a girl and owns her music. Who cares that she takes a private jet flight for what could be an hour long drive - she could never fly economy due her popularity!
I don't disagree with you, but this is isn't exactly "idol" level expectations, either. "Not selling out to horrific regimes" is basic decency I'd expect of everyone, not just those I look up to. Most of the names I see here make sense, but there are a few I expected to be better than this.
Comedians are probably the most disingenuous ones too, as idols. thier job is to Joke, and you know personally they are either what they joke about(they become the jokes themselves this default for right winger comedians they become thier own jokes, or doing the opposite of what they are joking.
Especially comedians… it’s a defense mechanism.
What a fucking loser. He threw his soul away AND lost the payday. Lose-lose fucking loser.
The rest is even more cringy
"arguing it is for the greater good that “freedom-of-speech machines” such as himself bestow their “edgy” material on the kingdom and its subjects."
It is one thing to sell your soul for money (or try anyways lol) but it is an entirely another level of loser quality to pretend like you are fighting for freedom while doing it.
chapelles reason was pretty obvious, hes a transphobe, that was mad when he cant say transphobic jokes, and SA allows him to be transphobic as much as he wants.
What I find most weird about him choosing to die on that hill is it wasn't even a good transphobic joke.
Literally just hurr durr she has a dick.
My thought about the whole thing was that if someone went there and, in spite of the agreement they signed, teed off on the Saudis and whatever else they were forbidden from discussing, I'd have had respect. Was honestly hoping that's what Burr was intending to do. I'd have donated to the GoFundMe for them to fight the inevitable lawsuit from the Saudis.
Obviously didn't happen. We live in a difficult world, and when presented with the choice between fighting (hard) and rolling over (easy), people take the obvious choice. I don't know if I'm doing it differently.
Are these sets even recorded and able to be viewed somewhere, or were they essentially private? If they're private, I dunno, I get it.
I wouldn't get so annoyed if they just took the easy path and went along with it. My only reaction would be to perhaps not watch their shows. But taking the easy path while pretending like it is actually virtuous... It just feels very slimy... Now I feel like making fun of this person every time I hear his name.
I don't think the consequences of that would be a lawsuit. I think they'd go missing and would only be "found" as a mutilated corpse to send a message to anyone else who might have similar ideas. Or, if they are feeling bold enough, they might even do it officially.
Yeah, as brazen as they are, I don't think they're murdering American citizens for breach of contract. Regardless of what they said, it would be an incredibly hostile act towards the US and would lead to sanctions at best.
Wasn't that journalist an American citizen?
And I question whether it would even lead to real problems with the current admin or if he'd just call it a good idea on social media and applaud them for dealing with someone for saying such nasty things about them. And unleash riot forces on protestors (or just use it as an excuse to try to ramp things up more).
Comedians understanding that they're less significant of a form of free speech to society than a free and independent press is basically impossible for some reason.
I am really disappointed to see Bill Burr here. I'm not surprised to see Mark Norman and others who made a name for themselves by making jokes at others expense. They remind me of little kids in school picking on the fat kid or the new kid from another country.
I hate to bring this up, especially since SA kills people so openly, but the US's track record of committing terrorist acts, or supporting terrorism (South America) is terrible. We're currently supplying weapons to Israel that they use to kill children. That's going on right now, they've killed like 60,000 Palestinians, 20,000 children. If you weren't American would you be okay with comedians playing in a country with America's history?
I wouldn't boycott someone for performing here, but I think performers should boycott America.
I haven’t been to the US since I had an already scheduled stopover shortly after Trump was elected (but before he was in office) the first time. Since then I’ve only taken flights that avoid US airspace.
Before that, I used to travel to the US regularly. I just don’t trust things to be both predictable and safe for foreigners anymore, since the current leaders have been very vocal that they consider the constitution to only apply to certain people.
im not surprised, he probably was an opportunist, all those other times he was supporting something "sjw"
Here's a full list:
Happy Boycott!
EDIT: Corrected and expanded now, based on the feedback and what seem to be Saudi websites in English.
Be sure to fact check before putting people on blast and ruining their reputation.
The following comedians were openly critical of those who took the gig. These comedians DID NOT go. Okatsuka specifically revealed the details of the contract these comedians had to sign. Woods made a scathing video that went viral criticizing the lineup.
David Cross
Checked more than one outlet (apparently AI-written, since people like Maron are connected to it, but in a negative way) and came up with that conservative list.
I am also surprised there is no official website I can find.
Corrected and expanded now, based on the feedback and what seem to be Saudi websites in English.
Was gonna say, those exact names would be the people I expect to not go. Atsuko and Marc in particular would really surprise me.
Burr being on that list makes me angry. Come on man.
I'm not surprised, he's really just an ass.
He always seemed to be a principled ass, but I guess enough money can change that.
Shane Gillis and Atsuko Okatsuka turned the invitation down.
Atsuko has been outspoken about it and Shane said on his podcast he wouldn't work for the people who did 9/11.
Checked more than one outlet (apparently AI-written, since people like Maron are connected to it, but in a negative way) and came up with that conservative list.
I am also surprised there is no official website I can find.
Corrected and expanded now, based on the feedback and what seem to be Saudi websites in English.
Aziz Ansari? Goddamn it...
I guess he really is a little creep after all.
kinda figure, i heard he was total creep/freak with woman. much like some others on the list.
No not Bill Burr come on man.
It's been even worse since he got back and has been defending it. His supposed defenses make it so much worse for me.
That’s not accurate. Marc Maron criticized it heavily. Shane Gillis turned it down.
Checked more than one outlet (apparently AI-written, since people like Maron are connected to it, but in a negative way) and came up with that conservative list.
I am also surprised there is no official website I can find.
Corrected and expanded now, based on the feedback and what seem to be Saudi websites in English.
This list is fucking inaccurate. Nice job posting bullshit and muddying the waters.
Checked more than one outlet (apparently AI-written) and came up with that conservative list.
I am also surprised there is no official website I can find.
Corrected and expanded now, based on the feedback and what seem to be Saudi websites in English.
I appreciate the correction, but there were two names on that list that were mentioned in the article you linked as having turned down the money. 🤣
Turning down the money != not endorsing it. Can you expand on that?
TLDR: Who gives a shit?
A. Is it really necessary to split hairs like this here? You come across as just looking for a pointless, pedantic argument.
Obscure characterization of someone else's motivation != anything useful. (Am I doing this right?)
B. He fixed his list so it doesn't matter. And if you did see his original list, then you could just RTFA they linked and figure it out.
Being able to say something != Something should be said.
(Yup it looks just as pretentious when I do it.)
Are you even talking to the right person? I didn't link any article.
Okatsuka turned the offer down, Patel changed his mind, and Maron not only wasn't asked but has been outspokenly against the entire thing for like a month
Do you even know what's being discussed lol
Checked more than one outlet (apparently AI-written) and came up with that conservative list.
I am also surprised there is no official website I can find.
Corrected and expanded now, based on the feedback and what seem to be Saudi websites in English.
That doesn't really surprise me
Yeah he and Jack Whitehall are both shite and I never expected more from them to be honest.
I imagine how Sean Lock would have responded to this
Exactly.
The second-least-surprising one after Chappelle
Nimesh Patel backed out about a week before and didn't end up performing
Lol how did you come up with this list? It's incorrect...
Checked more than one outlet (apparently AI-written) and came up with that conservative list.
Corrected now.
Nice, thanks for taking the time to update. It's been tough to find a good source and it's not like these comedians are looking to publicize it either
People have a habit of repeating things they see from others. For instance you saw six other people made this same type of comment and you still made yours. So it's probably just like that.
Whew, I was worried! But that's an easy list to boycott. Never listened to any of them because they all sucked as comedians anyway.
C-list, tops.
‘They’re paying me enough to look the other way’
That is at least an honest approach instead of "We'll change things over there with our comedy".
Just stfu next time it's about politics (hint: they won't).
The only guy that is surprising for me is Bill Burr. Not exactly financially hanging on by a thread but still selling out like that.
Same, very surprised by Bill Burr and that it wasn't a bit for him to tell the Saudis some hard truths either.
Instead, he gives us a weak-ass "they are the same as us" response because they have the same crappy fast-food...
It's always about the money for these pricks.
Don't fool yourselves into thinking entertainers are your friends. They're not.
Mr. Rogers weeps.
We really got the worst era of comedy. Bunch of court jesters dancing for a king while the city burns
American comedy is become irredeemably lame. Though Jimmy Carr is on the list there too but at least him being a spineless whore is kinda his schtick
There are definitely exceptions. All of the comics mentioned here are people who peaked a decade or more ago, and most of them are extremely out of touch. There are a lot of more contemporary comics who are doing a great job. I don't see Josh Johnson or Ashley Gavin or Gianmarco Soresi or like the people on Dropout showing up to something like this. There's a whole generation of great comics, a lot of them coming out of UCB, who are funnier, wittier, and wiser than any of these clowns.
They were funded by these large groups and that isn't talked about enough. It wasn't just SA blood money they chased. They took it from hertiage foudation and other conservative groups. Most probably didn't even realize they were doing it. They'd just get booked through agents. It just happened that these agents were working with groups who probably paid for personality profiles of the lamest comedians who could benefit their cause if they were actually popular.
I'd like to hear if Carr has any additional reasoning than just money.
So far he's not made a public statement but knowing his shows are mostly people heckling him and him responding I can't wait to see him called out
These losers hardly represent all of comedy.
I think they have. They're the highest paid and most well known. That's what defines an era unfortunately. It's what defines status quo
What's popular and "well known" is rarely, if ever, innovative. Established comics are always the most boring and hacky of their time. They may have been fresh and innovative once, but once they're at the top, they just become tired shells of what they once were. The actual trend setters are the up-and-comers. That's who define the era.
Super disappointed in Burr.
Unsubscribed.
I've been struggling to get a read on Burr since day one. He's always seemed to want it both ways. I'm glad he has decided to remove all ambiguity.
Can't believe bill burr went. Turns out all of his billionaire critics were just meaningless
Can absolutely believe Chapelle went.
He's become more Rick James than Rick James.
I would have been shocked if he hadn't.
They drove a dumptruck of money to his door, he's not made of stone.
But you have to wonder if these guys are just grabbing the silverware before political satire is banned by zee Republicans.
Everyone knows now he can be bought and swayed easily by money, since money talks.
"Make shit excuses" isn't really a definition of "defend."
To defend something, it should be defensible in the first place. Otherwise you're just failing while talking about how it was worth it, but with extra steps.
Literal blood money bruh
Inb4 they whine in their next comedy specials that they're 'being cancel cultured again by Gen Z' and this time its 'just for working'.
Cue laughs from conservatives.
Marc Maron is the person who people think the lot of these guys like Burr are. His comedy/commentary is earnest. He has conviction. People like Burr are performative commentary. They go back to the dressing room to wash off the clown makeup so they can go back to being their private self. They don't give a shit about the things the say into the mic.
Burr is pretty genuine, and he's come a long way in the past 5-10 years (largely due to his awesome wife). However, he's still a "both sides" liberal when it comes down to it.
Maron is the real deal.
Sounds like the right terrible people for that place. With any luck they would stay there.
Pete and Dave have been pieces of shit for a long time. Dave has been all downhill since those first few sets when he returned. Guy peaked with Chappel Show.
Likewise we're not paid enough to be their audience. Grifters, kindly fuck off the stage.
The title quote is from Tim Dillon, article has a similar quote from Pete Davidson
Nice for these people to be so open about their shittiness, it removes the benefit of the doubt and makes it easier to weed them out
There's really no defense that is morally good in my opinion . F these people. At least they self identify as amoral assholes.
Not all
arguing it is for the greater good that “freedom-of-speech machines” such as himself bestow their “edgy” material on the kingdom and its subjects.
Yeah...
Let's make it cost them more to get their fans back.
Fuck I miss Carlin
Better he doesn't have to see what the world has become. His internal disappointed idealist's heart would be thoroughly broken. I know mine has been.
I wonder what she thinks.
Mark Normand, on the other hand, joked he would bring his wife to show her how good she has it in America: “I want to be like, ‘You see? You think I’m an asshole? Well, they’ll cut your clit off, bitch.’”
Will people criticizing them stop to play all EA games that are owned now by Saudi Arabia?
I have not bought one since fifa 08
Dragon Age Inquisition for me.
It's a bit weird to me how hyperfocused gamers are on Saudi Arabia. No, they do not own EA, it's a joint venture between two other US investment firms;
Why not focus on weirdly rich Trump's son-in-law? Knowing it's family, the thought of Trump family owning EA sounds worse than Saudi Arabia fund.
They're all such nice people it's hard to know who to boycott them over the most.
last time I checked Trump wasn't cutting off hands.
Just burning down houses and dragging children out of beds.
Do you KNOW what your country does to death row prisoners??? Do you know you often have the highest incarceration rate in the world??? And that's just the old shit that everyone already accepts, there is a LOT of REALLY BAD SHIT going down in your country's name right now; you got no place to be throwing stones from.
yeah I do.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Uruguay
fucking nothing
you were the one who referenced Trump.
So? People are mad at EA being sold, among others, to saudi arabia. Who cut off hands for theft.
EA has been dogshit for decades now anyway.
Not sure why you had to try to bring me and my country into it, but I don't buy EA games, I don't go to the US, I don't go to Saudi Arabia.
These people are all willing to play shows in the US, why wouldn't you expect them to play in Saudi Arabia? Sounds like living in denial about our own country. Like the concept of blood diamonds; money from software made in the US has funded conflict all over the globe but no one called it blood software. We used to export soybeans and used the money to bomb foreigners and no one called em blood soybeans.
Moral failings are always some other countries problem, we're the shining city on the hill remember? /s
Playing a show in Saudi Arabia would be different than playing this show funded by the Saudi government. The shows played in America, for the most part, aren't funded by the government here. That's the difference. People gave the celebrities who performed at Trump's inauguration shit for it. That's consistent my guy.
Also the fact they were supporting something opposite of what Saudia arabia represents. aka, free speech, lgbtq+ rights,,,etc. something SA is against and they went and accepted the money.
We’re about to have a ufc fight on the White House lawn
Soon saudia arabia will own UFC.
So long as there is no drinking or gambling, SA will support it.
Seems very similar to performing at the White House Correspondents Dinner
Saudi Arabia is an absolutist monarchy where the person in power is a monarch, so playing a show for the monarchy is playing a show for the people in power.
The USA is a capitalist country where the people in power are capitalist owners, so playing a show in a privately-owned venue is playing a show for the people in power.
There's a big difference between playing a show IN a country and playing a show FOR a country. We rightfully give people shit for performing for Trump at the White House but not for performing for a bunch of normal people in Los Angeles.
We're not great currently, but we are leaps and bounds better than Saudi Arabia right now.
Are you saying all entertainment folks in the US should just stop working? That is neither feasible or possible for non A-listers.
Edit: apparently some one is ok with already struggling artist starving. Hope you have the same energy when it's your turn to refuse work.
Don't invent the scenarios, none of the comedians in questions are "starving".
That pedicab driver also lives in South Florida.
Where in the fuck do you recommend he moves too?
It must be nice to cast judgement on others...
You're a bad person and you should feel bad.
Oh yeah. Definitely take a different view of Bill Burr.
But there's a local one legged pedal cad driver who I personally know just trying to make ends meet.
Should he suffer as well?
\
these comedians arnt struggling lol, most of them are upper middle class or wealthy(millionaires.
Are you gums bleeding yet?
Then shut the fuck up!
No, you are not. You have fascist brigades roaming around terrorizing minorities, you have innocents being taken to illegal prisons, you have a worldwide media apparatus boosting fascism all over the world, 20% of male black US population goes through jail (where slave labour is legal) at some point of their lives, you are intervening in regime change and upholding fascist puppets like Milei or Bolsonaro, you start war after war after war, and last but not least, you're materially and diplomatically enabling the genocide of Palestinians by the fascist ethnostate of Isntreal. The US is not "leaps and bounds better than Saudi Arabia".
Sounds like fun.
Kinda goes with the “they should stay there” comments on here, doesn’t it?
I mean, put out an open call for political comedians, pay lavishly, let a few come and say whatever they want to provide an illusion of free speech, then have a comedy festival and lock up anyone who says anything critical about a political figure. Speech chilled, vocal critics removed from circulation. It’s a win-win for them.
They better be funny or they may be killed and cut up into tiny pieces.....
Guess everyone has a price after all…. I hope they sleep well on their millions now.
that price is less than 1mil apparently, but these comedian are hoping for future comedian gigs which will pay more by MSB
Jo Koy hurt me the most. First time I saw my wife crying with joy over his Asian accents bit. He's not nearly so funny if you're not Filipino, or are at least close to the community, but he's still damned good.
Guess they all got caught up in the idea that, "Everyone else is doing it!" And honestly? I could see myself fall into that.
I'm sure I'll get beat up for making excuses for them. But I'm not that guy, and I wasn't there. Were you?
You guys expect way too much from the court jesters. There's plenty of serious enterprises investing heavily in SA, go after them if this is something you care deeply about. Comedians aren't supposed to be the moral pulse of society and yet that's how almost all conversations about them are framed these days.
Why aren't they supposed to be the moral pulse? I'm not saying they necessarily are but I think in order to be funny you need to empathize with others.
The arts should be. There’s a standard that should be there, but these comments seems to argue otherwise…
These dudes tell dick jokes for a living. If you want to throw that under the general umbrella of "the arts" in order to make appeals to lofty ideals then that is your right as a free thinking individual, but we both know the main reason you're doing that is to try and make a square peg fit in a round hole.
Go watch old late night bits. Zero politics. LOL, somebody on here the other day was trying to say the Late Show had always been political. Someone who never watched Carson.
Comedians have evolved into the "moral pulse" role. They seem to be the only group speaking truth to power and having any traction whatsoever.
Anyway, you got me thinking on all that, so I thank you!
Comedians have been making fun of politics my whole life. Not always what I would call taking a side but at the least calling out whatever foolishness was on the news cycle.
This was kind of my thought too. They're just dudes who want to make money. Sure, yeah, hate them for working with SA, that's fine, but what were you honestly expecting from these people?
its the fans that are apalled, everyone else, i dont really care, but im amused they finally show thier true colors.
Yet as a country they buy their oil and supply them weapons, but this is a bridge too far I suppose.
Argh I'm so upset by this betrayal I'm going to type something on the internets.
That'll solve it.
US imports of Saudi oil have not been significant for awhile now, North American oil production has increased massively over the past several decades. The US has actually been energy independent and a net exporter for around 5 years or so I think.
I don't think many Americans are happy about the US relationship with Saudi Arabia but it doesn't get shoved in their faces often so when comedians act like this it becomes an avenue for that anger to be expressed. Many Americans have parasocial relationships with comedians, and/or have this idea that they are "fearless truth-tellers", so it hits a lot different compared to abstract foreign policy and people get a lot more easily riled up about it.
The Grift must go on!
“We’re starving too!““ Said comics and artists who definitely are not starving, especially after performing in Saudi Arabia
I wish I could pirate this media more, but I’m already not paying for it. But, at least, I can go online and be indignant about it!
Are you seeding? Next logical step would be to help other people not give these assholes money.
Yes, I am
they can just saying they want future "comedy gigs" that SA WILL PAY IN THE FUTURE, thats why.
Paid to look the other way eh, fine I choose to do the same and look and support the performers that boycotted or refused and look away from you.
They know they will get future gigs with MSB, who will probably pay millions down the line per show, or viewing. aside from chapelle who is obviously wants to joke about trans people with no restrictions, the others are just doing it for money.
It's kind of a who's who of questionable comedians. Curious from a moral perspective: if one takes the gig and donates their proceeds to a charitable cause, are they off the hook?
Another thing I'm reminded of is, I've heard many big comedians have had a gig at a corporate event at one point or another (I've heard some refer to them as terrible audiences lol). In that world, you're kinda trained early on to never turn down a gig... but if they were to headline a company event for say, Nestle or United Healthcare or something, are we ok with that too?
Mark Normand, on the other hand, joked he would bring his wife to show her how good she has it in America: “I want to be like, ‘You see? You think I’m an asshole? Well, they’ll cut your clit off, bitch.’”
What an asshole.
What's with people in here expecting comedians to be moral paragons? Especially Bill Burr. Dude's whole claim to fame is being a piece of shit.
You don't need to be a moral paragon to recognize that taking money from the fucking bone saw guy to whitewash his shitty dictatorship is bad and will piss off your audience. Where is the line for you? If you think Burr is excused for this because his claim to fame is being a piece of shit, could he do anything you actually find unacceptable?
Theyre comedians, dude. They do corporate gigs all the time, and always have. And no one gave a shit. Even though many of those corporations would be evil as fuck as well.
But in the case of this, you could at least make the argument that theres a greater good being served, in so much as that the country is being exposed to new ideas and views through comedy. Bill Burr said "theyre just like us" when talking about the people, and social media crucified him for it. Why? Because they hold the people to account for the actions of their leaders. Which to give it context, would be like calling someone a Trump voter because they happen to be American.
The whole outrage is fucking stupid. The focus should be on the Saudi leaders, who are once again trying to wash their image on the global stage. But instead, all we hear about is how much of a piece of shit Bill Burr is... Tell me, do you go this hard on City group? Man City, New York City teams are sports washing pure and simple. Wheres all the outrage about that, which has been going on for more than a decade?
I am trying to think of a corporate gig that would be comparable. Being a murderous dictator who has journalists butchered is generally viewed as being significantly worse than your average CEO by most people. Maybe you could say taking money from Erik Prince is sort of on par? I would expect there to be a somewhat equivalent level of outrage in that scenario. Bill Burr whoring it out for a more normal corporate overlord who isn't directly involved in torturing and murdering people isn't going to draw the same kind of condemnation though.
I agree that the only slightly compelling argument in this is that there is some greater good being served here, but it is impossible to ignore the reality of the situation. MBS is directly paying them, there are rules about what they are allowed to say, the audience is a bunch of wealthy elites who already have easy access to anything they want, and the intent of the whole thing is very obviously part of the larger image rehabilitation campaign that MBS has been attempting to pull off for the past few years by throwing his blood money around. Burr got crucified for what he said because it is exactly what MBS wants him to say. Burr saw a bunch of fast food places and that was enough for him because he is being paid, and he knows if he said some real shit about MBS it would be a problem.
I do tend to go this hard on whoever. If they want to associate with someone like MBS I am going to judge the shit out of them for it just like I would anyone else. It's disgusting behavior whoring yourself out to a dictator. I don't need people like that in my life and I regret that I have to share this planet with them.
By that logic, Bill Burr and every single other comedian should leave the US and never perform there again, as the country currently engages in material support of genocide of Palestinians. I agree with that logic, I'm not playing devil's advocate
It's not that black and white. Initially, the government wanted to closely police everything that was said. But they softened their stance after some back and forth. So Saudis who attended the shows were exposed to some mildly sacrilegious stuff. Religious fundamentals could frankly use a lot more of that in this world, and hopefully they will be less crazy as a result.
idk, i'm just getting tired of this hyper-fixation on holding performers to some lofty standard. He did something that isn't remotely enough to land him in prison, so I'm going to not care at all and keep enjoying his comedy. Seems fairly reasonable to me.
To me this does not feel like an especially lofty standard. Particularly for someone like Burr who is already wealthy and established enough that a $1m paycheck isn't life changing money.
I do agree that religious fundamentalists could use more exposure to people speaking freely and openly, but that is not what this is. Besides the government imposed restrictions on topics they were allowed to mention in their sets, the audience itself is the wealthy elite from Riyadh who are the least religious and most secular segment of Saudi society. These are a bunch of rich folks who can fly to NYC whenever they want to catch any comedy show they want to see.
The reason that performers and comedians in particular piss people off is because of the whole free speech thing. It is a gross look to be someone reliant on freedom of expression for your career to take money from the guy who notoriously had a journalist brutally tortured and chopped up with a bone saw. And it's not like that is the only horrific thing MBS has done either, it wasn't even the first or last journalist he has murdered. If they were just performing in Saudi Arabia for some kind of private org and the money wasn't being paid directly by MBS there would be significantly less anger or sense of betrayal from their fans. MBS is a notorious psychopath directly responsible for horrific crimes and anyone who associates with him is going to be tainted by it, there is no getting around that.
there are fans of these comedians, you are going to expect some critcism if they are hypocritical. its not like its a NON-FAn that suddenly was criticizing him.
Extremely disgusting. I already found most of these people uncool and unfunny but I thought Bill Burr was at least alright (still didn't think he was funny, but he at least seemed to have sane political views - guess not). The only way any of them can make this a respectable choice is if they're doing it Trojan Horse style, and they're planning to tell a bunch of jokes shitting on Saudi Arabia and calling them out for their infinity of evil acts. Not getting my hopes up for that, though.
The Guardian remains respectable and has not pulled punches in this article at least.
It's already happened. I don't think there were any Trojan Horse-style jokes unfortunately
Oh derp, I saw "October 9th" and glossed over the rest. Yeah no surprise. Telling a joke like that in that environment might get you killed. Not that they see any problem with that I guess.
Who is the comedian looking like the Corinthian in the thumbnail?
Pete Davidson, whose popularity with people remains a mystery to me.
Oh. He got popular because Lorne Michael likes him. I think Lorne just enjoyed the fact his dad died during 9/11 so people had to like him or else they weren't patriotic. I have no clue how he pulls the girls he pulls though.
Pete Davidson also nice show reference
Ghostbusters 2, right?
The sandman show
I almost respect that more than the comedians that play it off as just another act.
I was looking for the onion link...
they Lie, they dint pay 10s of millions. its a grift, in order to get more paying gigs by SA in the future. most of them were paid less than 1mil
I have enough moral to look the other way, away from these so called sell out comedians.
If you do know any of them somehow you might want to refuse any of their gift from now on if you believe it's from dirty money.
Clickbait
lol
Would be funny if any of these comedians accepted but did a shit job on purpose to get booed off stage, then just explained that stunt as "giving their money's worth"
So what makes this worse then doing a show for the US? And I don't mean just now with Trump the US has been doing horrible stuff for decades, but do they get a pass because they are the "good" guys.
I mean they had Guatemala bay for how long.
Not the same scenario. The equivalent would be these comedians doing a set that was paid for by the White House, with a list of restrictions on what could be said. Which would receive just as much backlash
What a long list it is. Dont bring up the following: their religion, the royal family. And thats it.
And how many of these comedians hold their tongue regarding religion and people of power when performing in their home country? Or when touring internationally on non-state-funded tours?
Don’t take my opinion of these comedians as anti-Saudi. I was plenty anti-Saudi before this. If these ‘comedians’ agreed to take money from the US president to not make mean jokes about him, I’d be just as disgusted at their lack of spine.
plus they are PR and propaganda mouthpieces for the WH, or SA. if people havnt realized it.
whispers Guantanamo
whispers also we still have it
No it says alot about you. The US has done horrible things but they get a free pass. Because they're the good guys and they're BS manifest Destiny complex.
Let's see removed democratically elected leaders in countries to stick in their sock puppet government.
Then goes to eat against that government when it no longer listens to them.
Then whisks people away tons jail where they get no.trial or anything and tortures them.
I mean the US is responsible for more deaths and pain and suffering then the Saudis. So why are they not worse because they're white.
Then not mention what Americas consumerist culture is and has done to the world.
i agree, the US has obviously committed far more heinous acts and destabilised specific countries and the world way more than anything the Saudis have done.
Everyone in the country does it. Why is this special?
Well, most people in the country don't go on stage to whine about free speech and what they can or cannot say, then accept payouts from shitbag regimes while signing a contract telling them what they cannot say.
Wave you watched the news? Lmao
The people complaining about these people are also complaining about those people.
We all went to Saudi Arabia to perform in a comedy festival?
Honestly a good time to do it given its a good time to make fun of trump and why not pickup a paycheck along the way. Would be going full force on maga.
I agree with the criticism but let's not forget that if they've ever performed for the American government, they've already done worse. I don't think many from the list posted in the comments have, though.
I get it, but this is a different thing because our comedians don't perform for the US government, and certainly under restrictions.
This is 100% a play by the House of Saud, "See? We're not so bad!"
Certainly!
So what? The US also did a lot of terrible things to other countries and we never boycott it
"What about". Groundbreaking.
Don't you mean double standard?
Maybe that's part of the problem, eh? Also, maybe skim a newspaper once in a while.
We waited trump to do it and many will go back buying American product once Trump end . We did it because he threatened us and not because human right abuses was committed by the USA
Quibbling over why it wasn't "good enough" doesn't support your criticisms of other boycotts anymore than "but what about other countries?!" does. If that's your metric, no boycott or action against countries/companies will ever measure up. So really what you're arguing for here is complete inaction, which won't make anything better at all.
I don't shame people who don't boycott certain countries, even if I believe everybody should. I am consistent. It is you who are not. Both Saudi Arabia and the US were involved in very serious human rights abuses, but you would never say to someone who didn't boycott the USA, "Why aren't you?"
Talking about double standard is not whataboutism
Your "consistency" is bullshit purity testing.
Please, enlighten me on how your claims benefit anybody other than those profiting from suffering? What tangible action are you promoting here?
Here we go with the purity test BS. I welcome anybody who want to boycott any problematic country and respect those person it but I don't shame people who do not boycott. Do you think that you never bought an product from companies in problematic countries who are doing human right abuses?
If you don't want to be called out for it, maybe don't do it in the very same comment, yeah?
Also,
So which is it? People can boycott what they want? Or are they "hypocrites" for boycotting in ways you disagree with? For someone so concerned with "consistency", you are all over the place.
And I'll ask again, how is your condemnation of the boycotts beneficial to anyone being harmed?