Jimmy Carr has defended performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.
The state-sponsored festival, which also featured fellow standups Dave Chappelle and Bill Burr, has drawn criticism due to the Saudi Arabian government’s alleged human rights abuses, as well as accusations around its involvement in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Carr has now opened up about his decision to participate in the festival during a new episode of The Louis Theroux Podcast, saying he “loved” playing there.
“I think we need to give up on the idea that the Middle East becomes Western Europe. The Middle East is a very different place,” he said. “And the same people that will tell you diversity is our strength will tell you, ‘Don’t go there, they’re not like us’.
“The thing that I like about Saudi Arabia is the direction of travel,” Carr continued. “Look at where it was 10 years ago. Look at where it is now. The direction of travel is pretty good. They kind of want to be Dubai, which… you could have said this about Dubai 25 years ago. ‘Don’t go there, they’re not like us.'”
He went on to add: “And you go, it’s a different culture. It’s a different way of conducting a society.’ So the idea of going, ‘don’t go there because they’re not like us’, well, I play 50 countries around the world. I’ll go where the audience are.”
Comics were reportedly paid between £250,000 and £1million to play the event, per Independent. When Theroux asked Carr what he was paid, the comic replied: “I was paid, I would say a commensurate amount with selling out an 8,000-seater room. So it’s a big room. I didn’t ‘get paid’, I earned it, is what happened.”
Performers within the comedy world have offered different perspectives about the event Marc Maron and Shane Gillis have been critical of those who agreed to perform; while Bill Burr and Louis C.K. have defended their decisions to take part. Jessica Kirson apologised for being involved, saying: “I am deeply sorry to all the fans and followers I have hurt or disappointed.”
Aziz Ansari also defended his decision to play the festival while being questioned about it by Jimmy Kimmel. “You kind of have to make a choice of whether you’re going to isolate or engage” he said on the October 7 edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live. “For me, especially being me and looking the way I do and being from a Muslim background, it felt like something I should be a part of. And I hope it pushes things in a positive direction.”
Despite this assertion, Ansari and others did offer a portion of their performance fee to Human Rights Watch, who have been critical of the regime and the festival. However, the charity revealed that such donations will be refused.
Joey Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher at the organisation, said, “While we cannot accept, it is not too late for them to call for the release of detained Saudi activists,” adding: “Human Rights Watch didn’t call for comedians to boycott the Riyadh Comedy Festival, but simply asked them to express their support for free speech by urging the release of Saudi activists unjustly imprisoned.”
Saudi Arabia has hosted a large number of entertainment spectacles as part of its Vision 2030 plan to improve the global image of the country, as well as diversify its economy. Significant events in the world of Boxing, UFC, and WWE have all been held there, however critics of the Saudi regime have claimed such entertainment is an attempt to whitewash its controversies.
The post Jimmy Carr defends playing Riyadh Comedy Festival: “I’ll go where the audiences are” appeared first on NME.
Jimmy Carr defends playing Riyadh Comedy Festival: “I’ll go where the audiences are”
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