"Since the announcement of the festival, Burr as well as a number of other big-name comedians have been harshly criticized for taking Saudi money and accepting offers to perform. Critics have pointed to the Saudis' curious investments in sports and entertainment, claiming these investments are nothing more than an effort to take attention away from the country's human rights abuses."
"In return, however, their comedy sets were to exclude certain topics including religion and jokes about the Saudi royal family. Burr, who hasn't shied away from talking about social issues on stage or on his podcast, was perhaps one of the more surprising names on the lineup. In a recent episode of Monday Morning Podcast, he called the experience great and added that the royals loved the show."
The Riyadh Comedy Festival opened with several big-name comedians on the lineup, including Bill Burr. Many performers were criticized for accepting Saudi money amid concerns that the kingdom uses sports and entertainment investments to deflect attention from human rights abuses. Some comedians who declined confirmed the Saudis offered large sums but required excluding topics such as religion and jokes about the royal family. Burr described the experience as great and said the royals loved the show, and claimed organizers eased restrictions. Social media and peers pushed back, accusing performers of self-censorship and enabling an authoritarian regime.
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