"Every comedian on the path to stardom will inevitably have to do shows they aren't proud of. It's sort of a rite of passage: the dreaded corporate gig or-shudder-the mortifying improv class at a company off-site. Typically, though, those embarrassing shows tend not to be paid for and hosted by countries accused of staggering human rights violations, nor do the performers tend to already be superstars."
"Spread across two weeks, with the first shows taking place on September 25, the festival is a Comedy Coachella packed with performers who can sell out Madison Square Garden on their own. Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, and Bill Burr are among the highlights, along with Louis CK, Sebastian Maniscalco, Gabriel Iglesias, and many more. It's a regular who's who of ha-ha."
"It's also part of a broader effort, in the years since Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman allegedly approved the murder of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, to shore up soft power in the region through reputation-laundering cultural efforts like the LIV Golf League, the animation studio Myrkott, and the world's first Dragon Ball theme park. Given that job one for comedians is ostensibly speaking truth to power, rather than taking power's money, this festival lineup has proven controversial."
A major, two-week Saudi comedy festival booked numerous top-tier, highly paid comedians, a lineup capable of selling out major arenas. Many of the invited performers are global stars such as Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Louis CK, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Gabriel Iglesias. The event is linked to a broader Saudi effort to build soft power after the alleged approval of Jamal Khashoggi's murder, using cultural projects like LIV Golf, Myrkott animation, and a Dragon Ball theme park. The juxtaposition of comedians’ traditional role of speaking truth to power with accepting state money has generated intense controversy and peer criticism.
Read at Fast Company
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