Dave Chappelle used his controversial headlining performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to blast the state of free speech in America.
According to The New York Times, Chappelle told the crowd in Saudi Arabia, “Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled… I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out.”
Chappelle’s set took place in the midst of Jimmy Kimmel’s brief suspension from ABC’s airwaves over the host’s criticism of MAGA’s reaction to the conservative activist’s death.
“It’s easier to talk here than it is in America,” the comedian added.
Chappelle previously faced calls for Netflix to cut ties with him after he repeatedly made jokes at the expense of trans people in multiple specials.
The comedian drew a direct line from censorship in America to Saudi Arabia, the Times reports, as he joked that he will use a special code phrase to alert fans if he’s been threatened not to “say what I want to say.”
“It’s got to be something I would never say in practice, so if I actually say it, you’ll know never to listen to anything else I say after that,” Chappelle said, relying on audience knowledge that he’s declared the Israel-Hamas War a “genocide” on more than one occasion. He then joked, “Here’s the phrase: I stand with Israel.”
Chappelle and other American comedians Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Louis C.K., and more, have been called out for participating in Saudi Arabia’s comedy festival, as critics cite the country’s role in the 9/11 attacks and in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Marc Maron slammed the comedians, several of whom have confirmed they were offered very large sums to appear, for performing for “the folks that brought you 9/11.”
“I mean, how do you even promote that?” Maron also said in a video posted to his Instagram account, “I mean, the same guy that’s gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a f—ing suitcase. But don’t let that stop the yucks, it’s gonna be a good time!”
Added Arrested Development star David Cross, “I am disgusted and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing. That people I admire… would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for… what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?”
Speaking directly to comedians, like Chappelle, who have complained about “cancel culture,” Cross wrote, “All of your b—hing about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ and all that s–t? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again.”
Burr, for his part, defended his participation, calling the festival “one of the top three experiences I’ve had” and denying he was faced a lot of censorship to what he could say when he took the Riyadh stage. There was “just a couple things” that were off-limits, he said, as he was told, “Don’t make fun of royals or religion.”
Davidson, meanwhile, acknowledged he was getting “a little bit of flack just ’cause my dad died in 9/11,” but ultimately he showed up for the cash. “I get the routing and then I see the number and I go, ‘I’ll go,’” he explained.
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