Human Rights Watch has said comedian Azis Ansari’s performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia was no laughing matter—and that they won’t be accepting his proposed donation.
The top international rights organization has said they “cannot accept” money from Ansari or any of the other “over 50 global stand-up legends” who appeared on stage in the Middle Eastern kingdom.
Instead, the organization has called on the performers to use their platforms to petition Saudi authorities to free detained dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists imprisoned in the country.
“Aziz Ansari and other comedians have generously offered to donate part of their performance fees to rights groups like Human Rights Watch, but while we cannot accept, it is not too late for them to call for the release of detained Saudi activists,” said Joey Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“Aziz Ansari and other comedians have generously offered to donate part of their performance fees to rights groups like Human Rights Watch, but while we cannot accept, it is not too late for them to call for the release of detained Saudi activists,” said Shea.
Ansari, who appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, told the host that he “shares the concerns” of those who criticized his decision to accept the Riyadh Comedy Festival’s invitation to perform at the event. However, he said he considered the festival to be an important cultural exchange that could help liberalize the country.
“Part of the fee should go to causes that support free press and human rights,” Ansari said.
The Daily Beast has contacted Ansari for comment.
While Human Rights Watch has declined the offer, other groups have accepted similar donations. Comedian Jessica Kirson, who has faced significant backlash for performing at the Saudi event, has donated her entire fee to the Human Rights Campaign.
Kirson explained that while she “deeply regrets” her participation, she believed that her appearance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival would “help LGBTQ+ people in Saudi Arabia feel seen and valued.”
“I am grateful that I was able to do precisely that,” Kirson said in a statement. “To my knowledge, I am the first openly gay comic to talk about it on stage in Saudi Arabia.“
“I received messages from attendees sharing how much it meant to them to participate in a gay-affirming event,” she continued. “At the same time, I deeply regret participating under the auspices of the Saudi government.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the Human Rights Campaign for comment.
Ansari and Kirson are just two of the dozens of top comedians from around the world who have come under fire for performing in one of the most repressive nations on Earth.
Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Louis C.K., Pete Davidson, Bill Burr, Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Chris Tucker, and many others also appeared on the lineup.
Tim Dillon, who appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience before the festival, said that the $375,000 appearance fee he had secured was sufficient to “watch a be-handing,” although it was not as high as the $1.6 million he said other performers would receive.
“I believe in ignoring the screams. I will sleep so soundly. I will sleep through the screams,” Dillon said. He was subsequently fired from the festival.
The oil-rich Middle Eastern power player ruled over by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has been undertaking extensive efforts to address its international image in recent years.
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup and has partnered with the International Olympic Committee to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2027.
Human Rights Watch has said the nation is “whitewashing” its historic abuses, particularly as the comedy festival fell on the seventh anniversary of the murder of Saudi journalist/dissident Jamal Khashoggi.
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