Weird Al Yankovic Rejects 7-Figure Riyadh Comedy Festival Offer
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 25
Weird Al Yankovic Rejects 7-Figure Riyadh Comedy Festival Offer
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 25
Summary
Yankovic said he turned down a seven-figure payment for one show at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival because taking Saudi money made him feel “icky.”
The Grammy-winning parody artist told the Tribune-Review he did not fault performers who accepted the money, but said he could not stomach being part of the event.
About 6,000 people attended the controversial festival, which drew wider backlash in comedy circles over whether performing there legitimized Saudi Arabia’s human-rights record.
Bill Maher previously attacked Dave Chappelle’s remarks on free speech after the festival, while Jimmy Kimmel pressed Aziz Ansari over appearing in a country tied to Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 murder.
Why did a comedy icon reject a seven-figure Saudi payout while free-speech champions accepted it despite strict government censorship rules?
Are comedians who claim they enjoy more free speech in Riyadh deliberately ignoring the regime's strict laws that criminalize blasphemy and dissent?
Could a new international criminal investigation into Jamal Khashoggi's death finally force Western entertainers to abandon their lucrative Saudi comedy gigs?