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Actor and stand-up comedian David Cross trashed several stand-up stars on Monday for participating in the “Riyadh Comedy Festival” in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement posted on his website, the “Arrested Development” star called out Dave Chappelle, Louis C.K., Bill Burr and others for performing at the event, citing the host nation’s “crimes against humanity.”
“What do you think I think? I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing. That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for… what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?” he wrote.
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Comedian David Cross called out fellow comedians for participating in a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia over the next few weeks. (CBS/Getty)
The festival, which began Sept. 26 and runs through the end of October, features performances by 50 of the world’s most famous comics. Other comedians on the lineup include Kevin Hart, Sebastian Maniscalco, Andrew Schulz, Whitney Cummings and Pete Davidson.
In a Sept. 23 press release, Human Rights Watch accused Saudi Arabia of putting on the festival to “deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations.”
Cross argued that the comics’ participation in the Saudi event means they can’t be trusted to weigh in on political issues any longer, suggesting they’ve overlooked the country’s abuses.
“We can never again take seriously anything these comedians complain about (unless it’s complaining that we don’t support enough torture and mass executions of journalists and LGBTQ peace activists here in the states, or that we don’t terrorize enough Americans by flying planes into our buildings),” he wrote.
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David Cross accused the comedians performing at a comedy festival in Saudi Arabia of ignoring the country’s human rights abuses. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
Cross was referencing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman allegedly sanctioning the 2018 murder of journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi, accusations that the Saudi government assisted 9/11 hijackers, and the kingdom’s view of LGBTQ and women’s rights.
Cross called out several comedians by name.
“Now look, some of you folks don’t stand for anything so you don’t have any credibility to lose, but my god, Dave and Louie and Bill, and Jim? Clearly you guys don’t give a s— about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your b——- about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ and all that s—? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again,” he wrote.
“You’re performing for literally, the most oppressive regime on earth. They have SLAVES for f—‘s sake!!!”
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Stand-up comic Bill Burr was one of 50 top comedians who booked a gig at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Writers Guild of America West)
He concluded by sharing a link to the Human Rights Foundation, urging readers to spend their money “on something worthwhile.”
Other comedians have spoken out about the festival in recent days. During a stand-up set last week, comic Marc Maron asked, “How do you even promote that? ‘From the folks that brought you 9/11, two weeks of laughter in the desert. Don’t miss it!’”
Comedian Shane Gillis said on a recent episode of his podcast that he was offered a “significant” amount of money to perform at the event but declined it.
“But I had already said no, I took a principled stand,” he said.
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