\u201cWe can never again take seriously anything these comedians complain about (unless it\u2019s complaining that we don\u2019t support enough torture and mass executions of journalists and LGBQT peace activists here in the states, or that we don\u2019t terrorize enough Americans by flying planes into our buildings),\u201d Cross wrote. \u201cI mean that\u2019s it; you have a funny bit about how you don\u2019t like Yankee Candles or airport lounges? Okay great, but you\u2019re cool with murder and\/or the public caning of women who were raped, and by having the audacity to be raped, were guilty of \u2018engaging in adultery\u2019? Got any bits on that?\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cThese are some of my HEROES! Now look, some of you folks don\u2019t stand for anything so you don\u2019t have any credibility to lose, but my god, Dave and Louie and Bill, and Jim? Clearly you guys don\u2019t give a s\u2013t about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your bitching about \u2018cancel culture\u2019 and \u2018freedom of speech\u2019 and all that s\u2013t? Done. You don\u2019t get to talk about it ever again. By now we\u2019ve all seen the contract you had to sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
My thoughts on the Riyadh Comedy Festival. https:\/\/t.co\/yRSj3GjwDt<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/6OFZ0hcQsU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 david cross\u270d (@davidcrosss) September 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s Riyadh Comedy Festival began on Sept. 26. The festival, which is expected to last until Oct. 9, boasts a lineup of high-profile American and British comedians, including Bill Burr, Pete Davidson, Aziz Ansari, Hannibal Buress, Jimmy Carr, Dave Chappelle, Sam Morril and Tom Segura.<\/p>\n The festival\u2019s participants have come under heavy fire from comedians who refused to take part in it, including Marc Maron and\u00a0Atsuko Okatsuka<\/a>, the latter of whom shared the censorship rules that were included in her original invite. Shane Gillis also revealed on an episode of\u00a0\u201cMatt and Shane\u2019s Secret Podcast\u201d<\/a>\u00a0that he was offered a \u201csignificant bag\u201d to perform at the festival but took a \u201cprincipled stand\u201d against doing so.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re performing for literally, the most oppressive regime on Earth,\u201d Cross added. \u201cThey have SLAVES for f\u2013k\u2019s sake!!!\u201d<\/p>\n He went on: \u201cI don\u2019t understand how being rich can make someone such a whore. Poor people desperate to improve their (or their families lives), sure. Still not acceptable but I can understand the desperation to put food on the table. But this? I mean, it\u2019s not like this is some commercial for a wireless service or a betting app. This is truly the definition of \u2018blood money.\u2019 You might as well do commercials for Lockheed Martin or Zyklon B.\u201d<\/p>\n Cross is not the only celebrity to speak out against the comedy festival and its participants. Leah Remini also shared remarks she made at the 2024 Democracy in Saudi Arabia Summit and urged Westerners not to \u201claunder\u201d the regime of\u00a0Saudi Arabian Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud<\/a>\u00a0(MBS).<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe it\u2019s my business or any non-Saudi person\u2019s business to dictate what the Saudi government should look like,\u201d Remini said in her speech. \u201cThose decisions are solely up to the Saudi people. But I do believe every human being has the right and responsibility to advocate for every other human being\u2019s most basic freedoms.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1759227608_945_Grill-970x250-3.png\")
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