Overview

• The two-week event runs Sept. 26–Oct. 9 in Riyadh with a roster featuring Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari, Pete Davidson, Jimmy Carr and more.
• Human Rights Watch says the festival serves to deflect attention from abuses and urges comics to call for the release of detained activists, noting it got no replies to letters sent to representatives.
• Tim Dillon says he was dropped after joking about Saudi Arabia “having slaves” and claims a $375,000 fee for a single show, figures not independently confirmed.
• Shane Gillis says he declined an invitation and a “significant” payday on principle, as Marc Maron and Zach Woods publicly criticized peers for taking the gigs.
• Organizers promote the event as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 entertainment push, and campaigners note the dates overlap the anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi’s killing.