""it's easier to talk in Saudi Arabia for me than it is in America""
""went over very well in Saudi Arabia""
""team TERF""
""a Black transgender woman whose pronoun is, sadly, n***a""
The government-sponsored Riyadh Comedy Festival ran from 26 September to 9 October 2025 as part of Vision 2030. Performers included Jimmy Carr, Omid Djalili, Jack Whitehall, Louis C.K., Pete Davidson, Aziz Ansari and Dave Chappelle among others. Participants faced criticism because Saudi Arabia has a long history of human rights abuses and violent anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Critics described the festival as an attempt by the government to whitewash human rights violations and drew comparisons with sporting events hosted by the kingdom. Lesbian comic Jessica Kirson apologised and donated her fee to a human rights organisation. Chappelle said on his Netflix special that "it's easier to talk in Saudi Arabia for me than it is in America" and that his anti-trans jokes "went over very well in Saudi Arabia". Chappelle's prior anti-trans remarks include declaring he is "team TERF" and saying he was writing a play about "a Black transgender woman whose pronoun is, sadly, n***a". He has described himself as a victim of cancel culture despite continued commercial success and awards.
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