Dave Chappelle Under Fire For Criticizing Free Speech In America…During A Show In Saudi Arabia: “It’s Easier To Talk Here Than It Is In America”

That’s a bold statement…

Comedian Dave Chappelle, who’s undoubtedly one of the funniest guys in the game and one of the biggest names in the comedy world, is once again finding himself at the center of controversy after a joke he made during the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.

The festival in the capital city of Saudi Arabia was already controversial due to the country’s history of human rights violations and censorship. After the lineup was announced, featuring top names in stand-up comedy like Chappelle, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Kevin Hart and Aziz Ansari, among many others, the comedians were criticized for agreeing to perform in the country. Even Pete Davidson, whose father was killed in the 9/11 attacks, is performing at the festival, proving that some people really do have a price to overlook just about anything.

And comedians like Shane Gillis spoke out about declining the (no doubt massive) bag of money that was offered to perform at the festival:

“I took a principled stand. You don’t 9/11 your friends.”

Actor and comedian David Cross even issued a scathing statement this week expressing his disappointment with those who accepted the blood money from Saudi Arabia:

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?

“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 LGBQT peace activists here in the states, or that we don’t terrorize enough Americans by flying planes into our buildings). I mean that’s it; you have a funny bit about how you don’t like Yankee Candles or airport lounges? Okay great, but you’re cool with murder and/or the public caning of women who were raped, and by having the audacity to be raped, were guilty of “engaging in adultery”? Got any bits on that?

These are some of my HEROES! 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–t about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your b—hing about “cancel culture” and “freedom of speech” and all that s–t? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again. By now we’ve all seen the contract you had to sign.

You’re performing for literally, the most oppressive regime on earth. They have SLAVES for f–k’s sake!”

Just an absolutely brutal takedown. But then again, money makes some people abandon all their principles.

Chappelle, though, has always been one who’s never been afraid to challenge the system, which makes it especially disappointing that he’s on the lineup. He’s come under controversy in the past for telling what critics called “transphobic” jokes, but he’s never really seemed to care about the backlash or worry about what he said.

Which makes it all the more odd that the comedian would go to a country like Saudi Arabia and criticize free speech here in America.

During his show at the festival, Chappelle bizarrely claimed that it’s easier to talk in Saudi Arabia than it is in America because of “cancel culture.”

“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out. It’s easier to talk here than it is in America.”

Making it all the more odd, comedians performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival had to sign a contract which put strict limits on the jokes they tell. According to screenshots, the comedians had to agree not to tell any joke that “may be considered to degrade, defame,” embarrass or ridicule the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi royal family or legal system, or any religion or religious practice.

Sounds like a true bastion of free speech right there.

And look, I know America has its problems, and it’s easy to joke about how things are going right now, but comparing your ability to speak freely in America to a country like Saudi Arabia that quite literally imprisons and murders people for speech they don’t like isn’t exactly “edgy” or funny. It’s just disrespectful to the actual victims of human rights violations committed by the Saudis, and to the country that allows you to speak freely without fear of the government.

Naturally, the line from Chappelle didn’t sit right with a lot of people, with many bringing up the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabia in 2018 to point out just how “easy” it is to talk over there:

It’s disappointing to hear something like that coming from a comedian like Chappelle, but then again it just proves that money really does talk – even when it limits what you’re allowed to say.The post Dave Chappelle Under Fire For Criticizing Free Speech In America…During A Show In Saudi Arabia: “It’s Easier To Talk Here Than It Is In America” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.