While headlined the Saudi Arabian Riad Comedy Festival (via the New York Times) on Saturday, comedy giant Dave Chapelle debated on American freedom of speech and what it wasn’t, deeming “easy to talk to” in a country in the Middle Eastern region than in the US homeland.
“In America now, they say that talking about Charlie Kirk will be cancelled,” Chapelle said. “I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I’ll know.”
“It’s easier to talk here than in America,” he added.
Chapelle later said, “They want to do something to me, so he won’t be able to say what I want to say, so he’ll do something to me.”
The Riyadh Comedy Festival elicited scathing criticism from several American comedians. David Cross released a statement from Shaming Chapelle and fellow Riad performers Bill Barr and Louis CK on Monday, signing up for the event and tolerated “totalitarian territory.”
“Obviously you guys don’t give us shit about what the rest of us are thinking, but how can any of us take everyone of you seriously again?” The cross was added. “Everything about ‘culture cancellation’ and ‘free speech’ and more, all your bitches have done all the shit. You can never talk about it again. Now I saw the deal you had to sign. ”
The bar had a totally different perspective on events from within. He said in an episode of “Monday Morning Podcast” on September 29th that Riyadh was one of the “top three experiences” he had ever had.
“It was great to experience that part of the world and be part of Saudi Arabia’s first comedy festival,” Barr said. “The Royals loved the show. Everyone was happy. The people who were doing the festival were excited.”
