Useful Idiots: Comics Who Participated in the Riyadh Comedy Festival

​Maybe the most controversial issue in stand up today is the participation of the top headliners in the world going to the Riyadh Comedy Festival, put on by the Saudi Arabian government to participate in a 2030 campaign to increase tourism. They are of course a nation and government that mistreats women, the LGBTQ+ community, and has been known to have low tolerance in dealing with critics of leaders and critics of religious figures. Many attribute Saudi Arabia for funding 9/11, and of course there are other countless examples of government funded terrorism over the decades. Christopher Hitchens laid out their crimes, as he pointed to Saudi-funded charities, such as the Muslim World League, that spent billions promoting terrorist ideology and which were later linked to terrorist financing, particularly before 9/11.

Often, people will quickly point to the United States being guilty of similar crimes, and while we can all agree the US isn't perfect, the major difference is that the US doesn't have a government funded comedy festival. If Canada, a government that funds the Just For Laughs festival, was guilty of such atrocities, then the anti-sentiment would be headed that way. But the only thing Canada is guilty of is making delicious pancake syrup.   

I would even be critical of comics who support Donald Trump. Oh wait, I already have gone on the record criticizing Joe Rogan and Tony Hinchcliffe. So if anything, my disgust is just maintaining my comedic integrity.

But if you need more data, Human Rights Watch sees the organizers of the festival as a world problem as well.     

"The Saudi government is using the Riyadh Comedy Festival … to deflect attention from its brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations," said Human Rights Watch in a statement this week. "Participating comedians, to avoid contributing to laundering the Saudi government's reputation, should use the comedy festival to publicly urge Saudi authorities to free unjustly detained Saudi dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists."

So here's a few take-a-ways and thoughts on the latest civil war in stand up comedy.   

Comics Are Divided - As Expected
The list of headliners participating range from Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, and Kevin Hart to a slew of famous British and Arab comics. It's a Who's Who of talent. Some noted comics declined the offer, but most of the bigger names agreed with little to no reservations. Upon hearing about the festival, David Cross, a veteran comic and TV/movie star wrote a blog calling out the hypocrisy.  

David Cross wrote, "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?" 

Marc Maron took a move "jokey" approach. "From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don't miss it!'" joked Maron. "The same guy that's gonna pay them is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a f***ing suitcase. But don't let that stop the yucks, it's gonna be a good time!"

I would say that Maron and Cross's stance falls more in line with George Carlin and Bill Hicks. Whereas I would argue the comics who decided the paycheck was worth it fall more in line with the late Gallagher and other cash grab big names. One side has the integrity of Carlin and the other of a man who used roller skates and watermelons to get laughs.      

Participating Comics Are Defending Themselves Ferociously
The one comic that has taken the criticism personally is Bill Burr. On the Conan O'Brien podcast, he went off on his critics.  

The AV Club writes, [Burr] noted he got “the most amount of shit” from other comedians, who he described as “sanctimonious cunts … who don’t really sincerely give a shit.” He said, “If you actually give a fuck about those people and how they’re living over there, there’s gonna have to be these types of things to pull them in. And I will tell you, the Cheesecake Factory in Riyadh, it’s incredible. It’s right next to Pizza Hut and KFC, and if you want a pair of Timberlands, it’s across the street next to the Marriott, catty-corner to the fucking Hilton.”

I suppose Burr will be hocking Cheesecake Factory as a date night idea soon. If anything, he might have found five new sponsors for his podcast. "When I'm looking the other way at human rights, I'm usually stuffing my face with stuffed crust pizza and shoveling pumpkin cheesecake down my throat, which I still have, unlike the journalists and artists who criticized the Saudi Arabian government!"   

Louis CK went on Bill Maher's show to argue it's a gateway to opening western ideals to the people there. “When I’m talking to the other comedians who have been there, they’ve been really surprised by what’s going on. There’s a woman who’s a lesbian and Jewish, who did a show there, and she got a standing ovation. So, there’s stuff going on that’s unexpected in this thing,” he said. “People have been playing Saudi Arabia for years. Comedians have been going and playing Arab countries. There was a film festival there recently, it’s kind of opened up. But I’ve always said no to Arab countries.”

Louis CK took a less aggressive approach in defense of participating because he probably knows he's selling his soul, so the pushback is justified and expected. Burr, on the other hand, is feeling the cancel culture crowd and like a child, doesn't like his choices being criticized or judged. This is new territory for the Boston comic and he's transferring his own self loathing onto the comics that he doesn't have to work with anyways. Burr already said if he loses gigs, he'll just stay home for a while. Must be nice. 

The Aftermath Will Show No Change 
While I find their participation discouraging, it's not surprising. Comics are not really the moral center of the Western zeitgeist. While Jon Stewart and John Oliver have a moral ethos, they aren't stand ups anymore. They might have declined the offers, but they aren't in the same category to be offered this gig. 

But nothing will change. Burr and Maron will still work together at The Comedy Store and Improv. Bookers won't take away their spots. Fans are basically unaware this is even an issue. The job was on the comics to self-regulate their participation in events like these. 

If Burr and Louis CK were really about opening borders and creating new avenues for western ideals and free speech, then they should have done the gig for free. I expect Bobby Lee to take the money and run. But the comics who spent the last 30 years trying to take down the establishment, only to support one of worst ones should have either declined the blood money or donated it up front to a cause that is the victim of the Saudi Arabian leadership. Whether that was an LGBTQ+ group or women's group, would the festival organizers be okay knowing that? 

Lesbian and Jewish American comedian Jessica Kirson later stated she regretted participating and gave the money to a human rights group after being criticized. Clearly, her moral IQ wasn't high enough to see the problem early on, and after getting pushback from her tribe decided to retreat. Fine, better late than never, but the damage is done. 

These Participating Comics Are Useful Idiots 
During the Cold War, Vladimir Lenin would call famous celebrities and politicians who supported Russia "useful idiots," a term to describe those who were used as pawns to prop up evil regimes.  

South Carolina professor Mark Herring defined it best: "Whatever the provenance, useful idiot is now short speak for anyone oblivious to the harmful effects of a given cause, political or otherwise. Useful idiots are not what one would call stupid; they are highly intelligent and aware of the circumstances. The problem appears to be that they attribute to a given cause its positive effects only while turning a blind eye to its derogatory ones. The most benighted of useful idiots will even argue against any accusations that what they have supported may not, in fact, be wrong at all."

The above definition describes the current attitudes of Burr, Louis CK, and the others who have claimed they're just trying to make others laugh. When in fact, that's not why they're there. They are there to make money. When Burr celebrates the popping up of fast food in the country as a positive, you know he's stretching, grasping for straws to hold some moral high ground. Yet, he's grabbed nothing. He's just a useful idiot on this issue. 

Final Thoughts 
I wasn't asked to join the festival. Obviously. So many will say, "If they offered you hundreds of thousands of dollars, you'd jump on a plane tomorrow." If you think that, you clearly haven't been reading my work the last few years.

I've said no to many gigs and to booking comics because they were known for being predators. I've stayed away from supporting clubs and venues that support bringer shows. I've maintained my integrity by leaving Flappers after ownership wanted me to participate in shady business practices. I've left numerous jobs after the company proved to be unethical and toxic.

I've probably hurt my career and finances due to numerous moral choices I've made. But I sleep well at night knowing that once my ignorance was crushed and I saw the truth, I left. 

This stems in areas of my personal life as well. I've had to cut off family members and relationships due to terrible behavior. All we have his our reputation. In the words of Roy Kent to Ted Lasso after benching Jamie Tartt, "Took balls, what you did," to which Ted Lasso replies, "That's all we got is balls, Roy. It's all we got."

​So to sum it up, the comics who participated just didn't have the balls to say no. Most useful idiots don't.