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October 6, 2025
e Chappelle is facing backlash after comparing free speech in the U.S. to that in Saudi Arabia.
Dave Chappelle is facing backlash once again after his latest comedy set, where he compared free speech in Saudi Arabia to that in the U.S.
The award-winning comedian headlined the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, where he stirred controversy with comments on free speech in America and appeared to defend fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel, criticizing the “cancel culture” backlash tied to mentioning Charlie Kirk.
“Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled,” Chappelle said during his performance, as captured by The New York Times. “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,” he added.
As criticism mounts against the Trump administration for allegedly targeting media and educational institutions that challenge its actions and threaten First Amendment rights, many on social media blasted Chappelle for appearing to ignore Saudi Arabia’s controversial record on human rights and free speech violations.
“If Dave Chappelle believes there’s freer speech in Saudi Arabia than the US…he should do an entire set mocking Muhammad there and see how it goes,” one X user tweeted.
“Tell us more about free speech, Dave,” another user wrote. “Comedians performing in Saudi Arabia had to sign contracts containing strict content restrictions prohibiting any derogatory, defamatory, or ridiculing material about the royal family, religion, the government, or the kingdom itself.”
The inaugural Saudi Arabian comedy festival drew a star-studded lineup, with Dave Chappelle headlining alongside Louis C.K., Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, Whitney Cummings, Pete Davidson, Aziz Ansari, Jo Koy, and others. But the event sparked backlash before it even began, as critics condemned the comedians for performing in a country long accused of silencing dissent.
The festival was produced by Sela — a live events company backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund — and the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, led by royal adviser Turki al-Sheikh, who has faced allegations of human rights abuses, including the detention of critics over social media posts.
“This whitewashing comes amid a significant increase in repression, including a crackdown on free speech, which many of these comedians defend, but people in Saudi Arabia are completely denied,” said Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea.
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