her comments on Threads since I can't seem to add alt text to the screenshots:
"FYI there are more of us that said no to the Riyadh comedy festival in Saudi Arabia. Here’s the offer I got back in July."
"The money is coming straight from the Crown Prince, who actively executes journalists, ppl with nonlethal drug offenses, bloggers, etc without due process. A lot of the “you can’t say anything anymore!” Comedians are doing the festival 😂 they had to adhere to censorship rules about the types of jokes they can make"
Posted by noeggsjustmilk
13 Comments
Such a good point about the «you can’t say anything anymore»-comedians selling out for a regime that KILLS people for speaking their mind. And these comedians complain about…. feedback on their dumb fucking jokes. Fucking morons.
“You can’t say anything anymore” comedians just want to say the n word. They don’t care about any other free speech.
Yeah Dave Chappelle and Andrew Schulz are in the lineup for the festival lmfao.
alt text for the screenshots Atsuko shared:
slide 1, the offer:
“OFFER: ATSUKO OKATSUKA -RIYADH COMEDY FESTIVAL -RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MAD SEPT-OCT ’25
Hi team,
Per our conversation attached and below please find the offer Atsuko to perform at the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival. The Riyadh Comedy Festival is being produced by Sela Company, a leading event producer in Saudi Arabia, renowned for organizing Riyadh Season. Offers are coming in through [redacted]
The dates we would target if you are into this would be in between Portland and Denver 10/2-5.
Fee [redacted] for you to perform at a 600-900 seater. You would do 60-75 minutes. They would also provide 2 hotel rooms + local ground. We are responsible for flights. There will need to be a reasonable # of posts to support the date both story and grid.
This is essentially an endorsement as they will have global marketing for the festival.”
slide 2, the screenshot of the content restrictions:
” Content Restrictions:
ARTIST shall not prepare or perform any material that may be considered to degrade, defame, or bring into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, embarrassment, or ridicule:
A) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its leadership, public figures, culture, or people;
B) The Saudi royal family, legal system, or government, and;
C) Any religion, religious tradition, religious figure, or religious practice.”
Meanwhile; Jessica Kirston, notorious lesbian shall be performing in country where her existence is illegal.
I have gay Saudi Arabian friends who are deeply disappointed in her the most.
I understand why she covered it up but I would love to know how much money they’re offering for this.
I wanna know the fee more than anything
Good for Atsuko. Her stand up specials are great.
I still can’t get over the absolute fucking hypocrisy of Bill Burr doing this, it is absolutely shameless.
Atsuko my queen
I wish she redacted the fee in a way that we could still tell what it is. Really show how much people are willing to sell out for a pay cheque.
Such fragility.
“We want to laugh, but not at ourselves” is such a self-report. How does any comedian with a shred of self-respect take these terms?
Oh Billy B, I’ll be keeping your name out of my mouth moving forward. Just ask yourself: Would George C have gone to Riyadh?
Isn’t Pete Davidson playing? And weren’t Saudi Arabia to blame for 9/11? The terrorist attack his father died in.