I have been criticised for being part of the Riyadh comedy festival. This is why I did it | Omid Djalili

<p>The headlines focus on money, but the gigs were great and I think there are different ways to achieve progress. Art, especially comedy, can be part of that</p><p>After 15 years of turning down offers to perform standup comedy in Saudi Arabia due to the country’s human rights record, this time I took <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyn2yqpnnpo">the gig</a>. Why?</p><p>There’s a push for change in Saudi, and signs are discernible. Yet many from the outside would rather comedians in the west stayed away. At a time when freedom of speech is under attack, the backlash against comedians who participated in the Riyadh comedy festival reflects our ongoing struggle to find consensus on this and many issues affecting humanity.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/08/riyadh-comedy-festival-omid-djalili-saudi-arabia">Continue reading...</a>