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Andrew Maxwell plays Riyadh Comedy Festival | ...as Omid Djalili explains his decision to play Saudi

Andrew Maxwell plays Riyadh Comedy Festival

...as Omid Djalili explains his decision to play Saudi

Andrew Maxwell has become the latest British-based comic to play the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival, Chortle can reveal.

The Irishman opened for Jimmy Carr in the Saudi capital – although like most of the other stand-ups taking part he has made no mention of his involvement.

But footage of the Radio 4 regular was posted on the social media of Enjoy Saudi, the official platform of the government-run General Entertainment Authority  which regulates and oversees all entertainment in the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Jack Whitehall was filmed arriving in Riyadh ahead of his appearance this week:

Chortle has approached Maxwell’s agent for comment, amid controversy that the festival is being used to 'jokewash' the regime's reputation in the face of  human rights abuses.

Some of the comediand taking part have explained their decision, including Omid Djalili, who wrote an article in The Guardian this afternoon.

In it, he said: ‘There’s a push for change in Saudi, and signs are discernible. 

‘Allowing international performances in Saudi, especially comedy, subtly broadens what’s thinkable and sayable in a society. Every laugh at a taboo subject shifts norms, albeit slightly. Bear in mind "slightly" is a seismic movement in the Middle East. Dubai is a very different place now to what it was when I first performed there in 2008.

‘When artists perform in the Middle East they don’t just face "the regime". They face real people, many of whom are reform-minded, quietly disillusioned youth who want to embrace new ideas without betraying their own culture and beliefs.

And Aziz Ansari defended his decision to appear at the festival in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday.

He said it was something he ‘put a lot of thought into’ but decided he wanted to engage with Saudis who did not agree with the regime.

Ansari added: ‘This is a very young country, like half the country is under the age of 25, and things can really change. And to me, a comedy festival felt like something that’s pushing things to be more open and to push a dialogue. You have to make a choice of whether you’re going to isolate or engage.

‘It’s a complicated issue, but I felt like it was something that was pushing things in the right direction, I hope.’

Also playing the festival were Jimeoin and Britain’s Got Talent star Nabil Abdulrashid, whose unannounced appearance Chortle revealed last night. Neither they, Carr or Whitehall have commented on their involvement.

The Washington Post – whose columnist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by the Saudi regime in 2018 – has added its voice to those criticising comedians taking part.

In an editorial, the venerated newspaper said: ‘Fifty comedians walk into a repressive Gulf kingdom. That sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. But there is little funny about some of the best-known Western comics trekking to Saudi Arabia, collecting large paychecks and agreeing to censor themselves at the Riyadh Comedy Festival.’

The board criticised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for hosting the festival, claiming it’s 'just the latest in a string of attempts to divert attention from his country’s atrocious human rights record by hosting showy international events.’

Last week Dave Chappelle did use his appearance to criticise what he saw as restrictions on free speech in the US, without mentioning any such curbs in Saudi.

He seemed to be referencing Kimmel – who was briefly pulled from the airwaves following right-wing outrage about his monologue about  the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk – while critics of the Saudi regime have been executed.

The line-up of the festival, which ends tomorrow. also includes  the likes of Louis CK, Kevin Hart, Bill Burr, Jim Jefferies, and Pete Davidson.

Published: 8 Oct 2025

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