Aziz Ansari Defends Riyadh Comedy Festival Appearance

Aziz Ansari defended his decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival on the October 6 edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live, saying he had weighed the choice carefully and that his appearance was intended to reach Saudi audiences rather than endorse the government. The festival, held in Riyadh from late September through October, has drawn broad criticism because of Saudi Arabia's human rights record and allegations connected to the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Kimmel pressed Ansari on the optics of taking money from a state he described as "a pretty brutal regime," asking why the comedian would perform for people who "are not good people." Ansari replied that he sought counsel from relatives who had lived in Saudi Arabia and from his wife, framing his decision as an effort to engage with people who may disagree with their government. "I was just there to do a show for the people," he said, adding that entertainers can expose audiences to outside ideas and spark change in a young population. He also said he planned to donate part of his fee to organizations that support a free press and human rights, naming Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch.