Whitney Cummings defends Riyadh Comedy Festival amid Saudi debate

Comedian Whitney Cummings defended her decision to perform at the government-backed Riyadh Comedy Festival, saying Monday that criticism of the event amounted to racism and that critics were conflating Saudi citizens with their government. The festival, which ran from Sept. 26 to Oct. 9 in the Saudi capital, drew dozens of international headliners and ignited a debate within the comedy community and beyond over artists accepting fees from events tied to the Saudi state.

On her Good for You podcast, Cummings said critics failed to distinguish between governments and the people who live under them. "It's just racism," she said, and urged listeners to consider financial ties across the industry, pointing to a past stake by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in the live-entertainment company Live Nation. Cummings also suggested that many performers have indirect financial links to Saudi investment through corporate relationships.

The festival lineup included prominent U.S. comedians such as Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari and Pete Davidson. Several performers defended participation as an opportunity to engage Saudi audiences and promote cultural...