Bill Burr

Lore & Background

Bill Burr was one of the comedians who appeared at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, held from 26 September to 9 October 2025, at Boulevard City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He defended his appearance, calling it a "mind-blowing experience" and one of his "top three experiences." Burr stated that the Saudis were "just like" Americans, though he did note that jokes about the Saudi royals and religion were banned. Ben Schwartz of The Nation asked, "How can Burr ever get mad about billionaires here after insisting that the Saudi royal family over there is 'just like us'?", and noted that Burr had previously criticized singer Beyoncé for performing for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The festival was part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy and drew criticism due to Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record and censorship rules contractually imposed on performers.

Reader's Guide

Bill Burr's significance in the context of the Riyadh Comedy Festival lies in his public defense of his participation. He described the experience as "mind-blowing" and one of his "top three experiences," and claimed the Saudis were "just like" Americans. However, he acknowledged that jokes about the Saudi royals and religion were banned. This drew criticism from Ben Schwartz of The Nation, who pointed out the apparent contradiction between Burr's defense of the Saudi royal family and his past criticism of Beyoncé for performing for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The festival itself was criticized by Human Rights Watch and other organizations for allegedly whitewashing Saudi Arabia's human rights abuses, and several comedians declined invitations or were removed from the lineup over ethical concerns.

Did You Know?

• Bill Burr called his appearance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival a "mind-blowing experience" and one of his "top three experiences."
• Burr stated that the Saudis were "just like" Americans, but noted that jokes about the Saudi royals and religion were banned.
• Ben Schwartz of The Nation criticized Burr for defending the Saudi royal family after he had previously criticized Beyoncé for performing for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
• The Riyadh Comedy Festival was held from 26 September to 9 October 2025 at Boulevard City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.