Comedian Bill Burr is shrugging off backlash over his recent performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia, saying the show was a success and the Saudi royals were “thrilled.” Burr addressed the criticism during his Monday Morning Podcast, defending his decision to participate in the kingdom’s first-ever comedy festival.
“It was great to experience that part of the world and be a part of the first comedy festival over there in Saudi Arabia,” Burr said. “The royals loved the show. Everyone was happy. The people that were doing the festival were thrilled.”
Burr’s comments come in response to several fellow comics, including Shane Gillis, who condemned the event. Gillis refused to attend, referencing the kingdom’s connection to the 9/11 attacks. “I took a principled stand,” he said. “You don’t 9/11 your friends.”
Burr pushed back on that line of thinking, arguing that Saudi citizens shouldn’t be lumped in with government actions. “You think everybody’s going to be screaming ‘Death to America’ and they’re going to have like f***ing machetes and want to chop my head off,” he said. “Because this is what I’ve been fed about that part of the world.”
Burr said he was struck by the youthfulness of the audience and the American-style consumer culture in Riyadh. “Is that a Starbucks next to a Pizza Hut next to a Burger King next to a McDonald’s? They got a f***ing Chili’s over here!” he joked.
The Old Dads star also poked fun at the idea that the crowd would even know who he was. “I had to stop a couple times during the show and say, ‘I’ll be honest with you guys, I cannot f***ing believe any of you have any idea who I am.’ It was just this great exchange of energy. They know their reputation. So they were extra friendly.”
In the end, Burr said the crowd just wanted to laugh. “It was a comedy show. That’s what they came for,” he said. “And I’m glad I did it.”
The post Bill Burr Brushes Off Saudi Arabia Comedy Criticism: ‘The Royals Loved It’ appeared first on Real News Now.
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