Comedian Jessica Kirson, an openly gay veteran of the stand-up stage, has issued a statement expressing “sincere regret” for being among the more than 50 stars to participate in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Comedy Festival.
The event — currently taking place from Sept. 26-Oct. 9 and billed as the “world’s largest comedy festival” — welcomed a who’s who of comedians to the country including Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Whitney Cummings, Andrew Schulz, Aziz Ansari, Jim Jefferies, Jo Koy, Sebastian Maniscalco, Mark Normand, Tom Segura, Bobby Lee, Jeff Ross and more. It has come under fire this week as word spread of its lineup, leading comedy world insiders like Marc Maron, David Cross and Atsuko Okatsuka to speak out against it. Cross cited Saudi Arabia’s “oppressive regime” and the country’s treatment of women, the LGBTQ community and journalists as cause for alarm.
Okatsuka, who shared that she turned down the fest’s offer, posted the event’s contract online, which included the following: “ARTIST shall not prepare or perform any material that may be considered to degrade, defame or bring into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, embarrassment, or ridicule: A) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its leadership, public figures, culture or people; B) The Saudi royal family, legal system, or government, and; C) Any religion, religious tradition, religious figure or religious practice.”
In her statement, shared exclusively with The Hollywood Reporter, Kirson said that she was “surprised” to be asked to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival. She even went so far as to “request a guarantee” that she could be “openly out as a lesbian on stage and perform gay material” as is common in her act.
“I hoped that this could help LGBTQ+ people in Saudi Arabia feel seen and valued. I am grateful that I was able to do precisely that — to my knowledge, I am the first openly gay comic to talk about it on stage in Saudi Arabia. I received messages from attendees sharing how much it meant to them to participate in a gay-affirming event. At the same time, I deeply regret participating under the auspices of the Saudi government.”
Kirson offered that she is “deeply sorry to all the fans and followers” hurt or disappointed by her decision to perform in Riyadh. She has committed to donating the entirety of her fee to an undisclosed human rights organization.
“I have a special relationship with my fans because of the vulnerable nature of my comedy and the trust they place in me as part of the queer community. To my fans: I see you. I hear you. Your voice matters to me. I love you all, and I am genuinely sorry for making a poor decision that had repercussions I didn’t fully consider. I will take full responsibility for my actions and dedicate myself to making amends, so that my words and choices reflect the respect and care you deserve,” Kirson concluded in her statement as a direct reach out to her community, which includes nearly 1 million followers on Instagram.
In recent days, her fans have been taking to the comments section on Instagram to share their objections to her participation. “You really sold out like…I’m super sad about this,” wrote one. Another added, “Still waiting for the explanation behind your terrible decision to accept money from a horrible regime…Do you care so little that you think it’ll all blow over?”
In recent days, as the firestorm spread, comedians like Burr have defended their decision to participate. On his podcast, Burr called it “a great experience” to be on the stage there. “The royals loved the show. Everyone was happy. The people that were doing the festival were thrilled. The comedians that I’ve been talking to are saying, ‘Dude, you can feel [the audience] wanted it. They want to see real stand-up comedy.’ It was a mind-blowing experience. Definitely top three experiences I’ve had. I think it’s going to lead to a lot of positive things.”
But Kirson is the first to release a lengthy statement apologizing while also confirming the donation of her salary. Read Kirson’s full statement below.
On Sept. 29, I performed at the Riyadh Comedy Festival. This decision has weighed heavily on my heart ever since. I like to express my sincere regret for having performed under a government that continues to violate fundamental human rights.
I want to share the context for my decision — not as an excuse, but because the people who have trusted me deserve to hear from me. As an artist, my mission has always been to help people feel less alone. As an openly gay person, when I was asked to perform in Riyadh, I was surprised. I requested a guarantee that I could be openly out as a lesbian on stage and perform gay material. I hoped that this could help LGBTQ+ people in Saudi Arabia feel seen and valued. I am grateful that I was able to do precisely that — to my knowledge, I am the first openly gay comic to talk about it on stage in Saudi Arabia. I received messages from attendees sharing how much it meant to them to participate in a gay-affirming event. At the same time, I deeply regret participating under the auspices of the Saudi government.
I have donated the entirety of what I was paid to perform there to a human rights organization. I made this decision because I want that money to go to an organization that can help combat these severe issues.
I respect my fellow comics who have spoken out against the festival, and we should all be able to share our perspectives. I recognize the concerns and criticism this has raised. I hope that this moment sparks dialogue about how we can use our platforms for good — to support people without a voice and to find ways to be less divided. In the past, I’ve faced criticism for choices I’ve made, both on and off stage, and I rarely responded. This time, I felt I needed to speak up. I could not remain silent.
Most importantly, I am deeply sorry to all the fans and followers I have hurt or disappointed. I have a special relationship with my fans because of the vulnerable nature of my comedy and the trust they place in me as part of the queer community. To my fans: I see you. I hear you. Your voice matters to me. I love you all, and I am genuinely sorry for making a poor decision that had repercussions I didn’t fully consider. I will take full responsibility for my actions and dedicate myself to making amends, so that my words and choices reflect the respect and care you deserve.
