Louis C.K. is trying to explain his latest career move — and it’s not without controversy.
The comedian appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night for his first televised interview in eight years, where he addressed his decision to perform at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival.
C.K. admitted he had “mixed feelings” about the gig, which has been widely criticized by fans and fellow comics alike, but ultimately decided to go, calling the experience “a positive thing.”
“I’ve been talking to them, the comedians who’ve been there, and they’ve been really surprised by what’s going on,” he told Maher. “There’s a woman who’s a lesbian and Jewish, who did a show there, and she got a standing ovation. So, there’s stuff going on that’s unexpected in this thing.”
C.K. went on to say that he’s long declined offers to perform in Arab countries — until now. “People have been playing Saudi Arabia for years. Comedians have been going and playing Arab countries, there was a film festival there recently, it’s kind of opened up,” he said. “But I’ve always said no to Arab countries. I do shows everywhere … and when this came up, they said there’s only two restrictions; their religion and their government, and I don’t have jokes about those two things.”
He continued, “It used to be when I got offers from places like that, there would be a long list, and I’d just say, ‘No, I don’t need that.’ But when I heard it’s opening, I thought, that’s awfully interesting. That just feels like a good opportunity. And I just feel like comedy is a great way to get in and start talking.”
The 56-year-old added that he plans to spend his first night in Riyadh at a local comedy club to meet emerging comics. “I love stand-up comedy, and I love comedians,” he said. “So, the fact that that’s starting to open up and starting to bud, I wanna see it, I wanna be part of it. I think that’s a positive thing.”
Still, C.K. acknowledged that the backlash — from fans, peers, and advocacy groups — is valid. “I think the whole discussion is worthy,” he told Maher. “I’m glad these guys brought this stuff up, I’m glad that people are challenging this thing, because you shouldn’t just pretend it’s something it’s not.”
“I had mixed feelings about it too,” he continued. “I struggled about going once I heard what everybody was saying. There’s some good in it, maybe some bad in it. But for me, I think it cuts toward going. That’s my decision, and I know where it’s coming from, because I can see right inside myself.”
You can watch Louis C.K. discuss his debut novel Ingram with Maher below:
Outside the comedy world, critics argue that Saudi Arabia’s entertainment investments are part of a broader PR push. Joey Shea, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, told CBS News, “The Saudi government has invested billions into high profile entertainment events like these in a deliberate effort to whitewash the country’s human rights record and deflect from the egregious abuses that continue to happen inside of the country. These investments are a part of the broader strategy to… have people thinking about a comedy event, for example, rather than the soaring number of executions that are happening inside of the country.”
Despite the controversy, the festival’s lineup is stacked with A-listers — including Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Aziz Ansari, Whitney Cummings, Pete Davidson, Tom Segura, and Chris Tucker — plus Louis C.K., who’s betting that “getting in and talking” might do more good than harm.