dave Chappelle Criticizes US Free Speech at Riyadh Festival

The comedian, facing criticism for performing at the first Riyadh humor festival, explained he worried about returning to the United states, fearing he would be stopped from “saying what he thinks.”

At the Riyadh festival in Saudi Arabia, Dave Chappelle criticized freedom of expression in the US ahead of President Trump’s arrival on Thursday. “It’s easier to talk about hear than there,” he told an audience of 6,000 people. He added: “Right now, they say if you talk about Charlie Kirk, you’ll get censored.I don’t know if that’s true,but I’m going to find out.”

According to the New York Times, the 52-year-old comedian, known for comedies like the Chappelle Show, made these comments on stage. He suggested the environment in Saudi Arabia currently allows for more open discussion than in the United States.